Nova Scotia/Nunavut Command of The Royal Canadian Legion www.ns.legion.ca 63 continued ... 1945 On 8 January a raid was conducted against a German position near the Dutch village of Wyler. The raid was a rapid hit-and-run affair and the mission was accomplished in 20 minutes. Nine NSR soldiers had been killed and eight were wounded. Privates Craig Goulden (Gunning Cove), Allan MacDonald (Halifax), and Patrick Roach (Reserve Mines) were all counted amongst the dead. Private Russell Gerald Munroe, MM, was decorated with the Military Medal on 26 May, 1945, for his actions on the first day of Operation Veritable. Citation: “On 8 February 1945, Pte Munroe, “B” Company commander’s runner landed on the Zanpol Dyke with the company commander whose Buffalo had, due to navigational difficulties, landed before the assault platoons. He at once fought his way to a commanding position on top of the dyke where he kept the enemy at bay, thus allowing company headquarters to get established. There under heavy machine gun fire he made contact with “A” Company. And as a result, a continuous and coordinated front was established between the two companies. Subsequently “B” Company advanced along the dyke and the leading platoon, with company headquarters following, was held up by a minefield and machine gun fire. Casualties were suffered in the minefield and the remainder of the platoon pinned down on the dyke by machine gun fire. Private Munroe entered the minefield repeatedly and rescued wounded and stunned men, then on his own initiative, taking a Piat, occupied an exposed position on top of the dyke, and while himself under heavy fire blasted the machine gun position into submission, thus allowing his company to proceed to their final objective. The courage determination and endurance shown by this private soldier was defiantly a battle winning factor in the success of the battalion plan. His gallantry, initiative and disregard for his personal safety far exceeded his duty, rank, and orders.”Russell Gerald Munroe, MM, died in 2009. The NSR attacked the town of Keppeln, Germany, on 26 February. It was a hard fight against a weakened, yet determined, enemy who was now fighting in their own country. Six Nova Scotia soldiers and one officer were killed in action that day. They were: Privates Richard Beazley (Hantsport), George Graham (Belmont), Fred Hull (Port Wallace), Private Goulden Private Roach Private Beazly Private Graham Private Hull continued ...
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