B73917 Pte, Dockray, Robert Bruce, born in Brantford, Ontario enlisted in early 1940 for overseas duty with the 48th Highlanders of Canada. Following training he embarked in Halifax with 48th Highlanders reinforcements from Halifax on 12 May 1940 sailed to the UK, disembarking at Liverpool on 22 May and joined the 1st Bn. He was assigned to B Company.
He was attached to 1 Cdn Div W.T & P.T Camp for 21 July to 1 August 1941. He became “Qualified Driver” on 12 December. From 23 January to 20 February Pte Dockray was at CMHQ Course 1047, Ser. 9 (D&M) and Qualified Class II, Group “D”. In January 1943 he received Tradesman rate of pay as Dvr Mech Gp “C” and was made A/L/Cpl, then A/Cpl on 2 March, then confirmed Cpl on 3 June.
With the battalion, Cpl Dockray embarked in Gourock, Scotland on the Troopship Derbyshire and landed on the beaches at Pachino, Sicily on 10 July 1943. Cpl Dockray remained with the battalion through the Sicilian Campaign, the crossing of the Straits of Messina into Italy, the advance to Campobasso, the outflanking of Ortona in Dec 43, the Hitler Line breaching in May 44, the Gothic Line battles and the Lamone River crossing in December 1944. The battalion and the 1st Canadian Division left Italy on 12 March 1945, landing at Marseilles then travelling to Belgium with the assignment to complete the liberation of The Netherlands. Cpl Dockray was with the advance party departing 7 March from Leghorn, Italy to Marseille on 9 March.
When the battalion was in Belgium, then the Reichswald Forest, preparing for the advance into the Netherlands, Dockray received 9 days leave from 25 March to 2 April, returning to the battalion for Operation Cannonshot, the liberation of Apeldoorn (12 to 17 April). The 1st Division and the 48th Highlanders went out of battle on 25 April, having negotiated a truce with the German commander to allow food to be brought to the starving Dutch population. The German General had stated he would flood the country if a truce was not agreed.
On 1 May, Cpl Dockray left the battalion and was placed on the X—8 List (Troops to be sent to the UK) on Rotational Leave No. 6. There are no records of Cpl Dockray thereafter, suggesting he was one of the many Highlanders sent home to Canada before the regiment, who would depart in September. His long service, for the entire Sicilian, Italian and Netherlands campaigns, a feat accomplished by few, would have earned him a priority for return.
NOK: wife: Mrs. B. Dockray, 1734 Dundas St. W., Apt. 3, Toronto
A donation has been made in memory and honour of Cpl Robert Bruce Dockray by his granddaughters.
