Private George Birkett

Conflict:

WW2

Regimental No.:

D/81319

Cause of Death (in war):

Survived

Branch:

Army

Regiment:

Canadian Infantry (The Black Watch (R.H.R.) of Canada)

Battalion:

1st Battalion

Company:

Date of Birth :

Place of Birth:

Earby, York

Date of Enlistment:

Age at Enlistment:

24 years 5 months

Date of Discharge:

Age at Discharge:

30 years 5 months

Date of Death:

Age at Death:

86 years 11 months

Country Born:

Trade or Calling:

Textile Worker

Next of Kin:

Mr George Birkett, Father, Balmoral Hotel, Valleyfield, Quebec

Address at Enlistment:

34 St. Laurent, Valleyfield, Quebec

Religion:

United Church of Canada

Place of Enlistment:

Montreal, Quebec

Was a Prisoner of War:

Height:

5 ft 7.0 in / 170 cm

Weight:

132 lbs / 60 kg

Chest:

34.5 in / 88 cm

Expansion:

2.0 in / 5 cm

Marital Status:

Single

Prior Military Experience:

Saw Service in:

Europe

Place of Discharge:

Montreal, Quebec

Discharge Type:

Regular/End of Service

Discharge Notes:

Battle Died/Wounded:

Length of Service:

2184 days in service

Buried at:

Saint Joseph (Huntingdon) Catholic Cemetery

Plot:

Conflict	Rank	Regiment	Branch	Unit	Company	Date From	Date To
WW2	Private	Canadian Infantry (The Black Watch (R.H.R.) of Canada)	Army	1st Battalion

Type	Date	Published	Headline
News Clipping			Black Watch veteran recalls Dieppe and his experiences in POW camp

Conflict	Camp	Location	Country	Interned	Released	Notes
WW2	Stalag VIII-B	Lamsdorf	Poland			Captured at Dieppe 19 August 1942. Taken to Stalag VIII-B via train, 4 days in a cattle car with 40 prisoners, no food or water.
WW2	Stalag II-D Stargard	Stargard	Poland			Previously at Stalag VIII-B prior to being interned at Stargard

Went overseas with the 1st Bn Black Watch as an infantryman. Subsequently became a medic. Taken prisoner in Operation Jubilee/Dieppe.
Completed course in elementary mathematics.

Taken prisoner 19 Aug 42. Father informed that George Birkett was a pow on 23 August 1942
Reported POW number 26032 in Stalag 8B Germany by International Red Cross

On 18 July 1943 wrote a note of condolence to Mr., and Mrs., Williams (2 East Park, Valleyfield, Quebec). Harry was killed in a training accident May 7, 1942
"A few days ago heard from Sgt. Bob Wagstaff of Harry's tragic death, and so the boys of Valleyfield who are here with me have asked me to send you our deepest sympathy along with the R.C.A.F. here"

Wrote to Mrs. E.B. Gray (friend) Apt 44, 4710 Decarie, Montreal August 17 1943 that "At present I'm in hospital here in camp. I've got something wrong with my ears and I can't hear a thing hardly."

Wrote to Helene Loiselle (who he eventually married) 9 July 1944 "My Eye has been giving me a lot of trouble of late and I've seen a German specialist with it. Talk about you wearing glasses. You should see mine.

was assigned as a medical orderly while in pow camp hospital.

Weight when captured 132 lbs, when liberated 154 lbs.
Suffered some deafness in left ear, Traumatic rupture left tympanic membrane
I feel fine except that my teeth require attention and pr. of glasses. Blast injury to left ear 19 Aug 42, and T have had some deafness in that ear ever since, with some discharge from it in June 43

Interview 26 June 1945
APPRAISAL: A very pleasant, and well mannered young man who is sure of the job he had prior to enlistment, and will return happily to it. He has a girl in Eastbourne whom he wanted to marry but she is not 19 year old yet and her guardian won't allow her to marry. Birkett wants to marry her when she is of age and was not sure how he could arrange it. He was thinking of joining the Army of occupation in order to come back here to marry her.
COUNSEL: It was suggested that he could take his discharge at home start his new job then, when Atlantic travel restrictions are dropped send money over to the girl to come to Canada. He has a good size gratuity as he has five years service and has saved about $1600.00 besides so this plan should be possible financially. He liked this suggestion and said he will take it over with the girl before he leaves.

Interview report 4 September, 1945
Birkett is a tall, slight earnest individual who presents himself well. Due to his long confinement as P.0.. he is a little timid, but is determined in his planning. He is desirous of " training on the job employment with the Bell Telephone o, as lineman and subsequently as a machinist. In view of his youth, his determination to better his position and his desire for secure employment, vocational training is recommended as lineman, at which it is felt he will perform conscientiously as bears witness both his occupational and military background. He plans also to a ply for settlement under V.L.A. for a small holding and understands that suitable land will be made available by the City of Valleyfield Since the Telephone Co., is hiring few new men at the present time Birkett might be well advised to apply for vocational training as machinist which, though his second choice, means more to him as a vocation. He has sufficient background experience with textile machinery to know the nature of the work and took a course in elementary mathematics to help prepare himself for training. His education was retarded by illness and not by lack of ability and it is felt that this 26 years old man is the type who can benefit by vocational training.

Served as D/442154 Sgt. In Army 182 LAA Regiment RCA 30 Jan 1951 to 5 Feb 1957

Conflict	Award	Action	Date of Award	Date of Citation	Source
WW2	Canadian Forces Decoration
WW2	1939-45 Star
WW2	France and Germany Star
WW2	CVSM and Clasp
WW2	Defence Medal
WW2	War Medal 1939-1945

Private George Birkett

Survivor of WW2

Date of Death:

General Information

Images

Ranks

Awards

Available Transcriptions

Prisoner of War Information

Notes

Additional Service Notes

Additional Next of Kin Notes

Research Notes

Top