Toward Life's Sunset | Canadian Military Engineers

A Memoir by J. Ralph DeCoste

Author

J. Ralph DeCoste

My memoire, "Toward Life's Sunset," includes my family history, my military career including service in Korea and later years; my married life of over 63 years with Eva (Besse) DeCoste, my military career and my civilian career with the Government of BC Coroner Service.

I wrote the book "Toward Life's Sunset" to be a story of love for my wife and our family; to show my affection for the Royal Canadian Engineers of the Canadian Army; for the Koreans I met during service in the Korean War and the Armistice; the Korean Community of Chilliwack and Greater Vancouver BC; the military people of Germany and the United Kingdom I have met and the German civilians I met in Bonn, Germany and surrounding areas.

I wrote about my volunteer work with Korea Veterans of Canada Inc. (KVA Canada) as Unit 24 President in Chilliwack BC, Regional President for Western Canada and National First Vice President; the work with the community of Chilliwack and Greater Vancouver BC; and my induction as an Honorary Member of the Korean Veterans of Canada, Western Canada Chapter, Vancouver BC.

The book will appeal to those with an interest in Canadian life and especially to those with a military curiosity. Those who were or are in the Royal Canadian Engineers/Canadian Military Engineers should also enjoy reading it. It will also be of interest to those from my birthplace - Charlottetown PEI, my former classmates and friends of the City, the military veterans in Ottawa ON, the residents of Chilliwack and the Greater Vancouver Korean Community, my friends in the Western Canada Chapter of the Korean Veterans of Canada who are Korean Citizens now residing in Vancouver BC.

The book should be of interest to those with an interest in Canadian life and especially to those with a military curiosity. Those who were or are in the Royal Canadian Engineers/Canadian Military Engineers should also enjoy reading it. My book should also be of interest to the residents of Chilliwack and the Greater Vancouver Korean Community, my friends in the Western Canada Chapter of the Korean Veterans of Canada who are Korean Citizens now residing in Vancouver BC. It will also be of interest to those from my birthplace - Charlottetown PEI, my former classmates and friends of that city.

The book can be purchased on Amazon.ca for $39.42 Canadian Dollars that includes shipping and handling if shipped within Canada. It can also be purchased on Amazon.com for a cost of $30.95 US Dollars.

*NOTE:* To search for the book on these sites please search for "Toward Life's Sunset by J. Ralph De Coste''. Don't forget the apostrophe and to leave a space between De and Coste (as in “De Coste” ) or the book will not come up.

Some books can be purchased in Chilliwack for a reduced cost of $25 with local pick-up. Please make email arrangements with "depowfamily@gmail.com".

If you wish an autographed copy, please email "depowfamily@gmail.com" for arrangements.

About the Author

Ralph De Coste was one of five children born in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, and times were challenging. His mother was a loving woman who tried to keep her siblings together. She married Ralph's father at age 16. From an early age Ralph delivered morning papers, became a telegraph messenger and a clerk. As a boy he was an altar server in the Catholic Church, an army cadet, and quit school in grade 10.

Heading to the beach one day he saw a sign that said "Join the Canadian Army". He enlisted and served over 35 years in the Royal Canadian Engineers (RCE). He trained in Petawawa, at the Royal Canadian School of Military Engineering (RCSME) in Chilliwack and then in Wainwright. He sailed on a troop ship to Korea and served in the Korean War and then the Armistice of July 27, 1953. He was favourably impressed with the South Korean people while in Korea and enjoyed a lifelong friendship with them.

Serving with the RCE, he was posted to Camp Chilliwack in 1954 where he met and married Eva Besse, the love of his life! The adventures continued with the birth of their five children and postings all across Canada. While working and being a very busy father, Ralph studied correspondence courses and graduated from high school. He taught army engineers at Chilliwack and was commissioned from ranks. He later served on a NATO committee in Germany for over 8 years. He became an Engineering Technologist in BC. He joined the Korean War Veterans Association of Canada (KVA Inc.) and served at the Unit, Provincial and National levels. He retired from the military as a Major in 1986.

He worked as a Coroner for over 7 years with the Province of BC which proved to be another challenging and interesting experience. After fully retiring, Ralph and Eva enjoyed years of travel to many countries around the world and met many Canadian, German and Korean friends. He continues his involvement with the RCE, the Annual Retired Sapper's Reunions and KVA Canada Inc. Since Eva's death in 2017, Ralph continues to keep busy spending time with his family and many valued friends as he travels "Toward Life's Sunset".