Date of Birth: 06/04/1926

Force: RCAF

Nick was born in China (probably Manchuria) to Russian parents in 1911. He had some early lessons in English at the YMCA in Harbin. The family immigrated to Canada to take up land from the CPR in 1924 and settled originally in the Ponoka area. Nick apprenticed to a butcher and learned English from the butcher’s wife.

The family moved to Spirit River and Nick followed in 1928, finding work with a butcher. He moved to Peace River in 1930 to manage a meat market. There he met Elda Searle, a teacher, and they were married in August, 1932. This was followed by a move to Beaverlodge where Nick opened a butcher shop. Their son, Jack was born in 1936. In 1939, Elda became sick and passed away. This eventually led to Nick selling the business, taking his son to his sister-in-law in Trail, and then enlisting in the Air Force in Calgary (1940 or 1941).

Nick was posted overseas in England, Belgium, France, Holland, Germany and Denmark. He was commissioned overseas and worked as an interpreter for the Russian Air Force, the RAF and the RCAF. Nick claims to have spoken seven languages including Cree. He was discharged when he returned to Canada in 1946.

Nick returned to Beaverlodge where he again opened a butcher shop. He married Eleanor Jarvis in 1947 and had four more children.

Source: Beaverlodge to the Rockies, p.221

Date of Birth: September 1914

Signaller

• Signallers Left for Edmonton

Date of Birth: 15/03/1920

• War Brides Collection
• Nellis Wedding Photograph
• Home on Leave

Date of Birth: 21/04/1927
Regimental Number: RCASC
Rank: Corporal
Branch: Army

Date of Birth: 05/09/1923
Branch: Calgary Highlanders
Rank: Private

Enlisted May 1941

• Home on Leave

(March 4, 1925 – October 15, 2004)
Growing Up in Grande Prairie
Robert Ernest (Ernie) Nelson was born on March 4, 1925 in Grande Prairie and had four brothers; two older and two younger. The Nelson family lived in the Forbes House, a provincial historic site in Grande Prairie, from 1936 to 1947. Ernie’s father, Isaac Nelson, co-owned the Nelson & Archibald General Store where Ernie spent some of his summers working. As a child, he attended Montrose Elementary Public School and then went on to attend the Grande Prairie High School.

Air Force Training and Postings (1942-1944)
At the age of 17, Ernie Nelson (R212423) decided to join the Air Force and trained to become a rear gunner. Once overseas, he had advanced training. He was posted to 429 (Canadian) Squadron, stationed at Leeming, Yorkshire.
Ernie’s Last Operation (Nov 21, 1944)
Just before leaving on his last operation, on November 20, 1944, Ernie received his promotion to Pilot Officer (J92597). The next day, Halifax # MZ377 left the base in Leeming, England, at 15.46 hours for a raid on Castrop-Rauxel, located in the Ruhr Valley, 5 miles north west of Dortmund, Germany. The target was the oil refinery. After climbing to 18,000 feet, they set course, went over London, crossed the channel and French coast. Two minutes from the target, at 19.30 hours, over Langenburg, Germany, they were illuminated by a single searchlight. A night fighter, directly underneath, spotted them and opened fire.
Ernie, the rear gunner, opened fire and the enemy aircraft, a JU-88, burst into flames above and to starboard. They continued on to the target. After releasing the bombs, the pilot gave the order to bale out. Ernie turned in his seat, opened the door and jumped out. The aircraft went completely out of control. The port wing dropped off at the root. The pilot, hearing no response from the crew, looked into the nose to see an opened parachute. The crew could not get out. At 400 to 500 feet, the aircraft went onto its back.
The pilot was thrown out and landed less than 50 feet from the plane, badly burned. The plane exploded over a house in Langenberg, Germany and landed in the garden. The house is still standing today, in 2005. The bomber burned fiercely upon impact, killing the remaining crew members trapped inside. Ernie broke a bone in his foot when he landed. He became a Prisoner of War (PoW no. 1254) at Stalag Luft VII (Bankau) and remained a PoW until the end of the war. Ernie returned to Grande Prairie and died in Edmonton on October 15, 2004.

