Army
Medicine Hat, Alberta
Swift Current, Saskatchewan
Died: Feb 6,1945
Commemorated at
Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Holland
Hazen Dean Torrans, born August 4, 1922 at Swift Current, Saskatchewan, completed his education there in 1937. Single, Torrans worked as a labourer for Canadian Pacific Railway at Medicine Hat, Alberta before joining the NRMA at Calgary, Alberta June 22, 1943, later enlisting at Prince Rupert, British Columbia June 22, 1944. Overseas in October 1944, Torrans served with the Royal Canadian Infantry Corps attached to the 1st Battalion, Royal Hamilton Light Infantry of Canada (Wentworth Regiment) (Semper Paratus) as a Private during the Second World War. Landing in North-West Europe in mid-November 1944 with the 4th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadian Infantry Division, the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry took part in Operation Veritable, clearing enemy forces positioned along the Maas and Rhine rivers, from Nijmegen to the Julich-Dusseldorf line. On February 6, 1945, Private Hazen Dean Torrans died of wounds received during the advance along the Siegfried Line in the Rhineland. He is commemorated on the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, The Netherlands. Son of George Gordon and Ada May (nee Willsie) Torrans of Swift Current, Saskatchewan; brother of Mona Ada Josephine, Delia, Edith, Bridget, Terry, George, Jerome, Johanna, Nellie, Helen, Pauli, Emerson (died 1912), Joseph (died 1910), and Private James Torrans (KIA,26 Oct 1944; he was 22 years old. Torrance Lake. Saskatchewan is named in his honour. Citation(s): 1939-1945 Star, France-Germany Star, War Medal 1939-45, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Clasp