WW II

Warren Ernest Townsend was born in Ogdensburg, Quebec, the son of Samuel and Sylvia Townsend. He only completed Grade V in school before going to work on a farm and later in a sawmill at La Chute, Quebec.

Robert Fisher was the son of John Joseph and Catherine Hughes Fisher of Montreal. His family of six boys and one girl lived in the St. Urbain neighbourhood of Montreal. He left school at 17 and was working at Harper Dye Works as a steelworker in Montreal when he enlisted in 16^th Field Company, Royal Canadian Engineers, which was being raised in Montreal, on 11 July 1940.

Gordon Macaulay was born in Dundalk, Ontario, son of Angus and Maud Macaulay. His father was a veteran of the First World War.

Gordon grew up in the area of Collingwood, Ontario and left school at age 14 years after completing Grade VIII.  He had worked as a carpenter, cabinet maker, painter and had some auto-electric experience and was working as a carpenter in Kingston, Ontario when he enlisted in Owen Sound, Ontario on 8 October 1942. He was sent to Number 25 Basic Training Centre in Simcoe, Ontario as an infantryman, hoping to join the 48^th Highlanders.

Archie Dagg was born in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, the son of William and Isabella Dagg. He grew up in North Battleford and reeived his schooling at the Connaught School. He had three brothers and four sisters. He enlisted in the 14^th Field Company, Royal Canadian Engineers in Saskatoon on 8 June 1940.

Archie joined his unit at Camp Dundurn, Saskatchewan and in October relocated to Camp Petawawa, Ontario. They boarded a ship in February 1941 and after 14 days on board in Halifax Harbour, set sail for the United Kingdom arriving in Aldershot on 2 March. 

William John McGregor Hunter was born in Killarney, Manitoba, the son of Harry and Kate M. M. Hunter. He was living with his wife in Swan River, Manitoba and employed as a stoker when he enlisted at the Minto Armouries in Winnipeg on 19 September 1939. He was assigned to the 1^st Corps Field Park Company, Royal Canadian Engineers.

Adelbert Edward Clark was born in Thorold Township, Ontario. His father died when he was only seven and his mother, only a few years later. He had been working to support himself since he left school at the age of 14 years. He declared his friend, Orlin Beaucock of Thorold, as his next of kin.

Paul Alcide Bourassa was born in Radville, Saskatchewan to Doria and Antoinette Bourassa. He was living in Mildred, Saskatchewan when he enrolled in the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps in Saskatoon on 20 September 1940.  He was working as a blacksmith at the time.

Captain David Lacy Cowan was born in Guelph, Ontario to William and Edith Cowan. He was trained as an apprentice carpenter when he entered the University of Toronto for a brief time before moving to Winnipeg where he graduated from the School of Architecture at the University of Manitoba in 1934. On his return from Manitoba and as a diversion, he and his brother William built a scale replica of John Galt’s Priory, the first house built in Guelph.  The model has been on display in the Guelph Museum since 1965.

Clifford Henry Wharton was born Barrow-in-Furness, Lancashire in England, one of four children of William and Ruth Wharton.  He completed two years at the Junior Technical School in Barrow-in-Furness and moved to Canada in 1927, settling with his family in Edmonton, Alberta. He was married and working as an auto refinisher and painter at Mills Motors when he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Engineers in Edmonton on 18 September 1939.