Born on October 20, 1922, in Haysville, Ontario, Private Harold W. Stevens grew up in a modest Mennonite family in the Waterloo region. His parents, James and Magdalene Stevens, raised five sons—George, Albert, Lorne, Donald, and Harold—and one daughter, Kathleen. Harold left school at the age of 16 to help support his family, taking on various jobs, including three years making cheese boxes in a barrel factory and two years working at the Goodrich Tire Company in Kitchener as a shipper.

Though slight in build, standing at 5’ 5” and weighing 126 lbs, Harold was active in sports, enjoying softball, baseball, hockey, and even boxing and wrestling. He also had a love for music, playing the clarinet in the Waterloo Band. Despite being described as a “pleasant little fellow,” he was somewhat reserved, tending to keep to himself socially, although he had a satisfactory social adjustment. His love for movies and sports brought him some enjoyment, but he didn’t dance and didn’t associate much with girls.

On March 26, 1943, Harold enlisted in the Canadian Army in London, Ontario, at the age of 20. His motivation for enlisting was not documented, but it’s clear that he was eager to serve his country. Despite cartilage trouble in his left knee, which categorized him as B1 and more suitable for less demanding duties like a gunner in the Royal Canadian Artillery, Harold pushed forward with his training. By September 1944, he was transferred to the Westminster Regiment (Motors), a unit of the Royal Canadian Infantry Corps.

After his initial training in Canada, Harold was deployed to the UK in August 1943 and later to Italy in February 1944. His time on the front lines would be brief, as less than a year later, on November 19, 1944, Harold was killed in action at the age of 22. He gave his life for his country during the intense fighting in Italy, part of the Allied efforts to push the Germans northward during the Italian Campaign.

Harold Stevens was laid to rest in Villanova War Cemetery, where he remains among the honored fallen of World War II, remembered by his family and comrades for his quiet determination, his love of music, and his ultimate sacrifice for the greater cause of freedom. His grave is marked at Plot I, Row C, Grave 7, a testament to his service and the countless lives lost in the effort to secure peace.

Letter written to Pte Harold W. Stevens by Mike Fraser, a teenage student who visited Villanova War Cemetery on April, 17, 2009 along with his hockey team.

Dear Private Stevens: Thank you cannot sum up my gratitude for the actions you took and the things you must have gone through. Being only twenty-one when you enlisted, knowing full well that you would probably heading overseas to fight in what most call the only “Just” war was truly courageous. You fought for what you believed in and what was right so that myself and others can enjoy the freedoms that we all have today. You fought for and with your countrymen, your family; your friends and for future generations. I cannot imagine what it must have been like to be in your shoes. This project has inspired me to look beyond names and ranks and beyond the stories to see the men behind them, the regular everyday heroes who like yourself gave their lives but did not give their lives in vain. The Italian campaign wouldn’t have been a success without people like you. lt takes courage to head into a battle day after day not knowing if you will return or not, courage to enlist in the army at only twenty-one, courage to leave everything behind, but you did it all. I have learned a Iot about you and I know that you liked hockey, boxing, baseball and many of the same things that I like. You were born October 20th 1922 in Haysville, Ontario and you lived with your parents James and Magdalene along with four brothers and a sister in Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. Not only are you fighting for and representing Canada but you are also representing your family as I have learned that two of your brothers had been turned away from the Army because they were deemed unfit. You represented you and your family very well. You worked at a barrel factory nailing and forming boxes for three years and then worked at a rubtM factory for ONO years before joining the army, but despite your life before joining the army, you dropped all that for your country and for what you believed was right. Seeing past the big names and flashy stories of war hero’s is important to find people like yourself and the amazing acts of displayed by everyday Canadians fighting for what they believe in. Many of the fallen soldiers have never been properly honoured for what they have achieved. lt was my honour to try to get to know you Private Stevens and though you were of many who fell, your accomplishments, acts of bravery, courage and selflessness towards complete strangers will never be forgotten. Sincerely, Mike Fraser