WWII Surnames L-M

Date of Birth: 20/04/1911

"Dan" Lightfoot Regimental #M39960. Born Mar. 10, 1917 Dillon Montana, USA. Enlisted Feb 2 1943 Discharged Feb 2, 1946. Served Canada.

Regimental #M63310. Born Oct 23 1916 in Closteasher, England. Enlisted Jan 29, 1941 in Edmonton, Discharge Sept 29, 1945 in Calgary. Unit 83 Coy RCASC 1st
Armoured Brigade. Served England, Italy, NE Europe.

Born in Legal, Alta. March 7 1921, Enlisted July 16, 1942. Regimental #M102562 Postal Corp. Discharge Jan 9, 1946. Served Canada, England and NW Europe.

Date of Birth: 11/11/1916

Date of Birth: 30 Nov 1919
Place of Birth: Grande Prairie, Alberta.
Service Number M65415.
Force: Army
Regiment: Calgary Highlanders, R.C.I.C.
Rank: Private
Killed in Action: July 19,1944.
Served in Caen, France.

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Regimental Number: 57343

Helmer Larson was born on November 9, 1890 in Minnesota, USA and raised on the family farm. His sister, Sophia, had married Gustaf Boe also of Minnesota. When the Boe’s decided to move to Northern Alberta in 1930 after hearing about the possibility of land ownership by means of homestead applications, Helmer decided to join them on the trip. Gustaf, Sophia along with their nine children were also accompanied by the Lenes’, Welander’s, A. Lind and Art Lindberg. There were five cars on the trip; two Whilly’s Whippets, a 1928 Chev and two Model T Fords. It was a very wet year and the trip was often hindered by ferries that could not operate due to high waters. They had to stay in Athabasca for nearly a week as the road from High Prairie to McLennan was impassable. At that point, they decided to ship the cars by rail to Peace River and finally on to Grande Prairie. The adventurous party finally arrived in DeBolt three weeks later and lived in a tent until a log home could be built. Helmer filed a homestead application on NE-35-72-1-W6 on October 9, 1930 and was established on the land in May 1931. He received the patent in May of 1937. The first winter in Alberta, Helmer and Elmer Boe worked for a company that cut the right-of-way from Valleyview to High Prairie.

On September 2, 1942, Helmer enlisted with the 30th Coy Veterans Guard of Canada at Grande Prairie. He was sent to Edmonton for training followed by transfers for guard duties to Winnipeg, Medicine Hat, Moose Jaw, Sea Island (BC), Lethbridge and New Westminster, BC. Helmer was discharged on demobilization at Calgary on July 25, 1945. Private Helmer Larson served in Canada and received the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and the 1939-45 War Medal. Helmer had served in WWI in the US.

Helmer returned to his farm in DeBolt. He eventually sold his homestead quarter of land and purchased a ¼ section of land west of McKinley’s who lived north of Highway 43 on the golf course road. He was an excellent horseman and spent several winters driving a four-up team for Elbert DeBolt hauling logs to the Bickle-DeBolt Sawmill. Helmer resided on his farm until he passed away in 1960 and was buried at the DeBolt Cemetery.

Contributed by Wanda Zenner

Sources:
Across the Smoky
Service File

For King and Country poster in Wembley

Date of Birth: 16/04/1911

Regimental Number: W309342
Rank: Leading Aircraft Woman

Emily, born on October 25, 1922 at Sexsmith, was the 2nd oldest of John and Tillie Marek’s six children; Rudolph, Emily, Robert, John Jr., Marjorie and Bette. The Marek family moved to the Twilight District in 1928 where Emily and her siblings attended the Twilight One-Room School. After completing Grade 9, Emily attended St. Joseph’s High School in Grande Prairie. She loved sports and played on the Twilight Ladies Softball Team.

On January 5, 1943, Emily enlisted with the Royal Canadian Air Force (Women’s Division) and was stationed at Ottawa, Ontario; Trenton, Ontario, Comox, BC and Vancouver, BC. She handled shipments of airplane parts for repair. Emily earned the prestigious position of back-catcher on the Jeracho Flyers Ball Team. The team would fly to Vancouver Island and various places in the US to play. On leave in 1945 while on spring leave, Emily hitchhiked from Vancouver down the west coast of U.S.A. to Mexico and back up through Arizona, Nevada, Utah and eventually arrived at Calgary. She was discharged on August 13, 1945 in Calgary and returned to Grande Prairie. Leading Aircraft Woman Emilia Marek received the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal.

