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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Alexander (Alexandre) Rattie (Ratté)

In memory of:

Rifleman Alexander (Alexandre) Rattie (Ratté)

December 27, 1941
Tweed Bay Hospital, Stanley, Hong Kong

Military Service


Service Number:

E/30140

Age:

19

Force:

Army

Unit:

Royal Rifles of Canada, R.C.I.C.

Citation(s):

1939-1945 Star, Pacific Star, War Medal 1939-1945, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp.

Additional Information


Born:

March 25, 1922
L’Averne, Bonaventure, Quebec

Enlistment:

August 10, 1940
Matapédia, Quebec

Baptized Joseph Alexandre Ratté, on 26 March 1922 in Ristigouche, Bonaventure, Québec. Son of Joseph Thomas Ratté and Emma Boudreau, of Mann, Québec.

He served in Québec, in Newfoundland with Force W and in Hong Kong with Force C.

His second cousin, Laurent Ratté, alias Lawrence Rattie, service number E-30166, Royal Rifles of Canada, was also made prisoner of war in Hong Kong and Japan, and survived the war.

Commemorated on Page 42 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information


Cemetery:

SAI WAN WAR CEMETERY
Victoria, Hong Kong

Grave Reference:

VIII. E. 13.

Location:

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.

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

Send us your images

  • Photo of ALEXANDER RATTIE– In memory of those who served in Hong Kong during World War 11 and did not come home. Submitted with permission on behalf of the Hong Kong Veterans Commemorative Association by Operation: Picture Me.
  • Photo of ALEXANDER RATTIE– Photo of Emma his mother, Gerald and Alexander found in  service file. Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Letter– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Telegram– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Letter– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Letter– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Document– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Report– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Letter– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper Clipping– Rifleman ALEXANDER RATTIE was reported to have Died of Wounds in the Canadian Army's 243rd overseas casualty list of the war published in the Globe and Mail on January 8, 1943.
  • Canada and the Defence of Hong Kong– Source: Veterans Affairs Canada.
  • Canadian Casuatlies in the Defence of Hong Kong– Source: Veterans Affairs Canada.
  • Gravestone– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Grave Marker– Rifleman ALEXANDER RATTIE is one 283 Canadian soldiers, 107 of whom are unidentified, who are buried at Sai Wan War Cemetery in Hong Kong.  He was one of 290 Canadian soldiers killed, or who subsequently died of wounds sustained during the defense of Hong Kong, from December 8th to December 25th, 1941.  According to information compiled by Vincent Lopata and posted at the Hong Kong Veteran¿s Commorative Association website, Rifleman Rattie was wounded, taken Prisoner of War and subsequently murdered by the Japanese at Eucliffe Mansion. http://www.cforce.hkvca.ca/battledeaths.htm

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