Date of Birth: 14/12/1920
Branch: Royal Canadian Army Service Corps
Rank: Captain

Frank was born Born Dec 1923 at St Thomas Ontario. Regimental #A105718, Unit 2 Medium RCA. Enlisted July 1942. Discharged Feb 1946. Served Canada, England, Italy and NW Europe.

Rank: Private Service No:M/104929 Regiment/Service: Canadian Scottish Regiment, R.C.I.C.
Date of Death:18/02/1945 Age:28
Notes: Son of Paul and Annie Newman, of Grande Prairie, Alberta.

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Service Number: M66416
Branch: Royal Canadian Ordinance Corps.
Date of Enlistment: 9 Oct. 1941
Lived in Grande Prairie with wife Irene
Source: A Lumberjack Remembers

Regimental #M17171. Unit PROVOT Corp. Born April 6 1918 at Clairmont. Enlisted April 3 1940, Discharged Aug 1 1945. Served in Canada England NW Europe. Died May 24, 1986 at Grande Prairie. Filed in Township 79-26-W5, 1959.

• Recruits Join the Colors

Pioneer Round-Up p.654

Pioneer Round-Up p.654

From Sexsmith

• On Leave

Date of Birth: 12/06/1909

Born 1923. Died in Watino 1946, buried in Burnsland Cemetery, Calgary.

.

• Recruits Join the Colors

Rank: Private
Enlisted: April 1941
Served in the Service Corps in England.

• On Leave

Branch: Army
Enlisted: Feb. 1941
Died in 1963, age 46.
Lived in Valhalla, attended Molde School.

• Wounded

Served in WWII, from Valhalla.

• Hawkesworth Family fonds 633

Source: Chepi Sepe p. 711

Birth Date: 28 Jan 1919
Birth Place: Wembley, Alberta
Residence: Pipestone Creek, Alberta
Service Number: M38504
Force: Army
Regiment Canadian Scottish Regiment, R.C.I.C.
Rank: Private
Killed in Action: 6 Jun 1944

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Notes: 79-26-W5, 1959

Notes: 79-24-W5, 1951

Source: Beaverlodge High Year Book 1947-48 p.26

Source: Beaverlodge High Year Book 1947-48 p.26

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• Recruits Join the Colors

Date of Birth: 23/09/1919

Date of Birth: 1900

Notes: s1/2-11-80-8-W6, 1-1-63, VH Lease

Date of Birth: 16/11/1925

Branch: RCAF
Head filing clerk Currie Barracks, Calgary

• In the Army

Fourth Division
Branch: RCASC

• Sister in the Army

Source: Pioneer Round-Up pg. 100

For King and Country poster in Wembley

Date of Birth: 1918

Date of Birth: 1917

Date of Birth: 22/04/1917

For King and Country poster in Wembley

For King and Country poster in Wembley

For King and Country poster in Wembley

Born Oct 5, 1917 Drumheller, Alta. Enlisted Feb 1941. Unit 1st Medion RECT RCA. Served in Canada, England, Italy, NW Europe, invasion of Sicily. Discharged Jan 1946. Charter member of the Eaglesham Legion, Sept 8 1947. Filed in Township 77-26-W5, 1947. Died June 8, 1980 Burial Eaglesham RC Cemetary.

Paul Paziuk was born in Wayne, Alberta May 1, 1919, Round Hill, AB. Enlisted June 1942. Regimental #M102574. Disharged Nov 1943. Served in Canada and England. Charter Member of the Eaglesham Legion, Sept 8 1947. Filed in Township 77-26-W5, 1946.

Date of Birth: 20 Mar 1901
Place of Birth: Port Daniel, Quebec, Canada
Residence: Grande Prairie, Alberta
Service Number: M55560
Force: Army
Regiment: Seaforth Highlanders of Canada
Rank: Private
Killed in Action: 14 Dec 1944

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission

AC2
Branch: RCAF

• Takes Toll of Nazi Raiders

Regimental Number: M35491

Date of Birth: 31 Jan 1924
Birth Place: Grande Prairie, Alberta
Residence: Heart Valley, Alberta
Service Number: J90560
Force: Air
Regiment: Royal Canadian Air Force
Rank: Pilot Officer

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission

.

