| Rank | Private |
| Service # | A116291 |
Alvin was working on the farm when he enlisted in 1942 with the Carleton and York Regiment. He fought through Sicily and then into Italy when on the 23rd of May 1944 the regiment was ordered to attack the “Hitler Line” an heavily defended German position.
It was reported in te CDN 21/06/44 that Mr. and Mrs. McCracken received a letter from their son Ray, who was wounded by shrapnel in the abdomen and has a fractured leg the he was “feeling a bit better, but still seriously ill”. He was much sicker than he likely realized or was trying to ease the angst of his parents.
A letter sent to Mrs. McCracken from Col. C. L. Laurin, Director of Records reported “With deep regret I wish to inform you that your late son was wounded in action on the 23rd of May, 1944, whilst serving with the Carleton and York Regiment, in Italy, the nature of your son’s wounds being diagnosed as a compound fracture right femur and a penetrating wound of the abdomen with colostomy.
“Your son embarked on the hospital ship ‘Atlantis’ for the United Kingdom on the 21st of June, and died at sea on the 24th day of June 1944, death being due to peritonitis following the wounds he received in action, and in accordance with Naval tradition he was buried at sea at 11:15 am on the 25th day of June 1944.” WJ 9/06/10.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
| Supplemental Information | Born 10 January, 1923 in Wheatley, ON. Son of Alvin and Florence L. McCracken, of Romney Twsp., Kent Co., ON. Age: 34, DOW. Date of Death: 24/06/1944. Buried at sea. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead, Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 14. Memorial: CASSINO MEMORIAL. Found on Wheatley cenotaph, Wheatley, ON. Afa: CWGC, CVWM. Photo of Alvin McCracken – On the 23rd of May 1944 Ray was ordered to take the Hitler Line. 970 Canadians were wounded, he was one of them. On the hospital ship "Atlantis" , bound for England, he died from peritonitis, and in accordance with Naval tradition was buried at sea at 11:15 a.m. on June 25th 1944. CVWM photo and text. |
| Birthplace | Wheatley, ON |
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