Westlake, Albert Norman

B68737 Rifleman Albert Norman Westlake was born on 17 March 1919 in Toronto, Ontario, the son of Robert Robson Westlake and Esther “Etta” Lee. Robert had died in 1936 and Etta was institutionalized with mental health issues. Albert left school at 16 having completed Grade 8.

Albert was the brother of Private George Westlake, who died while serving with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders and of Rifleman Thomas Westlake, who served with Albert in The Queens Own Rifles of Canada and died on the same day, in the same battle. (He also had two other living brothers and three more had died in infancy.)

Albert was working as a labourer at Canada Packers Inc. when he enlisted in Toronto with the active service army on 30 April 1943, having served a compulsory 30 days of training in Nov/Dec 1940. He trained at Camp Borden until arriving in the United Kingdom on 4 January 1944. He trained in various reinforcement units until being posted to The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada in April.

Rifleman Westlake landed with D Company on Juno Beach on D-Day, 6 June 1944. He was killed in action aged 26, on 11 June during the battle for the village of Le Mesnil Patry.

Thomas (III. D. 7) and Albert (III. D. 8.) are buried next to each other in the Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery. Their brother George died seven days before them and is also buried there.

You can read more about the Westlake family and brothers in this well-researched article* by Jean-François Born.

The Westlake brothers are also commemorated with a plaque in a Toronto park near their home which was renamed in their honour on 9 June 1996.