Oliver, Raymond Dudley

Pte. Raymond Dudley Oliver, eldest of six sons of Mrs. Ada McAfee and the late Raymond Oliver, lost his life on November 3, 1944, at Bergen op Zoom at the close of the almost month-long battle of the Schelde Estuary in Holland. He was fighting with the Algonquin Regiment of Canada and was buried in the Canadian Military Cemetery at Bergen op Zoom. Only a brief time on the European continent at the time of his death, Pte. Oliver had been with the Canadian Army more than four years, enlisting on July 1, 1940, with the 2/10th Dragoons. In Hamilton, he was transferred to the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry and after training at Camp Borden, left for England early in the year of 1941. Overseas, he was transferred to the Provost Corps and later to the Algonquins. Born in Lancashire, England, August 9, 1919, Raymond was brought to Canada and

Brantford when he was very small. He received his education at Major Ballachey and King George Public Schools and the Collegiate Institute and Vocational School. He was an extremely active member of the Marlboro United Church Young People's group, at one time representing it at the Older Boys' Parliament in Toronto. He also had other interests and was a good athlete as well as being a talented harmonica player. Pte. Oliver, 23 years of age at the time of his death, had two brothers who were on active service, LAC Leslie G., and A/B Ian D. Another brother, Ross, was with the Merchant Marine. The year Pte. Oliver left Canada, his father passed away, following a long illness.

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