John Ralph Hooper

Island story

John Ralph Hooper was born in 1916 to Lester and Annabell (MacLean) Hooper. Before enlisting on 9 July 1942, he had worked for about six years as a fisherman and about two years at the Trenton Steelworks, and he had militia experience with the 2nd Battalion, Pictou Highlanders. His military training included welding and engineering work, and he served for a period as a sapper and with the Canadian Engineer Reinforcement Unit before transferring to the Lincoln and Welland Regiment in Normandy in September 1944. His final verified service was as Lance Corporal F/79900, Lincoln and Welland Regiment, R.C.I.C. On 26 January 1945, aged 28, he was mortally wounded during Operation ELEPHANT at Kapelsche Veer in the Netherlands. He is buried at Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Grave XVI.A.2. His recorded campaign/service medals were the 1939–1945 Star, France and Germany Star, War Medal 1939–1945, and Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Clasp. On Pictou Island, his parents’ Pioneer Cemetery memorial R2-001 also bears his name; this is Island commemoration, not his burial. MacCallum’s honour-roll list records “R.C.E.T.C.” beside Ralph’s name; that wording is retained as historic remembrance and is not his final regiment.