B64008 Rifleman John Frederick Belton Kirkland was born on  20 December 1921 in Ottawa, Ontario, the son of John Harold and Nora Lucy Grieve Kirkland. He attended Earl Beatty School in Toronto. He had a brother Harold who would train during WWII with Canadian paratroopers and a sister Joan who served with the air force.

After serving with The Queen’s Own Rifles (Militia) from 1938-1940 he enlisted with the Active Service battalion on 19 June 1940. He served with the regiment in Newfoundland and trained at Camp Borden and Sussex, New Brunswick, before heading overseas in July 1941. During the next three years in England he was charged with various minor offences such as being improperly dressed, later for parades, unshaven, etc.

Rifleman Kirkland landed on Juno Beach on D-Day, 6 June 1944 and was killed in actioned, aged 22. He is buried in Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, grave reference I. F. 10.