David John McCready was born in Belfast, Northern Ireland and came to Canada as a 14-year boy in July 1930. He worked as an indentured farm labourer in Ontario before running away and establishing himself in Calgary, Alberta. He soon fell afoul of the law and was charged with manslaughter when a man was killed in a bar fight. He was in Manitoba serving a 21-year sentence in Stoney Mountain Penitentiary when a judge offered to suspend his sentence if he joined the Army during the Second World War. He completed his training in Chilliwack and was posted to the 23rd Field Company in England.
The 23rd Field Company was organized as a unit of the 2nd Canadian Corps Troops Engineers initially stationed in Debert, Nova Scotia, and later, Sussex, New Brunswick. They finally sailed for England in July 1943 to join their Corps who had been without engineers for over a year. for the next year they trained all over England and landed in France on 11 July 1944. Their immediate tasks were clearing rubble and building roads in and around the city of Caen. They build a 150-foot Bailey bridge over the Orne River north of the city and moved forward with the 2nd Canadian Corps over the Seine and into Belgium and Holland, building bridges, clearing mines, opening damaged routes and building new ones. Among their greatest accomplishments was the rescue of airborne troop from the city of Arnhem during which David was awarded to Military Medal.
Shortly after receiving his award, he was congratulated by the honorable Vincent Massey, Canadian High Commission in London:
“May I congratulate you very warmly indeed on the decoration which you have recently received. Canadians everywhere will, I know, be happy that such fine service as you have given has been thus recognized. With all good wishes in which Mrs. Massey joins.”
Sapper David John McCready, MM arrived home in Calgary in August 1945 and was discharged. He served the rest of his sentence on parole. In 1947, he was joined by his war bride, Kathleen Cecelia Murphy, and two daughters who were born in England - two more daughters were born in Canada. He died on 11 November 1995 in Burnaby, BC. He was 80 years old.
On 25 September 1944, 23rd Canadian Field Company was ordered to assist 43 Division Royal Engineers during the night 25/26 September 1944 in the evacuation of 1 British Airborne Troops from the bridgehead which they held on the north bank of the River Neder Rijn just west of Arnhem.
The company moved up from an advanced harbour at Valburg at 1900 hours to an offloading area at Map Reference Sheet, 6 NW/W, 6947, 64, arriving there at 2050 hours to cover any noise which might arise from the movement of vehicles and unloading of equipment within earshot of German troops across the river or on our flanks. The enemy replied to this fire and our operation was under continuous fire from enemy guns, mortars, machine guns and snipers during the whole of the time we were engaged.
The night was pitch black and it rained heavily, with a driving cold wind. Fires started by bombers in the afternoon and by the shelling at night along with flares fired by the enemy served to allow him to observe our movements during the night.
Sapper McCready worked from 2100 hours, 25 September to 0345 hours, 26 September in unloading lorries and carrying storm boats from the marshalling area to launching site approximately 500 yards ahead. After the launching of the last boat he remained on the beach and when a volunteer was asked for to complete a crew for a boat which had just restarted he came forward at one.
The first trip made by this boat nearly came to disaster when the crowd of men who climbed aboard capsized it just off the north shore. The boat was brought ashore, dumped and reloaded. The motor would no longer operate and the craft was paddled to the south shore. Whilst an abandoned storm boat was being recommissioned, Sapper McCready picked up an assault boat and all the paddles he could find. The motor of the abandoned storm boat was finally made to run and the storm boat with the damaged motor in which the previous crossing had been made and the assault boat were taken in tow. Sapper McCready manned the boat with the dud motor. By this time it was becoming light and both boats were under continuous fire from positions on the north bank, but the return trip was accomplished safely.
Knowing full well that the changes of surviving another trip in the increasing light, and the danger of being swamped by overloading, Sapper McCready did not hesitate to return with the two storm boats for another load. They got across safely through the enemy fire and took their loads, Sapper McCready again being in charge of the towed boat. When the motor of the towing storm boat failed to start, he cut loose and got his crew to paddle his boat to the south shore. Progress was slow and the boat was an excellent target for enemy gunners. Only nine of the 25 passengers taken aboard lived to complete the voyage. Sapper McCready did, however, bring these men to land on the south bank of the river. Of these survivors, four were killed in getting from the water's edge over the flood wall. Sapper McCready himself was wounded, but managed to get over the flood wall to safety.