1st Bn The Royal Rifles of Canada
General Information | ||
| Rank: | First Name: | Second Name: |
|---|---|---|
| Rifleman | James | William |
| From: | Enlistment Region: | Date of Birth (y-m-d): |
| Marmora ON | Eastern Ontario | 1914-11-06 |
| Appointment: | Company: | Platoon: |
| C | ||
Transportation - Home Base to Hong Kong
Members of 'C' Force from the East travelled across Canada by CNR troop train, picking up reinforcements enroute. Stops included Valcartier, Montreal, Ottawa, Armstrong ON, Capreol ON, Winnipeg, Melville SK, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Jasper, and Vancouver, arriving in Vancouver on Oct 27 at 0800 hrs.
The Winnipeg Grenadiers and the local soldiers that were with Brigade Headquarters from Winnipeg to BC travelled on a CPR train to Vancouver.
All members embarked from Vancouver on the ships AWATEA and PRINCE ROBERT. AWATEA was a New Zealand Liner and the PRINCE ROBERT was a converted cruiser. "C" Company of the Rifles was assigned to the PRINCE ROBERT, everyone else boarded the AWATEA. The ships sailed from Vancouver on Oct 27th and arrived in Hong Kong on November 16th, having made brief stops enroute at Honolulu and Manila.
Equipment earmarked for 'C' Force use was loaded on the ship DON JOSE, but would never reach Hong Kong as it was rerouted to Manila when hostilities commenced.
On arrival, all troops were quartered at Nanking Barracks, Sham Shui Po Camp, in Kowloon.
Battle Information
Killed in action at West Palm Villa. For a detailed description of the battle from a Canadian perspective, visit Canadian Participation in the Defense of Hong Kong (published by the Historical Section, Canadian Military Headquarters).
Wounded Information
No wounds recorded.Other Military or Public Service
No other or additional related information found. Please submit documents to us using the contact link at the top of this page.
Death and Cemetery Information
| Date of Death (y-m-d) | Cause of Death | Death Class | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1941-12-23 | Killed In Action | ||
| Cemetery Location | Cemetery | Grave Number | Gravestone Marker |
| Cape Collinson Road Chai Wan Hong Kong China | Sai Wan Memorial | Column 25. | NA |
Gravestone Image
Mount Nebo Cemetery Spring Brook, Hastings County, Ontario, Canada
Obituary / Life Story
A Canadian soldier: Private James William Linn
By Gerald Belanger
Marmora: James William Linn was born November 6, 1914, in Marmora. He was the son of William R. Linn (1870- 1945) and Margaret Cosby (1873- 1946). His father was the Reeve of Marmora Village from 1937 until his death on November 26, 1945.
Siblings of James included: Clara (1895); Carrie (1899), Mabel Beatrice (1905) and Annie Linn (1907). Both Clara and Carrie died during the influenza that swept through Canada and the world in 1918. Mabel married Harold P. Naylor and died on June 25, 1989. Annie married Thomas E. Pritchard and died March 1, 1926.
James was an honour student throughout his school years with the exception of 1931/32. His marks in Form Three at the Marmora Continuation School in that year sunk to a low 47.88 per cent. His classmates that year were Douglas Airhart, Hower Hewitt and Jean Gladney.
After leaving school, James worked several years at the Deloro Smelting and Refining Company as a toolmaker. During this period, he married Pauline Rutherford and a son, Frederick, was born in 1938. James separated from his wife when he enlisted with the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment, July 15, 1940, at Picton. Ontario.
The Japanese did not enter the war for more than two years after the outbreak in Europe. By the time the Japanese attacked in December, 1941, Canada had already built up a large field army in the United Kingdom. It was Churchill who wrote, on January 7, 1941: "This is all wrong. If Japan goes to war with us there is not the slightest chance of holding Hong Kong or relieving it."
Canada was asked to send one or two battalions to Hong Kong. They agreed but did not know of Churchill's previous remarks on the subject. At the time, Canada did not have intelligence organizations of her own in the Far East and relied upon London for such information. On September 30, Canada agreed to send the Royal Rifles and the Winnipeg Grenadiers. Final approval was obtained October 9 and the battalions arrived in Hong Kong November 16, 1941.
The Royal Rifles of Canada had been mobilized on July 8, 1940, and spent the following year in Newfoundland doing garrison duty. In September, 1941, they were assigned coast defense duties at Saint John, New Brunswick, where they were serving when called for duty with the expedition to Hong Kong. At the time, the Royal Rifles were at full military strength as a battalion: 34 officers and 773 other ranks.
James Linn was a member of the Royal Rifles as they left Valcartier, Quebec, October 23 and traveled by train to Vancouver. From there, they embarked October 27 with the Grenadiers on the British transport ship, the Awatea. The Canadians landed only three weeks before the war broke out in the far eastern port in Hong Kong. The first bomb fell on Pearl Harbour, December 7, followed shortly by attacks on Hong Kong.
Canadian losses at Kong Kong were heavy. A total of 23 officers and 267 other ranks were killed or died of wounds. Of these numbers were seven officers and 123 other ranks of the Royal Rifles.
The enemy committed numerous acts of wanton barbarism and many of the defenders who had become prisoners of war were found butchered to death. In the case of Private James William Linn, C6368, he had his tongue cut off and he bled to death. According to his military records, Private James Linn was K.I.A., December 23, 1941, in Hong Kong. James Linn has his name inscribed in the grey wings of the Cenotaph located in Memorial Park. There is also a street named after him in the Village of Marmora.
This SAI WAN MEMORIAL honours over 2000 men of the land forces of the British Commonwealth and Empire who died in the defence of Hong Kong during the Second World War. The SAI WAN MEMORIAL is in the form of a shelter building 24 metres long and 5.5 metres wide. It stands at the entrance to Sai Wan Bay War Cemetery, outside Victoria, the capital of Hong Kong. From the semi-circular forecourt, two wide openings lead to the interior of the building. The names are inscribed on panels of Portland stone. The dedicatory inscription reads:
1939 - 1945 The officers and men whose memory is honoured here died in the defence of Hong Kong in December 1941 and in the ensuing years of captivity and have no known grave.
The northern side of the Memorial is open and four granite piers support the copper roof. From a commanding position 305 metres above sea level, it looks out over the War Cemetery where some 1,500 men lie buried, and across the water to Mainland China - a magnificent view of sea and mountains.
Links and Other Resources
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Related documentation
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General Comments
Citation(s): 1939-1945 Star, Pacific Star, War Medal 1939-1945, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp.
End of Report.
Report generated: 27 Apr 2025.
Additional Notes
(These will not be visible on the printed copy)
- Service numbers for officers ("X") are locally generated for reporting only. During World War II officers were not allocated service numbers until 1945.
- 'C' Force soldiers who died overseas are memorialized in the Books of Remembrance and the Canadian Virtual War Memorial, both sponsored by Veterans Affairs Canada. Please use the search utility at VAC to assist you.
- Some birthdates and deathdates display as follows: 1918-00-00. In general, this indicates that we know the year but not the month or day.
- Our POW camp links along with our References link (near the bottom of the 'C' Force home page) are designed to give you a starting point for your research. There were many camps with many name changes. The best resource for all POW camps in Japan is the Roger Mansell Center for Research site.
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