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In memory of:

Rifleman John Harry Wills

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Military service

Service number: B/68239
Age: 21
Rank: Rifleman
Force: Army
Unit/Regiment: Royal Rifles of Canada, R.C.I.C.
Birth: July 3, 1920 Toronto, Ontario
Enlistment: July 15, 1941 Ontario
Death: December 23, 1941 Hong Kong

Burial/memorial information

Grave reference: VIII. G. 6.
Additional information
Son of Harry George Wills, Veteran of the First World War and the Second World War. Harry George enrolled with the 109th Battalion, CEF, service number 163166, deployed to the 84th Battalion on 18 September 1915, the 73rd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada) on 29 June 1916, to serve in France, and the 13th Battalion on 19 April 1917. He was demobilized on 20 April 1919 in Montréal, Québec, and he was awarded the Military Medal (MM), The London Gazette, on 3 July 1919, number 31430. Harry George Wills enlisted again on 11 June 1940, service number B-28467, and served in England with the 2nd Canadian Construction Company, Royal Canadian Engineer; he was accidentally killed in England on 12 January 1942.

John Harry enrolled with the Royal Canadian Regiment, he served in Ontario before being deployed to the 1st Battalion, Royal Rifles of Canada, on 18 October 1941 to serve in Hong Kong with Force C. He had 162 days of service, including 57 overseas.

In the Books of Remembrance

Commemorated on:

Page 48 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance.
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SAI WAN WAR CEMETERY Victoria, Hong Kong

SAI WAN WAR CEMETERY is in the north-east of the island of Hong Kong, in the Chai Wan area, about 11 kilometres from the centre of Victoria, the capital of Hong Kong.

At the entrance to the cemetery on Cape Collinson Road stands the memorial to those who died in Hong Kong and have no known grave. From it, the cemetery slopes down towards the sea and originally, the view towards the main land was magnificent.

The easiest way to reach the cemetery is by the mass transit railway (MTR) Hong Kong line to Chai Wan Terminus.

From the Terminus one can either walk up to the cemetery following Chai Wan Road to the roundabout, turning west into Wan Tsui Road, then south east up Lin Shing Road which leads to Cape Collinson Road. The CWGC road direction sign is fixed to a wall facing down Lin Shing Road.

The Cape Collinson area has many cemeteries. Walking up this narrow one way traffic road, one will pass the Catholic Cemetery situated on the hillside to the left of the road, and the Hong Kong Military Cemetery on the right. SAI WAN WAR CEMETERY is about half way up Cape Collinson Road and faces the Muslim and Buddhist cemeteries.

One can also get a taxi from Chai Wan Terminus and follow the same route. Alternatively one can board a public light bus, Route No. 16M, which runs from Chai Wan MTR Terminus to Stanley where the CWGC has another cemetery, the Stanley Military Cemetery. En route to Stanley the minibus will pass Sai Wan War Cemetery, stopping only on request.

For more information, visit Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

 

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