B134001 Rifleman Frederick Taylor Hamilton was born in Glen Huron, Ontario on 15 August 1922,  the son of Joseph Clarence Hamilton and Margaret Hewson. He had three brothers and three sisters.

He graduated from Collingwood Collegiate (matriculation) where he received the IODE Prize for History, and where he was a cadet for five years. He studied medicine at the University of Toronto in 1940-1941. During his summer vacations, he worked at home on the family farm. He played hockey and football “moderately” but had no hobbies.

In March 1941 he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. He was undertaking training as a student pilot but was discharged on 25 Sep 1942 due to colour blindness after 25 hours of flying time completed.

Hamilton enlisted in the Canadian Army on 7 Oct 1942.  His “Personnel Selection Record” includes the appraisal that he:

“Seems to be a modest fine type of chap with a fair stability considering his youth. He is very keen on joining the Paratroops and should do well in any non-technical job he is assigned to.“

Despite his hopes of becoming a paratrooper, he was transferred to the QOR from a reinforcement unit on 11 Jun 1943.

Rifleman Hamilton survived landing with D Company in the second wave on D-Day but was killed in action on 11 June 1944 during the battle for Le Mesnil Patry. He is buried in Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, grave reference III. E. 7.

His grave marker includes the inscription:

I HAVE FOUGHT A GOOD FIGHT
I HAVE FINISHED MY COURSE
I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH

His name is also on a family grave marker in Duntroon Church of the Redeemer Cemetery.

Hamilton was awarded (some posthumously) the 1939-1945 Star, the France and Germany Star, the Defence Medal, the War Medal, and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp.

[Note: Both the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and the Canadian Virtual War Memorial have recorded is death as 12 June 1944 and that is what is carved on his tombstone, however, every document in his service file which records his death, indicates he actually died on 11 June 1944.]