Lieutenant-Colonel Syl McKinnon
Cape Breton Highlanders

Major McKinnon caught the enemy force by surprise and completely overran their positions, thus clearing the centre line and enabling the advance to continue. Major MacKinnon’s powers of leadership have won high praise from his commanders and his personal courage has many times inspired his men to succeed in the most difficult of tasks.

(D.S.O. citation, 1944)

Born in Sydney, Nova Scotia on 22 October 1918, Sylvester McKinnon received a commission in Canada and went overseas as a reinforcement officer in 1943. He transferred to Cape Breton Highlanders, serving throughout the Italian and Northwest Europe campaigns. In June 1945, he succeeded Lieutenant-Colonel R.B. Somerville, who had becoming acting command of the 11th Infantry Brigade. After two Montreal colonels had commanded the Highlanders in battle it was fitting that a native Cape Bretoner would lead the troops home to Nova Scotia in January 1946.

In November 1945, McKinnon received the Distinguished Service Order particularly for his leadership as a company commander at Lamone River in December 1944, San Alberto in January 1945 and Arnhem in April 1945.

After demobilization, he earned a law degree from Dalhousie University and moved to Alberta, where he worked as a lawyer and businessman for forty years. He died in Calgary on 1 October 1991.

CBH veteran and Dalhousie Law School classmate Judge Joe McIntyre eulogized his former commanding officer for the regimental association:

Syl’s many brave deeds while he was with the Battalion were recognized when he received the Distinguished Service Order for gallantry. He was a take charge guy, with sound judgement, and was always able to get necessary things done quickly and well. He will long be remembered by all of us.

(CBH Association Newsletter, 1991, 4)