Canadian War Veterans Memorial Project
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Private Robert McNeil

Survivor of WW2

Date of Death:

Biography General Ranks Awards Chronology Print

Service Biography

Private Robert Mc Neil was born at Ormstown on 20 March 1918. A farm hand and bushman who played guitar and mouth organ, he enlisted in the Canadian Forestry Corps at Westmount on 29 July 1940. He went overseas in February 1941 and served in Scotland as a tractor driver, later qualifying as a motor mechanic. His service included No. 2, No. 24 and No.25 Companies and forestry workshops. He landed in France on 29 October 1944. A steel chip injured his right eye while working in Belgium in April 1945; hospital treatment restored his vision, and he returned to duty. Repatriated in August, he was discharged at Montreal South on 13 September 1945. He received the 1939–45 Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with clasp and War Medal. At release he planned to return to farming at Ormstown. Existing cemetery research records his death in 1985 and burial at Oakwood Cemetery, Simcoe, Ontario.

General Information

Conflict:
WW2
Regimental No.:
D110145
Cause of Death (in war):
Survived
Branch:
Army
Regiment:
Canadian Forestry Corps
Battalion:
No.25 Company
Company:
Date of Birth :
Place of Birth:
Ormstown, Quebec
Date of Enlistment:
Age at Enlistment:
22 years 4 months
Date of Discharge:
Age at Discharge:
27 years 5 months
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
66 years 9 months
Country Born:
Canada
Trade or Calling:
Bushman and farm hand
Next of Kin:
Ettie McNeil Rutherford (mother), Ormstown, Quebec
Address at Enlistment:
Ormstown, Quebec
Religion:
United Church of Canada
Place of Enlistment:
Westmount, Quebec
Was a Prisoner of War:
No
Height:
5 ft 5.8 in / 167 cm
Weight:
132 lbs / 60 kg
Chest:
36.0 in / 91 cm
Expansion:
4.0 in / 10 cm
Marital Status:
Single
Prior Military Experience:
No
Saw Service in:
Europe
Place of Discharge:
Montreal South, Quebec
Discharge Type:
Regular/End of Service
Discharge Notes:
Battle Died/Wounded:
Length of Service:
1872 days in service
Buried at:
Oakwood Cemetery, Simcoe, Ontario

Ranks

Conflict Rank Regiment Branch Unit Company Date From Date To
WW2 Private Canadian Forestry Corps Army No.25 Company
WW2 Private Canadian Forestry Corps Army No.4 District Depot
WW2 Private Canadian Forestry Corps Army No.180 Canadian Disbandment Depot
WW2 Private Canadian Forestry Corps Army X4(a)List,Canadian Forestry Corps
WW2 Private Canadian Forestry Corps Army No.25 Company
WW2 Private Canadian Forestry Corps Army X3 List,Canadian Forestry Corps
WW2 Private Canadian Forestry Corps Army No.25 Company
WW2 Private Canadian Forestry Corps Army No.4 Company
WW2 Private Canadian Forestry Corps Army No.4 Company
WW2 Private Canadian Forestry Corps Army General Workshops
WW2 Private Canadian Forestry Corps Army No.4 Company
WW2 Private Canadian Forestry Corps Army General Workshops
WW2 Private Canadian Forestry Corps Army No.24 Company
WW2 Private Canadian Forestry Corps Army No.4 Company
WW2 Private Canadian Forestry Corps Army Canadian Forestry Corps Reinforcement Section
WW2 Private Canadian Forestry Corps Army No.2 Company
WW2 Private Canadian Forestry Corps Army No.2 District Workshops
WW2 Private Canadian Forestry Corps Army No.4 Company
WW2 Private Canadian Forestry Corps Army Canadian Forestry Corps Reinforcement Section
WW2 Private Canadian Forestry Corps Army No.2 Company
WW2 Private Canadian Forestry Corps Army No.2 Company
WW2 Private Canadian Forestry Corps Army Canadian Forestry Corps Reinforcement Depot
WW2 Private Canadian Forestry Corps Army No.2 Company
WW2 Private Canadian Forestry Corps Army No.4 Company

