B143830 Rifleman Gerald Armond Crawford was born on 30 January 1924 in Rosseau, Ontario, the son of Alexander Crawford and Eleanor Draycott. He left school at the age of 14. He came from a large family of nine brothers (one served in Italy) and four sisters.

Crawford was working as a farm helper when he enlisted in Parry Sound, Ontario on 9 March 1943, with the Royal Canadian Artillery.

He was training in Petawawa when he was “re-allocated” to the infantry on 28 May 1943. He then trained at Camp Borden and in Aldershot, Nova Scotia before arriving in England in late September 1943.  By 9 October he had been posted to The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada.

In April or May 1944, Crawford applied for permission to marry Miss Peggy Joan Hayes of Bournemouth, England but his service record doesn’t indicate that the marriage was ever approved.

Rifleman Crawford landed on Juno Beach with D Company on D-Day, 6 June 1944 but was killed in action on 11 June 1944 during the battle for Le Mesnil Patry, aged 20.

He is buried in the Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, grave reference III. D. 16.