Gerald Kelly was born September 13, 1925, the son of John Allan Kelly (born in Wyoming, Ontario) and Alice Marguerite (nee Webster, born in Oil Springs, Ontario) Kelly, of 258 Queen Street, Sarnia. Gerald had three brothers–Harold John (born 1914); William Henry (born 1921); and Walter Allan (born 1923)–as well as five sisters: Alice Annabelle (born 1916, died at age 6); Baby Kelly (born and died October 1, 1920); Marion Cecilia (born 1928, later Marion Codling), Dorothy Maxine (born 1929, later Dorothy MacKinnon), and Jean Edith (born 1935, later Jean Olney). At the time of Gerald’s death, his brother William Kelly was a Trooper in the army, and had returned from overseas about one year prior, and his other brother Walter Kelly was a Private stationed at a Canadian mechanized depot in London, Ontario.
Gerald attended Devine Street and Wellington Street schools before graduating to Sarnia Collegiate. He was also a former carrier boy for the Canadian Observer newspaper. Prior to enlisting, Gerald had been employed at Sarnia Refinery in early April of 1943, resigning one month later in order to enlist. Gerald, single at the time, enlisted in the Canadian Army on May 3rd, 1943, listing his occupation as machine shop practices. After training at Listowel and Camp Ipperwash, he proceeded overseas in April of 1944. Gerald would become a member of the Algonquin Regiment Infantry Battalion, R.C.I.C.
In April of 1944, Gerald would write a letter home to his mother. Following is a portion of that letter:
Dear Mother, April 21st, 1944
Received your most welcome letter yesterday and was certainly glad to hear from you. I never had a chance to answer it last night as I was at a regimental dance last night. They had a good hall for the dance and an army orchestra. The eats and tea were free and there was a fairly big crowd. As yet I have not received any cigarettes from home but I expect them any day now…
Mother as I told you before I don’t want you to save any money for me. If you want to bank it (as you said in your letter for a rainy day) you can put it in, in your name but don’t save it for me. My fifth Victory bond will be paid up at the end of this month and when you get it would you put it in the bank also in your name.
In June of 1944, Gerald would write a letter to his sister Dorothy. An excerpt reads as follows:
Dear Dot, June 10, 1944
Received your most welcome letter and seeing as I was writing quite a few letters I thought I’d answer yours at the same time…. I like it over here alright Dorothy but its not the same as being back home…. We have a horseshoe pitch set up in our lines and we put in most of our spare time playing horseshoes. They hold bingos about once a week here in camp. They have something on nearly every night so you’re never without something to do. I do my own washing, ironing and sewing and if you could see me doing it I know you would get a great laugh out of it. I have not as yet met anyone that I knew back home so you can see just how much I would like to get Cliffs and Vernes address….I have been feeling fine and I hope everyone at home is the same. Jay
In August of 1944 (one month before he was killed), Gerald would write the following letter home:
Dear Mom and Dad, August 11, 1944
Have received several letters from you but this is the first chance I’ve had to answer them. As I said in my last letter, I received a thousand cigs from you a couple of weeks ago and they certainly came in handy. I have smoked more cigarettes these last couple of weeks than I’ve ever smoked before so you see they certainly come in handy.
As I’ve said in my other letters, mother, I can’t write as often as I used to but I will write just as often as I can. I borrowed the pen here from one fellow, the ink from another one and the envelopes were given to me by still a different person. I am writing this letter in my slit trench so you can see mother, the writing facilities aren’t any too good.
I have written to both Cliff Bendall and Bert Pask but as yet have received no answer. Will you say hello to Marion, Dorothy and Jeannie for me? Thank Marion for helping with the parcel and tell Dot that I haven’t any pictures right now.
By the way, I don’t know if I ever mentioned it before but when I was back in England I met Nelson Archer and he said to be sure to say hello to Dad. Well Mom, I am going to try and write quite a few letters today so I had better say so long for now. Jay
Gerald Kelly would be overseas for only six months before he would lose his life in Belgium, one day after his 19th birthday. He was killed while re-crossing the Leopold Canal in Holland in an attempt to rescue his wounded sergeant. In late September of 1944, parents John and Alice Kelly in Sarnia would receive a telegram from the director of records in Ottawa informing them that their son, Pte. Gerald R. Kelly has been killed in action overseas. Further information would be forwarded when received. Gerald Kelly would later be officially listed as, Overseas casualty, killed in action, in the field (Belgium).
In late September of 1944, Gerald’s mother Alice Kelly would receive the following telegram from Ottawa:
Mrs. Alice M. Kelly, 258 Queen St., Sarnia
Minister of National Defence deeply regrets to inform you that A106785 Private Gerald Reginald Kelly has been officially reported killed in action fourteenth September 1944 Stop If any further information becomes available it will be forwarded as soon as received. Director of Records
Also in September, Gerald’s mother would receive the following letter from the Major of Gerald’s Algonquin Regiment:
September 15th, 1944 Major G.L. Cassidy, Algonquin Reg’t, Can. Army Over.
