B74554 Corporal Hugh McCallum Rocks was born on 13 May 1904 in Hamilton, Lanarkshire, Scotland, the son of Charles Rocks and Elizabeth McCallum. He had five sisters and three brothers – two of which served in the British Army. He arrived in Canada from Scotland on 15 April 1929 after a 13-day voyage aboard the Melita.

On 15 November1932 in Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Rocks married Elsie Lillian Timmins and they had two children: Charles George and Marion Elsie.

He was working as a miner when he enlisted with the Algonquin Regiment on 1 July 1940 in Kirkland Lake, Ontario. He trained at Camp Borden and was transferred to The Queen’s Own Rifles on 18 July 1944 – the day before the regiment sailed for Scotland.

He continued to train with the QOR in England and had various short-term postings. He was appointed Acting Lance Corporal on 15 July 1942, Lance Corporal on 16 October 1942 and Acting Corporal on 6 April 1944.

Corporal Rocks landed on Juno Beach on D-Day, 6 June 1944 and was killed in action at age 40.  He is buried in Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, grave reference I. F. 9.