B131997 Rifleman Hector William Wilson was born in Renfrew, Ontario on 19 July 1924, the son of William Liford Wilson and Annie Mae McNevin. He had one brother and two sisters, left school at 14 having completed grade 7, and was a Presbyterian.

From 1938-1940 Wilson was a piper with the Lanark and Renfrew Scottish pipe band. He worked as a clerk for United Steel Company in Welland, Ontario (which was doing “war work”) when he enlisted in the active service army on 27 August 1942. He was slight at 5’5″ and 114 lbs.

He trained in Allanburg, Niagara, Camp Ipperwash and Debert, Nova Scotia. Throughout 1943 he received a number of charges for absence without leave and one for drunkenness.

On 25 February 1944, he reported for duty with a reinforcement unit in the United Kingdom, followed by various postings and attachments until he was posted to The Queen’s Own Rifles in France on 3 July.

On 10 November he was admitted to No. 12 Canadian General Hospital after a tuberculosis contact but returned to the QOR “A” Company on 15 December 1944 and fought with them through Belgium, The Netherlands and Germany.

Rifleman Wilson was killed in action in Germany during Operation Blockbuster, on 26 February 1945, aged 20. He is buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, grave reference VIII. B. 16.

His family had the following engraved on his marker:

HE SLEEPS IN PEACE,
EVER REMEMBERED BY FRIENDS
IN RENFREW & KINGSTON,
ONTARIO