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Corporal Harold Joseph Arthur Cahill

Survivor of WW2

Date of Death:

Biography General Links Ranks Awards Chronology Print

Service Biography

Harold Joseph Arthur Cahill was born in Ottawa on 7 September 1921. He attended St. Joseph's High School in Huntingdon and, before enlistment, worked as a welder's helper for the Department of Munitions in Valleyfield. He enlisted at Montreal South on 22 April 1941 and served with the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals in Canada, the United Kingdom and Continental Europe. He went to France with First Canadian Army Signals in June 1944. In October he returned to England, where he married Alma Constance Drake at St. Joseph's Parish, Epsom, Surrey, on 27 October 1944, before returning to France in early November. Cahill returned to Canada in August 1945 and, during a 36-day leave before discharge, worked as a labourer in the CNR shops at Stratford, where he had been promised employment. He was discharged at London, Ontario, on 1 October 1945 with the rank of Corporal. He planned to study bookkeeping and business correspondence in his own time while returning to railway employment, with the longer-term hope of clerical or civil-service work.

General Information

Conflict:
WW2
Regimental No.:
D-116165
Cause of Death (in war):
Survived
Branch:
Canadian Army
Regiment:
Royal Canadian Corps of Signals
Battalion:
Canadian Army Signals / RCCS
Company:
Date of Birth :
Place of Birth:
Ottawa, Ontario
Date of Enlistment:
Age at Enlistment:
19 years 7 months
Date of Discharge:
Age at Discharge:
24 years
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
48 years 2 months
Country Born:
Canada
Trade or Calling:
Welder's helper / acetylene worker
Next of Kin:
Lena Cahill, mother, RCMP Barracks, Hemmingford, Quebec
Address at Enlistment:
Hemmingford, Quebec
Religion:
Roman Catholic
Place of Enlistment:
Montreal South, Quebec
Was a Prisoner of War:
No
Height:
5 ft 7.5 in / 171 cm
Weight:
124 lbs / 56 kg
Chest:
33.0 in / 84 cm
Expansion:
3.0 in / 8 cm
Marital Status:
Married
Prior Military Experience:
No
Saw Service in:
Europe
Place of Discharge:
London, Ontario
Discharge Type:
Regular/End of Service
Discharge Notes:
Battle Died/Wounded:
Length of Service:
1623 days in service
Buried at:
Ancestry.com

Ranks

Conflict Rank Regiment Branch Unit Company Date From Date To
WW2 Corporal Royal Canadian Corps of Signals Canadian Army Canadian Army Signals / RCCS
WW2 Acting Corporal Royal Canadian Corps of Signals Canadian Army First Canadian Army Signals / RCCS
WW2 Lance Corporal Royal Canadian Corps of Signals Canadian Army First Canadian Army Signals / RCCS
WW2 Acting Lance Corporal Royal Canadian Corps of Signals Canadian Army First Canadian Army Signals / RCCS
WW2 Signalman Royal Canadian Corps of Signals Canadian Army 5th Canadian Armoured Division Signals; 3rd Canadian Medium Regiment Signal Section; First Canadian

Awards

Conflict Award Action Date of Award Date of Citation Source
WW2 War Service Badge, General Service Class
WW2 First Good Conduct Badge
WW2 Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp
WW2 1939-45 Star
WW2 France and Germany Star

