Simington, John Gerald

Pte. John Gerald (Gerry) Simington, only son of Mr. and Mrs. J. Harold Simington, R.R. 3, Brantford, lost his life on the third day of the Normandy invasion when on June 8, 1944, fighting with the Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa he was struck by a shell fragment. He was buried at Beny-sur-Mer with other gallant Canadians who died in one of the most momentous battles of the war. Pte. Simington had enlisted in May, 1942, and after three weeks here at No. 20 C.I.B.T.C., travelled to Ottawa, where he joined the 1st Battalion, Brockville Rifles. After that he saw a great deal of Western Canada, being posted to Prince George, Nanaimo, Vancouver and Uculet. His overseas transfer came just a year after his enlistment. Born in Brantford Township, November 19, 1921, Gerry, as his friends called him, was educated at the Burtch School and the Brantford Collegiate Institute and Vocational School. He was a member of the Burtch Baptist Church. Unlike so many boys brought up in the country, the land had little lure for Pte. Simington. He had another and far keener interest - tinkering with motors, particularly those in old cars. From the time he was old enough to drive, his greatest joy was in taking motors apart and putting them together again. When he left school, after receiving his matriculation, he became an apprentice in a motor mechanics course and was employed by the Kett Motor Sales.


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