SURERUS, Clare Donald
NAME SURERUS Clare Donald
RANK Private 52268 1st Canadian Army - II Canadian Corps - 3rd Canadian Infantry Division - 3rd Defence and Employment Platoon UNIT The Lorne Scots (Peel, Dufferin and Halton Regiment)
“for our heritage”
The Royal Canadian Infantry Corps. Born March 6, 1916 - Zurich - Township of Hay - County of Huron Died September 17, 1944 28 years 6 months Cemetery Calais Canadian War Cemetery - Leubringhen - Pas de Calais - France
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Mother Mrs. Barbara Surerus - Zurich Brother Private Leeland Surerus serving overseas with the Lorne Scots. Sister Mrs.Frank Kane - Montreal - Quebec
Clare was born on March 6, 1916 in Zurich - Hay Township. He attended Public School in Zurich. Clare did mixed farming and worked as a bushman near Waubamik before enlistment and he enjoyed reading, fishing, swimming, horseshoes, baseball, football and hockey. He was raised in the Methodist faith and the family would have attended Zurich Methodist Church.
Canada
On September 10, 1941 Clare travelled the 10 miles to Parry Sound and enlisted into the Canadian Army. When he enlisted he stood 5' 8" and weighed 145 pounds. He had a dark complexion with brown eyes and black hair. He was assigned to No.2 District Depot in Toronto and Taken on Strength with No.1 Wing of the Lorne Scots. On October 31 he was posted to No. 23 Basic Training Centre based at Newmarket - Ontario. January 1,1942 was the next posting for Private Surerus when he went to Camp Borden to No. 11 Basic Training Centre. On March 15 he was Taken on Strength with the overseas reinforcement of the Lorne Scots and shortly after this he went to the east coast to prepare for going overseas.
Overseas
On March 19, 1942 he was Struck off Service of the Canadian Army in Canada and sailed from Halifax harbour. The next day when at sea he was Taken on Strength with the Canadian Army overseas. Ten days later on March 30 he disembarked in the United Kingdom and was Taken on Service by the 1st Canadian General Reinforcement Unit. He was here for 37 days and on June 7 he was Taken on Strength with the Lorne Scots Training Battalion. On July 4 he was posted to the Headquarters of the Canadian Army Dental Corps. On October 18 he is admitted to No. 6 Casualty Clearing Station with a fractured right scapula and then admitted to No. 5 Canadian General Hospital. On October 23 he was transferred to No. 17 General Hospital where he remained until November 26 at which time he was admitted to No. 1 Convalescence Depot. His next posting on February 22, 1943 was to No. 5 Canadian Infantry reinforcement Unit. Then it was to Headquarters of 1 Army Defence Company on April 8 and ten days later on April 18 he was Taken on Strength with the Lorne Scots T2 Battalion. A month later he is at the Headquarters of 1st Canadian Army Defence Company. At the end of February 1944 he is posted to No. 5 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit before being posted on March 23 to the 3rd Canadian Division Defence and Employment Platoon. While here he did additional training on the rifle and Bren gun. Private Surerus then embarked from the United Kingdom on June 3 coming ashore on Juneau Beach in Normandy on June 6. A month later on July 7 he was attached to the Queen's Own Rifles of Canada of the 3rd Canadian Division - 8th Infantry Brigade. The Lorne Scots did not fight as one cohesive unit and were in every theatre of operations except Hong Kong. They were small elements of the Regiment attached to a Divisional, Brigade or Infatry unit Headquarters. They provided local security with a rifleman having light machine guns, basin anti-aircraft defence and a Platoon for setting up the HQ. They would put up the HQ tents, dug trenches and performed sentry duties. There was approximately 16 men with Bren guns and an anti aircraft section with with 4 15cwt trucks with each having twin 20 mm guns. Both Private Surerus and his brother landed on the beaches of Normandy together and fought their way
toward Calais and the Battle for Boulogne. Apparently on this day it was Private Surerus who first spotted the Germans and immediately opened fire and because of his actions, he saved many countless lives. During the German occupation, the Germans had built solid defences along the coast, but never once did they consider a land attack and because of that Calais was very vulnerable from the land side. During the day on September 16, the men had bath parade and had the opportunity to get a shower and get clean clothes. As well in was pay parade and the men had all been paid.
On September 17th the weather was fair but cool. On September 17th, the first day of the battle for Arnhem and the siege for Boulogne. The siege for Boulogne would prove to be a tough objective as it had deep underground fortifications, with surrounding forts, minefields and anti-tank defences. It was also protected by many gun batteries. The Queen's Own Rifles advanced at 9:55 am onto St. Martin Boulogne and by 11 am the railway station had been captured and beevening were close to the "citadel" of Boulogne. During the advance enemy shell fire and mine fields were the biggest obstacles.
It was on this day that Private Surerus was killed in action. He was buried originally on September 17 on Rue de Beamepaiu by the wall south-east of the school. This was on the northern outskirts of Boulogne.
In 1962, a small lake in the Muskokas was named in his honour. He is honoured and remembered on the Memorial Plaque of Zurich Methodist Church. He is honoured and remembered in the Books of Remembrance in the Centre Block of Parliament and on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial and on the Honour Roll at the Lorne Scot Museum.
During February 1956 the Memorial Cross was issued to his mother Barbara. In October 1949 Private Surerus was awarded 1939-45 Star, the France and Germany Star, the Defence Medal, the War Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and clasp.
Private Surerus is not mentioned on any Huron County Cenotaph, nor on the Parry Sound Cenotaph.Not sure if there is a Waubamik Cenotaph.
