Signalman Donald Ross McLeod

Survivor of WW2

Date of Death:

Biography General Links Ranks Awards

Service Biography

Donald Ross McLeod was born in Montreal, Quebec, on August 1, 1913. A splicer helper and lineman, he enlisted in the Canadian Active Service Force at Montreal on September 11, 1939, with service number D-21050 and served with the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals. McLeod served in Britain and later in the Mediterranean and Continental European theatres, including Italy, and qualified as a Lineman B. His service included several disciplinary incidents, among them drunkenness and failure to obey an order. In 1945 he contracted diphtheria and developed severe post-diphtheritic peripheral neuritis, which caused weakness and sensory loss in his hands and feet and led to medical repatriation to Canada. He continued treatment at Montreal Military Hospital before being discharged at Montreal South on December 11, 1945. His awards included the 1939-45 Star, Italy Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Clasp, and War Medal 1939-45.

General Information

Conflict:

WW2

Regimental No.:

D21050

Cause of Death (in war):

Survived

Branch:

Army

Regiment:

Royal Canadian Corps of Signals

Battalion:

1st Canadian Corps Signals / Signals detachments

Company:

Date of Birth :

Place of Birth:

Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Date of Enlistment:

Age at Enlistment:

26 years 1 month

Date of Discharge:

Age at Discharge:

32 years 4 months

Date of Death:

Age at Death:

68 years 9 months

Country Born:

Canada

Trade or Calling:

Splicer Helper / Lineman

Next of Kin:

Gertrude McLeod (mother), 4506 Harvard Ave., Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Address at Enlistment:

4506 Harvard Ave., Montreal, Quebec, Canada

Religion:

Church of England

Place of Enlistment:

Montreal, Quebec

Was a Prisoner of War:

Height:

6 ft 0.0 in / 183 cm

Weight:

190 lbs / 86 kg

Chest:

Expansion:

Marital Status:

Single

Prior Military Experience:

Yes

Saw Service in:

Europe

Place of Discharge:

Montreal South, Quebec

Discharge Type:

Regular/End of Service

Discharge Notes:

Honourably discharged from the Canadian Army (Active) at Montreal South on 11 Dec 1945 under Routine Order 1029 para. 5, to return to civil life on demobilization. Final rank Signalman. Discharge certificate lists service in Canada, United Kingdom, Central Mediterranean Area and Continental Europe.

Battle Died/Wounded:

Length of Service:

2283 days in service

Buried at:

Plot:

Links

Ancestry.com

Ranks

Conflict	Rank	Regiment	Branch	Unit
WW2	Signalman	Royal Canadian Corps of Signals	Army	1st Canadian Corps Signals / Signals detachments
Final wartime rank.
WW2	Lance Corporal	Royal Canadian Corps of Signals	Army	Corps Signals / 1st Canadian Corps Signals
Appointment/acting status; later reverted.
WW2	Signalman	Royal Canadian Corps of Signals	Army	Corps Signals / 1st Canadian Corps Signals
Initial rank.

Awards

Conflict	Award	Action	Date of Award	Date of Citation	Source
WW2	1939-45 Star
WW2	Italy Star
WW2	France and Germany Star
WW2	Defence Medal
WW2	Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Clasp
WW2	War Medal 1939-45

Service Chronology

1913-08-01 — Born
1939-09-11 — Enlisted in Canadian Active Service Force, Royal Canadian Corps of Signals, D-21050.
1939-11-23 — Appointed Lance Corporal.
1940-03-30 to 1940-04-01 — Arrested in London while intoxicated and incapable; fined at Westminster Police Court.
1940-04-10 — Reverted to Signalman.
1941-12 — Right shoulder injury after fall while climbing during line work.
1942-02-04 to 1942-02-07 — Hospitalized with scabies.
1942 — Knee injury during manoeuvres; later Court of Inquiry found no lasting objective injury.
1943-10 to 1944 — Moved from United Kingdom to Mediterranean theatre; served with 1st Canadian Corps Signals.
1943-11-11 — Drunkenness on active service; fined $5 and 14 days confined to barracks.
1943-11-15 — Failed to obey direct order to leave kitchen; 4 days confined to barracks and 4 days pay forfeited.
1944-02-10 — Treated for boil/abscess involving left hand.
1945-05-01 — Acute sore throat; subsequently confirmed diphtheria.
1945-05-13 to 1945-07-14 — Hospitalized for diphtheria, including at Military Isolation Hospital, Aldershot; early file marked seriously ill.
1945-06 to 1945-08 — Developed post-diphtheritic peripheral neuritis with dysphagia, nasal regurgitation, paraesthesia, weakness and absent reflexes.
1945-08 — Transferred through No. 22 Canadian General Hospital and repatriation facilities; transported aboard hospital ship Lady Nelson.
1945-10-16 to 1945-11-06 — Admitted to Montreal Military Hospital with residual post-diphtheritic peripheral neuritis; improved and discharged on leave.
1945-12-11 — Honourably discharged on demobilization, final rank Signalman.
1950 — Applied for campaign medals; entitlement confirmed.

Notes

Medical history includes a right-shoulder injury in Dec 1941 while working as a lineman, a knee injury during 1942 manoeuvres, scabies in Feb 1942, and a major 1945 illness with diphtheria followed by post-diphtheritic peripheral neuritis. The neuritis caused weakness and wasting, especially in the hands, sensory impairment, absent tendon reflexes, swallowing difficulty and fatigue; he was medically repatriated to Canada and continued treatment at Montreal Military Hospital. Disciplinary records include intoxication in London in Mar 1940, drunkenness on active service in Nov 1943, and failure to obey an order in Nov 1943.

[Previous notes - manual reconciliation required]

Address Verdun, Que. Enlisted in, Sept. 1939. Born at Montreal Aug. 1st, 1913.
BIRTH AUGUST 1, 1913 • Montreal, Canada DEATH MAY 11, 1982 • Glen Robertson, Stormont, Ontario, Canada
atip Request confirmation number EA2026_0171730

Additional Service Notes

Royal Canadian Corps of Signals, service number D-21050. Enlisted 11 Sep 1939 at Montreal. Served in Canada, the United Kingdom, the Mediterranean/Italy and later Continental Europe. Principal wartime formations include Corps Signals / 1st Canadian Corps Signals and Signals detachments. Qualified Lineman B and employed in line/signals work. Final rank Signalman. Honourably discharged 11 Dec 1945 at Montreal South on demobilization.

[Previous notes - manual reconciliation required]

Additional Next of Kin Notes

At enlistment: mother Gertrude McLeod, 4506 Harvard Ave., Montreal. Father: Ross John McLeod, same address; both parents recorded alive in 1939. Later wartime records show McLeod as married and identify wife Dorothy Lilian McLeod, with Verdun/Montreal addresses. Existing CWVMP displays Mrs. Donald R. McLeod, Verdun, consistent with the later married status.
Mother born in Franklin, Quebec.

Research Notes

The service file supports Italy service through both service chronology and the Italy Star. Existing next of kin lists Mrs. Donald R. McLeod, Verdun; early attestation lists mother Gertrude McLeod, and later records list Dorothy Lilian McLeod as wife. Use the service-file family sequence rather than treating one NOK value as timeless.