Wall of Service
Column
12
Row
19
Hugh Archibald MacRae was born in Bayfield, Westmorland County, New Brunswick on March 21st, 1912, the youngest son of Norman and Annie (Grant) MacRae. Hugh enlisted in the No. 71 Canadian Army (B) Training Centre, the Canadian Army (Active) at Edmundston, N.B. on the 8th day of October, 1942. He served in Canada, the United Kingdom and Continental Europe, including Holland and France. The two pictures of Hugh in uniform were taken while he was in Holland and the picture of him standing has written on the back, "Hugh Holland". He was discharged under Routine Order 1029 (5c1) to return to civil life upon demobilization, on November 27th, 1946.
In respect of service during the war Hugh earned the Defence Medal, the War Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp. Hugh's Discharge Certificate and membership card in the Beaver Club are shown.
Hugh met his wife, Gwendoline Bicknell MacRae (Column 43, the Sobey Wall of Honour) while in London, England and they were married on May 4th, 1944. A picture taken on their wedding day appears below. They had two children, a daughter Mary Elizabeth MacRae-Belliveau born on April 2nd, 1947 and a son, Thomas Henry MacRae, born May 31st, 1948, both in Halifax, N.S. After leaving Halifax in 1952 the family lived in Bayfield, N.B. until 1966 and then in Moncton, N.B. Hugh was employed as a lobster fisherman and with the Canadian National Railway. Hugh and Gwen were married 54 years until his death on September 5th, 1998. Hugh was a man of few words, a good sense of humor and great kindness. My father spoke only once to me of his service in the Canadian Provost Corps and that was to say it was one of the best experiences in his life.
