Trooper John Barnes
Survivor of WW2
Date of Death:
Service Biography
Born in Huntingdon on 23 January 1917 John Barnes left school at age 14 after completing Grade 6 to work on his father's farm. Before enlistment he had four years of farming experience, three years in lumbering and road construction, and about two and a half years at High Rigger Turner Valley Oil Fields. He played mouth organ and enjoyed tinkering with old cars and tractors, reading news and fiction, baseball, rugby, swimming, hunting and fishing. He married Ethel May Perrin in Toronto on 29 December 1941. He served in Canada with the Canadian Armoured Corps during the Second World War. He enlisted for active service in February 1941, trained at Camp Borden and was medically discharged in March 1943.
He died at Barrie Memorial Hospital in Ormstown on 10 August 1989 and was interred at Hemmingford Cemetery.
General Information
Conflict:
WW2
Regimental No.:
B19110
Cause of Death (in war):
Survived
Branch:
Army
Regiment:
Canadian Armoured Corps
Battalion:
Canadian Armoured Corps Training Centre
Company:
Date of Birth :
Place of Birth:
Huntingdon, Quebec
Date of Enlistment:
Age at Enlistment:
24 years
Date of Discharge:
Age at Discharge:
26 years 2 months
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
72 years 6 months
Country Born:
Canada
Trade or Calling:
Farmer
Next of Kin:
Freda Barnes, sister, Huntingdon, Quebec
Address at Enlistment:
R.R. #1, Uptergrove, Ontario
Religion:
Anglican
Place of Enlistment:
Camp Borden, Ontario
Was a Prisoner of War:
No
Height:
5 ft 7.5 in / 171 cm
Weight:
126 lbs / 57 kg
Chest:
35.5 in / 90 cm
Expansion:
2.5 in / 6 cm
Marital Status:
Married
Prior Military Experience:
Yes
Saw Service in:
Canada
Place of Discharge:
Camp Borden, Ontario
Discharge Type:
Medically Unfit
Discharge Notes:
Medically discharged as unable to meet required military physical standards after investigation of fainting/convulsive episodes; medical board diagnosis recorded as convulsion of unknown origin.
Battle Died/Wounded:
Length of Service:
774 days in service
Buried at:
Hemmingford Cemetery
Ranks
| Conflict |
Rank |
Regiment |
Branch |
Unit |
Company |
Date From |
Date To |
| WW2 |
Trooper |
Canadian Armoured Corps |
Army |
Canadian Armoured Corps Training Centre |
|
|
|
| Final service rank; medically discharged at Camp Borden. |
| WW2 |
Trooper |
Canadian Armoured Corps |
Army |
HQ 2nd Army Tank Brigade / Canadian Armoured Corps Officer Cadet School |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
Private |
Canadian Armoured Corps |
Army |
Canadian Armoured Corps Training Centre |
|
|
|
Awards
| Conflict |
Award |
Action |
Date of Award |
Date of Citation |
Source |
| WW2 |
War Service Badge, General Service Class |
Award |
|
|
|
| Badge number 025790 |
| WW2 |
Canadian Volunteer Service Medal |
Award |
|
|
|
| WW2 |
War Medal 1939-1945 |
Award |
|
|
|
Service Chronology
1917-01-23 — Born in Huntingdon, Quebec.
1941-01-10 — Enrolled under the NRMA in the Non-Permanent Active Militia; taken on strength of the Grey & Simcoe Foresters at Training Centre No. 23.
1941-02-08 — Completed 30 days of NRMA militia service with the Grey & Simcoe Foresters.
1941-02-09 — Attested for the Canadian Active Service Force at Camp Borden, Ontario, as a Private/Trooper in the Canadian Armoured Corps.
1941-09-01 to 1941-09-14 — Granted furlough from the Canadian Armoured Corps Training Centre.
1941-12-29 — Married Ethel May Perrin in Toronto, Ontario; residence recorded as 27 Golfdale Road.
1942-03-05 — Next-of-kin address changed to 15 Kendal Avenue, Toronto, Ontario.
1942-08-31 to 1942-09-13 — Granted furlough with pay from the Canadian Armoured Corps Training Centre.
1942-11-04 — At Camp Borden, Ontario, attached to Headquarters, 2nd Army Tank Brigade for rations and to the Canadian Armoured Corps Officer Cadet School for duty and disposal.
1942-11-24 — Next-of-kin changed/updated to Mrs. E. Barnes, 45 Manchester Avenue, Toronto, Ontario.
1942-12-17 — At Camp Borden, Ontario, ceased attachment to the Canadian Armoured Corps Officer Cadet School.
1943-02-17 — Admitted to Camp Borden Military Hospital after fainting/convulsive episodes were investigated.
1943-02-21 — Discharged from Camp Borden Military Hospital.
1943-03-25 — Medically discharged at Camp Borden, Ontario, as unable to meet required military physical standards; service was entirely in Canada.
1989-08-10 — Died at Barrie Memorial Hospital, Ormstown, Quebec; later interred at Hemmingford Cemetery.
Notes
Born in Huntingdon on 23 January 1917. He left school at age 14 after completing Grade 6 to work on his father's farm. Before enlistment he had four years of farming experience, three years in lumbering and road construction, and about two and a half years at High Rigger Turner Valley Oil Fields. He played mouth organ and enjoyed tinkering with old cars and tractors, reading news and fiction, baseball, rugby, swimming, hunting and fishing. He married Ethel May Perrin in Toronto on 29 December 1941. He died at Barrie Memorial Hospital in Ormstown on 10 August 1989 and was interred at Hemmingford Cemetery.
[Previous notes - manual reconciliation required]
Born Huntingdon
atip Request confirmation number EA2026_0171036
Additional Service Notes
Served in Canada with the Canadian Armoured Corps from 9 February 1941 to 25 March 1943. He trained at Camp Borden, was attached to Headquarters 2nd Army Tank Brigade and the Canadian Armoured Corps Officer Cadet School in late 1942, and was medically discharged in March 1943.
Additional Next of Kin Notes
At enlistment his next of kin was his sister Freda Barnes of Huntingdon, Quebec. He married Ethel May Perrin in Toronto on 29 December 1941; wartime addresses include 27 Golfdale Road, 15 Kendal Avenue and 45 Manchester Avenue, Toronto. His obituary names his late wife Ethel and sister Alfreda Lawrence.
Version: 4 Last modified: 2026-09-29 02:05:04
by: marc
