Lance Bombardier John Edward Brooks

John Edward Brooks was born at Hawkesbury, Ontario, on 3 January 1920, and was brought up in Montreal. He left school after Grade 4 at about age 14. Before the war he worked as a longshoreman, a labourer for Progress Spring Bed Co., and a linesman's helper for Shawinigan Water & Power, and later lived in Huntingdon, Quebec. He enlisted at Montreal South on 5 November 1941 and served with the Royal Canadian Artillery in Canada, the United Kingdom and Northwest Europe, including the 2nd Canadian Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment. He became a Lance Bombardier. In April 1945 he injured his left knee while putting a gun into action; the injury was ruled to have occurred in the performance of military duty, and he returned to duty after treatment. He returned to Canada in September 1945 and was discharged on 21 November 1945. As he prepared to return to civilian life he intended to work outdoors; records first note a logging job in Huntingdon and later employment arranged with Dodge Construction Co. as a compressor operator.

1920-01-03 — Born at Hawkesbury, Ontario.
1933-1934 — Completed Grade 4 in Montreal and left school at about age 14 — Montreal, Quebec.
1934-1941 — Brought up in Montreal; worked as a longshoreman, labourer for Progress Spring Bed Co., and linesman's helper for Shawinigan Water & Power, then lived in Huntingdon before enlistment — Montreal / Huntingdon, Quebec.
1941-11-05 — Attested in the Canadian Active Army at Montreal South, Quebec, and joined the Royal Canadian Artillery as a Gunner — Montreal South, Quebec / Royal Canadian Artillery.
1941-11-06 — Taken on strength No. 4 District Depot — Montreal, Quebec / No. 4 District Depot.
1941-11-14 — Attached for all purposes to No. 41 Canadian Army Training Centre at Huntingdon — Huntingdon, Quebec / No. 41 C.A.T.C..
1942-01-23 — Signed a will leaving all real and personal estate to his father, Henry Brooks — Montreal / Henry Brooks.
1942-02-05 — Ceased attachment at Huntingdon and proceeded to Canadian Artillery Training Centre A-1 at Petawawa — Petawawa, Ontario / C.A.T.C. A-1.
1942-02-25 — Posted during artillery training — Petawawa, Ontario / Royal Canadian Artillery.
1942-05-27 — Began overseas service — United Kingdom / Canadian Army Overseas.
1942-11-26 — Sprained his left knee while playing soccer; the injury was recorded as occurring in the performance of military duty — Royal Canadian Artillery.
1943-01-04 — Medical examination recorded 5 ft 8 in, 138 lb, brown hair and brown eyes; no hernia, scars or deformities — Canadian Army medical examination.
1943-08-06 to 1943-08-15 — Granted leave while serving overseas — United Kingdom / Royal Canadian Artillery.
1944-05-15 — Taken on strength in an overseas reinforcement unit — United Kingdom / Royal Canadian Artillery.
1944-05-15 — Taken on strength of 3 Canadian Artillery Reinforcement Unit — United Kingdom / 3 Canadian Artillery Reinforcement Unit.
1944-06-16 — Appointed acting Lance Bombardier — United Kingdom / 2nd Canadian Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RCA.
1944-08-10 — Confirmed Lance Bombardier — United Kingdom / 2nd Canadian Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RCA.
1945-04-09 — Injured his left knee while putting a gun into action when his foot slipped on wet grass; diagnosed with traumatic synovitis — Northwest Europe / 2nd Canadian Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RCA.
1945-04-09 — Evacuated for treatment of the left-knee injury through 2 Canadian Field Ambulance and 3 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station, then admitted to No. 12 Canadian General Hospital — Northwest Europe / 2 Canadian Field Ambulance → 3 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station → No. 12 Canadian General Hospital.
1945-04-11 — Formal injury report found the left-knee injury occurred in the performance of military duty — Northwest Europe / 2nd Canadian Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RCA.
1945-04-12 — Left knee aspirated; approximately 70 cc of blood-stained fluid was removed and penicillin injected — Northwest Europe / Canadian hospital system.
1945-04-15 — Left-knee X-ray showed no fracture or bony injury — Northwest Europe / Canadian hospital system.
1945-04-21 — Transferred/admitted for continued treatment and physiotherapy of traumatic synovitis of the left knee — Northwest Europe / Canadian hospital system.
1945-04-28 — Returned to duty after treatment for the left-knee injury — Northwest Europe / 2nd Canadian Heavy Anti-Aircraft Regiment, RCA.
1945-08-10 — Personnel-selection follow-up recorded plans to return to Huntingdon, where he reported securing work as a logger; he did not want rehabilitation training — Huntingdon, Quebec.
1945-09-12 — Embarked in the United Kingdom for return to Canada — United Kingdom / Canadian Army Overseas.
1945-09-18 — Disembarked in Canada — Canada / Canadian Army.
1945-10-13 — Overseas-service accounting terminated during repatriation/demobilization processing — Canada / Canadian Army.
1945-10-21 to 1945-11-20 — Granted leave during demobilization period — Montreal South, Quebec / No. 4 District Depot.
1945-11-20 — Dental examination/treatment recorded immediately before discharge — Montreal South, Quebec / Canadian Dental Corps.
1945-11-20 — Veterans Affairs recorded employment arranged with Dodge Construction Co. as a compressor operator — Montreal South, Quebec / Dodge Construction Co.
1945-11-21 — Discharged at Montreal South, Quebec, as Lance Bombardier, Royal Canadian Artillery, on routine demobilization — Montreal South, Quebec / Royal Canadian Artillery.
1949-10 — Applied for his wartime medals from 39 Lake Street, Huntingdon, Quebec.
1949-11-23 — Wartime medal entitlement was dispatched — Awards administration.
1971-07-03 — Died; existing CWVMP research records his residence/death connection with Huntingdon, Quebec.