Westminster Regiment (Motors), R.C.I.C.

Gerald Donald Forbes was born on April 30, 1921, in Glen Alda, Ontario, to Amos and Minnie May Forbes. He grew up in a large farming family with three brothers—Douglas Roy, Claude Arnold, and Howard Oliver—and four sisters: Gladys Pearl, Mabel Marie, Josephine Marion, and Alice Myrtle, the latter of whom passed away in 1944. Gerald was the seventh of eight siblings and spent his early years contributing to the family’s farm.

Gerald completed Grade 7 before leaving school to help support his family. His early occupational history was rooted in hard work and dedication, with a particular focus on farming and lumbering. From 1936 to 1940, he worked cutting logs and in a sawmill in Glen Alda for his brother Howard, earning $12 per week. Gerald also gained valuable experience in animal management, particularly with horses, and became adept at minor vehicle repairs. After the war, he planned to return to lumbering, his primary trade.

At 5’6” tall and weighing 138 pounds, Gerald was a sturdy and healthy young man. He enjoyed outdoor activities like hunting and fishing and played baseball in his free time. Known for his reliability and adaptability, Gerald adjusted well to army life after enlisting in the Canadian Army on June 28, 1940, in Picton, Ontario. Initially assigned to the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment, he demonstrated his capabilities and was later transferred to the Westminster Regiment (Motorized) on May 23, 1944.

Gerald served in Canada until February 1944, when he was deployed to the United Kingdom. A month later, he joined the Italian Campaign, enduring the relentless challenges of combat as part of the Allied effort to liberate Italy. Despite the grueling conditions, Gerald remained steadfast, earning the respect of his comrades and superiors.

On the night of December 19, 1944, during operations near the Fosso Munio, Gerald’s platoon was positioned in an exposed area. Under the cover of darkness, German forces launched a counter-attack. The platoon successfully repelled the assault by calling in mortar fire on their own forward position, a calculated risk that forced the enemy to withdraw. However, the exchange of heavy shelling resulted in casualties, including the loss of Lance Corporal Gerald Donald Forbes and Private James Edwin Foster.

Gerald was laid to rest in Villanova War Cemetery in Italy, where his grave serves as a solemn reminder of his sacrifice. His dedication, resilience, and commitment to his comrades and country exemplify the values of his generation.

From his humble beginnings on a farm in Glen Alda to his ultimate sacrifice on the battlefields of Italy, Gerald’s story is one of service and quiet heroism. Though his life was tragically cut short, the memory of Lance Corporal Gerald Donald Forbes endures in the hearts of his family and the annals of history, honoring his contribution to the fight for freedom.