1st Bn The Winnipeg Grenadiers
General Information | ||
| Rank: | First Name: | Second Name: |
|---|---|---|
| Lieutenant | James | Dormer |
| From: | Enlistment Region: | Date of Birth (y-m-d): |
| Winnipeg BC | Manitoba | 1916-11-26 |
| Appointment: | Company: | Platoon: |
| Platoon Commander | D | 18 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
| Name of hospital | Date of admission | Date of discharge | Comments | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| HK-QMH | N/A | N/A | ||
| HK-BMH | 09/16/1942 | 10/28/1942 | 118 |
POW Camps
| Camp ID | Camp Name | Location | Company | Type of Work | Arrival Date | Departure Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HK-NP-01 | North Point | North Point, Hong Kong Island | 41 Dec 20 | 41 Dec 22 | ||
| HK-AS-01 | Argyle Street | Kowloon, Hong Kong | 41 Dec 22 | Dec 26 | ||
| 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 | 45 Sep 10 | ||
| HK-SA-02 | Shamshuipo | Kowloon, Hong Kong | 43 Aug 19 | 44 May 11 | ||
| HK-SA-02 | Shamshuipo | Kowloon, Hong Kong | 44 May 11 | 45 Sep 10 |
Transportation SE Asia to Home
| Transport Mode | Arrival Destination | Arrival Date | Comments |
|---|---|---|---|
| USS Gosper | Victoria | 1945-10-12 | Manila to Victoria, BC 1936 British and CDNS |
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
A Garden Reception followed one of the loveliest weddings of the early summer season when Moira, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. F. Martin Wallace of West Vancouver, became the bride of James Dormer McCarthy, son of Mr. and Mrs. Leo F. McCarthy, of Portland, formerly of Winnipeg and Vancouver. Rev. E. W. P. Carter solemnized the marriage at 2 p.m. Saturday in West Vancouver's St. Stephen's Anglican Church. The reception took place at the home of the bride's parents.
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 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1971-03-14 | Post War | ||
| Cemetery Location | Cemetery | Grave Number | Gravestone Marker |
| West Vancouver British Columbia Canada | Capilano Cemetery | Yes & Engraved | |
Gravestone Image
Obituary / Life Story
McCarthy funeral pending
James Dormer McCarthy, 53, of 1590 Nelson, West Vancouver, died Sunday after a long illness. Mr. McCarthy was a senior vice-president of Weldwood of Canada Ltd. He was born in Winnipeg Nov. 26, 1917, the eldest son of Leo and Sarah McCarthy. On the outbreak of war in September 1939, Mr. McCarthy enlisted in the Winnipeg Grenadiers, and as a lieutenant accompanied his regiment to Hong Kong in 1941. On Christmas Day, 1941, the regiment was over-run by Japanese troops and surrendered. There began a period of four and a half years of imprisonment, and Mr. McCarthy elected to share the prison camp of his men rather than be interned with the officers. Survivors of the arduous imprisonment said he did much to keep up the morale of his company. After recuperation in Manila, Mr. McCarthy returned with his regiment to Winnipeg, and later settled in Vancouver.
He is survived by his wife Mrs. Moira McCarthy, his daughter Megahn, and his son Martin. Mr. McCarthy's brothers are Tim McCarthy of Penticton, and Jack and Don McCarthy of Vancouver. Funeral arrangements will be announced.
Executive dies at 54
James Dormer McCarthy, of 1590 Nelson, West Vancouver, died at home Sunday after a four-month illness. He was 54. Mr. McCarthy, a senior vice-president of Weldwood of Canada Ltd., entered hospital for surgery in November. Born in Winnipeg, he enlisted in the Winnipeg Grenadiers in 1939, ranking as a lieutenant when the Grenadiers went to Hong Kong in 1941. His regiment surrendered to Japanese troops on Christmas Day, 1941 - the beginning of 4 1⁄2 years in prison. After his release in 1945, McCarthy returned to Winnipeg, moving to Vancouver later the same year. He is survived by his wife, Moira, daughter Sarah Megahn, and sons James Martin.
An ecumenical funeral service will be held Wednesday at St. Stephen's Anglican Church, West Vancouver, at 2:30 p.m. Rev. Ed Wallace and Rev. John Leahy, SJ, will officiate.
Vancouver Sun 15 Mar 1971, Monday, Page 12
Former Resident Plywood executive dies
Funeral services for James D. McCarthy, senior vice-president of Weldwood of Canada Ltd., will be held today at 2:30 p.m. in St. Stephen's Anglican Church in West Vancouver. Mr. McCarthy, 53, died Sunday following a lengthy illness.
As Weldwood vice-president manufacturing, he was responsible for the administration of the company's three manufacturing divisions as well as for logging operations in the Cariboo and central manufacturing divisions. He joined Western Plywood, a predecessor company, in 1946 and was largely instrumental in the building and growth of the plywood plant at Quesnel, which has become the largest fir and spruce sheathing and veneer plant in the world.
He was born in Winnipeg, Nov. 26, 1917. Mr. McCarthy served with the Winnipeg Grenadiers in Hong Kong. He was became a prisoner of war when the regiment was forced to surrender in 1941. Mr. McCarthy lived in the Quesnel area from the late 1940s until 1951. He is survived by his wife, Moira; a daughter, Sarah Megahn; a son James Martin; and three brothers, Tim of Penticton, and Jack and Don of Vancouver.
17 Mar 1971, Wednesday, Page A5
On March 14, 1971, James Dormer McCarthy, aged 54 years, of West Vancouver. Survived by his loving wife, Moira; 1 daughter, Sarah Megahn; 1 son, James Martin; 3 brothers, Tim, Jack and Don; and his mother-in-law, Mrs. Frederick Martin Wallace. The deceased enlisted in the Winnipeg Grenadiers in 1939. He served 41⁄2 years in a Japanese Prisoner of War Camp in Hong Kong with the rank of Lieutenant. Residing in West Vancouver after the war he joined Weldwood of Canada Ltd. and became senior Vice-President. Funeral service Wednesday, March 17, at 2:30 p.m. from St. Stephen's Anglican Church, 885- 22nd St., West Vancouver, Rev. E. Wallace and the Rev. Father J. A. Leahy officiating. Interment Capilano View Cemetery. Hollyburn Funeral Home, directors.
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Related documentation
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General Comments
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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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