James Raffan enrolled with the 48th Highlanders (Militia) on 15 September 1936 as a piper in the Pipes and Drums. When war was declared in Sept 1939 Piper Raffin attested for overseas duty with the service number B72740. He trained at No. 1 Canadian Infantry (Rifle) Training Centre (CASF) (Reinforcement Establishment) from 48th Deport CASF) and was taken on strength 48th Highlanders Deport for proceeding overseas to 48th (CASF) as reinforcement, embarking Halifax on 12 May 1940 and disembarking Liverpool on 22 May. Piper Raffin was with the 1st Battalion in England on 13 June 1943 when they embarked for Sicily, landing at Pachino 10 July 1943. Members of the Pipe Band were stretcher-bearers in combat and assigned to a company when not together as a band. Raffan was wounded on 4 October 1943 by mortar shrapnel while with Dog Company on the advance to San Marco. Dileas, our regimental history records: “Captain Counsell ordered the Company into a draw, to await orders for the follow-up into the town. He was in his correct position. The Captain was wounded while he placed the Company, but did not yet go to the R.A.P. The same unlucky shell’s fragments wounded 3 men, with Stretcher-bearer Jim Raffan doing fine work while exposed to the mortars, until wounded himself. Raffan returned to the battalion for the Italian campaign transferring from C. Prov. C. to C.I.C. on 19 February 1944 arriving at the battalion on 7 April. He continued with the battalion for the balance of the Italian campaign, then with the battalion from Italy to France as part of the 1st Division’s move to complete the liberation of Holland.
After the war, James Raffan continued with the 48th Highlanders of Canada reserve battalion in Toronto. He was the last member of the 1st Bn Pipes and Drums to retire. In his civilian career he was a member of the Toronto Metropolitan Police retiring as a Detective Sergeant.
