• Normandy Massacres

Date of birth:

August 27th, 1917 (Winnipeg/Manitoba, Canada)

Date of death:

June 9th, 1944 (France)

Buried on:

Canadian War Cemetery Beny-sur-mer
Plot: IV. Row: E. Grave: 8.

Service number:

H/7173

Nationality:

Canadian

Charles Wesley Bebee was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where he lived his entire life until his enlistment in the Canadian Army. Raised in a working-class household, Charles left school at the age of twelve after completing Grade 8. He did not pursue further formal education or trade apprenticeship, but he was fluent in English and worked as a packer at Ogilvie Flour Mills in Winnipeg prior to joining the military. His employment there lasted about a year, and although his employer did not guarantee re-employment after the war, Charles expressed an ambition to pursue auto mechanics as a future career.

Charles enlisted on April 2, 1942, at Ninipor, Manitoba, and was assigned to the Winnipeg Grenadiers as a Private. His military journey began earlier under the National Resources Mobilization Act, with initial service in late 1940 and formal enrolment in February 1942. He underwent basic training at Portage la Prairie, Manitoba, and was transferred to active duty with the Winnipeg Grenadiers shortly thereafter. His medical examination at the time of enlistment described him as fair-complexioned, with blue eyes and light brown hair, standing 5 feet tall and weighing 138 pounds. He was deemed fit for service, with no significant medical issues apart from occasional neurosis.

Charles was unmarried and lived with his mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Bebee, at 405 Martin Avenue in Winnipeg. His father, Charles Wesley Bebee Sr., had passed away in 1935. Charles had several siblings, including brothers Andrew, Delbert, and Robert, and sisters Minnie, Alma, Ausel, Mrs. S.H. Bear, and Mrs. G. Mousseau. Some of his siblings, including Robert and Alma, predeceased him. His family was closely knit, with many residing in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

Tragically, Charles Wesley Bebee was murdered by Waffen-SS troops while serving overseas during World War II. His death prompted the Department of National Defence to initiate estate proceedings, confirming that he had no will, no bank accounts, and no significant assets apart from a partially paid Victory Loan Bond worth $50. His mother, Elizabeth Bebee, provided the necessary documentation and declarations for the administration of his estate.

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