Harold Jamieson
Harold Jamieson
Corporal
Queen's Own Rifles of Canada.
–
Born on February 19, 1919, in Brantford, Ontario, Harold Jamieson—affectionately known as “Jamie”—was a proud member of the Six Nations of the Grand River. He grew up in a large, close-knit family, the son of Christopher and Marie Jamieson, with siblings Rulon, Thirl, Neil, Leita, Enid, and Charlotte. From age six to fifteen, Harold attended Major Ballachey Public School, but left early to work on the family farm and later traveled across eastern Canada and the United States in search of work.
In 1940, Harold began his military training with the Dufferin and Haldimand Rifles of Canada and later worked as a driver in Brantford to support his widowed mother. On January 21, 1944, he formally enlisted in the Canadian Army, beginning his basic infantry training in Ontario. After a short leave in October to visit his mother, he continued his training at Camp Borden and soon sailed to England, arriving in July 1944. Just days later, he landed in France to join the Canadian efforts in Northwest Europe.
Corporal Jamieson served with distinction in the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada through France, Belgium, and into the Netherlands. On March 4, 1945, he was promoted to corporal. That spring, he took part in the Rhineland Offensive, a major Allied campaign to liberate eastern Netherlands. On April 2, 1945, near the Wehlse Beek and the village of Eldrik, Canadian forces faced fierce German resistance. Under heavy mortar and machine-gun fire, Jamieson fought bravely alongside tanks and flamethrowers to break enemy lines.
In that violent clash, Harold Jamieson was killed in action. He was just 26 years old. He was first buried near Beek and later reinterred in the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery (Grave XXII.D.12). In a letter to Harolds’ mother, his commander praised his courage, saying, "If I had a platoon of men as brave as your son, we could win the war by ourselves."
Harold was awarded the 1939–45 Star, France and Germany Star, War Medal, and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Clasp. His sacrifice is remembered not only in his homeland but also in the Netherlands, where the people continue to honour those who gave their lives for their freedom. In 1950, his mother sponsored Jan Lemers, a Dutch boy who had tended Harold’s grave, helping him immigrate to Canada and assist with the family farm. Harold Jamieson’s courage lives on as part of the enduring legacy of Indigenous Canadian soldiers who served with distinction and valor.
–
Brantford
Kanatá:kon (Mohawk word meaning "a village" or "settlement")
Photo & Story: Timothy Young, Faces to Graves
