LEST WE FORGET 241 McKEE, Gordon Kenneth WWII Gordon was born in Heward, Saskatchewan on August 20, 1916, the son of Sarah J. McKee; and was educated in Creelman, Saskatchewan. He moved to British Columbia in 1936 and found employment in the lumber industry. A newspaper article states that he joined the Seaforth Highlanders (Vancouver) on September 8, 1939, which was two days before Canada officially declared war on Germany. He took his basic training in Canada and was shipped overseas to England in December 1939. He was a Sergeant in the Scout Platoon when the allies invaded Sicily in 1943. He apparently made a name for himself for his reconnaissance work behind enemy lines. Once Sicily was secured, the Seaforth’s continued their advance North through Italy as part the 1st Canadian Division. On October 17, 1943, D Company of the Seaforths occupied a small village maybe a kilometre south of Ortona. Gordon, as was his job, went ahead on his own to gain information on the enemy. The rest of this amazing story was related by the Seaforth’s War Diary, a German Army POW and Italian civilian witnesses. D Company was forced to withdraw from their location as information had been gleaned that they were in the proximity of an overwhelming enemy force. Unaware that D Company had withdrawn, Gordon returned to the village and was immediately surrounded by a German patrol. Rather than being taken prisoner as the Germans demanded, he let loose a flurry of punches and escaped to the Village Square. Cornered, he killed five German soldiers with his pistol before they were able to kill him. His body was recovered the following day (October 18) by the advancing Canadian troops. He left behind a wife, Rose Ellen McKee of Dundry, Somerset, England Gordon is buried at the Moro River Canadian war Cemetery, Plot VIII.F.12. Little known fact: Gordon is the uncle of the singer Joni Mitchell. McKILLOP, Peter WWI Private Peter McKillop of the 128th Overseas Battalion was born on September 8, 1888, in Sandbank, Scotland. His parents were Peter and Elizabeth McKillop. At the age of 27, Peter enlisted with the 128th Overseas Battalion in Outlook on January 6, 1916. He was farming near Glenside at the time. After training at Camp Hughes, he and his comrades departed from Halifax for England on August 15, 1916. His service was in France with the 46th Battalion, beginning November 15, 1916. He was hospitalized on March 15, 1917, suffering from myalgia. He was killed in action on June 3, 1917, when the 46th was preparing to take Hill 70 in the vicinity of Lens, approximately 10 kilometers from Vimy Ridge which had been captured on April 9th. Private Peter McKillop is buried at Villiers Station Cemetery. He is also commemorated in the Glenside Cemetery.
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