HARNESS, Issac Laverne

NAME                           HARNESS Issac Laverne
RANK                           Private       9502
SERVICE BRANCH     1st Canadian Infantry Division                                                                                                                                     1st Canadian Division Supply Column                                                                                                                       Royal Canadian Army Service Corps                                                                                                                         "nothing without labour"                                                                                                      Residence:                   Goderich - Ontario                                                                                                                Birth:                            February 3, 1905 - Exeter - Township of Stephen - County of Huron - Ontario                    Died:                            June 15, 1943          38 years   4 months                                                                    Cemetery:                    Brookwood Military Cemetery - Brookwood - Surrey - England
                                     40     G     3
Wife:                            Mrs. Irene Harness - Goderich / Exeter - Ontario                                                      Daughters:                  Shirley at 5 years  9 months and Jane was 3 years and 7 months                                          Brothers:                     Elmore was living in Exeter,                                                                                                                                        Albert and Walter were living in London                                                                                                                      Wellington was living in in Point Edward                                                                            Sisters:                        Mrs. Matilda Brogan was living in Windsor                                                                                                                  Mrs. Phillippa Baynham lived in Stratford                                                                                                                    Mrs. Margaret McGuire was living in Windsor.     

 Issac was born in Exeter on February 3, 1905 and served with the Militia with the Huron Battalion from
1923-25. He had left school at the age of 16 years. He had been a truck driver / mechanic and had worked in a bakery in Exeter for Mr. Middleton. While he lived in Goderich he would have attended St George's Anglican Church. He was married to Irene Evelyn Johnston on June 23, 1936 in Wingham - Ontario.                                                                                                                                                        

Canada

He enlisted into the Canadian Army in London on November 25, 1939. Upon enlistment he stood 5' 6" tall and weighed 131 pounds. He had a fair complexion with blue eyes and light brown hair. Private Harness was Struck off Service of the Canadian Army in Canada on December 6th and a day later was Taken on Strength with the Canadian Army overseas. On December 22nd he was granted a Leave of Absence for 5 days.

England

Private Harness disembarked in Gourock Scotland on December 18th and then proceeded immediately Inkerman Barracks - Woking - Surrey and upon his arrival he was attached to the 1st Canadian Division Supply Column of the Canadian Army Service Corps. On June 6th he was AWOL and was to spend 7 days confined to barracks and lose 2 days of pay. Before his confinement was up he was assigned to the 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade who was to be involved in Operation Aerial which was the evacuation of Allied forces from the Atlantic Coast of France. Private Harness embarked from Plymouth - Devon  in England on June 11, 1940 and disembarked in Brest on June 12th. The 1st Brigade then moved to Sable-sur-Sarthe. Three ships rescued 28,145 British and 4,439 Allied personnel. Five days later on June 17th he embarked from Brest and arrived back in England at Falmouth - Cornwall on June 18, 1940. He was granted leave from July 14-21. During 1941 and 1942 Private Harness continued with his duties and received leave on a regular basis. On July 7, 1942 he qualified as a cook with Group "C" which I believe is the 3rd Infantry Brigade.                                                        He received an increase in his daily pay to $1.75 on January 1, 1943. Later in the month on January 25th he was Taken on Service with the 3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade Company.   Then, on February 18, 1943 he was admitted to No. 4 Canadian Field Ambulance. Private Harness complained of constant pain and the medical personnel diagnosed this pain as being in epigastrium. This discomfort is most noticeable after eating for about 2-3 hours and at night and the suggestion was no fatty and greasy foods. He also mentioned he had visited the Regimental Aid Post but there was no improvement with treatment. He was not vomiting but he was losing weight and he was having 4-5 bowel movements a day. In addition his appetite was poor. The personnel then transferred him to No. 14 Canadian General Hospital - Horely - Surrey that same day and Struck off Strength from the Canadian Army Service Corps. On May 4th he had a Laparotomy. Then at the beginning of June the doctors at No. 14 Canadian General Hospital saw changes in his condition which included generalized weakness, his pancreas was only partially functioning, he was still losing weight and his colour was poor as he was becoming jaundiced, he now had a cough, he had oedema in both ankles, he was vomiting occasionally, his abdomen was distended, he had no appetite and there was constant abdominal pain on his left side.                Private Harness died on June 15, 1943 at 10:20 hours from meta stases Carcinoma of the Pancreas with a liver reaction. His weight was 114 pounds.                                                                                                                    The Royal Canadian Army Service Corps was responsible for holding, moving, and issuing to the fighting troops all food, ammunition, fuel and lubricants and all necessary equipment the troops need. In January of 1943 the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps reorganized giving much more flexibility to needs of the men at the front. One such change was the 1st Canadian Division now had a Infantry Brigade Company to which Private Harness was attached. In August of 1942 a Catering Wing was established at No. 1 Reinforcement Unit in Britain to train cooks for the Army. This is where Private Harness qualified as a cook. 

In the month of August 1942 his wife Irene received the Memorial Cross. Issac was awarded 1939-45 Star, the Defence Medal, the War Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with clasp and his wife Irene received these..                                                                                                                                                                      He is honoured and remembered on the Exeter - Ontario Cenotaph but he should also be honoured and remembered on the Goderich - Ontario Cenotaph as he resided in Goderich and attended church there. He is honoured and remembered on the Memorial Plaque of St George's Anglican Church. He is also honoured and remembered on the Virtual Canadian War Memorial.