Military service
Burial/memorial information
Son of Harry Ellsworth and Sylvia Janet Kimmel (1961 National Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother), of Milner, British Columbia. Husband of Audrey Irene Kimmel, of Gosport, Hampshire, England.
Brother of Harry Leonard Kimmel of Grand Forks, British Columbia, Richard Kenneth Kimmel deceased June 18, 1944 and Clifford Howard Kimmel deceased December 5, 1944.
Both the Langley and Mission Branches of the Royal Canadian Legion supplied her with a cloth coat, however, when Mrs. Kimmel arrived in Ottawa, the weather was very cold and Harry, her husband, knew he would have to get Mrs. Kimmel a warmer coat, so off they went to Timothy Eatons.
As they were shopping for a coat, they got to talking with the clerk, and the story came out about the Silver Cross Mother without an appropriate coat, for the ceremony at the War Memorial, which lead the clerk to excuse himself. Soon he was back and he told the Kimmels that the store manager said that Eatons would buy Mrs. Kimmel any coat that she wanted. Mrs. Kimmel continued looking at the wool coats. The clerk said that there were some in another area that she might like better and he took her to the fur department where Mrs. Kimmel picked a lovely black mink coat.
1939-45 Star, France-Germany Star, Defence Medal, 1939-1945 War Medal and Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp.
Digital gallery of Rifleman Gordon Leroy Kimmel
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Digital gallery of
Rifleman Gordon Leroy Kimmel
Scan of official death and burial record - from La Chapelle-au-Moine Cemetery, France.
Although his death was recorded as being on June 8, 1944 that was the day he was reported as missing in action, NOT the date of his death.
Digital gallery of
Rifleman Gordon Leroy Kimmel
Rifleman Gordon Leroy Kimmel
Enlisted with Royal Winnepeg Rifles on June 20, 1940.
Digital gallery of
Rifleman Gordon Leroy Kimmel
Photo of Gordon Leroy Kimmel, Royal Winnipeg Rifles.
Digital gallery of
Rifleman Gordon Leroy Kimmel
This photo was carried by Gordon Kimmel in his paybook.
Digital gallery of
Rifleman Gordon Leroy Kimmel
The Service Book was carried by all Canadian Soldiers. This book belonged to Rifleman Kimmel and was repatriated to Canada in December 2000.
Digital gallery of
Rifleman Gordon Leroy Kimmel
Sylvia Janet Kimmel
Silver cross Mother of 1961. She is shown with the three silver crosses.
Digital gallery of
Rifleman Gordon Leroy Kimmel
Corporal Richard Kenneth Kimmel
Enlisted with Regina Rifle Regiment on July 4, 1940.
Digital gallery of
Rifleman Gordon Leroy Kimmel
Corporal Clifford Howard Kimmel
Enlisted with Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment, R.C.I.C. on July 4, 1940.
Digital gallery of
Rifleman Gordon Leroy Kimmel
Harry and Sylvia Kimmel looking at the Book of Remembrance in the Memorial Chamber located in the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill. Photo from The Legionary Magazine December 1961.
Digital gallery of
Rifleman Gordon Leroy Kimmel
Page from The Legionary Magazine December 1961. Mr. and Mrs. Kimmel attended the Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa.
Digital gallery of
Rifleman Gordon Leroy Kimmel
Newspaper clipping from the Lanley Advance.
Digital gallery of
Rifleman Gordon Leroy Kimmel
The Clothing and Equipment Book was carried by all Canadian Soldiers in their Service Book. This one belonged to Rifleman Kimmel and was repatriated to Canada in December 2000.
Digital gallery of
Rifleman Gordon Leroy Kimmel
G.L. Kimmel is commemorated on this memorial tablet in Fort Langley, British Columbia.
Digital gallery of
Rifleman Gordon Leroy Kimmel
Aerial view of Bretteville-sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery, Cintheaux, Calvados, France, showing location of the grave of Rifleman Gordon Leroy Kimmel. Gordon died after the POW column in which he was marching was strafed by Mustang aircraft, at 1700 hrs on June 11, 1944, in St. Georges des-Groseiller, Normandy. He was taken to an infirmary in La Chapelle-au-Moine, where he died at 11:00 pm the night of June 11, 1944. He was buried initially at La Chapelle-au-Moine and re-interred at Bretteville-sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery in August 1945.
