Pte Emile Joseph Soens 6-B-7

Emile was born on  October 31 1920 in Dauphin, Manitoba,  the son of Auguste and Stephney Soens, of Brighouse, British Columbia (BC).

He was working as a truck driver in the Kamloops area of BC when he volunteered for active duty and he was assigned to 1 Canadian Scottish Reg. in Victoria British Columbia . He served with the unit in Canada and he arrived on  September 2 1941 with it in the UK. His training and service continued there in the battalion during 1942-44, and he landed in Normandy on  June 6 1944 on D-Day as a member of the Support Company, in the Carrier Platoon. He was involved then with the further advance of his regiment through NW Europe.

Emile as a member of the flame-thrower section of his platoon was killed in action on Saturday April 1945 age 24 during the first attack of the liberation of Wagenborgen. He was temporarily buried then in Groningen before being reburied on February 13 1946  in Holten.

He also was a kind of translator for his batallion in Holland because he had some fluency in the Dutch language.

On his headstone: JUST AWAY

His medals were: 1939-45 Star, France & Germany Star, Defence Medal; War Medal; ; CVSM & Clasp.

His name is mentioned at the monument in Wagenborgen.