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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

John Gordon Kavanagh

In memory of:

Lieutenant John Gordon Kavanagh

April 6, 1945

Military Service

Age:

23

Force:

Army

Unit:

Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, R.C.I.C.

Citation(s):

1939-45 Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-45, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp.

Additional Information

Born:

October 20, 1921
Toronto, Ontario

Enlistment:

June 13, 1940
Toronto, Ontario

Son of Mrs. Cora Kavanagh of Toronto, Ontario. Husband of Mrs. Emily Jean (née Haddleton) of Toronto, Ontario.

Lieutenant Kavanagh attended Riverdale Collegiate Institute in Toronto, Ontario where he was very strong in athletics

He worked as an office clerk to the manager of the Athletics Department at the T. Eaton Co Ltd. in Toronto before joining the service.

Commemorated on Page 529 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information

Cemetery:

STEENDEREN GENERAL CEMETERY
Netherlands

Grave Reference:

Grave 1

Location:

Steenderen is a village about 10 kilometres south of Zutphen and 4 kilometres east of the main Arnhem-Zutphen road. The STEENDEREN GENERAL CEMETERY is about 225 metres north-west of the village centre, in a small lane on the western side of the road to Brummen. The graves are close to the entrance, on the western side of the main path.

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

Send us your images

  • Card– An Easter card Mabel Kavanagh sent to her brother, Lt. John Kavanagh, in 1945. It was returned to her with the message “recipient deceased.” Kavanagh family

    Details

    Card
    Card – An Easter card Mabel Kavanagh sent to her brother, Lt. John Kavanagh, in 1945. It was returned to her with the message “recipient deceased.” Kavanagh family
  • Newspaper clipping– From the Toronto Star May 1945. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

    Details

    Newspaper clipping
    Newspaper clipping – From the Toronto Star May 1945. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– From the Toronto Star May 1945. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

    Details

    Newspaper clipping
    Newspaper clipping – From the Toronto Star May 1945. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– From the Toronto Star. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

    Details

    Newspaper clipping
    Newspaper clipping – From the Toronto Star. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Newspaper clipping– From the Toronto Telegram May 1943. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me

    Details

    Newspaper clipping
    Newspaper clipping – From the Toronto Telegram May 1943. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
  • Photo of John Gordon Kavanagh– Lieutenant Kavanagh joined The Queen's Own Rifles as a rifleman in June, 1940. He served with the Regiment until 1944 when he returned to Canada for his officer training. Lieutenant Kavanagh eventually got back to the Regiment and was KIA by artillery fire at Pipelure (near Rha on the Ijssel River) while leading his platoon of Baker Company.

    Details

    Photo of John Gordon Kavanagh
    Photo of John Gordon Kavanagh – Lieutenant Kavanagh joined The Queen's Own Rifles as a rifleman in June, 1940. He served with the Regiment until 1944 when he returned to Canada for his officer training. Lieutenant Kavanagh eventually got back to the Regiment and was KIA by artillery fire at Pipelure (near Rha on the Ijssel River) while leading his platoon of Baker Company.
  • Newspaper Clipping– Memorialized on the pages of the Globe and Mail. Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

    Details

    Newspaper Clipping
    Newspaper Clipping – Memorialized on the pages of the Globe and Mail. Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
  • Obituary notice– This obituary of Lieutenant Kavanagh was clipped from a Toronto newspaper by Mrs. Ulla Richardson in 1945.

    Details

    Obituary notice
    Obituary notice – This obituary of Lieutenant Kavanagh was clipped from a Toronto newspaper by Mrs. Ulla Richardson in 1945.
  • Groesbeek Memorial– This photo of the inscription on the Groesbeek Memorial (Groesbeek Cemetery, Holland) was taken by Padre Craig Cameron of The Queen's Own Rifles in June of 1994.

    Details

    Groesbeek Memorial
    Groesbeek Memorial – This photo of the inscription on the Groesbeek Memorial (Groesbeek Cemetery, Holland) was taken by Padre Craig Cameron of The Queen's Own Rifles in June of 1994.
  • Memorial inscription– This photo of the inscription honouring Lieutenant Kavanagh on the Memorial Wall at Groesbeek Cemetery in Holland, was taken by myself during a trip there in June, 1994.

    Details

    Memorial inscription
    Memorial inscription – This photo of the inscription honouring Lieutenant Kavanagh on the Memorial Wall at Groesbeek Cemetery in Holland, was taken by myself during a trip there in June, 1994.
  • Newspaper clipping– Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

    Details

    Newspaper clipping
    Newspaper clipping – Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me

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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