This Remembrance Day, Queen’s remembers Cpl. Stanley Clark Fields, 5^th Field Company - Royal Canadian Engineers veteran of the Second World War and the D-Day landings at Normandy.

The 5^th Field Company was originally formed in April 1910, by the School of Mining Engineering at Queen’s. Initially made up of Queen’s students, professors, and staff, it later welcomed other members and went on to serve with distinction in the First World War. The unit was once again deployed during the Second World War, at which time Cpl. Fields joined.

Together with his comrades, Cpl. Fields landed on Juno Beach early in the morning of June 6, 1944. The soldiers of the 5^th Field Company cleared the assault beach of underwater obstacles and mines at H-Hour. They advanced with the Canadian Corps through France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany.   

Queen’s was honoured to welcome Cpl. Fields to campus on Remembrance Day 2017, for the unveiling of the Queen’s Remembers plinth, which commemorates the 5^th Field Company. He also led a wreath laying in the Memorial Room of the John Deutsch University Centre (JDUC), in which the 351 names of the Queen’s fallen from both world wars are listed.

Those who were privileged to meet Cpl. Fields on that day were touched by his wit and warmth. He was gracious with those who wished to learn from him, despite the painful memories that might have been evoked.

“Queen’s Engineering is very proud of our military history, and in particular of our role in forming the 5^th Field Company,” says Kevin Deluzio, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Applied Science. “Therefore, it was a real pleasure and an honour to meet Cpl. Fields and his family during our Remembrance Day ceremony a few years ago. His presence that day reminded me of the personal nature of the sacrifices that have been made by the men and women who served our country.”

Later in life, Cpl. Fields was one of the founders of the 5th Field Company RCE Veterans, through which he and his comrades maintained their bonds well into this century. Cpl. Stanley Clark Fields died peacefully at the Perley & Rideau Veterans Health Centre on April 11, 2020, at the age of 101.  

We will remember him.