2023 - WW2 - Lance Corporal Stuart Johns, DCM (1925-2023) - 22nd Canadian Armoured Regiment

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Musée Canadian Grenadier Guards Museum

Name/Title

2023 - WW2 - Lance Corporal Stuart Johns, DCM (1925-2023) - 22nd Canadian Armoured Regiment

Scope and Content

1925-2023 - Guardsman Stuart Johns, DCM - 22nd Canadian Armoured Regiment OBITUARY Stuart Johns was born February 11, 1925 and was approaching his 99th birthday. Stuart graduated from high school in 1943, and he and two friends walked down to the local armoury and joined up; while many of the high school graduates had opted for the RCAF, Stuart chose the army. Once overseas he was assigned to the Grenadier Guards of the 4th Armoured Division. Stuart and his Sherman tank crew arrived on Juno Beach on July 26, 1944, about 7 weeks after D-Day. They would end up playing a role and seeing their first action in the Canadian operations of early August, Totalise and Tractable. Their tank was knocked out in the advance: Stuart and the crew were temporarily out of the fight, waiting on a recovery effort. After spending time in a tank recovery unit they were back at it, and on the front lines of the Battle of Falaise Pocket, where Stuart managed to take several German prisoners when out on a patrol. Not long after this they pulled off the road along with other tanks and service corps trucks to resupply; while they were there they came under mortar fire and Stuart’s tank commanding officer – Corporal Vern Boudreau – was mortally wounded. The Grenadier Guards and Stuart Johns would follow the path of the Canadian army along the coastline through Belgium and Netherlands, seeing monumental combat in places such as the Scheldt and liberating the Netherlands. At war’s end the Grenadier Guards were in Germany, waiting for the final battles to conclude. The front had stalled at the Kusten Canal, and Lance Corporal Johns was involved in an attack that aimed to break that stalemate. For his heroic efforts Stuart would be awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM), the final chapter in a war that was just about over. Many CGG veterans accompanied LCpl Johns, DCM, LoH on his pilgrimage back to France for the 75th Anniversary of D-Day Commemorations - not only did he win the DCM, he was also entitled to and would have been awarded the LoH by the French Government.

Created By

Lieutenant Michael Hayes-Rivet, retired.

Create Date

October 27, 2025

Updated By

Lieutenant Michael Hayes-Rivet, retired.

Update Date

October 29, 2025