FINLAYSON, Roderick Alexander

NAME                   FINLAYSON          Roderick Alexander
RANK                   Lieutenant                                                                                                                                                                   1st Canadian Army - II Canadian Corps - 4th Canadian Armoured Division - 4th Canadian                                        Armoured Brigade                                                                                                              REGIMENT          Governor General’s Foot Guards - 1st Battalion
                             21st Armoured Regiment
                             “our country and our ruler are our concern”
                             Royal Canadian Armoured Corp                                                                                              Born                     March 1, 1914 - Localsh - Township of Huron - County of Bruce                                                    Residence            Toronto (North York) - Ontario                                                                                                        Died                     March 26, 1945          31 years
Cemetery             Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery - Groesbeek - Gelderland - Netherlands
                             XI B 5
Father                  Mr. Donald and Isabel Finlayson of Lucknow                                                                    Brothers               Malcolm, Donald Jr., Duncan, George, Alan, Gordon, Rod, Farquhar, John and Kenneth  Sisters                 Mary, Jean and Sarabella

Rod was born on March 1, 1914 at the family farm at Localsh. The family would probably have attended Lucknow Presbyterian Church. Growing up he enjoyed golf, tennis, skating, 3rd base in baseball and volleyball. He attended Union School No. 4 at Localsh Public School and then attended Ripley High School. Then it was on to the Stratford Normal School from 1932-33 and from there on to the University of Toronto for two years to become a teacher from 1933-36. While at the University of Toronto he was a member of the Militia under the Canadian Officer Training Cops from October 1940-July 41. While in Toronto he lived with his brother Malcolm in Toronto at 94 Gowan Avenue. He then taught for two years at his home school from  and earned between $360.00 - $500.00 per year. He also taught at York Memorial Collegiate in York Township from 1936-41. 

Canada

He enlisted into the Canadian Army in Toronto on July 28, 1941. At the time he stood 5' 11" and he weighed 160 pounds. His complexion was medium with brown eyes and hair. He received the rank of Cadet and was assigned to the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps "D" Wing in Toronto - Ontario. Three day later he is On Command and was on his way to Brockville - Ontario to No. 30 Officers ' Training Centre and received the rank of Sergeant. He also received the rank of 2nd Lieutenant while here. On October 31 he ceases to be On Command and is posted to Camp Borden to the Canadian Armoured Corps Training Establishment Camp.                                                On March 10, 1942 he is Taken on Service with the Canadian Armoured Corps Advanced Training Centre based at Debert - Nova Scotia and trains with the Canadian Grenadier Guards. On March 28 he is on his way back to Camp Borden to the Canadian Armoured Corps Advanced Training Centre there and shortly after receives the rank of Lieutenent. He also transfers from the 22nd Canadian Armoured Regiment - Canadian Grenadier Guards. On April 26 he is assigned to the Canadian Armoured Corps Reserves overseas and is sent to the east coast in preparation for duty overseas.

Overseas

On May 2 he was Struck off of service to the Canadian Army in Canada and the same day he left the shores of Canada for overseas duty. The next day while at sea he was Taken on Strength with the Canadian Army overseas. Disembarkation took place in the United Kingdom on May 12 and the following day he reported to No. 3 Canadian Armoured Corps Reinforcement Unit. Less than two weeks later he was Taken on Service with the      5th Canadian Armoured Regiment. On July 13 he qualified as a Driver i/c Class II of wheeled vehicles. The next posting on October 19 sent him to the No. 3 Canadian Armoured Corps Reinforcement Unit where he remained until November 13 when he was posted to No. 2 Canadian Armoured Corps Reinforcement Unit. A week later he was back with No. 3 Canadian Armoured Corps Reinforcement Unit. On the last day of the year he is assigned to Canadian Military Headquarters Course which was at St. Omer Barracks - Aldershot - Hampshire.                        On January 23, 1943 he returned from his Course. On February 9 he qualified as a I Driver / Mechanic II. In the Middle of November he goes back for a refresher Driver/Mechanic Course until December 1 at Camp Bovington in Dorset.                                                                                                                                                            Between January 3-15, 1944 he attended a Wireless Course and qualified "Q 1" and then between January    17-29 he attended a Gunnery Course and here he achieved 79%. On February 18 Lieutenant Finlayson was Taken on Service with the 21st Armoured Regiment - Governor General's Foot Guards. He attended a Crew Training Course Between January 30-February 12. On March 8 he is posted to X4 which is the unposted reinforcement unit. Then on August 12 he is posted to his regiment.

In the Field

The 4 Canadian Armoured Division which included the Governir General's Foot Guards and Lieutenant Finlayson embarked from the United Kingdom on July 23 and set foot on French soil on July 24. On August 11 he was posted to "D" Squadron. As the war progressed Lieutenant fought at the Falaise, the Falaise Road, the Laison, at Chambois in the Scheldt.                                                                                                                        They were at the Lower Maas until February 7, 1945, and they continued fighting in the Rhineland, the Hochwald, at Veen, and then in "Operation Plunder" which took place between March 23-27.                          From the time they landed the 3 squadrons of the regiment endured many months of fierce fighting in the push through the low countries and into Holland. For many long months the Governor General’s Foot Guards had been engaged in heavy mechanized warfare and then finally in March of 1945 Holland was liberated.
On March 24th the Regiment moved back into Germany and took up their positions on the west bank of the
Rhine River across from Emmerich. There had been very heavy fighting in the lowlands, and now the
regiment was preparing for “Operation Pepperpot” which was the beginning of an operation to cross the
Rhine River.
“Operation Pepperpot” was to be an all out effort made along the Leopold Canal, and to fire the tank guns all at once and in essence they would become artillery pieces. They fired for three days and during that period 111,905 rounds were fired and that was 932 rounds per tank. The total number of tanks involved was 120.
Lieutenant Finlayson and 2 of his men were sleeping on the ground in slit trenches near their tanks when
sporadic German fire came down and a direct hit was made on the slit trench Lieutenant Finlayson was
sleeping in. He died immediately.
Lieutenant Finlayson was one of the regiment’s best troop leaders. On this day the visibility was good and
the weather was warm and fair.  Lieutenant Finlayson was originally buried in the Canadian Cemetery located at Bedburg - Germany/

The Memorial Cross was sent to his brother Malcolm. His files state that in January 1950 Rod's family received the medals awarded to him and they included the 1959-45 Star, the France-Germany Star, the Defence and War Medals plus the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with clasp. 

Rod is honoured and remembered on the Lucknow Cenotaph and on the Memorial Plaque of Lucknow Presbyterian Church as well as on the Memorial Plaque of Ripley High School. He is honoured and remembered on the WWII Honour Roll of the University of Toronto and on the WWII Honour Roll of York Memorial Collegiate. In addition he is honoured and remembered on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial and in the Books of Remembrance found in the Centre Block of our Canadian Parliament. He is honoured and remembered on the Memorial Plaque of Governor General's Foot Guards.