• Normandy Massacres

Date of birth:

July 8th, 1921 (Springhill/Nova Scotia, Canada)

Date of death:

June 7th, 1944 (France)

Buried on:

Canadian War Cemetery Beny-sur-mer
Plot: II. Row: A. Grave: 11.

Service number:

F/55789

Nationality:

Canadian

Lorne Brown was in Springhill, Nova Scotia, where he spent his entire life prior to enlistment. The son of a coal miner, he grew up in a working-class Presbyterian household and was one of several siblings, including brothers Ottie W. Brown and Douglas R. Brown. His father passed away in 1935, and his mother, Clara Brown, remained his next of kin and primary contact throughout his military service.

Lorne left school at the age of 16, having completed Grade VII and attended night school for two years, where he studied arithmetic and English. Though he did not enjoy school, he demonstrated average intelligence and mechanical aptitude. Before enlisting, he worked for approximately two and a half years as a coal miner with the Dominion Coal Company in Springhill, earning an average weekly wage of $28.50. He was a member of the United Mine Workers union and was considered competent in his trade. He also had experience driving cars and performing minor repairs, and he expressed a postwar interest in becoming a mechanic.

Outside of work, Lorne was known for his good physique, neat appearance, and cheerful disposition. He enjoyed sports—particularly hockey and softball, where he played as a wing and a pitcher—and spent his spare time working on old cars. He was described by military examiners as alert, confident, and possessing leadership potential, with the makings of a good non-commissioned officer. His attitude toward army life was noted as indifferent, but he was expected to adapt well with training.

Lorne enlisted in the Canadian Army on January 12, 1943, at Halifax, Nova Scotia, at the age of 21. He was assigned to the Infantry (Reserve) and began his basic training at No. 60 Basic Training Centre, followed by further instruction at No. 14 Infantry Training Centre. He was later posted to the 7th Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit. His military records indicate no prior service or specialized training before enlistment, and he had not made formal arrangements for postwar employment, though he hoped to return to mechanical work.

Private Lorne Brown was murdered by Waffen-SS soldiers on June 7, 1944, during the Allied invasion of Normandy. He was 22 years old. His remains were buried in the Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery in France. At the time of his death, he was unmarried and had no children. His mother, Clara Brown of Lisgar Street, Springhill, was the primary recipient of his service estate and memorial crosses.

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• Photo 1: Canadian Virtual War Memorial
• - Service record(s)

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