Awards

Conflict Award Action Date of Award Date of Citation Source
WW2 War Service Badge — General Service Class
WW2 War Medal 1939-45
WW2 Skill-at-Arms Badge
WW2 1939-45 Star
WW2 France and Germany Star
WW2 Defence Medal
WW2 Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp

Service Chronology

1918-03-20 — Born Robert McNeil. [Ormstown, Quebec]
1933 to 1934 — Left school at age 15 after Grade 7. [Quebec rural school]
1934 to 1940 — Worked as farm hand on brother’s farm, mixed and dairy farming; wage $14 weekly. [Ormstown, Quebec]
1939 — Winter back injury reported as intermittently troublesome.
1940-07-24 — Entry medical examination:5 feet 5¾inches, 132 pounds, chest 36 inches fully expanded with 4-inch expansion; CategoryA, functional systolic murmur noted.
1940-07-29 — Enlisted Canadian Active Service Force as Private, No. 2 Company Canadian Forestry Corps, D 110145; no prior military service. [Westmount, Quebec]
1940-07-29 — Family declaration:father deceased, mother Ettie McNeil Rutherford living at Ormstown; single, no children; New York Life insurance. Executed service will. [Ormstown, Quebec]
1940-08 — Assigned$10 monthly pay to mother; not entitled to dependants’ allowance. [Ormstown, Quebec]
1940-08-07 — Dental examination:neglected oral hygiene, prophylaxis required. [No. 2 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps]
1940-09-01 — Classified Driver ClassI. [Valcartier, Quebec]
1940-10-07 — Tetanus inoculation recorded; May 1940 immunization entries precede formal enlistment and are preserved as source dates.
1941-02-15 — Embarked for overseas at Halifax and struck off Canadian strength. [Halifax, Nova Scotia]
1941-02-16 — Taken on Canadian Active Service Force overseas strength. [At sea, en route to United Kingdom]
1941-03-01 — Disembarked at Gourock; proceeded to No. 2 Company location Ballogie. [Gourock, United Kingdom]
1941-03-03 — Granted GroupB trades pay as Driver I.C.Tractor. [Ballogie, United Kingdom]
1941-05 — Qualified Driver I.C.Tractor(Forestry), ClassIII; course/qualification dates 10/26 May appear in records. [Ballogie, United Kingdom]
1941-05-20 — Dental re-examination. [No. 2 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps, United Kingdom]
1941-07-22 to 1941-07-31 — Privilege leave; duplicate begins 23 July. [No. 2 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps, United Kingdom]
1941-11 — GroupB trades pay entry effective 12/13 November appears on copies. [No. 2 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps, United Kingdom]
1941-12-12 — Admitted for urethritis; transferred to reinforcement establishment during hospital treatment. [Drymen Military Hospital, Stirlingshire, United Kingdom]
1941-12-15 — Struck off No. 2 Company to Canadian Forestry Corps reinforcement depot; hospital-related strength copies give 13 December. [United Kingdom]
1941-12-24 — Discharged from Drymen Military Hospital and attached back to No. 2 Company; surveillance continued. [Aboyne, United Kingdom]
1942-01-10 — Struck off reinforcement establishment and posted to No. 2 Company; TOS 10/11 January differs in copies. [Ballogie, United Kingdom]
1942-01-11 — GroupB tractor-driver trades pay continued/reinstated. [No. 2 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps, United Kingdom]
1942-02-13 to 1942-02-17 — On command to reinforcement establishment; returned 17 February. [United Kingdom]
1942-03-22 — Army assessment:good mechanical ability; interested in tank battalion but preferred no current change; cheerful, cooperative, reliable. [No. 2 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps, United Kingdom]
1942-05-21 to 1942-05-28 — Privilege leave. [Ballogie, United Kingdom]
