WW II

Michael Dusyk was born in Montmartre, Saskatchewan, the son of John and Eva Dusyk. He grew up on his parents farming homestead southeast of Montmartre. His mother tongue was Ukrainian. As a farm boy, he did not complete high school as was common in those times. His preference in the army was infantry.

Ralph Francis Richardson was born in in Kelvington, SK, the son of Norman L. and Jean D. Richardson. He was working as a truck driver in Strafford, ON, when he enlisted in the Canadian Army on 22 July 1940. He was initially trained as an infantryman and posted to the Highland Light Infantry of Canada. Lance Corporal Richardson arrived in England in July 1941 with the HLI.

Thomas Gervais was born in Montreal, the son of Henry and Annie Gervais.  He father died when he was only two years old. He had been working three years for the Houdie Silk Company in Montreal as an operator when he enlisted.

Lloyd Chute was born to Murray and Emma Chute in Bridgetown, Nova Scotia.  He was raised in Bridgewater and completed Grade X before starting work on the family farm. He was an athletic young man, well-liked, musical and of above-average learning ability.

Ernest Edwin Ellis was born in Vancouver, British Columbia to George Edward and Hannah Ellis. He was trained and employed as a sign painter when he enlisted in Vancouver in August 1940. At the time of his enlistment, he stated his wishes to join the Merchant Marine and eventually become a commercial salmon fisherman.

Francis Davidson Cooper was born in Cutknife, Saskatchewan, the son of Isaac and Mabel Cooper, of Kincardine, Ontario. He grew up in Kincardine, Ontario. He had taken a three-month course at the Ontario Argricultural College in Guelph. He was a farmer by trade and after his father died, inherited the family farm. 

James Stonehouse was born in D'Arcy SK, the son of Spencer and May Stonehouse of Gravenhurst, ON, the sixth of seven children. James lived in D’Arcy for eight years before the family moved to Gravenhurst, Ontario to continue farming and where James completed public school (Grade VIII).  Before joining the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps in February 1941, he worked as a truck driver for Bryer's Dairy in Gravenhurst and enlisted as a driver/rations storeman at Camp Borden, ON.  He qualified as a Driver Class III in July.

Harry Stephenson was born in Nelson, British Columbia to Charles and Hannah Stephenson. He grew up and lived in Kilkerran, BC and was employed as a gasoline motor engineer at the time of his enlistment in July 1940 in Dawson Creek, BC. He was assigned to the 10^th Field Squadron, Royal Canadian Engineers and sent to their home station in Lethbridge, Alberta and then to Camp Petawawa in September to start his sapper training. 

​Leslie George Smith was born in Aldina, Leask Township, Saskatchewan to William George and Ethel Smith. He served briefly in the Militia before enlisting in the Royal Canadian Engineers in Saskatoon in January 1941.  He was a farmer at the time.

Leslie trained at A6 Engineer Training Centre in Camp Dundurn, Saskatchewan until September 1941 when he was sent to Camp Petawawa, Ontario with the 9^th Field Company. He had qualified as a Blacksmith Group ‘B’ in March 1942 and qualified at Group ‘C’ the following year.