Lind, Brigadier-General John Skeffington Heming

Service Highlights

  • Born November 17, 1908 in Owen Sound, Ontario.
  • Graduate of the Royal Military College and a member of the militia from 1932.
  • Served with the Perth Regiment during the Second World War.
  • Attended Staff College at Camberley, England in 1940.
  • Served as General Staff Officer 1, II Canadian Corps in 1943 and later General Staff Officer 1, 1st Canadian Infantry Division.
  • Returned to command the Perth Regiment in Italy in March 1944.
  • Awarded the Distinguished Service Order for leadership during the crossing of the Liri River in May 1944.
  • Promoted to Acting Brigadier on August 13, 1944. Equivalent to today’s Brigadier-General (BGen)
  • Commanded the 12th Canadian Infantry Brigade in Northwest Europe from August 1944 to March 1945.
  • After the war, resumed his militia and business career in St. Marys, Ontario.
  • Died December 18, 1980 in St. Marys, Ontario.
  • Commemorated through the St. Marys Legion Veterans Banner Program.

A Life and Service Remembered

John Skeffington Heming Lind was born in Owen Sound in 1908 and went on to build a life that combined military service, business, and community leadership. A graduate of the Royal Military College, he joined the militia in the years before the Second World War and developed into one of the most capable officers connected with the Perth Regiment.

Before the regiment went overseas, Lind attended Staff College at Camberley, a sign of the confidence placed in his abilities. During the war he served in senior staff roles with II Canadian Corps and 1st Canadian Infantry Division before returning to command the Perth Regiment in Italy in 1944. There he earned the Distinguished Service Order for his leadership during the Liri River crossing, one of the key actions in the advance against the Hitler Line.

His promotion to brigadier later that year brought even greater responsibility, and he went on to command the 12th Canadian Infantry Brigade in Northwest Europe. After the war, Lind returned to civilian life as a cement company executive and also served on St. Marys town council, remaining closely tied to the community. At this time, his service records are not publicly available, so the exact details of his wartime movements have not yet been confirmed.

Brigadier Lind died in St. Marys on December 18, 1980. He is remembered as a distinguished officer, a community leader, and one of the notable local men whose service reached far beyond their hometown.

Major Battles and Operations

  • Service with the Perth Regiment in Italy
  • Liri Valley and the crossing of the Liri River, 1944
  • Command of the 12th Canadian Infantry Brigade in Northwest Europe, 1944 to 1945

Learn More

Matthew Barrett, Brig. J.S.H. Lind
https://matthewkbarrett.com/2023/11/14/brig-j-s-h-lind/

Generals of World War II, John Skeffington Heming Lind
https://generals.dk/general/Lind/John_Skeffington_Heming/Canada.html