1942-06-01 to 1942-06-03 — On command to emergency hospital for follow-up; treatment completed 3 June. [United Kingdom]
1942-06-11 — Drymen venereologist certified final tests of cure and surveillance completion. [Drymen, United Kingdom]
1942-07-15 — Dental amalgam restorations; periodontal treatment/prophylaxis 24/25 July. [No. 2 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps, United Kingdom]
1942-09 — Privilege leave; copies give 7–14 or 11–14 September with amended entry 10 September. [Ballogie, United Kingdom]
1942-09-09 — Skill-at-Arms Badge entry, DriverI/C Class 1. [No. 2 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps, United Kingdom]
1942-09-10 — First Good Conduct stripe reported. [No. 2 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps, United Kingdom]
1943-01-01 — GroupB trades pay increased to$2.00. [No. 2 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps, United Kingdom]
1943-03 — Requalified DriverI/C Tractor(Forestry) and DriverI/C; reported 29 March. [No. 2 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps, United Kingdom]
1943-06-14 — Attached to No. 4 Company for escort duty. [United Kingdom]
1943-06-15 — Workshop attachment:No. 2 District Workshops for duty, headquarters/No. 2 Company except duty; orders amended 22 June. [United Kingdom]
1943-07-08 — Ceased workshop and No. 4 Company extra/escort-duty attachments; nine days’ leave also recorded. [United Kingdom]
1943-07-21 — Qualified Motor Mechanic(Forestry), GroupA; DriverI/C Tractor GroupB trades pay ceased 20 July. [No. 2 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps, United Kingdom]
1943-08-13 to 1943-08-17 — Dental restorations through Northern District Canadian Forestry Corps. [United Kingdom]
1943-09 — Privilege leave; one continuation gives 24 September, nine days; another gives 4–17 September but has uncertain identity heading. [Ballogie, United Kingdom]
1943-09-29 — Struck off No. 2 Company to Reinforcement Section; TOS 30 September with attachment back to No. 2 Company. [United Kingdom]
1943-10 — No. 4 Company attachment appears on continuation from 12 October; identity heading of preceding page uncertain. [United Kingdom]
1943-10-11 — Ceased attachment to No. 2 Company. [United Kingdom]
1943-11-05 — Struck off Reinforcement Section to No. 24 Company; TOS 6 November and No. 4 Company attachment. [United Kingdom]
1943-11-18 — Ceased No. 4 Company attachment. [United Kingdom]
1943-12-15 — Attached to No. 4 Company except duty and General Workshops for duty; another line records escort attachment cessation. [United Kingdom]
1944-01-15 — Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and clasp recorded. [No. 24 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps, United Kingdom]
1944-01-28 to 1944-02-06 — Seven days’ privilege leave plus 48 hours, with allowance. [No. 24 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps, United Kingdom]
1944-02-15 — Ceased No. 4 Company and General Workshops attachments. [United Kingdom]
1944-03-01 to 1944-04-03 — Reattached to No. 4 Company except duty and General Workshops for duty; ceased 3 April. [United Kingdom]
1944-04-25 — Special/escort-duty attachment through No. 4 Company; technical school or hospital destination unclear. [United Kingdom]
1944-06-10 — Struck off No. 24 Company to No. 25 Company; ceased headquarters/No. 4 Company attachments. [United Kingdom]
1944-06-11 — Taken on strength of No. 25 Company as Motor MechanicA. [United Kingdom]
1944-07 — On command for Forestry School/“points south”; copies give 6 or 16 July start, ending 20 July. [United Kingdom]
