Frederick Birkinshaw was born in England on October 19, 1910, the son of William Birkinshaw and Lucy (nee Sands) Birkinshaw of 275 Rose Street, Sarnia. Both parents were born in Nottinghamshire, England. His family arrived in Canada (Quebec port) aboard the Metagama passenger ship from Liverpool, England on June 3, 1919. Frederick was eight years old at the time. His father, William, who was a veteran of World War I, and had been wounded three times, was employed by Imperial Oil Refinery. Frederick had an older sister, May, and two younger sisters, Margaret and Mary. At the time of Frederick’s death, his sisters were listed as Mrs. Irene Cooper of Rose Street, Sarnia; Mrs. Margaret McDonald of Shamrock Street, Sarnia; and Mrs. Archie McDonald of Pontiac, Michigan. Frederick also had two half-brothers, who at wartime, were both in the Canadian army: Gunner Donald Phillips in England and Gunner Edward Phillips with the Canadian forces in France.
Frederick and his wife Margaret T. had three sons: Bruce, William and Charles Birkinshaw. At wartime, the family lived at 279 Shamrock Street, Sarnia. Margaret Birkinshaw was an employee of Sarnia Refinery and lady delegate on the Joint Industrial Council for Sarnia Refinery for 1945. Prior to enlistment, Frederick was employed by Imperial Oil Limited, Sarnia refinery, his profession listed as a painter.
Frederick enlisted early in the war with the Kent Regiment and trained in Canada. He left for overseas on April 28, 1942, and after arriving overseas, he volunteered for service with the Highland Light Infantry of Canada, R.C.I.C. Frederick’s unit participated in the D-Day invasion of France on June 6, 1944. Two days later, on July 8, 1944, Private Frederick Birkinshaw would lose his life, during the Battle of Normandy while fighting at Caen in
Normandy, France.
Frederick Birkinshaw and another Sarnian, Corporal Isaac Bell (included in this project), would both lose their lives on July 8, 1944 while fighting with their Canadian Army units in France. In mid-July of 1944, Margaret Birkinshaw in Sarnia would receive a telegram from the director of records in Ottawa with information about her husband stating that, Pte. Birkinshaw was killed in action on July 8. Further information would be forwarded when received. The telegram did not state where Pte. Birkinshaw was killed, but Frederick’s father William had several letters from his son recently in which he intimated he participated in the D-Day invasion of France, and had been at Caen.
Frederick Birkinshaw would later be officially listed as, Overseas casualty, killed in action, in the field (France). Frederick Birkinshaw was survived by his parents William and Lucy, his wife Margaret, his three sons, Bruce, William and Charles, two half-brothers Donald Phillips and Edward Phillips, and his three sisters. Thirty-three year old Frederick Birkinshaw is buried in Bretteville-Sur-Laize War Cemetery, Calvados, France, Grave XXVI.H.7.
SOURCES: A, B, C, D, E, F, J, K, L, N, O, 2C, 2D