WW II

Richard Douglas Blaine was born in Campden, ON in 1913 to William and Ella May Blaine. He was a carpenter, working in Vineland, ON when he enlisted in the Canadian Army (Active Force) on 18 June 1941, in Hamilton.  He qualified as a Group 'B' carpenter and was posted to 7 Construction Company in Petawawa.

In May of 1942, he married Olive Paquette in Toronto and was sent to the UK a month later for more training. In October he was posted to the 10^th Field Squadron and travelled with them to Naples, Italy in November, 1943.

Sapper Denis Rutter came from Calgary, AB where he attended St Mary’s Boys School. He was the son of Thomas B. and Winifred Rutter.

Before enlisting in the Canadian Army in September 1939, Denis worked in Bragg Creek, AB. After completing basic engineer training, he arrived in England in May 1940. He was then trained as a dispatch rider and took part in many exercises.

Gerald Hawkins was born in Lloydminster, SK in 1910, the son of Francis Herbert and Olive Hawkins.  He grew up in Lloydminster and had completed public school (Grade VIII). He later moved to Edmonton, Alberta and worked as a plumber’s helper for the H Farris Company.  He was married to Florence May Hawkins when he enlisted in July 1941.

Cyril Freeman was born in 1909 in Parkland, Devon, England.  He enlisted in the Canadian Army on 28 May 1940 in Calgary stating that he was a truck driver by trade and that his next of kin was his wife Jessie Freeman.

John Charles Bailey was born in 1918 to American immigrant parents, John Wesley Bailey and Euretta Bailey, who homesteaded southwest of Baljennie, SK.  John was working as a farmer and blacksmith apprentice when he registered for Home Defence duties under the National Resources Mobilization Act in early January 1941. He quickly opted to transferred to the active force in Saskatoon and was assigned to the Royal Canadian Engineers. 

Sapper Edmund John Williams was the son of Florence E. Williams of Westward Ho, Alberta.

Sapper Douglas Lewis was the son of William George and Mary Gabell of New Waterford, NS.

Arthur William Haley was born to Thomas and Grace Haley in Middleton, NS.  He a carpenter residing in Halifax but employed as a creamer/butter maker with J.D. MacKenzie in  Middleton when he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Engineers on 23 July 1940, in Halifax.  His brother served in the Royal Canadian Navy.

No. 1 Drilling Company was actually formed in Italy in March 1944 by re-naming No. 1 Tunnelling Company shortly after arriving from England.  Major Taylor had been with the unit since its initial formation and took its tunnelling sections to Gibraltar in 1941.

Sapper Kenneth Glover was born in Strathmore, AB, the son of Henry Thomas Glover and of Janet Louise Glover. He was raised in Calgary where he attended Colonel Walker and Western Canada High Schools. He joined the Canadian Army in September 1939 and went overseas with the Royal Canadian Engineers the following year.  By Christmas 1943, he was serving in Italy and would have seen action at Ortona and later on the Hitler Line.

He is buried in the Monteccio Commonwealth War Cemetery.  He was 25 years old when he was killed.