D Company – Irish Regiment of Canada

Born on December 20, 1922, in Toronto, Ontario, Mike Bernstein was the second child of Max and Sarah Marrie. His father, a skilled stonemason, and his mother, Sarah, who married in Toronto on July 18, 1918, raised their three sons—Leonard, Mike, and Coleman—in a Jewish household. With dark hair, brown eyes, and a quiet disposition, Mike grew up surrounded by the warmth of family and the camaraderie of his brothers. His eldest brother, Leonard, served overseas as a Sergeant with the Royal Canadian Air Force during the Second World War.

Mike left school at the age of 16, having completed two years of technical training in machine shop work, and began an apprenticeship as a machinist. His early life reflected both the aspirations and challenges of a young man growing up in a modest, hardworking household.

Patriotism called Mike to enlist in the Canadian Active Service Force on February 22, 1941, in London, Ontario. Before his formal enlistment, he had already begun serving with the Queen’s York Rangers, a local militia, on July 15, 1940. His enlistment led him to join the Canadian Cavalry Regiment, beginning his journey of dedication and service.

Standing 5’7 ¼” and weighing 123 pounds, Mike carried himself with a “smart military manner and pleasing appearance,” as noted by his superiors. Though described as unaggressive and not inclined to seek leadership, he found joy in sports, playing hockey as a defenseman and first base in baseball.

Mike’s military career took him far from his Toronto roots. He served in Canada until November 1941, before being deployed to the United Kingdom. On July 10, 1944, while serving with the 1st Hussars, Mike was wounded in action in the UK, sustaining superficial shell wounds to his neck and face. Despite these injuries, he persevered and was later reassigned to the Irish Regiment of Canada, joining them on December 16, 1944, in Italy.

His final deployment took him to the war-torn landscapes of Italy, where he was posted to the 4th Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit on November 18, 1944. Mike was determined to fulfill his duty, even as the challenges of war weighed heavily on all who served.

On December 20, 1944—his 22nd birthday—Mike Bernstein was killed in action during the fierce battles along the Senio River in Italy. His sacrifice was a poignant reminder of the cost of freedom and the bravery of those who serve. Mike was laid to rest in the Villanova Canadian War Cemetery, his grave marked in Plot III, Row A, Grave 5.

Though his life was tragically short, Mike’s memory endures. In 1975, his brothers Leonard and Coleman honored him by refurbishing a space in the Bloor Jewish Community Center in Toronto. The chapel within the center was named in Mike’s memory, a tribute to his service and the profound loss felt by his family and community.

Mike Bernstein’s story is one of devotion, sacrifice, and the enduring legacy of a young man who gave everything for his country. Through the remembrance of his life and service, his spirit lives on.

From DOUBLE THREAT, Canadian Jews, The Military, and World War II., page 194 When David Devor and Toronto’s Michael Bernstein were killed in Italy in December 1944, they had been sharing the same slit trench near the Senio River. After the Canadians captured Bagnacavallo, the senior Jewish non-commissioned officer in the Irish Regiment of Canada, Charlie Drubich, went back to help collect the boys’ bodies. Drubich made sure the Protestant chaplain said all the right things when the two were buried side by side at the Canadian war cemetery in nearby Villanova. Then Sergeant Drubich let the boys’ families know what had been done. “He was buried by Capt. Rowland, Protestant Padre, as a Jewish man should be buried, Star of David, etc.,” A week later, the Canadian Jewish chaplain, Rabbi Isaac Rose, went to the cemetery to hold his own services for good measure.

Letter written at left at Pte Berstein’s grave by Justin Miles a young Canadian student who visited the Cemetery on March 24, 2009 Dear Private Mike Bernstein Irish Regiment of Canada This is a letter of thanks to you for paying the greatest sacrifice for your country. I understand how you must have felt going to war; nervousness and fear you would never see your parents again or taste your Mom’s cooking. What I can’t understand is how it would have felt during the war, with your friends dying around you? Was it worth the price many Canadians paid? If you were alive today would you do it again? Whether you would or not really doesn’t matter, you fought for freedom, my freedom, and the freedom of the people of France, Germany, Italy, Netherlands, Poland and many others. For that I thank you more than I can put into words. Your home city of Toronto and all of Canada has been remembering you as a person, not a soldier who died assaulting the Lamone River. Thank you. Sincerely, Justin Myles Canada