HORSBURGH, John Andrew
NAME HORSBURGH John Andrew
RANK Private 50402 1st Canadian Army - II Canadian Corps - 3rd Canadian Infantry Division - 9th Infantry Brigade
REGIMENT Highland Light Infantry of Canada
“defence not defiance”
Royal Canadian Infantry Corp Born Township of Egremont - County of Grey - Ontario Residence Wingham - Ontario Died September 19, 1944 24 years 5 months Cemetery Calais Canadian War Cemetery - Leubringhen - Pas de Calais - France
5 E 6
Parents Mr. Walter and Margaret Horsburgh - Gorrie - Ontario Brothers Mr. Stanley Horsburgh at home in Gorrie - Ontario Mr. Russell Horsburgh - Toronto - Ontario Sisters Miss Irene Horsburgh - Toronto - Ontario Miss Eva Horsburgh at home - Gorrie - Ontario Nursing Sister Mary Horsburgh with the 24th Canadian General Hospital overseas based at Horely - Surrey - England
John was born in Mount Forest and growing up he liked to hunt and he enjoyed swimming He and his family would have attended Gorrie United Church. He left school following Grade VIII in 1935. He was employed on the farm of J. Wright of the Wingham area prior to his enlistment.
Canada
On August 16, 1940, John travelled to Chatham and enlisted into the Kent Regiment and was immediately Taken on Service with the rank of Private. Upon enlistment he stood 5' 9" and weighed 126 pounds. He had a fair complexion with blue eyes and light coloured hair. On October 4 he was found to AWOL and is confine.d to barracks for 14 days and loses a day of pay. On December 2 he is found to be drunk and is fined $5.00 He had been posted to London and on February 24, 1941 is AWOL and is confined to barracks for 10 days and loses 3 days of pay. He is again AWOL on March 11 and is confined to barracks for 3 days with the loss of a day of pay. Private Horsburgh receives furlough from May 1-15. On July 1 he is confined to barracks for 14 days and loses 14 days of pay for molesting a woman, attempting to escape from confinement and striking the person who is in custody of him. On July 29 he is Taken on Service with No. 1 District Depot and posted to the Kent Wing based in Windsor. He is hospitalized from July 24-August 12 at Queen's Park Hospital. On August 24 he is on transfer to the Kent Regiment now based at Halifax. The Kent Regiment was on active duty as part of the Canadian coastal defense system on the Atlantic coast. At some point in late 1941 or early 1942 the Kent Regiment returned to Ontario and based at Niagara Falls and on March 6 Private Horsburgh is AWOL and loses a day of pay plus his next leave. The Kent Regiment now moves to the Pacific coast to New Westminster for coastal defence duties and while here on April 9 he is attached to No. 1 District Depot on transfer from the Kent Regiment to the Highland Light Infantry of Canada reinforcements in preparation for going overseas. Between April 14-19 he receives embarkation leave. At the end of April 1942 he is Struck off Service and assigned for special duties.
Overseas
Private Horsburgh travels to Halifax and on May 1, 1942 is Struck off Service to the Canadian Army in Canada and embarks from Canada for overseas. While at sea on May 2 he is Taken on Strength with the Canadian Army overseas. On May 4 while blackout conditions prevailed on board HMT Andes, Private Horsburgh went on deck to smoke and his punishment was he spent the rest of the journey to the United Kingdom in the cells of the ship. They arrived and disembarked in the United Kingdom on May 12. The following day he reported to No. 3 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit. He received landing leave from July 1-8 and at the end of July is Taken on Service with the Highland Light Infantry of Canada. He receives leave from October 20-26. In the middle of June 1943 he is AWOL and is confined to barracks for 7 days and loses a day of pay. At the end of September Private Horsburgh is once again AWOL and his punishment is to be confined to barracks for 14 days and he loses 15 days of pay. During the winter / spring of 1944 Private Horsburgh is AWOL 4 times and is confined to barracks for a total of 47 days and loses 42 days of pay.
