Private Eugene Frederick McBride
Private Eugene Frederick McBride was born on September 29th, 1918, to George and Mary McBride in Whiteburn, West Caledonia. He had nine siblings; Horace, George (died in infancy), Bernard, Gertrude, Walter, Robert, William, Everett, and Patricia. Eugene listed his religion as Roman Catholic and his occupation as a Lumberman, although he had spent much time farming in his earlier years. Eugene stood 5 feet 9 ¼ inches tall (176 CM), weighed 134 pounds (61 kg), and had grey-brown eyes and brown hair.
Eugene enlisted as an Infantryman Private on February 24th, 1943, at 24 years old. He was assigned Service number F/56341 and completed basic training in Yarmouth in July. Private McBride was assigned to the Canadian Scottish Regiment and completed his qualification as a rifleman, then trained on the 2-inch mortar and grenades. While awaiting deployment in August 1943, he was granted six weeks “Harvest Leave” without pay. This was unique amoung North Queens enlistees and was likely due to an early training finish and no firm deployment date for the Unit.
Private McBride sailed from Halifax with his regiment on April 30th, 1944, and arrived in England on May 7th. On September 8th, the Canadian Scottish Regiment, as part of the 3rd Canadian Division, arrived in France to engage the Germans in France and Belgium.
​
In the last week of September 1944, the Germans held both shores of the Scheldt estuary so that the port of Antwerp could not be used by the Allies. The task of clearing the estuary was allotted to the 3rd Canadian Division, and operations lasted from October until early November 1944. By November 3rd, the Germans had been cleared from the north-west corner of Belgium and the Scheldt was free. Two days before the battle was won, Private Eugene McBride perished on November 1st “when a mortar bomb hit the house (where he was preparing meals) and he was killed at once”. He was 26 years old.
​
Private McBride’s father George received a telegram on November 10th, 1944, with notification that his son had been killed in action against the enemy. This was followed up with an official letter on November 25th.
​
Private McBride’s Commanding Officer sent a letter to his father George shortly after Private McBride’s death with details of the occurrence. He stated that “your son proved one of my best men – by his steadiness under fire, by his willingness to do that little bit more than was required of him. We of his platoon, who shared with him the good times (for they did not lack) as well as the rough going, want you to know that his memory travels with us too. Lt Lloyd Holden.”
Private McBride bequeathed his estate to his father George; his mother having passed away several years earlier. George McBride also received Private McBride’s Medals; the 1939-45 Star, the France and Germany Star, the War Medal 1939-45, and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal (with Clasp).
Private McBride is interred in Plot 10, Row C, Grave 8 at the Adegem Canadian War Cemetery in East Flanders, Belgium. His headstone bears the inscription “IN LOVING MEMORY OF MY SON EUGENE”.
Private Eugene Frederick McBride is commemorated on page 382 of the World War Two Book of Remembrance. He is also listed on the Caledonia Cenotaph.
Online References
War Grave Search – https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/
Local Grave Search - https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/12454560/eugene-frederick-mcbride
Canadian Virtual War Memorial - https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/2083265?Eugene%20Frederick%20McBride
Second World War Personnel Records Database (file download size 12.3 Meg) - https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Home/Record?app=kia&IdNumber=22992&ecopy=44485_83024005506_0774-00392
