WW II

James Ernest Sawdon was born in Winnipeg MB on 17 March 1921. Sawdon’s father was Ernest Sawdon.  James had three brothers; William who was 21, Robert who was 19 and Donald who was the youngest at 18 years of age. His sisters were Marjorie who was 23 and Barbara who was the youngest out of all the children at thirteen.

Sawdon was a truck driver before the war, but he indicated on his employment record sheet he did not desire to return back to driving after he came home from the war.

Alwyn Kenneth Ross was born in Martintown, ON and grew up there. He had four brothers and two half-brothers. He was single, had completed three years of high school and worked as a trucker in the steel construction business before the war.

Leo Lacroix was born on 28 May 1910 in Pentetanguishene ON to Napoleon and Dilma Lacroix. He left school when he was 16. Leo enlisted in Toronto on 5 August 1942. At enrolment, he was working as a marine oiler and fireman for the Patterson Steamship Company aboard one of their ships out of Fort William,ON.

Alfred James Leslie Martin (sometimes known as “Les”) was born on 7 August 1908 in Plymouth, England. He emigrated to Vancouver, BC with his parents Alfred William Martin and Lillian May Martin. The oldest of five children, Alfred was the only boy.

Alfred went to school at Norquay Public School until Grade VIII. At the age of fourteen he gained employment with a candy-maker that lasted for four years. He then began working for Thompson & Clarke, a plywood manufacturer, as Head Tally Man. He worked there for five years before enlisting in the Army.

Arthur Herbert Johnson was born on 2 June 1919 in Port Arthur ON. His parents were Peter and Matilda Johnson of Winnipeg MB.

John Thomas Kellington "Jack" Ferguson was born in Vancouver on 16 August 1912 to Robert and May Ferguson. He left school at the age of 14 and in May 1936 married Elizabeth Mary Mayo of Vernon, BC. When he enlisted on 9 August 1940, he had been working as a welder for the Irrigation Supply Company in Penticton BC for three years. He was posted into the 6^th Field Company RCE on 15 October 1940. He became a father on 12 December 1940 when his son Douglas John was born.

John "Jack" Percival Downing was born in Humboldt, SK on 28 October 1912. He had two brothers and two sisters. He left school at age 16 after two years of high school and worked for six years as a surveyor with the Department of Highways of Ontario before the war.

Harold Nelson Cowan was born into a farming family on 17 June 1918 in the township of South Marysburgh ON. Harold was the son of Harry Albert and Annie Miriam Cowan. He had three brothers, Herbert, Clarence and Charles, along with one sister, Ethel. Harold went to school until the age of thirteen but did not graduate from high school. Cowan, like many other young men in his community, responded to the call for duty. At the time of his enlistment, he was employed by Prince Edward County in Picton, Ontario. He had worked as a road and fence builder for nine seasons.

6^th Field Company, Royal Canadian Engineers

Alexander Bleoo was born on 9 September 1917. He enlisted in the 3^rd Field Company RCE in Ottawa on 19 January 1940. He had a hard time adjusting to military life and was found guilty of several military offences early in his training. However, after his release from His Majesty’s Prison Maidstone his record was almost spotless.