1st Bn The Winnipeg Grenadiers
General Information | ||
| Rank: | First Name: | Second Name: |
|---|---|---|
| Private | Nicholas | |
| From: | Enlistment Region: | Date of Birth (y-m-d): |
| Sleeman ON | Manitoba | 1918-11-19 |
| Appointment: | Company: | Platoon: |
| B | ||
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
We do not have specific battle information for this soldier in our online database. 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.Hospital Information
| Name of hospital | Date of admission | Date of discharge | Comments | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HK-BMH | 09/12/1942 | 09/26/1942 | Died while in hospital | 118 |
POW Camps
| Camp ID | Camp Name | Location | Company | Type of Work | Arrival Date | Departure Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HK-SA-01 | Shamshuipo | Kowloon, Hong Kong | Capture | 42 Jan 22 | ||
| HK-NP-02 | North Point | North Point, Hong Kong Island | 42 Jan 22 | 42 Sep 26 | ||
| HK-SA-02 | Shamshuipo | Kowloon, Hong Kong | 42 Sep 26 | 42 Oct 26 |
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1942-09-26 | Diphtheria & Internal Hemorrhage | Died while POW | |
| Cemetery Location | Cemetery | Grave Number | Gravestone Marker |
| Cape Collinson Road Chai Wan Hong Kong China | Sai Wan War Cemetery | VIII. E. 2. | NA |
Gravestone Image
Obituary / Life Story
(Transcribed from the Legion Manitoba and Northwestern Ontario Command Military Service Recognition Book)
Nick was born in a family of ten on November 19, 1918 in Rainy River, Ontario. He worked on the family farm, went to school and spoke English and Ukrainian. In June 1941 at the age of 22, he enlisted with the Royal Winnipeg Rifleman Wing in Fort Frances, Ontario. He completed his basic training there, then was transferred to the Winnipeg Grenadiers, 1st Battalion, “C” Force Division. He sailed from Vancouver, British Columbia and arrived in Hong Kong on November 16, 1941 and on to battle. Hong Kong surrendered at Christmas. Private Pastuck became a POW and he died of Diphtheria on September 26, 1942 at age 23. He was buried in Sai Wan Military Hospital Cemetery, Grave 2, Row E, Plot 8 Hong Kong. Nick received four medals posthumously, which went to his father, Anthony. His Memorial Cross went to his mother, Dora.
Links and Other Resources
Nicholas PASTUCK Article in Rainy River Record
Related documentation
- Our HKVCA Vault (Google Docs) may contain additional information, newspaper clippings, and documents which have been saved for this soldier. To access this information, click on the vault link and a Google Docs folder list will open in a separate tab. Use the first letter of the soldier’s service number, found at the top of this report, to open the correct folder. Each sub-folder is identified by service number. Scroll down until you reach the one of your interest.
- Facebook has proven to be a valuable resource in the documentation of 'C' Force members. The following link will take you to any available search results for this soldier based on his regimental number. Note: results may be contained within another related record. Facebook Search Results
- Find a Grave® is a valuable resource that may contain additional information on this 'C' Force member. When you arrive at the site search page, fill in as much detail as you can for best results.
General Comments
Died in Hong Kong Prison
Word has been received by Mr. and Mrs. A. Pastuck of Sleeman, that their son, Nicholas Pastuck, 24 years of age, died of illness while a prisoner of war at Hong Kong. The report in which date of his death was not given, came officially from Toyko through the International Red Cross, Geneva.
Nicholas Pastuck enlisted in the Winnipeg Rifles in Fort Frances on June 10, 1941. He transferred to the Winnipeg Grenadiers a few days before the regiment left for Hong Kong. He is survived by his parents in Sleeman, four brothers, Peter, John and Michael of Sleeman, and another brother serving in the army; three sisters, Kay of Sleeman, Mrs. G. Heskins of Fort Frances, and Eva, now serving the R.C.A.F.
JULY 22, 1943
Veterans Affairs Canada Anciens Combattants Canada 66 Slater Street, Ottawa, Ontario, KIA OP4
March 24, 1997
Dear Mr. Laviolette:
This is in response to your letter respecting the death of your great uncle Nicholas Pastuck in Hong Kong. First allow me to commend your wish to ensure the memory of your great uncle is not forgotten. We Canadians owe a great deal to the men and women who served so bravely in the Second World War.
I have perused Mr. Pastuck's military file and give you the following information; his date of birth was November 19, 1918. He states on his Attestation certificate that he had brown hair and grey eyes and was 5'7" in height. He enlisted on October 9th, 1940 and was enrolled with the 2nd Bn. The Lake Superior Regt. He gave his occupation as a farmer. He did his basic training with the Lake Superior Regt. But on October 20, 1941 transferred to the Winnipeg Grenadiers. He embarked in Vancouver on a ship sailing for Hong Kong on October 27th, 1941 and they arrived there on November 16th, 1941. He was reported as being taken prisoner of war on December 25th, 1941. His date of death was reported later as 26 September, 1942 from Diphtheria. He died at the Bowen Road Hospital in Hong Kong. Unfortunately, there is no information on our records of his life as a POW. However, there is a very active association of Hong Kong Prisoners of War here in Canada and I respectfully suggest you contact their President, Mr. Roger Cyr, Hong Kong Veterans Ass. Of Canada, 54 St. Laurent Blvd., Ottawa, Ont. KIK 4H9. Mr. Cyr was himself a P.O.W. in Hong Kong and might remember Mr. Pastuck or be able to put you in touch with one of his regimental colleagues.
Son of Anton (aka Anthony Alex) Pastuck and Dora Rawluk, of Sleeman, Ontario. Brother of Private William Pastuck, regimental number H-20322, Canadian Army, and Airwoman Eva Lena Pastuck, regimental number W-312819, Canadian Air Force. They survived the war. Served with the 2nd Battalion of the Lake Superior Regiment - NPAM - regimental number H-540335, October 9th to November 7th, 1940, then enlisted in the Royal Winnipeg Rifles, regimental number H-41790, June 9th, 1941, served in Manitoba and Ontario, and transferred to the 1st Battalion of the Winnipeg Grenadiers on October 25th, 1941 to fight in Hong Kong with C Force.
Citation(s): 1939-1945 Star, Pacific Star, War Medal 1939-1945, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp.
Canadian Virtual War Memorial
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.
- In most cases the rank displayed was the rank held before hostilities. Some veterans were promoted at some point prior to eventual post-war release from the army back in Canada. When notified of these changes we'll update the individual's record.
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