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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Orval Louis Little

In memory of:

Lance Corporal Orval Louis Little

December 29, 1941
Hong Kong

Military Service

Service Number:

A/44514

Age:

27

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:

July 31, 1914
Oilsprings, Ontario

Enlistment:

June 12, 1940
London, Ontario

Son of George Little and Margaret Pickard.

Husband of Mary Grace Day, of Athens, Georgia. He married twice to the same wife: the first time, under the name of Orvil Spooner in 1936 in Athens, Georgia, United States, his wife under the name of Grace Day; the second time in 1940 in London, Ontario, under the name Orval Little, her with the first name Louise. Father of Bobby Day Little and Marlene Little.

At his enlistment with the Elgin Regiment in 1940, he stated he was single. He was deployed to the 1st Battalion, Royal Rifles of Canada, on 6 June 1941. He served in Québec, Newfoundland, New Brunswick and Hong Kong.

One brother served overseas during the Second World War, Private Lyle Delbert Little, with the 1st Divisional Supply Column, Royal Canadian Army Service Corps; a step-brother, Private Otice Talbert Spooner, served with the Canadian Army Ordnance Service. They both survived the war.

Commemorated on Page 36 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. D. 5.

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

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  • Grave marker

    Details

    Grave marker
    Grave marker
  • Grave Marker– Lance Corporal ORVAL LOUIS LITTLE is one 283 Canadian soldiers, 107 of whom are unidentified, who are buried at Sai Wan War Cemetery in Hong Kong. He died of wounds substained during the defense of Hong Kong which took place from December 8th to December 25th, 1941. In total, 290 Canadian soldiers were killed and 493 were wounded in this battle.

    Details

    Grave Marker
    Grave Marker – Lance Corporal ORVAL LOUIS LITTLE is one 283 Canadian soldiers, 107 of whom are unidentified, who are buried at Sai Wan War Cemetery in Hong Kong. He died of wounds substained during the defense of Hong Kong which took place from December 8th to December 25th, 1941. In total, 290 Canadian soldiers were killed and 493 were wounded in this battle.
  • Newspaper Clipping– Lance Corporal ORVAL LOUIS LITTLE was reported to have Died of Wounds in the Canadian Army's 244th overseas casualty list of the war published in the Globe and Mail on January 9th, 1943.

    Details

    Newspaper Clipping
    Newspaper Clipping – Lance Corporal ORVAL LOUIS LITTLE was reported to have Died of Wounds in the Canadian Army's 244th overseas casualty list of the war published in the Globe and Mail on January 9th, 1943.
  • Canada and the Defence of Hong Kong– Source: Veterans Affairs Canada.

    Details

    Canada and the Defence of Hong Kong
    Canada and the Defence of Hong Kong – Source: Veterans Affairs Canada.
  • Canadian Casuatlies in the Defence of Hong Kong– Source: Veterans Affairs Canada.

    Details

    Canadian Casuatlies in the Defence of Hong Kong
    Canadian Casuatlies in the Defence of Hong Kong – Source: Veterans Affairs Canada.

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