F.D. Harrison

Francis "Frank" Harrison was born on January 11, 1924. He lived with his father George, mother Florence and four siblings on the east side of Owen Sound. Harrison attended public school for nine years before dropping out at the age of fifteen only obtaining the sixth grade level. Frank Harrison did not have an aptitude for academics, which resulted in his slow advancement in school and eventual transition to the workplace. Frank obtained a job as a circular saw operator at Keenan’s Woodenware Factory in Owen Sound where he would work for just over a year prior to his enlistment. 

Frank Harrison enlisted in January of 1943, at 19 years old. Harrison passed his physical testing but upon the completion of a psychiatric test, Dr. D. G. McKerracher determined that Harrison had “insufficient intelligence to complete basic training and should not have been enlisted.” Nonetheless, Harrison was committed to the Queen’s Own Rifles Regiment and was ultimately deployed in Normandy, France, in June of 1944. Given the heavy casualties suffered on June 8th, Harrison and some other riflemen received word they were to be transferred to the Royal Winnipeg Rifles to provide support at Brouay. They encountered a group from the 12th SS Hitler Youth Division and were subsequently taken prisoner.

Harrison and two dozen other soldiers were taken to a 12th SS command post at the Chateau D’Audrieu where they were murdered on June 8, 1944. Harrison’s body was later found with only a letter and a photo of himself with his parents in his battledress pockets

Private Harrison is buried at Bény-Sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery in France.