• Recruits Join the Colors

For King and Country poster in Wembley

Notes: 79-24-W5, 1951

Enlisted: January 1942
Served in Italy, Sicily & the Western Front.

• On Leave

Birth Date: 31 Mar 1923
Birth Place: Grande Prairie, Alberta
Residence: DeBolt, Alberta
Service Number: M104148
Force: Army
Regiment: Lord Strathcona's Horse (Royal Canadians), R.C.A.C.
Rank: Trooper
Killed n Action: 24 May 1944

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Date of Birth: 1918

• War Brides Collection fonds 259
• Photograph

Source: Pioneer Round-Up pg. 100

Source: Pioneer Round-Up pg. 100

Source: Pioneer Round-Up pg. 100

Rank: Flight Sergeant
Enlisted: March 1943

• Double Jinx Fails to Stop Alberta Flier

Date of Birth: 28 Nov 1916
Birth Place: Winnipeg, Man.
Residence: Grande Prairie, Alta
Service Number: J42806
Force: Air
Regiment: Royal Canadian Air Force
Rank: Flying Officer

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Born:
April 25, 1918 Sexsmith, Alberta
Enlistment:
May 29, 1941 Edmonton, AlbertaService Number:
R/105745
Age:
25
Force:
Air Force
Unit:
Royal Canadian Air Force
Division:
405 Sqdn.

Date of Birth: May 12, 1922
Place of Birth: Sexsmith
Enlistment:
November 3, 1942 Edmonton, Alberta
Regimental Number: J/91050
Force: Air Force
Unit: Royal Canadian Air Force
Division: 425 Sqdn.
Killed In Action: April 24, 1944
Brother Charles was killed in action in 1943.

Place of Birth: Silverwood, Alberta
Enlistment: 1940
Force: Army
Branch: Calgary Tankers
Taken by the Germans and was a prisoner of war for four years.

• War Brides Collection
• Poirier Wedding Photograph

Source: Smoky River to Grande Prairie pg. 422

• Five Sons in Army

Source: Beaverlodge High Year Book 1947-48 p.26

Ralph was born in Oklahoma in August, 1908. He came to Canada with his parents in 1909. They settled at Beaverlodge and he attended school here. In 1932 he married Kathleen Clarke. They had a son and a daughter.
On April 1, 1944 he enlisted in the navy as a Shpt. 4th Class. He was serving on board the mine sweeper Esquimalt when it was torpedoed, just outside of Halifax, at 6 a.m. April 16, 1945. The ship sank so quickly that none of the sleeping day crew was saved.
Source: Beaverlodge High Year Book 1947-48 p.26

Rank: Shipwright Service No: V/87252 Date of Regiment/Service: Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve H.M.C.S. Esquimalt
Death:16/04/1945 Age:36
Notes: Son of Clarence O. and Mina R. Pool, of Beaverlodge, Alberta; husband of Kathleen E. Pool, of Edmonton, Alberta.

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Source: Beaverlodge High Year Book 1947-48 p.26

Canadian Dental Corps

• In London

Rene was born May 27, 1918. Enlisted Dec 5, 1941. Regimental #M39501 Discharged May 1945. Served Canada England and NW Europe. Wounded.
Died Dec 10 1968.

Regimental #M67419. Born Aug 9, 1909. Enlisted Edmonton Reg. Dec ?. Served Canada, England, Italy NW France. Filed in Township 79-24-W5, 1954. Died Oct 9 1978.

Date of Enlistment: June 2, 1941
Age at Enlistment: 24
Place of Enlistment: Calgary
Hometown: Clarkson Valley
Occupation: Farmer, mechanic
Regiment: Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve
Regimental Number: V13912
Rank: Chief Petty Officer
Force: Royal Canadian Navy
Postings: North Atlantic, North Sea, Dieppe, England
Date of Discharge: October 18, 1945

Date of Birth: January 27, 1917
Place of Birth: Botha, Alberta
Date of Marriage: September 14, 1946
Place of Marriage: Grande Prairie United Church
Spouse: Carmella Viola Rossi (Camie)
Date of Death: March 28, 2003
Place of Death: Edmonton
Cemetery: Lake View Cemetery, Stettler, AB

Sources: Vickie Lynne Potter (daughter); Royal Canadian Navy documents; Province of Alberta (birth, marriage, death certificates)

Notes: Settled in Clarkson Valley, AB on SE 31-70-25-W5
Spent 643 days "on the high seas"
Holds the Dieppe Bar - awarded to those who participated in the Dieppe Raid on August 19, 1942 and is worn on the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal Ribbon, plus other medals

.

