C/120291 Rifleman Russell David Dafoe was born on 10 April 1916, in Yarker, northwest of Kingston, Ontario, the son of  Agnes Howitt and David Albert Dafoe who worked for the Canadian National Railway.  He had thirteen siblings: Margaret, Wallace, Bertha, Myrtle, Ethel, Lenora, Veda, Lena, Raymond, Pearl, Dorothy, Isabella, and Kathleen.

Russell left public school in the 8th grade at the age of 13. He worked many jobs starting at a young age, from doing farm work for 4 years (with various employers), labour jobs for 6 years and for two years until he enlisted, as a buffer at the tannery that produced leather goods for local farmers and independent cobblers. In the 1940s, the tannery in Kingston was operated by A. Davis & Son.

According to his military records, Russell enjoyed hobbies such as dancing, skating, reading pulp magazines, watching movies and listening to the radio. His military records also stated that he was likable and respected by the people around him.

At the time of his military enlistment, Russell was 5′ 7″ tall and weighed 199 pounds. His complexion was medium, he had gray eyes, his hair was dark brown and he wore glasses.

Russell was a Protestant who attended the United Church in Kingston. He married Loretta Jean Smallwood on 19 October 1940, and they shared a home at 109 York Street in Kingston Ontario.

Russell’s basic training began on 21 December 1942 in Peterborough, Ontario, and was completed on 27 March 1943. He then did seven weeks of advanced training at Camp Borden, Ontario, which was completed on May 22, 1943. Private Dafoe then spent the rest of this year in training such as the three-inch mortar course in May, swim training in July as well as qualifying as a driver mechanics class III for track and wheeled vehicles. He added to this long resume of classes with five sessions of rifle training.

Private Dafoe left Canada and embarked on a voyage across the sea on July 16, 1943, to land in Scotland on July 22, 1943. After more infantry training, he was sent to Normandy in France on June 10, 1944, four days after D-Day.

On August 7, 1944, Rifleman Russell Dafoe was transferred to The Queen’s Own Rifles regiment and served for about five months until his death on December 20, 1944, in Nijmegen, Holland at the age of 28.

The circumstances of his death are unknown, and the place where he was initially buried is not exactly known.

It is known that according to the regimental war diary, the Queen’s Own Rifles unit was stationed around the Nijmegen Bridge area and came in contact with German troops and enemy mortar fire. They were also undertaking raids on houses described as strategic points in the operations to drive back the Germans. On December 20, the regiment was in the Wyler Berg area.

He was eventually reburied in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, grave reference II. D. 4. On his headstone is inscribed:

ASLEEP IN JESUS FOREVER
EVER REMEMBERED
BY LOVING WIFE JEAN

From James Moffett and Erin Thorburn, students from All Saints High School, Kanata, Canada, made available for Faces To Graves, with courtesy of Vanessa Kirtz teacher at All Saints H.S. Additional research and editing provided by Kurt Johnson.