Private Cecil Bernard Castell
Survivor of WW2
Date of Death:
Service Biography
Cecil Bernard Castell was born at Dewittville, Quebec, on 11 October 1923. He enlisted in the Canadian Army at Montreal on 10 December 1942 and served overseas with the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment in Italy. He was wounded in action at Ortona on 31 January 1944 by shell/shrapnel fragments in the right foot and later endured prolonged hospitalization after developing empyema/pleural infection. He returned to Canada in June 1944 and was medically discharged at Montreal South, Quebec, on 3 February 1945 because his physical condition precluded further advantageous Army service. He died in Montreal on 4 February 1999, aged 75.
General Information
Conflict:
WW2
Regimental No.:
D-138253
Cause of Death (in war):
Survived
Branch:
Canadian Army
Regiment:
Canadian Infantry
Battalion:
Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment
Company:
Date of Birth :
Place of Birth:
Dewittville, Quebec
Date of Enlistment:
Age at Enlistment:
19 years 1 month
Date of Discharge:
Age at Discharge:
21 years 3 months
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
75 years 3 months
Country Born:
Canada
Trade or Calling:
Truck driver
Next of Kin:
James Castell, father, Dewittville, Quebec
Address at Enlistment:
Dewittville, Quebec
Religion:
Roman Catholic
Place of Enlistment:
Montreal, Quebec
Was a Prisoner of War:
No
Height:
5 ft 9.5 in / 177 cm
Weight:
139 lbs / 63 kg
Chest:
36.5 in / 93 cm
Expansion:
3.0 in / 8 cm
Marital Status:
Single
Prior Military Experience:
No
Saw Service in:
Europe
Place of Discharge:
Montreal South, Quebec
Discharge Type:
Medically Unfit
Discharge Notes:
Discharged under Routine Order 1029, paragraph 5, because his physical condition precluded his serving advantageously in the Army.
Battle Died/Wounded:
Ortona, Italy — wounded in action 31 January 1944 by shell/shrapnel fragments in the right foot.
Length of Service:
786 days in service
Buried at:
Links
Ranks
| Conflict |
Rank |
Regiment |
Branch |
Unit |
Company |
Date From |
Date To |
| WW2 |
Private |
Canadian Infantry |
Canadian Army |
Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Private |
Canadian Infantry |
Canadian Army |
No. 4 District Depot |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Private |
Canadian Infantry |
Canadian Army |
5 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Private |
Canadian Army Service Corps |
Canadian Army |
|
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Private |
Canadian Infantry |
Canadian Army |
C.A.S.T.C. 45 |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Private |
Canadian Infantry |
Canadian Army |
A-12 Canadian Infantry Training Centre |
|
|
|
Awards
| Conflict |
Award |
Action |
Date of Award |
Date of Citation |
Source |
| WW2 |
1939-45 Star |
|
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Italy Star |
|
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Defence Medal |
|
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp |
|
|
|
|
| WW2 |
War Medal, 1939-45 |
|
|
|
|
Service Chronology
1942-12-10 — Enlisted at Montreal, Quebec, as a Private in the Canadian Army.
1943-02-24 — Posted to A-12 Canadian Infantry Training Centre at Farnham, Quebec, for advanced infantry training.
1943-06-10 — Arrived in the United Kingdom for overseas service and subsequently served with 5 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit (United Kingdom / 5 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit).
1943-10-27 — Embarked from the United Kingdom for the Central Mediterranean theatre.
1943-11-08 — Disembarked in North Africa / Central Mediterranean and entered the Central Mediterranean theatre.
1944-01-17 — Transferred from 5 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit to the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment for service in Italy (Italy / Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment).
1944-01-31 — Wounded in action at Ortona, Italy / Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment; shell/shrapnel fragments wounded his right foot.
1944-02 — Hospitalized in Italy for the battle wound; during treatment he developed empyema/pleural infection.
