B130563 Rifleman Frederick William Smith was born on 30 March 1925, on the Rama Reserve, Rama, Ontario.

He enlisted in the Canadian Infantry Corp. 48th Highlanders on July 28, 1942.

Fred served with the 2nd Queen’s Own Rifles in the United Kingdom, Continental Europe and Canada. He received five shrapnel wounds on August 25, 1944, when he fought near Amsterdam. He remained in hospital in England for six months and one piece of shrapnel remained in his left arm.

Fred was awarded the 1939-45 Star, France-Germany Star, Defence Medal, Canadian Voluntary Service Medal and Clasp, and the 1939-45 War Medal. He was discharged in September 1944.

After the war, Fred joined the Grey and Simcoe Foresters Reserve.

He became the last Aboriginal World War II Veteran at the Rama Reserve where he passed away on 3 June 2014.

Content from RCL Magazine