Police Cadet William Earl Hammond
William Earl Hammond, was born on February 1st, 1920 in Bristol, England, the son of Stanley and Viola Hammond. As an infant his family emigrated to Canada, settling in Haldimand County, Ontario. In 1938, at 18 years of age, Hammond was hired as a Police Cadet with the Toronto Police Department and employed as a Clerk. The single young man lived at 24 Mechanic Avenue.
On January 13th, 1940, Hammond enlisted with the No. 1 Infantry Base Depot of the Lorne Scots (Peel, Dufferin, and Halton Regiment), one of the first Canadian infantry units to head overseas. Hammond landed in Scotland in February 1940, and his unit began preparing to join the British Expeditionary Force already fighting in France, though the operation was cancelled when Paris fell. Hammond's unit then prepared for the defence of the United Kingdom, for an invasion believed to be imminent. In March 1941, Hammond's unit was transferred to Seaforth Barracks in Liverpool, England – defending the main disembarkation point of Canadian reinforcements. Liverpool would become most heavily bombed British city outside of London. On May 1st, 1941, the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) began a week-long heavy and sustained bombing campaign on the city. During the first night's attack, Hammond was injured when knocked down by a powerful bomb blast. Over the course of that week Hammond's unit worked day and night, fighting fires, rescuing civilians, and clearing debris between periods of bombings at great risk to themselves. Entire sections of the city were destroyed, and hundreds of English men, women and children were killed.
Hammond would be forever changed by this experience – suffering headaches, trembling hands, ringing in his ears, as well as other symptoms of what we today might classify as Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. In the months and years afterwards, Hammond had trouble getting on and would often land himself in trouble with his superiors. In June 1943, after a medical evaluation, Hammond was transferred to 3rd Canadian Division Headquarters, instead of following his unit to the Invasion of Sicily. However, his clerical skills from the police department were put to good use, and it seemed a good fit. Hammond's situation was improving, more so when he fell in love with a local English girl named Denise. On March 29th, 1944, Hammond petitioned his Commanding Officer for permission to marry her, which after some delay from the girl’s father was finally granted on June 14th, 1944. Hammond, anxious to tell Denise, left the base that same night without obtaining permission. Later that evening, Hammond was discovered in town by the Military Police and placed into custody for being Absent With-Out Leave. Hammond was loaded onto an army truck with other arrested soldiers, to be transported back to his base.
At 12:45am, on June 15th, 1944, while in transit back to base, the driver turned the 60-tonne truck too sharply at a bend in the road, rolling over and ejecting the occupants. The horrific traffic accident caused Hammond to be thrown against the stone wall of a house in the town of Burley, killing him instantly, along with 18 other soldiers.
Police Cadet William Earl Hammond is buried at the Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey, England.
Name: | William Earl Hammond |
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Badge: | N/A |
Rank: | Police Cadet |
Date of Birth: | Feb. 1, 1920 |
Age: | 24 |
Length of Service: | 2 Years |
Date of Death: | June 15, 1944 |