B52575 Rifleman Charles Nahwegezhic*, MM was born  in 1919, son of Charles and Nellie Nahwegezhic, of Sheguindah First Nation (on Manitoulin Island, Ontario.)

Brother of Private Roland Nahwegezhic, Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment, who was killed in action on 12 October 1944.

He died of wounds aged 26, 28 February 1945 and is buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery: XVI. G. 13.

He was posthumously awarded the Military Medal for the action in which he was wounded.

Military Medal Citation

“On 26 February 1945, number 7 Platoon ‘A’ Company, 1st Battalion, the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada, attacked a strongly held enemy position over flat open ground . . . The platoon suffered heavy casualties including the Platoon Commander and Platoon Sergeant. Rifleman Nahwegezhic was seriously wounded in the head but kept advancing. Finally the platoon had to withdraw. Rifleman Nahwegezhic refused to go back and stayed behind with his Bren gun to cover the withdrawal. His accurate and determined fire enabled the balance of his platoon to pull back and reorganize for a further successful attack. In displaying this supreme courage and devotion to duty Rifleman Nahwegezhic was in large measure responsible for the capture of the platoon objective.”

Service Record:

• 22 Aug 1944 – Taken on strength of QOR from reinforcement list
• 5 Nov 1944 – Wounded and sent back for treatment
• 5 Dec 1944 – Returned to QOR
• 4 Jan 1945 – Wounded again
• 26 Jan 1945 – Returned to QOR
• 26 Feb 1945 – Wounded in head
• 28 Feb 1945 – Died of wounds
• 15 Jun 1945 – Posthumously awarded the Military Medal

*Sometimes also spelled Nahwegezhik.