WW II

Colin Stephen Murphy was born on 24 September 1919 in Glace Bay, NS, to James and Mary Murphy. He grew up in a large family of six sisters and five brothers.

Sapper George Hodgson was born in Easington, Durham, England to William and Mary Hodgson.  His family immigrated to Canada in 1927 and settled in Tawatinaw, Alberta. He had been working as a logger in Edson, AB when he enlisted directly into the Royal Canadian Engineers at A6 Canadian Engineer Training Centre in Camp Chilliwack, BC on 21 December 1942. He immediately received a qualification as a Motor Transport Driver and shortly afterwards qualified as a Group ‘C’ Engine Hand.

Clifford Joseph O'Brien was born in Bathurst, NB, the son of Mr and Mrs William O’Brien.  He had two brothers and four sisters.

Yalmore Joseph Huneault was born in Ottawa, Ontario, the son of John and Valeda Huneault. He grew up in a big family, six sisters and one brother. He was working as a truck driver when he enlisted on 19 January 1940.

Yalmore was posted directly to the Royal Canadian Engineers and trained at Engineer Training Centre in Halifax, NS. Upon completing training in Halifax he was posted to the 3^rd Field Company, a local Ottawa unit, and left almost immediately for the UK, landing in Liverpool on 22 May. He was soon granted trades pay as a Bricklayer's Helper Group ‘C’.

Christopher Alfred Heard was born in Sedgewick, AB to William Daniel and Viola Heard. His family left Alberta and moved to Riverside, California when he was an infant. Christopher had two brothers, one of whom served overseas with the Canadian Army, and two sisters.

Allan Joseph McPhee was born to John and Sarah McPhee in Glace Bay, NS. He joined the 3^rd Fortress (E&M) Company, Royal Canadian Engineers, a Non-Permanent Active Militia unit in Sydney, NS on 10 July 1939. The unit was mobilized and Allan transferred to the Canadian Army Active Force in October 1939. In January 1940, Allan was posted to the 1^st Field Company in Halifax and then on to the UK arriving on 9 February 1940. He was appointed to Lance Corporal in March.

Sapper Raymond William Giesen was born in Radville Saskatchewan, the son of Herman and Emma Giesen.  He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Engineers on 14 October 1941 in Calgary and completed his basic training in Camrose, AB. From January until June 1943, he was employed at the internment camp in Seebe, AB that housed 650 prisoners of war, mostly from the German Afrika Korps captured by the British 8^th Army in North Africa.

Sapper Vern Henry Emery was born in Wallaceburg, Ontario, the son of Henry and Mary Emery. He was working as a farm worker when he enrolled in the Royal Canadian Engineers on 6 August 1940 in London, Ontario. He arrived at A5 Canadian Engineer Training Centre in Petawawa for basic training a week later and trained there until embarking for the United Kingdom, arriving in Scotland on 28 February 1941.

John Krysowaty was born in Hubbard SK to Polish-Austrian immigrants John and Tilly Krysowaty. He had 11 brothers and sisters. He enlisted in Saskatoon SK on 26 April 1941 stating he was a farmer and logger.  He was living in Davidson SK at the time and intended to return there after the war.

Sapper Robert John Ellis was born and raised in Toronto ON, the son of Alfred Joseph and Emily Bertha Ellis.  He was working as a box cutter at the Canadian Wirebound Box Company when he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Engineers on 18 May 1942.  He has some prior service in the 56^th Field Battery, a Royal Canadian Artillery militia unit.