GROVES, Thomas William

NAME                   GROVES          Thomas William
RANK                   Private                                                                                                                                                                         1st Canadian Army - I Canadian Corps - 5th Armoured Division - 11th Infantry Brigade REGIMENT          Irish Regiment of Canada
                             “faithful onto death”
                             Royal Canadian Infantry Corp                                                                                                  Born                     May 31, 1921 - Wingham - Townships of East Wawanosh / Morris / Turnberry -                                                       County of Huron                                                                                                                          Residence            Hanover - Ontario                                                                                                                        Died                      October 24, 1945
Cemetery              Wingham Cemetery - Wingham - 5 H 1
Father                   Mr. William Groves - Wingham / St. Catharines                                                                          Brother                 Mr. Harvey Groves - Wingham - Ontario                                                                              Sisters                  Mrs. Betty Hall - Fordwich - Ontario                                                                                                                             Mrs. Helen Henderson - Brussels                                                                                                                               Mrs. Norma Westlake - St. Catharines - Ontario                                                                                                         Mrs. Laura Wilfong - Wingham - Ontario

Thomas was born in Wingham on May 31, 1921. He would have attended St Pauls Trinity Anglican Church in Wingham and possibly St. James Anglican Church in Hanover. From 1937-39 he worked for Hydro Electric Power Company in Wingham and then prior to enlistment he worked in Hanover for Knechtel Furniture as a furniture polisher. Growing up he played baseball and hockey and he enjoyed swimming. His hobby was playing the harmonica. He left school after Grade VIII at the age of 15.

Canada

Thomas traveled to London and on August 7, 1942 and he enlisted into the Canadian Army. He received the rank of Private and at this time he stood 6' and weighed 175 pounds. He had hazel eyes. He was assigned to No. 1 District Depot in London for a week and then was posted No. 10 Canadian Army Training Centre in Kitchener - Ontario. His next [psting was also in Kitchener with No. 10 Advanced Infantry Training Centre. On November 19 he transfers to the Irish Regiment of Canada - No. 5 Company. Then on December 8 he is assigned to No. 2 Company. On December 22 he is posted to the Irish Regiment Reinforcement Unit. 

Overseas

Private Groves is Struck off Service of the Canadian Army in Canada and embarks from the shores of Canada. The following day at sea he is Taken on Strength with the Canadian Army overseas. He disembarks in the United Kingdom and goes to the 5th Armoured Division Reinforcement Unit. On the last day of the year he goes to      No. 4 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit.                                                                                                            On February 22, 1943 he is sent to the First Aid Post of the Irish Regiment and on March 18 ceases to be attached to the Irish Regiment of Canada. Approximately a month later he is again with the Irish Regiment of Canada. From August 13-19 he is granted leave but is AWOL and forfeits 6 days of pay. 

In the Field

The 5th Canadian Armoured Division which included the Irish Regiment of Canada was Struck off of Service of the Canadian Army in the United Kingdom and embarked from the United Kingdom on October 24 and the next day at sea they were Taken on Service with the Canadian Army in the Mediterranean Theatre. On  November 10 the Division disembarked in Italy.                                                                                                                      During the first week of 1944 Private Groves was posted to the X list of the Battalion as being ill. On the 10 he forfeits  7 days of pay for two offences he committed.  On January 17 he is assigned to No. 7 Canadian Field Ambulance. He was back with the Irish Regiment of Canada on February 9. On April 25 he goes to the X3 List for personnel under medical attention  and is admitted to No. 14 Canadian General Hospital and they then pass him along to No. 11 British Field Ambulance and from there he goes to No. 19 British Casualty Clearing Station and the following day is Struck off of Service to the Irish Regiment of Canada. On April 27 he moved from the X 3 List to the X 8 List which is personnel returning to the United Kingdom. Shortly after his enlistment the rash again appeared on his ankles and it is still an issue. He was on the front lines for a month and in that period his hands, ankles and legs became excessively infected.

Overseas

Private Groves then is Struck off Service to the Canadian Army in the Mediterranean Theatre and embarks from Italy on May 28 and the following day is Taken on Service with the Canadian Army in the United Kingdom. On June 6 he disembarks in the United Kingdom under the care of No. 19 General Hospital and remains in their care for a month. Then on July 7 he is admitted to No. 23 Canadian General Hospital and while here he receives therapy and they took an X Ray and the secondary infection has cleared nicely but he still had atopic dermatitis.

In early February of 1945 there was a Canadian Army Medical Board Hearing and they learned the following

• that Private Groves has had heavy pains across his kidneys for last 6 months
• while receiving medical care in the United Kingdom he has been diagnosed with Hodgkin's Disease and Atopic Dermatitis.
• they learn he has a dry scaly rash on feet which are red and wet. Some of lymph glands are swollen.
• in April 1844 he had a cut on his neck and the area is enlarged and swollen but there is no pain.

The Medical Board recommended a biopsy and have blood taken. The biopsy and blood work is done by the Institute of Public Health located at the University of Western Ontario and following their tests they give the diagnosis at Hodgkin's Disease.

He is then discharged from the Canadian Army at No. 1 District Depot for medical reasons.

Eventually, he was admitted into Westminster Hospital in London - Ontario and he died on October 24, 1945 at  3:30 am from Hodgkin's Disease.

Ever since he was 12 years old he has had repeated attacks of purulent dermatitis where a rash appeared on his face and ankles and came in the summer for a few weeks before clearing up. The year prior to enlistment he did not have any issues. 

At some point his father would have received the Memorial Cross. In the month of October 1949 his father received the medals awarded to her son which included the 1939-45 Star, the Italy Star, the Defence and War Medals plus the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with clasp.

Thomas is honoured and remembered on the Wingham Cenotaph and on the Memorial Plaques of St Paul's Trinity Anglican Church in Wingham and St James Anglican Church in Hanover. He is honoured and remembered in the Books of Remembrance found in the Centre Block of our Canadian Parliament and on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial. As well he is honoured and remembered on the Memorial Plaque found in the Irish Regiment of Canada Regimental Museum located in Sudbury - Ontario