B110630 Rifleman Thomas Willis Underwood was born on 10 November 1922 in Cedar Grove, Ontario, the son of Robert Walter Underwood and Della Jarvis. He came from a large family of 4 sisters and 8 brothers – one of which served in the Navy.

He left school at age 14 and when he enlisted, had been working as a factory hand at Farrington Manufacturers for five years.

Underwood enlisted as a reinforcement on 2 April 1942 in Toronto. He trained in St Johns and Camp Borden before arriving in the United Kingdom on 7 October 1942 and being posted to The Queen’s Own Rifles on 4 December 1942. He continued various individual and regimental training for the next year and a half.

Rifleman Underwood landed on Juno Beach on D-Day, 5 Jun 1944 and died of wounds received in action, aged 22. He is buried in Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, grave reference X. D. 14.