B131131 Rifleman Thomas Lee Westlake was born on 13 February 1915 in Toronto, Ontario, the son of the son of Robert Robson Westlake and Esther “Etta” Lee. Robert had died in 1936 and Etta was institutionalized with mental health issues. He left school at 16 having completed Grade 8.

Thomas was the brother of Private George Westlake, who died while serving with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders and of Rifleman Albert Westlake, who served with Thomas 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.)

Thomas worked as a labourer for Moffatt’s Co. when he enlisted with the Active Service Army in Toronto on 12 August 1942 and trained in Cornwall and Camp Borden before arriving in the United Kingdom on 4 April 1943. He was taken on strength with The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada on 11 June 1943.

Rifleman Westlake landed with D Company on Juno Beach on D-Day, 6 June 1944. He was killed in action aged 29, 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.

*Born, Jean-François ““Truly they died that we might be free”: Remembering the Westlake Brothers.” Canadian Military History 20, 3 (2011)