Service Chronology

1921-09-07 — Born. Place / Unit: Ottawa, Ontario.
1937 — Left St. Joseph's High School after Grade IX and part of Grade X; later attended private high school about six months for bookkeeping and mathematics. Place / Unit: Huntingdon, Quebec.
1941 — Reinforcement training assessment recorded military efficiency as fair, conduct as good, leadership as poor, and noted that he was very slow to learn. Place / Unit: Canada / RCCS training.
1941-04-22 — Enlisted in the Canadian Active Service Force; Royal Canadian Corps of Signals. Place / Unit: Montreal South, Quebec / RCCS.
1941-04-22 — Taken on strength at District Depot No. 4, B Wing, effective date of enlistment. Place / Unit: Montreal, Quebec / District Depot No. 4.
1941-04-25 — Sent for hospital observation/treatment for bronchitis. Place / Unit: Montreal area, Quebec / St. Anne's Hospital.
1941-05-07 — Transferred from St. Anne's Hospital to Red Cross Lodge for one week of convalescence; diagnosis bronchitis. Place / Unit: Montreal area, Quebec / Red Cross Lodge.
1941-05-13 — Discharged from Red Cross Lodge and returned to duty. Place / Unit: Montreal, Quebec / RCCS.
1941-05-13 — Discharged from Red Cross Lodge and returned to unit after bronchitis convalescence. Place / Unit: Montreal area, Quebec / District Depot No. 4.
1941-05-21 — Proceeded on command attached for all purposes to Canadian Army Basic Training Centre, Sherbrooke. Place / Unit: Sherbrooke, Quebec / C.A.(B)T.C..
1941-05-22 — Taken on strength at Canadian Army Basic Training Centre, Sherbrooke. Place / Unit: Sherbrooke, Quebec / C.A.(B)T.C..
1941-07-25 — Struck off strength on transfer to Barriefield. Place / Unit: Barriefield, Ontario.
1941-08-25 — Awarded 3 days confined to barracks and forfeited 2 days' pay under King's Regulations and Orders 149(1)(a). Place / Unit: Canada / RCCS.
1941-10-04 — Ceased attachment to Canadian Signals Training Centre. Place / Unit: Canada / Canadian Signals Training Centre.
1941-10-04 — Ceased attachment to Canadian Signals Training Centre, Kingston, as a reinforcement from No. 4 District Depot, Montreal, on posting to 5th Canadian Armoured Division Signals at Camp Borden. Place / Unit: Camp Borden, Ontario / 5th Canadian Armoured Division Signals.
1941-10-05 — Taken on strength of 5th Canadian Armoured Division Signals on posting from No. 4 District Depot. Place / Unit: Camp Borden, Ontario / 5th Canadian Armoured Division Signals.
1941-10-06 — Attended dental clinic for dental caries. Place / Unit: Canada / 5th Canadian Armoured Division Signals.
1941-10-20 — Reported for dental treatment for trench mouth after about ten days of treatment by his dental officer; the report noted no improvement and possible hospital admission. Place / Unit: Canada / 5th Canadian Armoured Division Signals.
1941-10-30 — Attended dental clinic appointment. Place / Unit: Canada / 5th Canadian Armoured Division Signals.
1941-11-10 — Admitted to Camp Borden Military Hospital with Vincent's angina, with sore mouth and swollen gums. Place / Unit: Camp Borden, Ontario / Military Hospital.
1941-11-10 — Struck off strength of 5th Canadian Armoured Division Signals on posting and attached to the division holding unit for all purposes. Place / Unit: Camp Borden, Ontario / 5th Canadian Armoured Division Holding Unit.
1941-11-25 — Discharged from Camp Borden Military Hospital after treatment for Vincent's angina; condition improved and further dental treatment was advised. Place / Unit: Camp Borden, Ontario / Military Hospital.
1941-11-28 — Attached to Canadian Signals Training Centre, Kingston, as a reinforcement from No. 4 District Depot, Montreal. Place / Unit: Kingston, Ontario / Canadian Signals Training Centre.
1941-12-05 — Granted 14 days' furlough through 18 December 1941. Place / Unit: Kingston, Ontario / Canadian Signals Training Centre.
1942-02-09 — Ceased attachment to Canadian Signals Training Centre, Kingston, as a reinforcement from No. 4 District Depot, Montreal, on posting to 3rd Canadian Medium Regiment Signal Section. Place / Unit: Kingston, Ontario / 3rd Canadian Medium Regiment Signal Section.
