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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

John Robert Leon Fortes

In memory of:

Corporal John Robert Leon Fortes

May 2, 1945

Military Service


Service Number:

H/195370

Age:

24

Force:

Army

Unit:

Algonquin Regiment, R.C.I.C.

Additional Information


Son of Michael and Caroline Fortes, of Port Arthur, Ontario.

Commemorated on Page 515 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information


Cemetery:
Grave Reference:

XI. A. 16.

Location:

Holten is a village 20 kilometres east of the town of Deventer, on the main A1 motorway from Amsterdam to Bremen in Germany. Following the A1 motorway, turn off at exit 26 and follow the N332 in the direction of Holten. Follow the N332 until reaching a signpost for Holterberg. Turn right onto the N344 in the direction of Holten, then at the T junction turn left towards Holten and follow this road to the roundabout. Take second exit then turn first right towards Holterberg. Follow this road uphill until you see a green Commission sign pointing to the right. Turn right down the track and follow to the end. Turn left and the cemetery lies along here on the left hand side.

Historical Information: The Netherlands fell to the Germans in May 1940 and was not re-entered by Allied forces until September 1944. The great majority of those buried in Holten Canadian War Cemetery died during the last stages of the war in Holland, during the advance of the Canadian 2nd Corps into northern Germany, and across the Ems in April and the first days of May 1945. After the end of hostilities the remains of over 1,300 Canadian soldiers were brought together into this cemetery.

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

Send us your images

  • Photo of John Fortes– Cpl. John Fortes, Army, died of wounds.
  Photo courtesy of Hillcrest High School - "Stairway of Honour" project.  Eighty-four large portraits of students from the Second World War line both sides of the 55 stairs leading up to the school's auditorium. Most of the portraits have the rank and year of death of the student. Some portraits explain how the soldier died, but many were MIA and presumed dead. Each year, teachers from the grade 10 Canadian History course take their students to the stairway around November 11th to complete a project that deals directly with the pictures on the Stairway of Honour.
  • Grave Marker

Learn more about the Canadian Virtual War Memorial

To learn more please visit our help page. If you have questions or comments regarding the information contained in this registry, email or call us. For inquiries regarding the names and information found in the RCMP Honour Roll, please email the RCMP.

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