MOHRING, Harold Stanley

NAME                MOHRING      Harold Stanley                                                                                                  RANK                Private      A/43023                                                                                                                                                      British 6th Airborne Division - 3rd Parachute Brigade                                                              UNIT                 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion   "A" Company                                                                                                      "from the clouds"                                                                                                              Residence         Goderich - Ontario                                                                                                                      Born                   June 7, 1921 - Goderich - County of Huron - Ontario                                                                Died                   June 27, 1944     23 years                                                                                                  Cemetery           Ranville British War Cemetery - Ranville - Calvados - France                                                                                    IA   A   7                                                                                                                                    Mother               Mrs. Lillian Maud Mohring - Goderich - Ontario                                                                  Brothers             Albert, William, John, Gordon, Lorne and Robert all living in Goderich                                  Sister:                Mrs. Alma Ward of Beamsville                                                                                                                                    Donna, Patricia, Lillian, Mona and Elenor of Goderich.

"Hooley" was born June 7, 1921 and was raised in the family home in Goderich. He attended Victoria School for his primary education and Goderich Collegiate for 1 year of High School in 1935.  The family lived on Cypress Street in Goderich. The family attended St George Anglican Church in Goderich. He enjoyed fishing and swimming in the Maitland River. After he left school he was a farm hand and had the reputation of being a hard worker. During the winter of 1939-40 he worked on the docks at the Western Canada Flour Mill down at the harbour. Apparently he was able to carry 140 - pound sacks on his shoulders and load the rail cars.           

Canada

On June 18, 1940, he went to London and enlisted into the Army with the Elgin Regiment. At the time of his enlistment he stood 5' 6" and weighed 155 pounds. He had a dark complexion with hazel eyes and dark brown hair. He had the rank of Private. Private Mohring was posted to Toronto for training.                                             At the beginning of 1941 he was granted furlough between January 25 - February 8th. He was then posted to No. 13 Canadian Infantry Training Centre at Valcartier - Quebec. Between April 4 - 13 he was AWOL and forfeits 9 days of pay. Then again between March 19 - 21 he was AWOL and forfeits 3 days of pay. He is then posted to No. 30 Canadian Infantry Training Centre in Sussex - New Brunswick. He was AWOL while here from August 1 -2 and forfeits a day of pay.                                                                                                                                          As 1942 began Private Mohring was granted furlough between January 5 - 18 while still at Sussex - New Brunswick. On February 5th he is Taken on Strength with the 25th Canadian Armoured Delivery Regiment - The Elgins. He then heads into Nova Scotia to Debert - Nova Scotia where he attends school and here he was tested and on June 17th Trooper Mohring qualifies as a driver of gas combustion vehicles  Class III. Between July 16 - 21 he is granted special duty leave but is AWOL from July 21 - 23 and is confined to barracks for a total of 6 days and loses 2 days of pay. His next posting was to No. 14 Canadian Infantry Training Centre at Camp Aldershot - Nova Scotia.

Overseas

Trooper Mohring is Struck off Service of the Canadian Army in Canada and embarked from Halifax on September 26th. The next day while on the North Atlantic he is Taken on Service with the Canadian Army overseas. On October 9th he disembarks in the United Kingdom. He is granted leave from November 4 - 10. The 25th Canadian Armoured Delivery Regiment became the 1st Canadian Tank Delivery Regiment on January 1, 1943 and on that same day he begins to receive $1.65 per day. On the 24th he received the daily pay rate for tradesmen which is $1.75. He was granted leave between February 3 - 9. Between May 12 - 18 he is granted leave. In the middle of September is revert to rank of Trooper with a daily rate of pay at $1.50. He is then Taken on Strength with No. 9 Squadron of the 1st Tank Delivery Regiment. On November 5th he goes to the Headquarters of the Regiment.Then on December 7th he transfers to and is Taken on Strength with the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion and shortly after he is granted parachutist pay. On December 18th he goes to his training at Carter Barracks - Bulford - Salisbury Plain - Wiltshire and 12 days at RAF Ringway - Cheshire.              In the middle of January of 1944 on January 18th Private Mohring qualified as a Paratrooper. He is granted leave between January 22 - 31. The 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion was under British Command with the British 6th Airborne Division and attached to the 3rd Parachute Brigade. On March 14 he received disciplined and confined to barracks for 7 days.

In the Field                                                                                                                                                            

During the night of June 5/6, 1944, Private Mohring boarded one of 50 aircraft that would carry the Canadians into France. His kit consisted of a compass or compasses, No. 4 Mk 1 Enfield Rifle with magazines, a respirator, 2 basic pouches with 2 Bren gun magazines each, 1 bayonet with a frog, 2 grenades in a Denison Smock pockets, 1 toggle rope, 1 FS Dagger, 1 haversack with a ground sheet, 1 water bottle, 1 entrenching tool with a carrier, 1 general service shovel or pick, 1 escape kit including French money, 2 24 hour ration packs, a mess tin and mug along with a waist belt.                                                                                                                              He was with "A" Rifle Company and this Company would protect the left flank of the 9th British Parachute Battalion as they moved upon the Merville Battery. "A" Company would then cover the 9th Battalions forward advance to the Le Plein feature and they would then seize and hold the Le Mesnil crossroads.                           On the night of June 5/6 the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion jumped into France and landed in a courtyard of a French chateau that the Germans were using as their headquarters and Private Mohring had to use the cold steel of his bayonet and knife on the German guards so he could leave the chateau unnoticed. The objective this night was to blow two bridges – one over the Orne and the other over the Dives River and this was accomplished. From the time they jumped it was 12-14 days before they had any significant rest. On approximately June 18-20 he was able to have a swim in the Orne River and write a letter home while sitting on the riverbank. They were part of the 3rd Brigade and they then moved back to Le Mesnil crossroads on June 25th to take over defensive positions from the 13th Parachute Battalion. • Patrols were constant as they tried to prevent the Germans from infiltrating the lines with snipers and the nature of the wooded terrain prevented any long range observations of the German positions, and much of the time was spent avoiding bursts of German mortar and long - range artillery being directed at them. The inability to pinpoint the German positions made it frustrating and German snipers were active. • Forward posts were kept to prevent further enemy attacks and the fighting involved skirmishes in these areas, but because of the 1st’s position they were now a threat to the Germans and the enemy repeatedly tried to dislodge them. The 1st patrols then revealed that the enemy was becoming more cautious about disclosing their presence and that he was engaged in the construction of defences across his front. • The Germans were intensifying their fire and the casualties mounted as a result of German long - range artillery shells, harassing mortar fire and snipers and as well they were having to deal with close range bursts from enemy 75mm anti-tank guns. During the 27th Private Mohring and his men began a patrol in bocage country and during this time came under German light fire. They realized there was no place to go and Private Mohring suggested they dig a tunnel of sorts through the bottom of the hedgerow and they did this successfully. Private Mohring sent his men through to safety on the other side and as he was wiggling his way through a German mortar round fell very close and he was killed instantly.

In late 1944, His mother Lillian was awarded the Memorial Cross and this was followed in November of 1949 with the medals awarded to Private Mohring were the 1939-45 Star, the France - Germany Star, the Defence and War Medals plus the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with clasp.

"Hooley" is honoured and remembered on the cenotaph in Goderich - Ontario, on the Memorial Plaques of St George Anglican Church and Goderich High School. He is also honoured and remembered on the Virtual Canadian War Memorial. He is also honoured and remembered at the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion Virtual Museum.