STRAUGHAN, George Melville
NAME STRAUGHAN George Melville
RANK Lance Corporal 59488
REGIMENT Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise’s)
“Scotland forever” II Canadian Corps - 4th Canadian Armoured Division - 10th Infantry Brigade Royal Canadian Infantry Corp Born February 13, 1920 - Auburn - Townships of Hullett and East Wawanosh - County of Huron - Ontario Residence Auburn Died April 20, 1945 25 years 2 months Cemetery Holten Canadian War Cemetery - Holten - Overijssel - Netherlands
VI F 2
Mother Mrs.Mabel Straughan - Auburn - Ontario Sister Miss Vivian Straughan - Aubern - Ontario
George was born in Hullett Township on Lot 43 and Concession 14 on February 13, 1920. He received his education which included 2 years of High School and left school at the age of 16. He was a sailor on the Great Lakes for a year and then returned to the family farm and worked for his father until enlistment. The family attended Knox United Church in Auburn
Canada
He enlisted into the Canadian Army on January 29, 1942 in Kitchener. At the time of enlistment he stood 5' 10" tall and weighed 175 pounds. He had a fair complexion with blue eyes and fair hair. Private Straughan was then posted to No. 10 Basic Training Centre in Kitchener until March 8 at which time he was posted to A 20 Royal Canadian Army Service Corps Training Centre in Red Deer - Alberta. While in Red Deer he qualified as a Driver Class III of wheeled vehicles and on April 23, 1942 he was Taken on Strength with the 4th Canadian Armoured Brigade Company of the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps at Debert -Nova Scotia. He received Special Leave between August 8-16, 1942. He then received leave between September 4-12, 1942.
Overseas
Private Straughan embarked from Halifax and Canada on September 24 and Struck off Service of the Canadian Army in Canada. The next day at sea he was Taken on Service with the Canadian Army overseas. He disembarked in Liverpool in England on October 7. He was granted leave between December 10-18, 1942. His next leave was in the spring of 1943 between March 29-April 6 followed by summer leave between July 21-29. As 1943 came to a close Private Straughan received a promotion to Lance Corporal. At some point during the year he had taken Sten gun training. During January 1944 he completed a mines course, and in March he completed a gas course and first aid course. Lance Corporal Straughan embarked from the United Kingdom on July 24 after two years of training in the United Kingdom and disembarked on Juno Beach on July 28, 1944. While with the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps he would have survived Operation Totalize, Operation Tractable, the River Seine, the Falaise Pocket and the Battle of the Scheldt. The Royal Canadian Army Service Corps maintained the lines of transport for the Army and moved the supplies from the rear areas to the frontlines. They delivered food, ammunition, gas and oil along with other essentials and they used 3 ton vehicles, 10 ton vehicle sand 40 ton tank transporters. On November 9 Lance Corporal Straughan transferred to the Canadian Infantry with the rank of Private and Taken on Service with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada. Then on February 18, 1945 he was assigned to the 4th Canadian Division Training School and on March 18 he joins his unit in the field. While at training school he received the rank of Lance Corporal. The Argylls on April 20th were in the Friesoythe area of Germany and the day began clear and warm. The Argylls were informed that enemy radio intercepts indicated that they considered the 19th Brigade front as being vital. In the past days the Germans had suffered heavily from the artillery and mortars that had pounded them and from the Allied air attacks. The enemy forces were not going to retreat and the enemy also believed the 4th Brigade would strike due north to Wilhelmshaven. Shortly after11am Typhoon aircraft engaged enemy targets tying in the the northward push by "B & C" Companies. By noon these Companies still advancing found the going forward to be quite sticky. The tanks were finding it difficult to move up and support the Argylls. After dinner "A & D" Companies were advancing but it was very slow and difficult. By nightfall "A" Company had advanced to a bit below a small river that separated them from Osterschepe, where heavy small arms and mortar fire was coming from. "D" Company was slightly south-west of "A" Company and two tanks were successful in moving forward to support the infantry. One tank was knocked out by a Panserfaust. The Brigade artillery and mortars active.in the early part of the night. It was during the advance north toward Wilhelmshaven when Lance Corporral Straughan was killed in action. His original place of burial was on the right side of the road before the crossing bridge into Friesoythe.
In June of 1945 his mother Mabel received the Memorial Cross and in October of 1949 Lance Corporal Straughn received the 1939-45 Star, the France-Germany Star, the Defence Medal, the War Medal along with the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with clasp.
Lance Corporal Straughan is honoured and remembered on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial. on the Canadian Fallen site at www.canadianfallen.ca/111999/STRAUGHAN, on the Memorial Plaque at Knox United Church in Auburn and at the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders Memorial Pavilion in Hamilton, Ontario.