• Leaves to Join

Sports and news commentator for radio station CFGP in Grande Prairie.

• Join Signals in Edmonton

From Grande Prairie

• List of Recruits

For King and Country poster in Wembley

Date of Birth: 07/04/1922

Source: Pioneer Round-Up pg. 100

Source: Pioneer Round-Up pg. 100

Source: Pioneer Round-Up pg. 100

Owned Regal Show Store in Grande Prairie
d.1966
Source: Wagon Trails Grown Over pg. 322

• Sexsmith Boys Send-Off

Branch: Airforce
Lived in Vancouver
Source: Wagon Trails Grown Over pg. 322

Branch: RCAF

.

• Recruits Join the Colors

Notes: 77-25-W5, 1946

Notes: 78-24-W5, 1947

Date of Birth: 29/03/1914

Date of Birth: 8 Nov 1920
Place of Birth: Corbridge, Aberdeenshire, Scotland
Residence: Clairmont
Regimental Number: M17199
Branch: Army
Regiment: Loyal Edmonton Regiment, R.C.I.C.
Rank: Lance Corporal
Next of Kin: Mother Sarah Purves
Killed in Action: 16 Dec 44

• Recruits Join the Colors
• Commonwealth War Graves Commission

From Kleskun Hill joins the Calgary HIghlanders 1939.

• Joines Calgary Highlanders

Date of Birth: 1 Nov 1922
Birth Place: Grande Prairie, Alberta
Residence: Edmonton, Alberta
Service Number: J85912
Force: Air
Regiment: Royal Canadian Air Force
Rank: Pilot Officer

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Date of Birth: 30 May 1921
Birth Place: Grande Prairie, Alberta
Residence: Vancouver, B. C.
Service Number: J95546
Force: Air
Regiment: Royal Canadian Air Force
Rank: Pilot Officer

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Date of Birth: 1918

Enlisted: May 1942

• On Leave

Date of Birth: 1934

Date of Birth: 01/01/1919
Notes: T 78-26-W5, 1946

Date of Birth: April 1923
Notes: T 78-26-W5, 1946

Enlistment Date: 1940

• Joins Army

Enlistment Date: 1940

• Joins Army

b.1917

• Arnold's Obituary

Killed in Action

Date of Birth: 18/05/1915
Killed in Action

Branch: Air Force
Married Art Dryer

• Vi in Uniform
• War Brides Collection
• War Brides Arrive

Join RCASC

• Remple Brothers Join the Colors

Join RCASC

• Remple Brothers Join the Colors

Join RCASC

• Remple Brothers Join the Colors

Member of the first contingent from Grande Prairie, D Company, C.A.S.F.

• Enjoying Army Life
• List of Recruits
• Diary of Crossing the Atlantic

Date of Birth: 14/05/1917

Date of Birth: 20/08/1918

For King and Country poster in Wembley

Birth Date: 29 Dec 1893
Birthplace: Gateshead, Durham, England
Residence: Wembley, Alberta
Service Number: M56288
Branch: Veterans Guard of Canada
Killed in Action: 14 Dec 1945
Notes: Served in WWI with the Northumberland Huzzar's 19 Sept 1914 - 18 Apr 1919 Service Number: 270202

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission

For King and Country poster in Wembley

For King and Country poster in Wembley

For King and Country poster in Wembley
Lake Saskatoon Reflections pg. 200

Lake Sasktoon Reflections pg. 201

For King and Country poster in Wembley

For King and Country poster in Wembley

Place of Birth: Stanley, Wisconsin, USA
Date of Birth: 26/11/1889
Branch: Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps; Veteran Guard, Grande Prairie
Notes: NE 24-72-3 W6; SE 12-72-3 W6

Killed in Action

Date of Birth: 24/05/1923

Date of Birth: 1917

• Given his Wings

Edmonton Regiment
Served in Italy
Rank: Capt.

