Captain Harry William Donaldson Kilgour began his military experience at UTS (University of Toronto Schools – high school) as a cadet in 1937 and 1938 becoming Cadet CSM. At the University of Toronto he joined the COTC from 14 October 1938 to 21 June 1941. He then enlisted in the army reserve on 15 December 1941 as Lt Inf (R), becoming a 2nd Lt on 4 June 42 and a Lt in March 1942. On 13 July having completed his BA he enlisted for overseas duty at No. 2 District Depot. After transferring to Europe he joined the 1st Battalion, 48th Highlanders  in Italy from the X-4 list (Highlanders available for reinforcement) on 17 April 1944., and was made Platoon Commander in Able Company. At this time the battalion was completing its time in the front lines in the Arielli River area. There, his leadership at the Tollo crossroads was noted in our regimental history, Dileas.  Late in the month they began training with the British Churchill tank squadrons. They then moved across Italy to the base of the Liri Valley to advance to the Hitler Line. During this period he was made Information Officer. On 23 May, at the close of day, the battle to create the beachhead in the Adolph Hitler Line in which the 48th had completed alone, and unsupported,  its successful breaching of the Adolph Hitler line on 22/23 May, was declared “Closed” by the War Diary. The “Bn was reinforced with the arrival of Lt. N. B. BELL , Lt. H. W. D. KILGOUR and 22 0. R.’s.”  Dileas on page 580 expands this to “The 24th of May was sunny and a cleanup of the battlefield took place. New draftees, or men who had missed the action but had come forward during the morning, did the work.”

While the battalion was at rest at Piedmonte d’Alife recovering from the Hitler Line battle, the War Diary states: “In the afternoon the C.O. with his acting I.O. Lt HWD Kilgour, Capt. H. McCutcheon who was the infantry IO for the exercise and the S.O. Capt. Roland moved out to the area where the CO was to receive his orders at 1500 hrs. ”The War Diary of July states Lt Kilgour was: “17 July – TEWT on Tank cum Inf. Intercom”. Lt Kilgour left the position of IO in mid July to return to A Company. Lt Kilgour was mentioned again for his leadership in mid August at the Metauro River and again at the Foglia River in the last week of August during the advance through the Gothic Line on the Adriatic side of Italy. (See Attached writeup from Dileas). Subsequently he was wounded, spending time in hospital, and in November 1944 returned to the battalion when they were in reserve south of Rimini.

Lt Kilgour was appointed IO again in early September a position he held through the Lamone River crossing on 10 December, the Lamone to Senio River advance to mid February and, the Ravenna marshes battles until the battalion, with the entire 1st Canadian Division, began their move to Belgium for the final liberation of Holland. Kilgour went in the advance party, embarking from Leghorn, Italy on 9 March 45 to Marseille on 11 March then to Belgium. He remained IO with the battalion for Operation Cannonshot, the liberation of Apeldoorn.

Following the liberation of Apeldoorn in April, 1945, Lt Kilgour was with the battalion “Embarking NWE on 4 Sept 45 for the UK on 5 Sept 45″ as the battalion prepared to come home.

NOK: Mother – Mrs. Florence Mary Dickie, 84 Crescent Road, Toronto (father: Dr. D. M. Dickie)