Nova Scotia/Nunavut Command of The Royal Canadian Legion www.ns.legion.ca 187 AFRICA Algeria BENSON, Joseph Thomas. Private Benson was the son of Joseph Thomas Benson andAmy Benson, of Glen Haven, Halifax Co. He served in the West Nova Scotia Regiment. On 14 August 1943 Thomas was swimming when a wave swept him out to sea. He drowned. Private Joseph Thomas Benson is buried in the Bone War Cemetery in Annaba. ROPER, David Robertson. Corporal Roper was the son of Frederick J. and Elizabeth Roper, of Sydney Mines. He started the war as a member of the Cape Breton Highlands and transferred to the West Nova Scotia Regiment prior to the invasion of Sicily in July 1943. David was wounded on 8 October and eventually evacuated to a hospital in Algeria. He was killed on 7 February 1944 when he was struck by a Jeep during an evening walk back to his hospital. Corporal David Robertson Roper s buried in the Dely Ibrahim War Cemetery. SEARS, Alphonsus Thomas. Private Sears served in the West Nova Scotia Regiment. He was the son of Andrew and Hannah Sears, of Lochaber, Antigonish Co. On 27 September 1943 Private Sears was swimming on the beach at Phillipville when he was swept out to sea by a strong current and drowned. He is buried in the Bone War Cemetery in Annaba. SMITH, Daniel D. Signalman Danial Smith was the son of Hughie and Effie Smith, of Ingonish Ferry, Victoria Co. Daniel was aboard the SS City of Venice, heading for Sicily, when it was torpedoed and sank by U-490 on the night of 4/5 July 1943. He drowned during the night and is buried in La reunion War Cemetery. Nova Scotian war dead in lesser-thought-of parts of the world Editor’s note: I would like to acknowledge and thank Comrade Gary Siliker, CD, Mahone Bay Br #49, for his dedication in the research and remembrance of this article and these Canadian heroes. When thinking about our war dead, it is not uncommon for Canadians to think primarily of those who perished in Belgium, England, Germany, Italy or France. That is understandable, as those locations contain the largest concentrations of Commonwealth War Graves cemeteries containing Canadian war dead. This article looks at the Nova Scotia war dead, of WW II, buried in those lesser-known, or lesser-thought-of, parts of the world. continued ...
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