• Normandy Massacres

Date of birth:

November 14th, 1914 (Upper Middle River/Nova Scotia, Canada)

Date of death:

June 7th, 1944 (Authie, France)

Buried on:

Canadian War Cemetery Beny-sur-mer
Plot: XIII. Row: B. Grave: 11.

Service number:

F/55283

Nationality:

Canadian

Roderick Norman MacRae was raised in a rural community. He spent his early life working as a farmer and lumberman, occupations that reflected both the economic realities and the rugged landscape of Cape Breton. He was fluent in English and had completed up to Grade 6 in school, with no university or professional training.

MacRae enlisted in the Canadian Active Service Force on June 13, 1940, at Sydney, Nova Scotia, joining the Cape Breton Highlanders before transferring to the North Nova Scotia Highlanders. His attestation papers describe him as single, Presbyterian, and physically robust—standing six feet tall and weighing 160 pounds. His mother, Mrs. Dolana MacRae, was listed as his next of kin, and he had several siblings, including brothers George and Daniel and sisters Margaret and Annie Mae. He had no children, no spouse, and no known financial assets beyond a modest bank deposit.

During his military service, MacRae was deployed overseas with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders, part of the Canadian Army’s efforts in Europe during the Second World War. On June 7, 1944, during the Allied advance inland following the D-Day landings, MacRae was among a group of soldiers cut off near Authie, close to Caen in Normandy. This group was surrounded by German forces, and all were either killed or taken prisoner. For weeks, MacRae was listed as missing, and despite searches conducted after the area was recaptured, no definitive evidence of his fate could be found.

In October 1944, a fellow soldier, Sergeant Dudka, who had escaped captivity, reported that he believed MacRae had been killed after being taken prisoner. While this account was forwarded to higher authorities, it was not considered official, and MacRae remained listed as missing until further confirmation. Eventually, his death was acknowledged, and his mother received correspondence from the Department of National Defence regarding his estate and service record.

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