B138353 Rifleman John Walter Petraites was born in Toronto on 9 December 1923, the son of Joseph and Katherine Petraites. He had two older sisters and left school at 12 years old.

Petraites was employed as a freight hand for the Canadian Pacific Railway when he enlisted in the Canadian Army on 12 January 1943. He trained at Camp Borden until being posted overseas in June 1943 as a reinforcement.

He was posted to The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada on 5 August 1943 and continued to train with them until D-Day.

Rifleman Petraites landed on Juno Beach with D Company on D-Day, 6 June 1944 but was killed in action aged 20, on 11 June 1944 during the battle for the village of Le Mesnil Patry. He is buried in Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, grave reference II. G. 14.