Lieut W.K. McLurg joined the 2nd Battalion, 48th Highlanders in Toronto and is shown in a 1940 newspaper article as one of the 52 officers of the 2nd Battalion who were training for service in the Second World War. After arriving in the Holding Unit in England, Lt. McLurg joined the 1st Battalion, 48th Highlanders in March 1942. He was appointed a platoon commander in Able Company before the battalion sailed in June 1943 for the landings in Sicily. At Voltura in Italy on 3 October Able Company captured the town with McLurg’s platoon clearing the far slope beyond the town. ON 12 October on the advance to Campobasso, Lt. McLurg’s platoon was the first to reach a crossing of the road to Campobasso with a crossroad. They “flushed a surprised German patrol… but the clash was over so quickly Lt. McLurg complained: ‘I didn’t even get my revolver out.'” Lt. McLurg left the battalion for England on 14 November as part of Operation Pouch, which sent battle experienced officers and NCOsto the Canadian formations still in England and give others battle experience in Italy.