B119116 Rifleman James Earl Aiken was born in Toronto, Ontario, on 9 November 1925, the son of John Basil Erie Aiken and Alice Annie Powell. He had one brother, Lionel, and attended Lansdowne and Howard Park schools in Toronto. He was a Presbyterian.

Aiken worked as a labourer for Active Screw and Gear Company Limited when he enlisted with the 7th Canadian Field Ambulance (Reserve) on 9 November 1943. On 11 January 1944, he transferred to the Active Army and trained in Toronto and Brantford. He reported for duty in England on 31 December and was posted to The Queen’s Own Rifles in Europe. He was charged with multiple instances of absence without leave in both Canada and the United Kingdom.

Rifleman Aiken was originally reported as missing in action but later confirmed as killed in action near Rha in the Netherlands on 6 April 1945, aged 19.

He is buried in Holten Canadian War Cemetery, grave reference XI. F. 15. His family had the following engraved on his marker:

YOU LINGER
WHERE THE TULIPS GROW,
NOT DEAD BUT JUST AWAY