B/137985 Rifleman Donald McKay Barnard was born in Toronto on November 27, 1923, the son of Benjamin Frederick Barnard and Janet Murray McKay. He was a younger brother of Corporal Fred Bernard and his father had enlisted with the 255th Battalion, CEF (perpetuated by The Queen’s Own Rifles), and served with the 75th Battalion during the First World War.

He left school at age 15 and was working as a machine operator at Schaffer Pen Company prior to enlistment.

Barnard enlisted on January 6, 1943 in Toronto, Ontario. After doing his basic and advanced training in Canada, he arrived in the United Kingdom on 15 June 1943.  On 1 July 1943, he was posted to the Toronto Scottish in a machine gun company. On 10 March 1944 he transferred to The Queen’s Own Rifles and was posted to the same company as his brother.

Donald was killed in action aged 20, while landing on Juno Beach with his brother, on D-Day, 6 June 1944. He is buried in Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, Grave Reference: I. A. 4. His brother Fred survived the war.

His military will bequeath all his estate to his mother. He also had a life insurance policy of $100 payable to his mother.