Regimental Number: L103231
Ludwick “Lud” Wilson was born in Manitoba on October 31, 1920. He enlisted in the Army on November 30, 1942 at Regina, Saskatchewan. While training there, he met Bertha M. Waddell in January 1943. Once Lud was discharged on demobilization on January 28, 1946 at Regina, he returned home and married Bertha on April 29, 1946. Lud served in Canada, United Kingdom and Continental Europe. Private Ludwick Wilson received the France and Germany Star and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp. They lived in Bracken, Saskatchewan where Lud and his older brother, Frank, owned and operated a garage. A son, Terry Ludwick was born on February 25, 1947 followed by two more sons; Garry Grant on March 23, 1948 and Kenneth Michael on September 29, 1949.
In 1949, Lud and Bertha rented the farm of Lud’s father and had a complete crop failure. They subsequently purchased land of their own; however, after they had seven years of being hailed-out, they looked into purchasing property elsewhere. The opportunities were promising in Alberta; therefore in January 1962, they purchased Floyd Hillerud’s land (SE & NE 23-72-4-W6) in the Kleskun Hills area near Bezanson.
In April 1962, the Wilsons left Bracken, Saskatchewan with a loaded semi-truck and pickup and arrived at Calgary the first day, Valleyview the next and finally Kleskun Hills on day three. As they had brought their cattle with them; they soon realized that they needed more land; particularly land with water access. In January 1963, the Wilson’s moved to the Fred Vinet place (SE 15-73-3-W6) that was located across the road from the Fitzsimmons School. Frank Kochalyk assisted the family with the move and stayed with them for a few years while he worked on their farm. Power was added to the property in 1963. The boys attended school at Bezanson and Grande Prairie.
The Wilsons sold their land to the Peel brothers in 1973 and moved to Grande Prairie where Lud became a Real Estate Agent – an industry he worked in until his retirement.
Bertha passed away in 1992, Lud in 2007; both were buried at the Grande Prairie Cemetery.
Contributed by Wanda Zenner
Sources:
Smoky River to Grande Prairie History Book
Interview with Joan Wilson (Lud Wilson’s daughter-in-law)
Interview with Tracey Brochu (granddaughter)