1st Bn The Winnipeg Grenadiers
General Information | ||
| Rank: | First Name: | Second Name: |
|---|---|---|
| Private | Philip | Leonard |
| From: | Enlistment Region: | Date of Birth (y-m-d): |
| Winnipeg MB | Manitoba | 1918-11-27 |
| Appointment: | Company: | Platoon: |
| B | 12 Plt | |
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
No record of hospital visits found.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 | 43 Aug 15 | ||
| JP-Os-3B | Oeyama | Kyoto-fu, Yosa-gun, Yoshizu-mura, Sutsu, Japan | Nippon Yakin Nickel Mine & Refinery | Mining nickel & work at the refinery | 43 Sep 01 | 45 Sep 02 |
Transport to Japan
| Draft Number | Name of Ship | Departure Date | Arrival Date | Arrival Port | Comments | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| XD4A | Manryu Maru | 43 Aug 15 | 43 Sep 01 | Osaka, Japan | Brief stopover in Taihoku (Taipei), Formosa (Taiwan); then 2 day stopover at northern point for stool tests | Tony Banham |
Transportation SE Asia to Home
| Transport Mode | Arrival Destination | Arrival Date | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
No other or additional related information found. Please submit documents to us using the contact link at the top of this page.
Post-war Photo
No other or additional related information found. Please submit documents to us using the contact link at the top of this page.
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1978-09-23 | Post War | ||
| Cemetery Location | Cemetery | Grave Number | Gravestone Marker |
| Calgary Alberta Canada | St. Marys Cemetery | Section S | |
Gravestone Image
Obituary / Life Story
THE CALGARY HERALD
Mr. Philip Leonard Durrant, 59 years of age and resident of Wynndel for the past 7 years, passed away at his residence Saturday September 23, 1978. Born November 27, 1918 at Broadview, Saskatchewan, where he received his education, he accompanied his parents to Keewatin, Ontario in 1937. Philip decided to return westward and was in Winnipeg at the outbreak of World War Il enlisting in the Winnipeg Grenadiers in 1939. He was sent to Jamaica for a 14 month training period and on his return to Winnipeg married Miss Leila Agnes McCauley in October 1941, and with his two brothers were sent into the South Pacific theatre of war, being station in Hong Kong. The three Durrants became Prisoners of War when the colony fell to the Japanese Christmas Day 1941. Philip Durrant remained in the Hong Kong POW camp with his brothers until 1943 when he was separated by being transported to the POW camp of Oyama, Japan. He remained there for the duration of hostilities, being return to Shaunessy Hospital, Vancouver in 1945 for medical treatment before returning to Winnipeg to be reunited with his wife. He gained employment as a foundry worker here, an occupation that he continued to follow when making Calgary their home in 1951. He later worked for a 3 year period for the Union Milk Co. and then as a caretaker for the Calgary Separate School Board until his retirement to Wynndel in 1971. Mrs. Leila Durrant passed away in Calgary November 21, 1967. On October 17, 1975, he was joined in marriage to the former "Mrs. Gladys Brissman" in the United Church, Creston, the couple continuing to reside in Wynndel. He was a member of the "Hong Kong Vets Assoc.", The Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 264 and Branch No. 29 Creston. An active member of the Army & Navy Club, Calgary. He was predeceased by his wife Leila, parents Mr. & Mrs. Frank Durrant, two brothers; Cecil and Morris, one sister Josephine Durrant. Surviving are wife Gladys, four sons; Robert. Bermuda, Philip, VermilIion, Alberta, David, Calgary, Gerald, Wynndel, one daughter Dr. Judith Durrant, Calgary. Four grandchildren, two brothers; Stanley and Gordon, Calgary, seven sisters; Mrs. S. (Tillie) Westgate, Delta, BC., Mrs. J. (Eileen) Barnard, Kenora Ontario, Mrs. J. (Grace) Krewaz, Kenora, Ont., Mrs. Patricia White, Kenora, Mrs. Kay Fraser, Shaunavon, Sask., Mrs. Edna Smith, Courtenay, B C., Mrs. R. (Beatrice) Fairfield, Kenora, Ontario. Burial rites and Mass will be celebrated at St. Pius X Roman Catholic Church, 2424 - 24 Ave N.W. Thursday September 28 at 10 a.m. Interment St. Mary's Cemetery. In lieu of flowers if friends desire donations may be made to the Canadian Cancer - Society, 200 • 1609 • 14 St. SW.
THE GARDEN CHAPEL (Foster Funeral Home) 540 - 16 Ave N.W. Directors.
Links and Other Resources
There may be more information on this individual available elsewhere on our web sites - please use the search tool found in the upper right corner of this page to view sources.
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
One of the four sons of Mr. and Mrs. F. V. Durrant, Keewatin, Ont., Pte. Durrant enlisted with the Winnipeg Grenadiers on Sept. 3, 1939. He served in the West Indies and Hong Kong. His wife, the former Leila McAulley, resides at 222 Atlantic ave, Winnipeg.
See Picture - Nearly every Winnipeg Grenadier that has arrived home to date has brought with him some kind of a souvenir of his lengthy stay with the Japanese. It was no different with the group of Hong Kong veterans that came back to Winnipeg Monday night over CPR Lines. Top left: Pte. Harry Bakaluk (centre) displays a Japanese wooden sword to his brothers, Sgt. William Bakaluk (left), of the Essex Scottish regiment, and Pte. Mike Bakaluk (right) of the infantry. Top right: Seen here is Pte. P. Arsenych with his brother, P.O. M. Arsenych, R.CN, who met him at the station. Bottom left: Pte. P.L Durant, of 612 Erin Street, is shown with his wife in a pose seen every day when the Grenadiers come home. Bottom right: Homecoming meant a lot to Pte. G. Loewen of 54 Jamieson Avenue. He is seen here with his sister, Mrs. J. Robinson, 616 Government Street, and little niece, Patsy Loewen, who lives at 450 Bowman Avenue. Displayed in the inset, is the Hong Kong flash worn by all returning members of the Winnipeg Grenadiers.
’C’ Force Family Connections:
- Brother of H6201 Maurice Durrant
- Brother of H6291 Gordon Durrant
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.
- Images displayed on the web page are small, but in many cases the actual image is larger. Hover over any image and you will see a popup if a larger version is available. You can also right-click on some images and select the option to view the image separately. Not all images have larger versions. Contact us to confirm whether a large copy of an image in which you are interested exists.
- In some cases the References displayed as part of this report generate questions because there is no indication of their meaning. They were inherited with the original database, and currently we do not know what the source is. We hope to solve this problem in future.
- We have done our best to avoid errors and omissions, but if you find any issues with this report, either in accuracy, completeness or layout, please contact us using the link at the top of this page.
- Photos are welcome! If a photo exists for a 'C' Force member that we have not included, or if you have a higher quality copy, please let us know by using the Contact Us link at the top of this page. We will then reply, providing instructions on submitting it.