Capes C.

LEO MAJOR

World War II is often cited as the most significant conflict in human history. Known for its sheer brutality and destruction on an unprecedented scale, this war created some incredibly distinguished veterans. One instance was Canadian Private Léo Major, who accomplished incredible feats such as liberating an entire city alone and singlehandedly taking 93 prisoners in one day. For all of his accomplishments, Léo Major won numerous awards, such as a Distinguished Conduct Medal, which was only second to the Victoria Cross.

Léo came from humble beginnings. A French-Canadian, Léo was born in New Bedford, Massachusetts, on January 23rd, 1921, when his dad worked for the American Railroad Company (Britannica). He later moved to Montreal, where he endured the Great Depression as a teenager. This is where he learned important survival skills that would serve him well during his military service (Fowler). At 19, he joined the Canadian Military in 1940 and was deployed in 1941 (Fowler).

Léo quickly found himself gravitating towards a scout platoon. In 1944, he fought in the D-day invasion of Normandy. After a fierce encounter with an SS troop, he took a blow from a phosphorous grenade and had to be medically evacuated to England (Fowler). He lost most of his sight in his left eye, but according to Léo, he “only needed one eye to sight a rifle” (Fowler). He refused to go home and went back to the front. He would then be transported to the Rhineland in the fall. One day, he encountered two Nazi soldiers. He killed one and forced the other to take him to his commanding officer. There, he killed a couple more Germans, and the rest surrendered. As he led almost 100 prisoners back to Canadian lines, SS troops spotted the group and began firing on the POWs (Hunt). With a few prisoners dying, the group kept moving. Léo took 93 prisoners that day (Brittanica). He was awarded a Distinguished Conduct Medal but refused it because he believed the Field Marshall who offered it to him wasn’t competent enough to grant it (Brittanica). He would have another opportunity to receive this medal in the future.

Léo’s next distinguished act of service was arguably more impressive and took place in the Netherlands (Valour Canada). As Canadian troops were sweeping every town, they were relieved to find the city of Zwolle completely liberated, which was “in no small part due to the intrepid intervention of Private Léo Major” (Zuehlke, Chapter 19). On April 12th, Léo, accompanied by fellow sniper Corporal Welly Arsenault, had initially been on a mission to find the Dutch resistance before the Allies bombed the city (Hunt). After being discovered by a German patrol, Corporal Arsenault was shot dead. Mourning the loss of his friend, Léo decided to keep going. He captured a machine gun nest in the city center and forced a scout car to drive around Zwolle waving a white flag. Léo would move around the city for several hours, taking prisoners and shooting any Nazis he came upon to create the illusion of a greater military force (Zwolle Project 44). He would sometimes take groups of 8-10 prisoners back to allied lines before returning to the city center. When he wasn’t doing rounds, he would rest in the homes of civilians (Fowler). He also burned the Gestapo headquarters, with some assistance from the Dutch resistance within the city (Zuehlke, Chapter 19). He then went to the SS headquarters, where he killed half the SS officers while the others fled. Due to his hatred for the SS after the previous encounter in the Rhineland, he regretted the fact that he couldn’t kill them all (Hunt). As dawn approached, Léo believed that there were no Germans left. With help from the Dutch Resistance, he returned to his regiment with the body of Corporal Arsenault and reported that the city was liberated (Zwolle Project 44). The Canadians arrived in Zwolle to cheers and celebrations from the civilians (Hunt). Léo Major was again awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (The Stationary Office). He decided to accept it this time.

After World War II ended, Léo returned to his previous trade as a pipe fitter. He also received medical care for his back and his eye (Fowler). While his eye did end up visually healing, he was still partially blind (Hunt). In 1951, Léo Major answered the call to arms during the outbreak of the Korean War. Now a Sergeant, Léo once again joined a scout regiment. One of his most notable actions was the defense of Hill 227. Léo, along with eighteen scouts, captured a hill occupied by the Chinese. When the Chinese launched a counterattack, Léo ignored the order to retreat and instead called for mortar fire dangerously close to his position. The mortar crew Captain stated that he could “hear his mortar shells exploding through the radio” (Fowler). He and his men held off hundreds of Chinese troops for three days until November 27th, when a demarcation line was established between both positions. He received another Distinguished Conduct Medal for his actions. After the Korean War, Léo led a quiet life. He still, however, embellished in the fruits of his labor. He often returned to Zwolle, where its citizens would welcome him with open arms. His actions are still celebrated today ((Zwolle Project 44). Léo Major died of natural causes on October 12th, 2008.

Léo Major is one of the finest examples of Canadian excellence in World War II and the Korean War. Having won numerous awards, Léo left an astounding legacy as both a Dutch hero and a distinguished Canadian military veteran. Alongside his Distinguished Service Medals, Léo Major has a street sign named after him in Zwolle (Hunt). The Canadian military is renowned for being a fierce fighting force, and soldiers like Léo give it this reputation. Overall, from taking 93 prisoners alone to liberating an entire town, Léo Major goes down in history as one of the miracles of World War II.

Works Cited

Fowler, Robert. “Leo Major, DCM and Bar.” Canadian Military History, Laurier Centre, 1996. Accessed 9 Oct. 2024.

Hunt, David. “Leo Major: One-Eyed One-Man Army.” Owlcation, 25 November 2023. Accessed 6 November 2024.

“Léo Major.” Encyclopædia Britannica, Encyclopædia Britannica, Inc., 8 Oct. 2024. Accessed 9 October 2024.

“Leo Major Liberates Zwolle: Valour Canada.” Valour Canada | Educating Canadians about Our Shared Military Heritage, 30 July 2020,/. Accessed 9 October 2024.

Peate, Les. "Veterans' News & Views." Esprit de Corps, vol. 15, no. 10, Nov. 2008, pp. 38+. Gale OneFile: World History. Accessed 9 Oct. 2024. 

“Towns of Liberation: Zwolle.” Zwolle Project 44, 2019. Accessed 9 October 2024.

“Supplement to the London Gazette.” The London Gazette, 21 August 1945. Accessed 9 October 2024.

Zuehlke, Mark. On to Victory: The Canadian Liberation of the Netherlands, March 23 - May 5, 1945. Douglas & McIntyre, 2011. Accessed 9 October 2024.

Statement: I hereby pledge that all sources have been ethically sourced and used in accordance
with Grace Church High School's Academic Honesty policy.

Artist's Statement

I chose to make a video on Leo Major because I felt like his story was unusual and interesting. After putting myself in the officer's shoes, I would be baffled by Major's ability to pull off a stunt like that. This video is a satirical take on the impact of Private Major's actions. The hardest part was editing. I wanted to keep it light and humorous whilst also being historically accurate.

I will likely remember the impact this story had upon me and my ability to persevere. I think that in all conflicts, there are probably thousands of insanely heroic stories. My goal is to highlight one from Canada, which often got overshadowed by the UK and the United States. Our culture glorifies war heroes, and while I agree they are to be celebrated, I want to provide some clarity regarding the reality of being a war hero.