Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
William was born on May 21, 1897 in Perth, Scotland. He was educated in Scotland and completed his senior matriculation in 1915. From 1915 to 1922, William served with the Imperial Army and the Regular Indian Army in Mesopotamia (1916), the North-West Frontier (1920-21) and Iraq (1920). As well in 1918, he attended Officer’s Staff College in Bangalore, India. He spoke Hindustani and held a Supervisor’s Certificate in a Machine Gun Course, Physical Training and Army Signaling.
William married Madeleine Prosper and they had four children: William Jr., Dorothy, Joyce and Evelyn. The Storm family immigrated to Canada in 1922. On April 9, 1923, William filed a homestead application on SW 23-72-4-W6. On February 4, 1924, he filed another homestead application this time on SW 25-72-4-W6 and received the patent on both properties in 1927. William farmed until 1928 when he moved his family to Grande Prairie and subsequently became employed as the Secretary Treasurer of the Grande Prairie Municipality. He also opened his own Real Estate Business which he successfully operated until he enlisted in the Army on June 12, 1940 with the Veteran’s Home Guard C.A.S.F. William was stationed at various locations across Canada from Calgary, Fort Henry (Ontario), Camp X Neys (Ontario), Trail (BC), Sea Island, Medicine Hat, Lethbridge, Moose Jaw (Saskatchewan), New Westminster (BC), Seebee (Alberta), Edmonton, Camp Petawawa, North Bay and Halifax where he was in command of guarding military installation points and internment camps along with providing escort services of POW’s to the United Kingdom. Lieutenant-Colonel William Storm served in Canada and the High Seas and received the War Medal 1939-45 and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp. He was discharged on demobilization on November 20, 1946. William had volunteered for the Pacific Theatre of Operations; however due to age, his application was denied.
The Storms eventually moved to Victoria, BC and retired. Madeleine passed away in 1985. William passed away on June 11, 1987 in Victoria and was cremated.
Contributed by Wanda Zenner
Sources:
Smoky River to Grande Prairie
Service File
news clippings