1942-02-10 — Attached to Canadian Signals Training Centre, Kingston, for all purposes including pay from 3rd Canadian Medium Regiment Signal Section. Place / Unit: Kingston, Ontario / Canadian Signals Training Centre.
1942-04-29 — Ceased attachment to Canadian Signals Training Centre on posting overseas; embarked for overseas service and was struck off strength Canadian Army (Canada). Place / Unit: Canada to United Kingdom / 3rd Canadian Medium Regiment Signal Section.
1942-05-12 — Arrived overseas; attached to 1 Canadian Signals Reinforcement Unit. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / RCCS.
1942-05-14 — Attached to 1 Canadian Signals Reinforcement Unit for training. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / 1 Canadian Signals Reinforcement Unit.
1942-06-02 — Ceased attachment to No. 1 Canadian Signals Reinforcement Unit for training and returned to 1 Canadian Signals Reinforcement Unit. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / 1 Canadian Signals Reinforcement Unit.
1942-07-11 — Ceased attachment to No. 1 Canadian Signals Reinforcement Unit for rations, pay and quarters and was attached to 3rd Canadian Medium Regiment, RCA, for all purposes. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / 3rd Canadian Medium Regiment, RCA.
1942-07-17 — Struck off strength of 3rd Canadian Medium Regiment Signal Section, RCCS, on posting to First Canadian Army Signals, RCCS. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / First Canadian Army Signals, RCCS.
1943-04-22 — Taken on strength of the Active Force. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / Canadian Army.
1943-07-10 — Appointed Acting Lance Corporal. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / First Canadian Army Signals.
1943-07-16 — Service records place him with 1 Canadian Signals Reinforcement Unit. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / 1 Canadian Signals Reinforcement Unit.
1943-07-27 — Proceeded on a course at Harrogate. Place / Unit: Harrogate, England / First Canadian Army Signals.
1943-08-24 — Returned from the Harrogate course. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / First Canadian Army Signals.
1943-09-18 — Began seven days' privilege leave. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / First Canadian Army Signals.
1943-10-10 — Appointed Lance Corporal. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / First Canadian Army Signals.
1943-12-15 — Struck off strength of First Canadian Army Signals to 1 Canadian Signals Reinforcement Unit for a CMHQ course, Schedule No. 2. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / 1 Canadian Signals Reinforcement Unit, CMHQ course.
1944-01-15 — Struck off strength to Y-5 List while on command for a CMHQ course, Schedule No. 2 (S.B.O. 'C'). Place / Unit: United Kingdom / Y-5 List, CMHQ course.
1944-01-15 — Awarded the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / Canadian Army.
1944-02-25 — Taken on strength from Y-5 List after completing the CMHQ course, Schedule No. 2 (S.B.O. 'C'); ceased drawing trade pay as Operator 'C' on being taken on strength. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / 1 Canadian Signals Reinforcement Unit.
1944-03-02 — Struck off strength on posting to First Canadian Army Signals after the CMHQ course. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / First Canadian Army Signals.
1944-03-03 — Taken on strength of First Canadian Army Signals from 1 Canadian Signals Reinforcement Unit after the CMHQ course. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / First Canadian Army Signals.
1944-04-19 — Blood specimen collected for laboratory examination; Kahn test subsequently reported negative. Place / Unit: Field / Canadian Army Signals.
1944-05-01 — Higher authority granted permission to marry Alma Constance Drake, with marriage permitted on or after 1 July 1944. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / First Canadian Army Signals.
1944-05-17 — Granted permission to marry Alma Constance Drake on or after 1 July 1944. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / First Canadian Army Signals.
