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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Alfred Wonnacott

In memory of:

Sergeant Alfred Wonnacott

December 22, 1941
Notting Hill, Hong Kong

Military Service


Service Number:

E/30243

Age:

40

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:

August 21, 1901
Newton Abbott, United Kingdom

Enlistment:

August 9, 1940
Bury, Quebec

Son of Joseph Benjamin Wonnacott and Fanny Goss. Step-son of Ernest Edwin Spong, Veteran of the First World War, service number 297340, 224th Overseas Canadian Forestry Battalion; he survived the war.

Alfred first served from 1919 to 1926 with the 2nd Devonshire Regiment, British Army, service number 5609471. He then served in Québec, in New Brunswick, in Newfoundland with Force W, in Hong Kong with Force C. He had 501 days of service, including 556 overseas.

Commemorated on Page 48 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. G. 7.

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

  • Grave Marker– Sergeant ALFRED WONNACOTT 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 during the defense of Hong Kong, from December 8th to December 25th, 1941.
  • Newspaper Clipping– Sergeant ALFRED WONNACOTT was reported to have been Killed in Action in the Canadian Army's 242nd 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.
  • Photo of ALFRED WONNACOTT– 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.

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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