1944-10-28 — Embarked from the United Kingdom with No. 25 Company.
1944-10-29 — Disembarked in France with No. 25 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps, 21 ArmyGroup.
1945-02-18 — Occupational return preferred lumbering; farm work six years, no settled civilian plans. [No. 25 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps]
1945-04-17 — Accidental steel chip penetrated right eye while working in garage; line-of-duty injury. [Belgium]
1945-04-18 — Admitted to No. 130 U.S.General Hospital; struck off No. 25 Company to X 3 list. [Belgium]
1945-04-19 — Foreign body removed from right eye; penicillin and local eye treatment. [No. 130 U.S.General Hospital, Belgium]
1945-05-16 — Returned to duty after eye treatment; vision restored 20/20 bilaterally. [No. 130 U.S.General Hospital, Belgium]
1945-05-17 — Posted from X 3 to X 4(a), attached to No. 25 Company. [Northwest Europe]
1945-05-23 — Ceased No. 25 attachment and struck off X 4(a)to company; TOS 24 May. [Northwest Europe]
1945-07 — Ten days’ privilege leave in repatriation papers; dates not entered. [United Kingdom]
1945-07-06 — Struck off No. 25 Company to No. 180 Canadian Disbandment Depot, MilitaryDistrict 4; TOS 7 July. [Northwest Europe]
1945-07-25 — Medical history signed with no complaints and recovered eye injury; release examinations later approvedSeptember. [No. 2 Canadian Repatriation establishment]
1945-07-30 — Personnel follow-up planned marriage at home, mechanic employment or farm if future wife agreed; over$1, 000 deferred pay. [No. 3 Canadian Repatriation Depot, United Kingdom]
1945-08-02 — 1939–45 Star, France and Germany Star, DefenceMedal recorded. [No. 180 Canadian Disbandment Depot]
1945-08-07 — Struck off Canadian Army Overseas for repatriation. [United Kingdom]
1945-08-08 — Taken on strength No. 4 District Depot at Montreal South. [Montreal South, Quebec]
1945-08-16 to 1945-09-14 — Leave with ration allowance before release; discharge occurred 13 September. [No. 4 District Depot, Montreal South, Quebec]
1945-09-12 — Release dental requirements:three amalgam restorations and prophylaxis. [No. 24 Dental Company, Clinic 26, Montreal South, Quebec]
1945-09-12 — Release medical profile all 1; no treatment required, approval 13 September. [Montreal South, Quebec]
1945-09-13 — Discharged Private on demobilization, CARO 1029(5), with$100 clothing allowance and 30 days’pay. General Service War Service Badge 218668 acknowledged. [No. 4 District Depot, Montreal South, Quebec]
1945-09-13 — Certified Motor Mechanic GroupA, equivalent civilian motor-mechanic trade. [Montreal South, Quebec]
1945-09-15 — Counselling favoured return to part-owned family farm with Veterans’LandAct refinancing; P.O.Box 178, Ormstown. [Montreal South, Quebec]
1945-09-16 — Three days’commuted leave pay/allowances credited through 16 September. [No. 4 District Depot, Montreal South, Quebec]
1945-09-18 — Discharge memorandum and allowance inquiry issued. [Montreal South, Quebec]
1945-10-11 — Benefits computation certified 1, 873 qualifying days:239 WesternHemisphere, 1, 634 overseas; non-qualifying service nil. [Military District 4]
1945-11-05 — Service will of 29 July 1940 returned; gratuity computation$1, 092.26. [Ormstown, Quebec]
1945-11-08 — War Service Gratuity$1, 092.26 payable in 11 instalments$99.29; daily pay and allowances$3.50. [Ormstown, Quebec]
1948-01 — War Service Gratuity Branch sought verification/recovery of$5.66 allowance/assigned-pay overpayment. [Ottawa, Ontario]
1949-10-31 — Five campaign medals dispatched.
1985 — Existing research records death in 1985 and burial at Oakwood Cemetery, Simcoe, Ontario; exact death date and death locality not established.

