C100258 Rifleman Hector Joseph Bruyere was born on 20 March 1923 in Cornwall, Ontario, the son of Alphonse Bruyere and Dora Legault. He was one of eight children.

He was unmarried and working as a labourer when he enlisted in the Canadian Army on 6 May 1942 in Ottawa, Ontario and was posted to the Royal Canadian Artillery. While training in Canada he was punished at least four times for being absent without leave.

He arrived in England on 20 December 1942. After various training and transfers in the United Kingdom, he was transferred to The Queen’s Own Rifles on 28 January 1944.

Bruyere landed with the first wave on Juno Beach in B Company and was killed in action on D-Day, 6 June 1944. He is buried in Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, grave reference I. G. 5.