Bill Wilson, one of Canada’s last surviving World War veterans, dies at 101

Bill Wilson, one of Canada’s last surviving World War II veterans, has passed away at the age of 101. According to a social media post from Veterans Affairs Canada, Wilson died on Monday. Born in Manitoba in 1924, he served in the Royal Canadian Navy during the war and participated in the historic D-Day landings on June 6, 1944, on the beaches of Normandy. Wilson's military career included service aboard the HMCS Ottawa, a key vessel in the Allied campaign. During the D-Day operation, which marked the beginning of the end of the Second World War, he witnessed firsthand the intense combat conditions. In a 2015 interview with Valour Canada, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving Canadian military history, Wilson described the chaos and violence of the day. He recalled how his unit had no understanding of the scale of the operation, referred to as Operation Overlord. “We really weren’t quite sure what we were going to see,” he said. The invasion involved nearly 160,000 Allied troops, including approximately 14,000 Canadians, and caught German defenses off guard. The D-Day landings resulted in heavy casualties. A total of 4,414 Allied troops, including 381 Canadians, were killed on June 6, 1944. By the end of the 77-day Battle of Normandy, over 73,000 Allied forces had been killed, and more than 153,000 were wounded. Despite the devastation, Wilson regarded the day as a turning point. “I think (D-Day) was the best day of the war for the world,” he told Valour Canada. “We did free all of Europe, and Canada was there. For a little nation like ours, it still amazes me.” After the war, Wilson continued his service in the Royal Canadian Navy. He joined the naval reserve following the war’s end and remained active until retiring in 1979. His dedication to the navy extended beyond his military years. He played a role in establishing the Naval Museum of Alberta and The Military Museums in Calgary. These institutions serve as vital resources for preserving the history and experiences of Canadian servicemen. In recent years, Wilson remained engaged with historical commemorations. He traveled to Normandy in 2019 to mark the 75th anniversary of the D-Day landings and attended the 80th anniversary commemorations in 2024. His presence at these events underscored his enduring connection to the war and its legacy. At the 2019 ceremony, he walked the very beaches where he once fought, a poignant moment captured in photographs shared widely online. HMCS Tecumseh, the Naval Reserve unit where Wilson spent much of his later years, honored his contributions in a social media post. It noted that Wilson reflected on his time in the navy with “clarity, humility and pride.” The post emphasized the value of listening to and learning from individuals like Wilson, whose stories help preserve the memory of past conflicts for future generations. Wilson is survived by his wife, Phyllis, and their children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren. His passing marks the loss of one of the few remaining living witnesses to the pivotal moments of World War II. As of 2025, Veterans Affairs Canada estimates that only 3,691 Canadian veterans of the Second World War remain alive. With Wilson’s death, the number of living survivors continues to dwindle, making his legacy even more significant.