Notes

Robert Mc Neil was born at Ormstown, Quebec, on 20 March 1918. Existing research names his deceased father as Arch.Mc Neil; military family forms confirm his father was deceased by 1940. Mother and next of kin was Ettie Mc Neil Rutherford of Ormstown, typed Ettae on attestation. Single during service, with one brother and two sisters; his mother was a partial dependant and received$10 assigned pay monthly. Completed Grade 7, left school at 15. Worked from 1934 to July 1940 on his brother’s farm at Ormstown, with wide experience in mixed and dairy farming and wage$14 weekly. Civilian calling bushman; desired lumbering rather than farming in an early occupational return. Spoke and read English fluently and understood a little French. Enjoyed skating, hunting and hockey, left wing; played guitar and mouth organ. Entry height 5 feet 5¾inches, weight 132 pounds, chest 36 inches fully expanded with 4-inch expansion; medium complexion, brown eyes and hair, vaccination mark on left arm. A functional systolic murmur was noted but he was Category A. Laterheight 5 feet 8 inches and 148 pounds on assessment differs from repeated 5 feet 5¾; dischargeweight 147 pounds. A winter 1939 back injury troubled him at times. Trained as tractor driver and motor mechanic, working on internal-combustion and diesel engines. July 1945 counselling recorded plans to marry at home and consider mechanic work or a farm; no completed marriage or wife’s name supplied. Septembercounselling favoured return to a part-owned farm with Veterans’ Land Act refinancing, P.O.Box 178, Ormstown. Existing cemetery research records death in 1985 and Oakwood Cemetery, Simcoe, Ontario; exact death date and graveplot not established.

[Previous notes - manual reconciliation required]

Born Ormstown
Next of Kin: Son of late Arch. McNeil and Mrs. McNeil, Ormstown.
Enlisted: July 26, 1940.
Death Date 1985 Cemetery Oakwood Cemetery Burial or Cremation Place Simcoe, Norfolk County, Ontario, Canada
atip Request confirmation number EA2026_0171734

Additional Service Notes

Enlisted at Westmount, Quebec, on 29 July 1940, D 110145, as Private in No. 2 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps, without prior military service. Classified Driver Class I at Valcartier 1 September 1940. Embarked at Halifax 15 February 1941 and disembarked Gourock 1 March, serving at Ballogie/Aboyne in Scotland as tractor driver. Qualified Driver I.C.Tractor, Group B, then Motor Mechanic(Forestry), Group A from 21 July 1943. Held Private throughout service, with repeated company and workshop attachments for duty and escort work. Transferred through the Canadian Forestry Corps Reinforcement Section, No. 24 Company from November 1943, and No.25 Company from 11 June 1944. Embarked from Britain 28 October 1944 and landed France 29 October; served in Northwest Europe. On 17 April 1945 in Belgium, a steel chip entered his right eye while working in a garage. Treated at No. 130 U.S.General Hospital from 18 April to 16 May; foreign body removed and vision restored. Rejoined No.25 Company 24 May 1945, then posted to No.180 Canadian Disbandment Depot 7 July. Overseas strength ended 7 August 1945; taken on strength No. 4 District Depot, Montreal South, 8 August. Released as Private 13 September 1945 on normal demobilization, CARO 1029(5). Release examination recorded no abnormality and no treatment required. Credited 1,873 qualifying days, including 1,634 overseas, with no non-qualifying service. War Service Gratuity$1,092.26. Awarded 1939–45 Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal, CVSM with clasp and War Medal; General Service War Service Badge 218668 acknowledged at discharge. Skill-at-Arms Badge for Driver I/C recorded September 1942.

Additional Next of Kin Notes

Mother Ettie Mc Neil Rutherford, Ormstown, was next of kin; attestation spellsgivenname Ettae. Father deceased by 29 July 1940; existingresearch names Arch.Mc Neil, withoutfullgivenname. One brother and two sisters named only by count. Brother’sfarm at Ormstown providedprewar employment. Motherpartialdependant in assessment; assigned$10 paymonthly from August 1940, no dependants’allowance. July 1945 follow-up mentionsfuturewife and plannedmarriage but no identity, date or completed ceremony; wartime single status remainsbest supported. Medal-request address Ormstown, R.R.2; counsellingmail P.O.Box 178, Ormstown. No burialplot or exactdeathday/month supplied.

Version: 3 Last modified: 2026-10-14 02:05:03 by: marc