Digital gallery of
Rifleman Gordon Leroy Kimmel
Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
Digital gallery of
Rifleman Gordon Leroy Kimmel
Rifleman Gordon Leroy Kimmel is also commemorated on the Memorial at Putot-en-Bessin, FR … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens … May 2022
Digital gallery of
Rifleman Gordon Leroy Kimmel
This monument is dedicated to the memory of the Canadian soldiers of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles and to all other Canadian combatants who played a part in the Liberation of Putot-en-Bessin on 7 June 1944. Photo courtesy of Marg Liessens … May 2022.
Digital gallery of
Rifleman Gordon Leroy Kimmel
Remembering brothers lost … Brothers In Arms Memorial, Zonnebeke, BE … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens … May 2022
Digital gallery of
Rifleman Gordon Leroy Kimmel
Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
Digital gallery of
Rifleman Gordon Leroy Kimmel
From a World War 2 issue of the Vancouver Province c.1944. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
Image gallery
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Scan of official death and burial record - from La Chapelle-au-Moine Cemetery, France. Although his death was recorded as being on June 8, 1944 that was the day he was reported as missing in action, NOT the date of his death.
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Rifleman Gordon Leroy Kimmel Enlisted with Royal Winnepeg Rifles on June 20, 1940.
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Photo of Gordon Leroy Kimmel, Royal Winnipeg Rifles.
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This photo was carried by Gordon Kimmel in his paybook.
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The Service Book was carried by all Canadian Soldiers. This book belonged to Rifleman Kimmel and was repatriated to Canada in December 2000.
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Sylvia Janet Kimmel Silver cross Mother of 1961. She is shown with the three silver crosses.
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Corporal Richard Kenneth Kimmel Enlisted with Regina Rifle Regiment on July 4, 1940.
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Corporal Clifford Howard Kimmel Enlisted with Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment, R.C.I.C. on July 4, 1940.
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Harry and Sylvia Kimmel looking at the Book of Remembrance in the Memorial Chamber located in the Peace Tower on Parliament Hill. Photo from The Legionary Magazine December 1961.
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Page from The Legionary Magazine December 1961. Mr. and Mrs. Kimmel attended the Remembrance Day ceremonies in Ottawa.
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Newspaper clipping from the Lanley Advance.
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The Clothing and Equipment Book was carried by all Canadian Soldiers in their Service Book. This one belonged to Rifleman Kimmel and was repatriated to Canada in December 2000.
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G.L. Kimmel is commemorated on this memorial tablet in Fort Langley, British Columbia.
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Aerial view of Bretteville-sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery, Cintheaux, Calvados, France, showing location of the grave of Rifleman Gordon Leroy Kimmel. Gordon died after the POW column in which he was marching was strafed by Mustang aircraft, at 1700 hrs on June 11, 1944, in St. Georges des-Groseiller, Normandy. He was taken to an infirmary in La Chapelle-au-Moine, where he died at 11:00 pm the night of June 11, 1944. He was buried initially at La Chapelle-au-Moine and re-interred at Bretteville-sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery in August 1945.
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Submitted for the project, Operation Picture Me
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Rifleman Gordon Leroy Kimmel is also commemorated on the Memorial at Putot-en-Bessin, FR … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens … May 2022
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This monument is dedicated to the memory of the Canadian soldiers of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles and to all other Canadian combatants who played a part in the Liberation of Putot-en-Bessin on 7 June 1944. Photo courtesy of Marg Liessens … May 2022.
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Remembering brothers lost … Brothers In Arms Memorial, Zonnebeke, BE … photo courtesy of Marg Liessens … May 2022
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Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
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From a World War 2 issue of the Vancouver Province c.1944. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
In the Books of Remembrance
Commemorated on:
Page 352 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance.
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BRETTEVILLE-SUR-LAIZE CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY Calvados, France
This cemetery lies on the west side of the main road from Caen to Falaise (route N158) and just north of the village of Cintheaux. Bretteville-sur-Laize is a village and commune in the department of the Calvados, some 16 kilometres south of Caen. The village of Bretteville lies 3 kilometres south-west of the Cemetery. Buried here are those who died during the later stages of the battle of Normandy, the capture of Caen and the thrust southwards (led initially by the 4th Canadian and 1st Polish Armoured Divisions), to close the Falaise Gap, and thus seal off the German divisions fighting desperately to escape being trapped west of the Seine. Almost every unit of Canadian 2nd Corps is represented in the Cemetery. There are about 3,000 allied forces casualties of the Second World War commemorated in this site.
For more information, visit Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
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