• Recruits Visit Family While on Leave
• Serving in Italy

Edmonton Regiment
Injured in Italy

• On Leave (1940)
• Wounded

Rank: Cpl.
Serving in Britain

• Serving in Italy

.

• On Leave

In 1944, Percy enlisted as a Private in the Canadian Army. He was discharged in 1946 with the rank of Lieutenant Corporal. He returned to Huallen to farm and work on the family farm.

• Fonds 058 Percy D. Romkey fonds

Date of Birth: 19/11/1911
Rank: Pilot OfficerTrade: Flt Engr. Service No:160504
Killed in Action: 22/ Jan 1944
Service: Royal Air Force 427 (R.C.A.F.) Sqdn

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Worked for the Canadian Intelligence Service.
Was in the Air Force in WWI.
Source: Pioneer Round-Up p687

Served with the American Medical Corps in North Africa and Italy.
Source: Pioneer Round-up p688

Rank: Private
Service No: M/105982 Regiment/Service:Royal Hamilton Light Infantry, R.C.I.C.
Date of Death: 12/08/1944 Age: 21
Notes: Son of Patrick and Lucie M. Rooney, of Grande Prairie, Alberta

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission

.

• Recruits Join the Colors

Place of Birth: Tain, Rossshire, Scotland
Date of Death: Sept. 10, 1979

Source: Obituary, Lake Saskatoon Reflections pg. 202,
For King and Country poster in Wembley

• Headstone in Grande Prairie Cemetery

Date of Birth: 27 Nov 1913
Place of Birth: Fearn, Rosshire, Scotland
Residence: Dysart, Saskatchewan, Canada
Service number: L35138
Force: Army
Regiment: Royal Canadian Artillery
Rank: Sergeant
Death Date: 13 Sep 1944
Wife - Dorothy Ross

Source: Lake Saskatoon Reflections pg. 202,
For King and Country poster in Wembley

• Canada War Graves Commission

Source: Lake Saskatoon Reflections pg. 202,
For King and Country poster in Wembley

Signaller

• Signallers Left for Edmonton

Source: Lake Saskatoon Reflections pg. 202,
For King and Country poster in Wembley

Date of Death: October 13, 1949
Source: Lake Saskatoon Reflections pg. 202, Alexander Ross' (her father's) obituary,
For King and Country poster in Wembley

Source: Lake Saskatoon Reflections pg.202,
For King and Country poster in Wembley

Date of Birth: 1912
Place of Birth: Wynyard, Saskatchewan
Lived in the Northmark district.
Married: Sarah Geffin April 9, 1941.
Norman served in Italy, Sicily and Belgium on the front lines. He was attached to the first Armoured Tank Corp out of Calgary and was in the 2nd landing to hit the beaches of Sicily, the first wave was wiped out. Norman served as a truck driver and a foot soldier.
Norman died December 20, 1982 and is buried in the Grande Prairie Cemetery.

• Grande Prairie Cemetery

From Grande Prairie

• List of Recruits

Date of Birth: 5 Dec 1920
Birth Place: Lethbridge, Alberta
Residence: Grande Prairie, Alberta
Service Number: J5292
Force: Air
Regiment: Royal Canadian Air Force
Rank: Pilot Officer
Killed in Action: 1942

• Joins RCAF
• Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• Killed in Action

Daniel Rycroft was born in Spirit River on October 24, 1924 to Helen and Robert Henry Rycroft. In 1928 the family left the area to eventually reside in Smoky Heights where Danny took all of his school. In November 1942, shortly after his eighteenth birthday, he enlisted in the RCAF. He was on duty overseas in 1944 when he was reported missing in action. A month later his mother received news that he was alive. His plane had been forced down but he had bailed out and had been taken in by a French family. The French underground were able to assist his return to England where he was hospitalized for a fractured spine and ribs. After returning home, he married Violet Spry in May 1945. They raised a family of six children: Loraine, Greg, Bill, Neil, Jean, and Jack. Danny became a grain buyer for National Grain Co. and then Alberta Wheat Pool for eighteen years. In 1974 he went to work for the County of Grande Prairie. Danny Rycroft died on April 13, 2011.

• Fonds 292 Danny Rycroft fonds

Date of Birth: 13/10/1919