In the Field
On June 4, 1944, the Highland Light Infantry of Canada embark from the United Kingdom and on June 6 they land on the beaches of Juneau. Private Horsburgh is attached to "C" Company. For the next 107 days the HLI would fight their way off the beaches of Juneau, the fight for Caen, the fight for the Orne, the fight for Bourguebus Ridge, the Falaise campaign, the Laison to Boulogne and "Operation Wellhit". Boulogne sur Mer was ringed by high hills and the Germans had 10,000 men, machine gun troops, infantry troops and had a strong artillery presence. There were few anti tank guns. The HLI were to be part of the first phase which would assault Mont Lambert tp the east. They would have the support of artillery and aircraft. Phase 2 was to secure the built up area and seize a crossing over the Liane River. Phase 3 was the capture of the outer defences at Fort de la Creche, Outreau and Herquelingue and the 4th phase was to capture Nocquet and the heights of St Etienne. Phase 3 was to begin and the HLI coming out of reserve were brought to the front on the night of September 18. They had crossed the Liane River and over a half demolished bridge. On September 19 their objective was to clear the built - up area west of the river, the dock areas and from there into the forts of Le Portel and Cap d’ Alprech. The 9th Brigade had turned south to deal with the German resistance in the Outreau peninsula.
“C & D” Companies had crossed the river over a wrecked bridge and then established themselves on the
east bank of the river. In doing so they had covering fire from the Bren Gun Carriers, Mortars and the
Glengarries. In the meantime “A & B” companies followed and by 04:00 hours the bridge was able to begin
carrying vehicles. During the night of the 18/19th there was close and involved fighting and there were a number of casualties suffered. At 06:30 the attack on Boulogne began but communications were poor. At first light on the 19th, the HLI pressed forward toward high ground against very strong and heavy opposition with a murderous enemy crossfire coming at them from all directions. “A” Company had followed the road to Le Portel and the objective for them was that once they reached the town they were to attack the forts from the north. “B” Company formed the right jaw of the pincer and then began to work its way toward Honriville and then approach the forts from the east. “C & D” Companies had worked their way through the built - up areas and were in between the other 2 companys. This enemy fire brought about so many casualties and so hampered their progress that the artillery was called on for the balance of September 19th to work on the forts and other enemy positions. As they advanced there was sniper fire and from all points. The fire was heavy and murderous and to date this was the heaviest enemy fire experienced. At 14:00 hours “B” Company is making a hook to the right with “C & D" Companies providing support fire and still communications were poor and the enemy fire was increasing. Now the Germans in the town were bringing the big marine guns from the fort to bear along with 88s and light ack ack.
At 18:45 hours the Highland Light Infantry withdrew as there were now 26 regiments in reserve.
All companies had made good progress of clearing the built - up areas, but all, in turn came under heavy
enemy fire from the forts and the dock areas as they emerged into the clear. During the 19th the Highland Light Infantry lost 18 men with 64 being lost to wounds. During the night of the 19th / 20th it proved to be quiet except for the occasional heavy shelling.
Private Horsburgh was originally buried in a cemetery in Hardinghen which was approximately 10 milesfrom Boulogne sur Mer.
During February 1945 his mother Margaret received the Memorial Cross. In the summer of 1946 Private Horsburgh was awarded the 1939-45 Star, the France-Germany Star, the Defence Medal, the War Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with clasp.
Private Horseburgh is honoured and remembered on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial, on the Canadian fallen site at www.canadianfallen.ca/102022/HORSBURGH,on the Memorial Plaque of Gorrie United Church, in the Books of Remembrance at the Centre Block on Parliament Hill.
His mother asked that the following be inscribed onto his grave marker…
Ours are they by an ownership
Nor time nor death can free
For God hath given to love to keep
It’s ours eternally.
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