Captain Harvey George Willmott Bean, MC was born in Toronto, Ontario on 30 November 1921, the son of Lieutenant Colonel Harvey B. George (Canadian Army Dental Corps) and Eva Mae Bean. He attended the University of Toronto Schools where he was a School Captain.

He joined The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada after matriculation (graduation from high school) and went overseas at 19. He returned to Canada to take an officer’s course and rejoined the QOR in England in 1942.

During the attack on Les Mesnil-Patry on 11 Jun 1944, then Lieutenant Bean was wounded three times. His company commander had been killed and Bean only gave up command of the company when he was rendered unconscious.  He was rescued by the seven remaining members of his unit who commandeered a tank. By this time the only person left to command was Sergeant Samuel Thomas Scrutton.  Bean was awarded a Military Cross for “gallant and distinguished service in the field” and Scrutton the Distinguished Conduct Medal for this action.

He was killed in a heavy artillery bombardment during the Rhineland campaign on 14 February 1945 and is buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery grave reference I. D. 5. The epitaph on his grave marker is:

HE GAVE HIS ALL FOR FREEDOM

Service Record

• 29 Feb 1944 – Taken on Strength with the QOR from the 4th Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit
• 6 Jun 1944 – Landed on D-Day
• 11 Jun 1944 – Struck off strength to wounded list
• 27 Aug 1944 – Awarded Military Cross
• 28 Sep 1944 – Taken back on strength to QOR
• 28 Sep 1944 – Promoted acting Captain
• 2 Oct 1944 – Attached to Headquarters, 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade
• 25 Oct 1944 – Returned to QOR from 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade HQ
• 29 Dec 1944 – Promoted substantive Captain
• 6-14 Jan 1945 – Proceeded on Snipers Course
• 14 Feb 1945 – Killed in action, aged 23