1944-05-30 — Returned to England for continuing medical treatment and evacuation processing.
1944-06-13 — Returned to Canada for continued treatment and convalescence after the wound and pleural illness.
1944-10-13 — Attached to a Canadian rehabilitation/convalescent organization in Canada while continuing recovery.
1944-11-13 — Struck off that rehabilitation establishment in Canada / Kingston, Ontario; continued convalescence and was later hospitalized at Kingston.
1945-01-13 — Re-interviewed at Kingston, Ontario, after returning from convalescent leave; still required hospitalization and was considered unsuitable for further useful Army employment.
1945-02-03 — Medically discharged from the Canadian Army at Montreal South, Quebec, because his physical condition precluded serving advantageously in the Army.
1999-02-04 — Died in Montreal, Quebec, aged 75.
Notes
Education: Grade 7 after seven years of schooling; he did not repeat any classes and left school after losing interest. His principal language was English and he spoke French fairly. Before enlistment he spent about two years as a handyman on a mixed farm, caring for animals and driving a Massey-Harris tractor; about sixteen months as an elevator operator in a wool factory; about six months doing farm work and truck driving; and the final four months as a truck driver in general construction, earning about $0.50 per hour. He was single at enlistment. During rehabilitation he said he was willing and submissive, although rather dull, and preferred outdoor work. He hoped after discharge to obtain work as a customs officer on the Canada–United States frontier, as a truck driver, or as an unskilled labourer. Enlistment medical examination recorded hazel eyes, fair hair and complexion, good development, 20/30 vision in each eye, normal hearing, natural tonsils and fair teeth. His discharge description recorded a vaccination scar on the left arm.
[Previous notes - manual reconciliation required]
Born Dewittville 11 October 1924
Cecil Castell BIRTH 10 OCT 1923 • Ormstown, Quebec, Canada DEATH 4 FEB 1999 • Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Pte. C. B. Castelle, Reg. No. D- 138253, C.AS.C. son of Mr. James B. Castelle and late Mrs. Castelle, of Dewittville, Que., who was wounded in Italy on January 3ist. He joined the forces in December, 1942, and went Overseas in June, 1943. He was born at Dewittville, Que. on October 11th, 1924
Pte. Cecil Castelle, son of James B. Castelle, was in Dewittville over the week-end. Cecil has been a patient in the St. Anne's Military Hospital for the past two months. He suffered from shrapnel wounds in knee and foot when serving in Italy. He expects to leave the hos- pital in a few days time and go to a convalescent camp. Cecil was in the Hastings and Prince Edward Regi- ment and was wounded on January 31, 1944. He enlisted in December 1942
Request confirmation number EA2026_0174234
Additional Service Notes
Enlisted in the Canadian Army at Montreal on 10 December 1942. He trained at C.A.S.T.C. 45 and A-12 Canadian Infantry Training Centre, then proceeded overseas in June 1943. In the United Kingdom he served with 5 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit before transferring to the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment on 17 January 1944. He served in Italy and was wounded in action at Ortona on 31 January 1944 by shell/shrapnel fragments in the right foot. During treatment he developed empyema/pleural infection and underwent prolonged hospitalization. He returned to England on 30 May 1944 and to Canada on 13 June 1944 for continued treatment and rehabilitation. He was discharged at Montreal South, Quebec, on 3 February 1945 under Routine Order 1029, paragraph 5, because his physical condition precluded further advantageous Army service.
Additional Next of Kin Notes
At enlistment his next of kin was his father, James Castell, of Dewittville, Quebec. Later records identify his mother as Mrs. Rice. His 1999 obituary names his wife Lorna Chartrand and children Carole (Daniel), Norman (Diane), Linda (Gary), James (Patty), Carol (Barry), Gordie (Kelly), Helen (Luke), and Cindy (Michel), with eighteen grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.
Version: 3 Last modified: 2026-10-02 02:05:04
by: marc
