D Company – Irish Regiment of Canada, R.C.I.C.

Thomas McISAAC, a dedicated soldier of D Company, was born on March 12, 1923, in Mattawa, Ontario, though his attestation paper lists 1921 as his birth year. He stood 5’10” tall and weighed 132 pounds, with a fair complexion, hazel eyes, and fair hair. Roman Catholic by faith and single, Thomas was one of several children, with his parents John Lemuel and Mary Viegnia, and brothers Richard, Cyril, Howard, and Beverly. He completed Grade 8 and left school at 15, taking up various jobs as a laborer, including work as a mill hand.

Thomas enlisted on August 1, 1940, in North Bay, Ontario, joining the Dufferin and Haldimand Rifles of Canada, driven by a strong sense of duty. In August 1943, he was officially assigned to his regiment upon arriving in the United Kingdom. His military service took him across multiple regions, from Canada to the UK, and ultimately to Italy. He served in Canada until May 1943, then moved to the UK, where he remained until August, before finally deploying to Italy in October 1943.

Known for his dependable and gentle nature, Thomas was described as shy, with a rustic charm, and enjoyed simple pleasures like baseball, movies, and card games. He was noted by interviewers for his pleasant demeanor and steadfast character, well-suited to the demands of a rifleman.

Tragically, on December 20, 1944, Thomas was killed in actionat the age of 21. At the time of his death, his regiment was attempting to secure and consolidate positions along the west bank of the Fosso Munio near the Senio River, under heavy shellfire Private Thomas McIsaac now rests in Villanova Canadian War Cemetery, Italy, in Plot II, Row A, Grave 7—a solemn reminder of his service and sacrifice.

Father Wendell from Mattawa, Ontario, visits Thomas McIsaac’s at Villanova