GRAHAM, William Alexander
NAME GRAHAM William Alexander
RANK Guardsman 104746 1st Canadian Army - II Canadian Corps - 4th Canadian Armoured Brigade - 21st Armoured Regiment REGIMENT Governor General’s Foot Guards - 1st Battalion
“our country and our ruler are our concern”
Royal Canadian Armoured Corp Born March 24, 1921 - Brucefield - Township of Stanley - County of Huron Residence Brucefield - Ontario Died August 10, 1944 23 years 4 months
Cemetery Bretteville-Sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery - Cintheaux - Calvados - France
XI C 13
Parents Mr. Goldie and Marjorie Graham - Brucefield Brothers John and Melvin lived at Brucefield - Ontario Sister Miss Barbara Graham - Waterloo - Ontario
William was born on March 24, 1921. He obtained his education. He worked for his father on the family homestead prior to his enlistment.
Canada
On October 6, 1942 William enlisted into the Canadian Army in London with the rank of Private. At the time he was 5' 9" and weighed 178 pounds. He had a medium complexion with blue eyes and brown hair. He was then assigned to No. 1 District Depot in London for ten days. On October 17 his posting was to No. 13 Armoured Corp Basic Training Centre in Listowel - Ontario. On December 15 his posting was to No. 8 Advanced Training Centre at Camp Borden. The following day was December 16 and he received the rank of Trooper. In very late winter of 1943 on March 18 he qualified as a Despatch Rider Class III. A week later he as assigned to No. 3 Canadian Armoured Corps Reinforcement Unit.
Overseas
March 27 was the day he embarked from Canada and overseas and Struck off Strength of the Canadian Army in Canada. The following day at sea he was Taken on Strength with the Canadian Army overseas. Trooper Graham disembarked in the United Kingdom on April 4 and the following day reported to No. 3 Canadian Armoured Corps Reinforcement Unit. On June 19 he was Taken on Strength with the 21st Canadian Armoured Regiment - The Governor General's Foot Guards with the rank of Guardsman. Between August 18-22 he was a patient at No. 12 Canadian Light Field Ambulance from an injury suffered while training. On September 1 he qualifies as a Driver I.C. Class III of wheeled vehicles. Training continued for the next 9 months in the United Kingdom.
In the Field
The 21st Armoured Regiment embarked from the United Kingdom on July 20, 1944 and came ashore at Juneau Beach on July 22. During the Battle for Quesnay Woods just prior to the fighting in the Falaise on August 9th, the Guards had lost 26 of their tanks. Intelligence had reported this area to be protected by light German forces. This was not the case and by days end the Guards had lost over 1/3 of their armour.
The second phase began on August 10th and progressed well until they ran into anti-tank obstacles. Unknown to the Regiment an Officer with a map had been captured by the Germans who were now aware of the plan and able to disrupt the advance. The Foot Guards had lost contact with the B.C. Regiment who were moving on Point 195 and it is thought that they had been destroyed. The Grenadier Guards had reached part of Point 195 and had established a foothold. In addition, they were heavily engaged with the enemy who were attempting a counter attack with 24 – 88s and self - propelled anti-tank guns. The Foot Guards were then ordered to assist them and sent 2 & 3 Squadrons forward. No. 1 Squadron was held in reserve on the west side of the railway.
Upon reaching Point 195 the need for fuel and ammunition had become extremely urgent. All day the enemy shelling had been heavy and the Regiment was under the observation of a German observation point and the result was very accurate and precise enemy shelling.
All the while this was going on supplies were being brought forward under the harshest and most severe
conditions and it became apparent the supply trucks with their fuel and ammunition would not be able to move forward without suffering very high casualties. A supply point was established near the rear and three ARVs loaded with supplies moved forward toward the tanks. From here No. 2 Squadron loaded the decks of their tanks with these supplies and moved forward to No. 3 Squadron. Eventually all this activity caught the attention of the Germans and they brought down heavy fire from their “Moaning Minnies” and then further shelling followed.
Guardsman Graham was one of the drivers of the ARVs and when he was driving forward his vehicle was
struck by German mortar fire. He suffered serious and fatal wounds to his head and shoulders and he died within a short period of time.
By the end of the day on the 10th, the 4th Canadian Armoured Brigade had driven a deep wedge into the enemy lines but this now meant that they would be receiving heavy enemy fire from 3 sides.
Guardsman Graham was originally buried at the temporary Mondeville Canadian Cemetery located near Demouville.
In November of 1949 his morther Marjorie received the Memorial Cross and the same month the family received the medals awarded to William which were the 1939-45 Star, the France-Germany Star, both the Defence and the War Medals along with the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with clasp.
William is honoured and remembered on both the Seaforth and Varna Cenotaphs, in the Books of Remembrance which are located in the Centre Block of Canada;s Parliament, in the Canadian Virtual War Memorial, at the Canadian Memorial where the Sherman tank "Forceful III" sits at the Canadian War Museum which honours those who fell during World War II. He is also honoured and remembered on the Roll of Honour located at the Governor General;s Foot Guards Museum in Ottawa. He is also honoured and remembered at the Governor General;s Foot Guards Memoriasl at Christ Church Cathedral in Ottawa.
