PAPPLE, Robert Pearson
NAME PAPPLE Robert Pearson
RANK Rifleman 147464 1st Canadian Army - II Canadian Corps - 3rd Canadian Infantry Division - 8th Infantry Brigade REGIMENT The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada
“in peace prepared”
Royal Canadian Infantry Corp Residence Toronto - Ontario Born March 2, 1914 - Seaforth - Township of Tuckersmith - County of Huron Died June 6, 1944 30 years 3 months
Cemetery Beny-Sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery - Reviers - Calvados - France
I F 5
Parents Mr. David and Isabella Papple - Seaforth - Ontario Brothers Mr. Gordon Papple of Seaforth Mr. William Papple of Seaforth Mr. Earl Papple of Seaforth Mr. Lloyd Papple of London - Ontario Sisters Mrs. Ella West of Brantford - Ontario Mrs. Mary Pringle of Brantford Mrs. Annie Kerr of Brantford Mrs. Myrtle Scott of London Mrs. Olive Little of Seaforth Miss Edna Papple of Seaforth
Robert was born in Seaforth on March 2, 1914 and after receiving his education which was Grade VII he was employed as a truck driver and prior to enlistment he worked in Toronto at a factory producing shell casings for the war effort. He was raised Presbyterian and would have attended First Presbyterian Church.
Canada
He went to Toronto on May 27, 1943 and enlisted into the Canadian Army at 29 years of age. At the time he stood 5' 6" tall and weighed 140 pounds. He had a medium complexion with blue eyes and brown hair. Private Papple was Taken on Service at No. 2 District Depot. A month later he was assigned to No. 20 Basic Training Camp based at Brantford - Ontario. In the middle of September he was assigned to Camp Borden to No. 10 Basic Training Centre. Near the end of January 1944 he was posted to No. 1 Training Brigade based at Debert - Nova Scotia in preparation for going overseas.
Overseas
With his training completed in Canada Private Papple left for overseas on March 7, 1944 and Struck off Service of the Canadian Army in Canada. The following day while at sea he was Taken on Service with the Canadian Army overseas. and arrived in the UK on March 14, 1944. A day later he reported to No. 3 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit. On May 26, 1944 he was Taken on Strength with the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada.
In the Field
On June 4,1944 Rifleman Papple and his regiment left England and landed on the beaches of Normandy on D-Day. Juno Beach stretched for 5 miles and on that beach 15,000 would begin the assault on Fortress Europe. The German defences included slit trenches, concrete bunkers, 90 guns, 50 mortars and 400-500 machine guns. Further inland were 22 batteries of field, medium and heavy artillery along with 90 more guns and 40 heavy tank guns. Still further inland were infantry/panzer grenadiers along with 5 batteries of medium/heavy guns and 34 self propelled 88s plus additional anti-tank guns. The Canadians would also have to deal with mine
fields, barbed wire and two armoured formations.
The Queen’s Own were to be part of the first wave coming ashore, and as the tide came in the beach grew
narrower and narrower and when holes had been punched in the seawall the fight moved inland. The objective of the Queen’s own was to capture the beach strongpoints by infiltrating and then assaulting the enemy positions.. The 8th Infantry Brigade was to halt about 5 miles north of Caen, but this objective could not be met.
They were to land at Bernieres-sur Mer and here the sea approach was complicated by rocky offshore
ledges and the large waves made it impossible to launch the DD tanks. There were few natural hindrances to
block their advance or the advance of the heavy equipment and they also found the enemy fortifications
largely intact.
During the whole of June 6th Canada lost 225 men with about 110 being wounded. The Queen’s Own Rifles
suffered the heaviest losses of any Canadian Unit. The losses were – 143 men killed or wounded.
“A” Company was to the east; “B” Company to the west. “A” Company was hit by heavy machine gun fire
but they managed to clear the beach and then moved forward to Bernieres-sur-Mer. “B” Company landed
250 yards from their objective and suffered 65 casualties in just short minutes. However, they destroyed
pillboxes and advanced into the town. By 09:00 hours the Queen’s own had the town secure.
“C & D” Companies landed a short time later and both suffered very heavy casualties and by early
afternoon they had captured Anguerny and Anisy. It was during these assaults that Rifleman Papple gave his life.
His mother would have been awarded the Memorial Cross and as well the family received the war medals awarded to Robert which were the 1939-45 Star, the France & Germany Star along with the War Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with clasp.
Robert was Honoured and Remembered on the Memorial Plaque of First Presbyterian Church and on the Seaforth Cenotaph. He is Honoured and Remembered on the Memorial Wall of the Queen's Own Rifles Museum and on the Virtual Canadian War Memorial. As well he is Honoured and Remembered on the Queen's Own Rifles Virtual War Memorial. Finally, he is Honoured and Remembered on the Virtual Canadian War Memorial.
