A SHORT MILITARY HISTORY OF K45439 SGT. JOHN A.

(JOCK) MCSTAY

Jock was born in Merritt British Columbia on the 22
nd
March 1924 to Margaret (Madge) MacLeod who drove an ambulance for (FANY) The Female Army
Nursing Yeomanry of the British Army at the front in WWI and John J. McStay who served with the 72
nd
Btn. Of the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada in WWI.
In 1928 the family moved to Vancouver, where Jock attended Charles Dickens Public School and Vancouver Tech. He enlisted in the Seaforth Highlanders of
Canada on the 24
th
April 1942 shortly after his 18
th
Birthday and completed his Basic Training at Camp Vernon in B.C. under command of Col. Seally of famed
Tobin's Tigers (WWI) and left for Halifax that same summer in a group of Seaforth and Can Scots. Reinforcements. While in transit at Camp Debert Nova
Scotia, the group angrily found themselves assigned to the Lake Superior Reg't. (Motor) of the 4
th
Armoured Division & despite the furor on the West Coast,
whose appeals fell on deaf ears in Ottawa. The Fourth Division sailed late the same summer for the United Kingdom. The Division was stationed in the South
and South East of England. As Jock was a Motor Cyclist in civil life, he was made a Dispatch Rider. In the spring of 1943 while instructing on a Motor Cycle
Course, Jock had an accident that put him in the hospital and rehab for a few months. Upon release and in the Transit Depot, Jock learned that a Husky Draft
was being formed for the Mediterranean and the First Division. He managed to wangle himself on to The Husky Draft and landed in Algeria, where the troops
engaged in Patrols and battle training. Soon after they sailed for Italy and Jock rejoined the Seaforths as a D.R.

Jock served in action with the Seaforths until the Savio River Battle when his bike was hit and he had some shrapnel taken out of his hip. Once again Jock
ended up in hospital, not because of the minor shrapnel wound, but because in attending to the hip, the Doctor observed that Jock had Jaundice and Malaria,
so sent him down the line. Once well and in transit at Canada Barracks in Avelino Italy, Jock found himself in the RCR just in time for the Naviglio Canal Mill,
(Gen. Montgomery issued an order forbidding Canadians from referring to Battles or Enemy Engagements as Mills). The first crossing of the Naviglio failed
and Jocks Company of the RCR was purported to be the only unit to take its' objective. They pulled back early next morning and while regrouping Jock
received orders to return to the Seaforths. After the capture of Bangnacavalo the 1
st
Div. wintered on the Senio River Line, patrolling and aggravating the
enemy in every way that could be thought of. In the spring of 1945, the Division left the line secretly for the seaport town of Leghorn, replaced by an Indian
Division of the 8
th
Army. The Division left Italy for Southern France along with the rest of the 1
st
Corps to complete the 1
st
Canadian Army in Europe.

Prior to Jocks' departure from Italy and upon reporting to Major John Basset, the Seaforth B Company Commander, Jock was given a challenge by The Major,
in that he insinuated that it was time for Jock to divorce his beloved motorcycle and the free-wheeling life of a Dispatch Rider, and accept responsibility for
others. This especially, as he had received a very favourable report from the RCR reference Jock and his actions at the Naviglio, and so DR Jock became
Corporal Jock and later Sergeant Jock, just in time for the Divisions first engagement in Northwest Europe. For the Seaforths, including Jock and Ten Platoon
of Baker Company, the first engagement was the assault over the Issel River into the heart of the Netherlands and finally the Seaforths acceptance of the
surrender of the German Army in Amsterdam. There were some fighting patrols after that, as the so-called SS Werewolves were rounded up in various parts of
the Netherlands. The absolute reward for the Regiments' liberation of Amsterdam was the joy and the gratitude of the Dutch people that was just as joyous 65
years later in 2010 when Jock, along with a group of Canadian Veterans and their families returned to the Netherlands to take part in their Liberation
Celebrations.

When the First Canadian Infantry Division returned to the United Kingdom in their preparation for the return to Canada, Jock volunteered for the Canadian
Interim Army, and remained in the United Kingdom on Repatriation Draft Conducting and other CMHQ duties for just over one year, before returning to
Canada and Curry Barracks for Discharge and return to civil life on November 6
th
1946.

Addendum: While serving in the Canadian Interim Army Jock married Miss Dawn Evelyn Mays of England. In March this year they celebrated their 68
th

Wedding Anniversary. They are blessed with three fine Children, Seven Grand Children, and two Great Grandsons.