Sam Robert James Harnett was born in Alsask, Saskatchewan to William and Mary Harnett. The family of three boys and four girls moved to Fort Frances, Ontario when Sam was young. Sam grew up on the family farm and attended school but like many other young men during the Great Depression, he left before finishing high school to find work.
Sapper John Thomas Love was born in Sunbridge, Ontario, the son of Lewis and Clara Love. He had two sisters. Like many young men during the Great Depression, he left high school early after completing two years when he was 16 years old. He married Alice Alberta Love in 1938 and lived in Barrie, Ontario.
Sapper John Edward Logan was born and brought up in Truro, Nova Scotia, the son of William and Margaret Logan. As was very common at the time, John left school before graduating as soon as he finished Grade IX. He immediately started work and over the years he worked for a time in a sawmill, on a farm, in a warehouse, and for the Canadian National Railway where he was a carpenter. He could drive both a car and a truck, which at the time, was not as common as in the present day. He was married and had one brother and one sister.
Sapper Dieudonné Lucien “Denny” Labarre was born in St-Éphrem d'Upton, Quebec to Edward and Alma La Barre. He had five sisters and one younger brother, Albert who served overseas in the artillery. His parents had moved from Quebec and were operating a family farm in Joyceville, Ontario where Denny did most of his growing up.
|
This is the fourth in a series describing the role of the Royal Canadian Engineers during Operation INFATUATE which lasted from 1 until 8 November 1944. |
|
This is the third in a series describing the role of the Royal Canadian Engineers during the Battle of the Scheldt. Operation VITALITY lasted from 22 until 30 October 1944. |
Lance Corporal John Fredrick Haigh was born in West Runton, Norfolk, England to Joseph Frederick and Gertrude Mary Haigh. The family moved to Canada, but his parents soon separated and he was raised by his mother. He had one brother and four sisters.
Edward Albert Wigham was born at the Isabella Colliery in Blyth, Northumberland, England the son of John and Elizabeth Wigham, of Blyth. He left school in England when he was 13 years old. He had worked as a coal miner in England operating an electric engine before coming to Canada in 1929 with his wife, Lily, and older brother, George. They settled at James River Bridge, near Sundrie, Alberta and began farming on a leased farm.
Neil Arthur Thompson was a native of Halifax NS. He had started high school but left at the age of 17 after the Grade IX to go to work. He married Muriel Eileen Smith on 18 September 1941 and they had a son, Roderick Neil Thompson born in Halifax.