Dear Mrs. Kelly,
It is a most difficult task for me to write this letter, containing, as you will already have been officially informed, the news of Geralds’ death in action. Ever since he has been in my company he was everybody’s favorite – the perfect soldier and gentleman and his loss is a grievous one to you as well as to us.
It may help you to know he died a hero’s death. After 24 hours of the hardest fighting this unit has ever seen or known, during which time Gerald distinguished himself on several occasions for bravery, the unit was ordered to withdraw – across a water obstacle.
Gerald was already at the obstacle and about ready to enter a boat, when it became known that a wounded sergeant, who was supposed to have been carried by another party, could not be found. Gerald and another sergeant, without being ordered or asked, at once returned through heavy shell and machine gun fire to bring back the wounded party. He was on his return with the sergeant on his back when a shell struck close by, killing him instantly. The other rescuer was wounded, but managed to get back, and he told me this story.
I am arranging to have Gerald’s actions mentioned in despatches. May we all unite our deep sorrow with yours, Mrs. Kelly, remembering always that God is with him, and that we were all fortunate to have known him even for so short a space. Yours most sincerely, G.L. Cassidy
Shortly after receiving the above letter, Mrs. Alice Kelly would receive another letter from Major G.L. Cassidy, informing her of the approximate location of her son’s body:
Dear Mrs. Kelly,
I must apologize for my delay in replying to your letter, but it is only very recently that a representative of the battalion was able to revisit the scene of Gerald’s heroic death. You see, the occasion was our attempt to cross the Leopold Canal, the first one to be made, and one which, unfortunately, was not successful. We were forced to withdraw, and for the next six weeks the ground remained in enemy hands. But we do know now that the Germans buried all our dead there, although not all the graves are marked. I will attach a little diagram to show you the approximate location.
Please accept our grateful admiration for the superb courage you and other Canadian mothers have shown in adversity. You are our inspiration throughout. Yours very sincerely, G.L. Cassidy
In mid-October of 1944, Gerald’s mother, Mrs. Alice Kelly, would receive the following letter from the Department of National Defence, Army:
October 18, 1944
Dear Mrs. Kelly,
It was with deep regret that I learned of the death of your son, A106785 Private Gerald Reginald Kelly, who gave his life in the Service of his Country in the Western European Theatre of War on the 14th day of September, 1944.
From official information we have received, your son was killed in action against the enemy. You may be assured that any additional information received will be communicated to you without delay.
The Minister of national Defence and the Members of the Army Council have asked me to express to you and your family their sincere sympathy in your bereavement. We pay tribute to the sacrifice he so bravely made. Yours sincerely, A.C. Spencer, Brigadier, Acting Adjutant-General
After being Mentioned in Dispatches, Gerald was awarded posthumously a certificate of recommendation in January of 1945, a certificate his mother Mrs. Alice Kelly received, in recognition of her son’s bravery and devotion to duty. The Ministry of National Defense also expressed its sincere regret “that your son did not live to receive this award.” The Commander-in-Chief’s Certificate for Good Service reads,
“It has been brought to my notice that you have performed outstanding good service, and shown great devotion to duty, during the campaign in North West Europe. I award you this certificate as a token of my appreciation, and I have given instructions that this shall be noted in your Record of Service.”
The award is signed by Bernard L. Montgomery, Field Marshall, Commander-in-Chief, 21st Army Group.
In July of 1945, Alice Kelly would receive a letter from the Department of National Defence, Army, Estates Branch. Based on her son’s length of qualifying service, she was paid a sum of $190.30 as a War Service Gratuity. The letter also stated that, “We regret to inform you that none of your son’s Personal Effects were recovered at the time of his death.”
In December of 1945, Gerald’s mother would receive another letter from the Department of National Defence, Army. A portion of that letter reads as follows:
Mrs. Alice M. Kelly, 258 Queen Street, Sarnia
Dear Madam,
Information has just been received from overseas that the remains of your son, A106785 Private Gerald Reginald Kelly, have been carefully exhumed from the original place of internment and reverently reburied in grave 4, row A, plot 3, of Adegem Canadian Military Cemetery, Adegem, Belgium. Marked map is enclosed. This is a recognized military burial ground and will receive care and maintenance in perpetuity.
The grave will have been marked with a temporary cross which will be replaced in due course by a permanent headstone suitably inscribed. While it cannot now be stated when this work of permanent commemoration will begin, before any action is taken you will be communicated with and an opportunity will be given you to submit a short personal inscription of your own choice for engraving on the headstone…. Yours faithfully, C.L. Laurin, Colonel, Director of Records
Nineteen year-old Gerald Kelly is buried in Adegem Canadian War Cemetery, Belgium, Grave III.A.4. On Gerald Kelly’s headstone are inscribed the words, He is gone but not forgotten. Thoughts of him are always near.
SOURCES: A, B, C, D, E, F, G, L, N, 2C, 2D, m