1944-06-19 — Embarked from the United Kingdom for Continental Europe. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / First Canadian Army Signals.
1944-06-20 — Disembarked in France for service with First Canadian Army Signals. Place / Unit: France / First Canadian Army Signals.
1944-10-23 — Embarked from France for the United Kingdom. Place / Unit: France / First Canadian Army Signals.
1944-10-24 — Disembarked in the United Kingdom after leaving France. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / First Canadian Army Signals.
1944-10-26 — Began seven days' compassionate leave with ration allowance, extending to 2 November 1944, around his marriage. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / First Canadian Army Signals.
1944-10-27 — Married Alma Constance Drake with military permission at St. Joseph's Parish, Epsom, Surrey, England. Place / Unit: Epsom, Surrey, England / First Canadian Army Signals.
1944-11-03 — Embarked from the United Kingdom to return to France after his marriage. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / First Canadian Army Signals.
1944-11-04 — Disembarked in France and resumed service in Continental Europe. Place / Unit: France / First Canadian Army Signals.
1944-12-31 — Awarded First Good Conduct Badge. Place / Unit: Continental Europe / First Canadian Army Signals.
1945 — During a 36-day leave before discharge, worked as a labourer in the CNR shops and was promised employment there on return. Place / Unit: Stratford, Ontario / CNR shops.
1945-03-19 — Taken on strength from leave; record notes 3 days' privilege leave. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / RCCS.
1945-05-03 — Appointed Acting Corporal. Place / Unit: Continental Europe / First Canadian Army Signals.
1945-05-21 — Began 11 days' annual leave in the United Kingdom, returning 2 June 1945. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / Acting Corporal, RCCS.
1945-06 — Repatriation correspondence records Alma temporarily staying with Mrs. Hamilton and delaying her trip to Montreal until about 1 July. Place / Unit: Saint John, New Brunswick.
1945-06-15 — Wife Alma arrived at Saint John from overseas; initially destined for his mother in Montreal. Place / Unit: Saint John, New Brunswick / Montreal, Quebec.
1945-06-16 — Alma proceeded toward Montreal but did not immediately arrive there; subsequent messages located her at Mrs. Hamilton's home. Place / Unit: Saint John / Montreal, Canada.
1945-06-26 — Next of kin verified. Place / Unit: Continental Europe / First Canadian Army Signals.
1945-07 — Granted 9 days annual leave and 5 days casual leave. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / RCCS.
1945-08-06 — Overseas service formally terminated for War Service Gratuity/certification purposes. Place / Unit: United Kingdom / Canadian Army.
1945-08-07 — Left overseas service for return to Canada. Place / Unit: United Kingdom to Canada / RCCS.
1945-08-14 — Returned to Canada after overseas service. Place / Unit: Canada / RCCS.
1945-08-16 — Began leave with ration allowance through 14 September 1945 after return from overseas. Place / Unit: Canada / No. 1 District Depot.
1945-09-01 — Issued War Service Badge, General Service Class, no. 325169. Place / Unit: London, Ontario.
1945-09-19 — Taken on strength at No. 1 District Depot for demobilization processing. Place / Unit: London, Ontario.
1945-09-28 — Rehabilitation interview records arranged CNR-shop employment and plans for part-time business studies. Place / Unit: London, Ontario.
1945-10-01 — Honourably discharged on demobilization; final rank Corporal. Place / Unit: London, Ontario / Canadian Army.
1945-11-20 — Director of Records returned wills executed during active service by registered mail. Place / Unit: 50 Shakespeare Street, Stratford, Ontario.
1946-04-14 — War Service Gratuity statement calculated a total gratuity of $935.00. Place / Unit: Canada / Department of National Defence.
1969-12-02 — Died at Ste. Anne's Hospital. Place / Unit: Ste. Anne's Hospital, Quebec.

