This photo, taken in August 1944, in Normandy, shows Lance Sergeant Earl H. McAllister (Hamilton, Ontario), a Canadian hero who single-handedly captured dozens of German soldiers at St. Lambert-sur-Dives, France.
Earl McAllister of the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada inspects a captured P08 Luger pistol on a knocked out German battery near Abbeville, France.
Just before going overseas, he told his parents: "Either I come back a hero or I won't come back at all". During the Battle of Normandy, Earl displayed outstanding courage and became a legend when he captured dozens of German soldiers by himself.
Two months later, on October 20, 1944, Earl was fighting in Belgium when one of his comrades was wounded by enemy fire. Without hesitation, he rushed to his aid, but as he approached, he was shot and killed by a German sniper.
Shortly before his death, Earl started writing a letter which was found in his pocket.
This letter said:
"The worst thing we have to contend with is the infernal darkness when we're on patrol and can't see our hand in front of our face, let alone where we are walking".
McAllister is now resting in peace at the Bergen-op-Zoom Canadian War Cemetery in the Netherlands.