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Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Donald Spurgeon MacLean

In memory of:

Captain Donald Spurgeon MacLean

June 7, 1944

Military Service


Age:

23

Force:

Army

Unit:

1st Canadian Parachute Battalion, R.C.I.C.

Additional Information


Son of Dr. Neil John MacLean, M.D., and of Frankie May MacLean (nee Taylor), of Winnipeg, Manitoba; husband of Dorothy Grace Isobel MacLean (nee Oliver), of Winnipeg.

Commemorated on Page 374 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance. Request a copy of this page. Download high resolution copy of this page.

Burial Information


Cemetery:
Grave Reference:

XIX. F. 10.

Location:

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.

Information courtesy of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Digital Collection

Send us your images

  • Newspaper Clipping– In memory of the men and women memorialized on the pages of the Winnipeg Evening Tribune. Submitted for the project, Operation: Picture Me
  • Newspaper Clipping– In memory of the men and women memorialized on the pages of the Winnipeg Evening Tribune. Submitted for the project, Operation: Picture Me
  • Photo of Donald S. MacLean– Capaint MacLean enlisted in the Army early in WW II. He was among the first group of officers that completed their jump course at Ringway,
England, in May, 1942 and posted as part of the initial officer posting for 1 Can Para Bn. He was promoted to Captain prior to the D-Day jump and was killed in action on the second day of the Normandy campaign.
  • Grave marker of Donald MacLean– This a photo of Captain Donald MacLean's grave at Bretteville-sur-laize Cemetery, that I took during our Regiment's DDay + 50 visit to France in June, 1994.
  • Cemetery– The Bretteville-sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery, located 20 kilometres south of Caen, France.  (J. Stephens)

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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