Son of Robert and Mable Barritt. George Robert Barritt was born on August 12, 1916 in Tisdale, Saskatchewan. His parents were living in nearby Runciman, Saskatchewan, and he was an unmarried labourer when he enlisted on July 11, 1940 in Saskatoon. The 5'8", 150-pound, recruit with brown hair and hazel eyes was eventually attached to the Lincoln and Welland Regiment after serving with the Saskatoon Light Infantry (Machine-gun) and the Royal Canadian Artillery.
Private Barritt was last seen alive the morning of January 26, 1945 during the first day of Operation Elephant, a battle to capture Kapelsche Veer in the northwestern Netherlands. He was listed as missing, presumed dead as of that day. Private Barritt's name was later placed on the Groesbeek Memorial, located in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery near Nijmegen. This memorial honours Commonwealth soldiers - including more than 100 Canadians - who gave their lives in the latter stages of the war but have no known grave.
Private Barritt was predeceased by his father and survived by his mother, his sister, Alice Stanley, and his half-brother Gordon McArthur. Another half-brother, Duncan McArthur, was killed in action on August 28, 1944.
The remains of Private Barritt were found in February 2000 by Dutch workmen repairing a dyke and were identified by the Royal Netherlands Army.
Private Barritt was interred in Plot 12, Row D, Grave 9A of Bergen-op-Zoom Canadian War Cemetery, during a military service on November 2. The inscription of his gravemarker, selected by his next of kin, reads:
LAID TO REST HERE
BUT REMEMBERED IN HIS
HOME OF RUNCIMAN, SASK.
LOVED AND SADLY MISSED
Barritt Bay in Saskatchewan is named in Private Barritt's honour, an initiative of the Government of Saskatchewan .
BERGEN-OP-ZOOM CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY Netherlands
BERGEN-OP-ZOOM CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY is located 39 Km north west of Antwerp and 19 Km after passing the Border into the Netherlands. The N11 connects Antwerp to Bergen op Zoom via Kapellen, Pulte, Hoogerheide and finally on to Bergen op Zoom.
On reaching Bergen op Zoom railway station turn right onto the Stationsplein and after 200 M turn right onto the Bredastraat. Follow this road for 500 M where it becomes Wouwsestraatweg and carry straight on for 2.5 kilometres. The street name has now changed to the Ruytershoveweg and the BERGEN-OP-ZOOM CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY can be found on the left of this street. Steps into cemetery (not suitable for wheelchairs).
Pour plus d’informations, visitez la Commission des sépultures de guerre du Commonwealth (site disponible en anglais seulement).
L’image du coquelicot est une marque déposée de la Légion royale canadienne (Direction nationale) et est utilisée avec sa permission. Cliquez ici pour en savoir plus sur le coquelicot.