Private D/140390 Clarence Alvin Trimm Lincoln and Welland Regiment. RCIC...

...was born the 18th of January 1924 at Montreal, the son of James McDonald, a jeweller (died 1944), and Isabella Sheppard Trimm (died 1938), both of whom originated from British Guiana (Guyana). Clarence had a brother, Randolph, and a sister, Carmen.

When war broke out, Clarence was aged 15 and tried to enlist, but was refused due to his age. He was however determined to do so and even grew a moustache to look older, but his further efforts went unrewarded until the 10th of May, 1943 when he was aged 19 and was able to enlist at Montreal, whilst residing at 736 Green Avenue.

Posted to the Lincoln and Welland Regiment, 10th Infantry Brigade, 4th Canadian Armoured Division, he went overseas in December and in July 1944 landed with his regiment in France.

The regiment advanced across northern Europe, taking part in the liberation of the Netherlands and then continued into Germany and it was here, on the 27th of April 1945, with the end of the war in Europe just two weeks away that Clarence was seriously wounded in action near Bad Zwischenahn. He had received multiple bullet wounds to his lower abdomen and spine and in spite of being operated on died the same day.

Private Trimm was originally buried with twelve other Canadian casualties in a battlefield Cemetery at Friesoythe. After the war, the remains of over 1,300 Canadian casualties were brought together for burial in Holten Canadian War Cemetery, Holland. This included the casualties at Friesoythe, who were exhumed and buried at Holten on the 9th of March 1946. Today there are 1392 Canadian casualties of the Second World War here, of which 1382 are identified.

Source: https://www.blackcanadianveterans.com/