Gordon Joseph Hogan
Lizzy Dimitrova's Fallen Soldier

Gordon Joseph Hogan was born in North Bay, Ontario, on the
22nd of August 1924 to John P. and Mary A. Hogan. His
father was a painter. He spoke both English and French. He
had blue eyes and brown hair, and was about 5‘9 tall. He was
Roman Catholic, single, and had no kids. He lived at 42
O’Brien Street, North Bay. At the time of his death his
parents lived at 94 Douglas St. North Bay. He had 2 brothers,
Leonard, who served in the RCAF and a younger brother
Clayton. He also had three sisters, Norma Edmunds. Patricia
and Sheila. Gordon had done one year of high school, then
worked as a motor mechanic before joining the army. He
enlisted in the army when he was 18 at the end of October in
1942. At first Gordon lied about his age claiming to be 19, so
he could be accepted into the army. Three months later they
found out he had lied and corrected his date of birth. Gordon
trained with the 3rd Battalion, Queen’s Own Rifles in
Brantford, Borden, Debert, and Aldershot, NS, and arrived
overseas on 1 September 1943. After further training in the
UK, he was posted to the 1st Battalion, Queen’s Own Rifles in
March 1944. Gordon’s battalion was one of the first to land
on Juno beach. Gordon managed to survive the bloodbath,
four days later his D-cpmpany was assigned to attack the
Germans, outside of the town of Creux. They succeeded in
their attack, but at the cost of 96 lives, Gordon was one of
them. He was reported missing at first but then it was
confirmed he was killed in action, during the batle for Le
Mesnil Patry, on June 11th, 1944. He was 20 years old.
Gordon is buried in Bény-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery,
grave III. F. 9. The words “Resting where no shadows fall, in
perfect peace he awaits us all” are engraved on his
headstone.