Notes

Before enlistment he had completed eight years of public schooling, then Grade IX and part of Grade X at St. Joseph's High School in Huntingdon, leaving school at 16 in 1937. He later attended a private high school for about six months studying bookkeeping and mathematics. His Record of Service lists both English and French. He worked about six months as a welder's helper (acetylene) with the Department of Munitions in Valleyfield, earning about $35 per week; occupational-history forms also record about one year as a sawyer's helper and two years as a grocery clerk. He enjoyed hockey and softball. A personnel follow-up recorded his pre-war interest in becoming a customs clerk, noting that a brother held similar work. At his September 1945 rehabilitation interview he was described as alert and conscientious, with direct planning ability. During a 36-day leave before discharge he worked as a labourer in the CNR shops at Stratford and was promised employment there on return. He planned to study bookkeeping and business correspondence in his own time, hoping eventually for clerical or civil-service work; the counsellor recommended former employment with the railway and also listed men's haberdashery clerk, book-room clerk, and civil-service employment as possibilities. His Proceedings on Discharge and rehabilitation records give 58 Shakespeare Street, Stratford, Ontario, as his intended post-discharge residence; a 20 November 1945 registered-mail letter is addressed to him at 50 Shakespeare Street, Stratford, Ontario. A Reinforcement Training Record assessed his military efficiency as fair, conduct as good and leadership as poor, with the instructor noting that he was very slow to learn.

[Previous notes - manual reconciliation required]

Address: Hemmingford, Que.
Born at Ottawa, Ont. Sept. 1921
Harold J Cahill BIRTH 7 SEP 1921 • Ottawa General Hospital, Carleton, Ontario, Canada DEATH 1 DEC 1969 • St-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec (Veterans Hospital)
Marriage Oct 1944 • Surrey Mid Eastern, Surrey, United Kingdom Alma Constance Drake 1923–2025
Request confirmation number EA2026_0173082

Additional Service Notes

Served with the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals in Canada, the United Kingdom and Continental Europe. After enlistment he passed through District Depot No. 4, training at Sherbrooke and Barriefield, and Canadian Signals training before overseas service. He enlisted as a Signalman, was appointed Acting Lance Corporal effective 10 July 1943 and Lance Corporal effective 10 October 1943, later became Acting Corporal in May 1945, and was discharged as a Corporal. He embarked from Canada on 29 April 1942 and arrived overseas on 12 May 1942. His overseas records show attachment to 1 Canadian Signals Reinforcement Unit and posting to First Canadian Army Signals on 17 July 1942; in early 1944 he was temporarily placed on the Y-5 List for a CMHQ course before returning to First Canadian Army Signals. He embarked from the United Kingdom on 19 June 1944 and disembarked in France on 20 June 1944. In October 1944 he returned from France to England, married Alma Constance Drake at Epsom on 27 October, then embarked from the United Kingdom on 3 November and disembarked back in France on 4 November 1944. He was appointed Acting Corporal effective 3 May 1945 and took 11 days' annual leave in the United Kingdom from 21 May, returning 2 June. He returned to Canada in August 1945 and was discharged with the rank of Corporal on 1 October 1945.

Additional Next of Kin Notes

Mother: Lena Cahill, RCMP Barracks, Hemmingford, Quebec. Father: Arthur Cahill, also recorded at the RCMP Barracks, Hemmingford, Quebec. A personnel follow-up notes that one brother held work similar to the customs-clerk position Cahill hoped to obtain; the brother is not named there. Harold married Alma Constance Drake on 27 October 1944 at St. Joseph's Parish, Epsom, Surrey, England, with military permission. He had returned from France to the United Kingdom on 24 October and returned to France on 4 November. His application to marry records Alma as British, born in Surrey, England, in 1923, with Mrs. A. M. Hamilton as her nearest relative. Alma arrived at Saint John, New Brunswick, aboard ship W.876 on 15 June 1945 and was initially destined for his mother, Mrs. L. Cahill, at 3150 Van Horne Avenue, Montreal. Repatriation correspondence records that Alma instead stayed temporarily with Mrs. Hamilton at 36 Glenboro Court, Saint John, and planned to proceed to Montreal about 1 July. No children are shown in the wartime family records reviewed. Immigration Branch correspondence identifies Alma's mother as Mrs. A. M. Hamilton of 6 Glenburn Court, Saint John, New Brunswick.

Version: 3 Last modified: 2026-10-01 02:05:04 by: marc