"MAY HE REST IN PEACE"
Awarded One Good Conduct Badge on June 27, 1942.
Promoted to the rank of Lance Corporal on June 1, 1944.
Assigned to 2 Drilling Company, 2nd Canadian Corps.
4031400 Lance Corporal W. Barlow, The Devon Regiment (British Army)
I went for a walk into Tournai, Belgium and visited a cafe. There I met another Lance Corporal (whose name I have since discovered was Devereaux) and we decided to have a drink. I noticed he was a Canadian.
We stayed for about a quarter of an hour, decided to visit another cafe over the canal bridge. There we stayed for five minutes or ten minutes and then decided to re-cross the bridge to visit another cafe. It was a very dark night, and we mistook the turning leading to the bridge.
We found another barrier and went forward, still hoping to find the street leading to the bridge. I walked a pace ahead of my companion, and halted, as I had reached a cinder-track. When I stopped my companion passed me on my left, and advanced a couple of paces, and I heard a splash. He had disappeared.
I shouted for help, and received no reply. I then ran to the H.Q. of the C.M.P. and reported the incident. An officer and seral other ranks returned to the spot with me and searched the banks and the water with torches without result.
Lance Corporal Devereaux was not on duty at the time.
He had one brother in the Army, Charles Llyod Devereaux (Overseas).