Once back in Grande Prairie, Emily implemented the first taxi business in Canada that was owned and operated by a woman. Her business, Marek’s Taxi, was even featured in the Service Magazine “The Maple Leaf” which was published in London. Emily, being very determined to succeed in her business, drove through snow and or mud covered roads but none of the conditions daunted her. During one of her call-outs, she picked up a young serviceman by the name of Roger LaValley whom she eventually married on July 21, 1948.

The young couple purchased a house in the Hythe area and moved it to NE 19-72-2-W6 (old Portier place) in the Bezanson area. Roger and Emily had eight children; Duane, Arne, Mona, Gregg and Grant, Rosalie, Judy and Mark. Roger and Emily subsequently purchased Lloyd Nellis’ property and lived in the log house on the property that was original built by the Calliou family in 1916. The farm expanded to include a large herd of beef cattle with the cattle being herded a distance of 55 miles to a lease across the Smoky and Puskwaskau Rivers – an endeavor that usually lasted three to four days.

After Roger passed away in 1974, Emily continued to reside on the farm until all the children had completed their education and moved out on their own. She then moved to Grande Prairie where she resided until she passed away on September 6, 2014 and was buried at the Grande Prairie Cemetery next to her husband Roger.

Contributed by Wanda Zenner

Sources:
Smoky River to Grande Prairie
Military section provided by Emily’s daughter, Rosalie (LaValley) Cissell
Service Record provided by Emily’s son, Duane LaValley

• Emily's Obituary

Regimental Number: M562676 (Army); R150575 (Air Force)
Rank: Leading Aircraftman

Roger, born on April 6, 1919, was the 2nd oldest of Thomas and Elizabeth (nee Baker) LaValley’s five children; Allie, Roger, Lorna, Irene, Vernon. The senior LaValley’s moved from International Falls, Minnesota to Grande Prairie in 1917. Thomas quickly found employment and while living there, a daughter Allie was born. Homestead land was applied for in the Rio Grande District; however, the family did not stay long and moved back to Grande Prairie where Thomas again found employment. Shortly after Roger was born, Thomas filed an application for a homestead in the Bezanson area. Over the next four years, the family resided in Grande Prairie until Thomas had land cleared and broke and had a frame house built along with a log barn.

Roger, along with his siblings, attended the Lindsay One-Room School and worked on the family farm and for neighbors. He also spent one summer fighting fires at Blueberry Mountain.

In November 1940, Roger enrolled with the Army (NPAM) and underwent two months of basic training in Grande Prairie with the 2nd Edmonton Regiment (Regimental # M562676). He completed the training on January 2, 1941. On January 8, 1942, Roger enlisted with the Royal Canadian Air Force in Edmonton. He was then stationed on the West Coast of BC at the 3rd Repair Depot. Roger was transferred to Tofino, BC to help build a new base. After which Roger went overseas and spent the remainder of his war service on the European Continent. Roger had said that he spent a lot of time peeling potatoes. It wasn’t until years later that his family learned that he delivered messages to the frontlines on a motorcycle. Other duties included bomb armourer and service police. Roger sent money home to his parents which they saved for him thus enabling him to purchase a ¼ section of land on the banks of the Smoky River. Roger was discharged on demobilization and arrived home on his mother’s birthday. He was officially discharged on April 2, 1946 in Calgary after spending five years in the war. LAC Roger LaValley received the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp, 1939-45 Star, Defence Medal, France and Germany Star.

He spent the following summer attending rodeos around Pincher Creek. Once he returned home to Bezanson, he along with several others held the first unrecorded Bezanson Stampede. Music was always a big part of the LaValley household and Roger joined Ford’s Orchestra. During that time, he met and subsequently married Emily Marek on July 21, 1948. Roger moved a house from Hythe and the young couple set-up residence on NE 19-72-2-W6 at Bezanson (the old Porier place). Roger and Emily had eight children, Duane, Arne, Mona, Gregg, Grant, Rosalie, Judy and Mark. Roger and Emily purchased Lloyd Nellis’ property and lived in the log house that was original built by the Calliou family in 1916. The farm expanded to include a large herd of beef cattle with the cattle being herded to a lease across the Smoky and Puskwaskau Rivers - a distance of 55 miles and encompassed three to four days.

Roger passed away on November 18, 1974 and was buried at the Grande Prairie Cemetery.

Contributed by Wanda Zenner

Sources:
Smoky River to Grande Prairie
Military section by Roger’s daughter, Rosalie (LaValley) Cissell
Service file provided by Roger’s son Duane LaValley

Regimental Number: M59215
Rank: Lance Corporal

Jack Laverick was born in 1916 in Whitby Yorkshire, England. One of two sons and four sisters to Richard and Annie Laverick. He took schooling to grade 8 in England and also worked farming and in the coal mines as a miners helper. At the age of 14, him and two sisters followed his dad and older brother George to the Peace country where they had already come to and settled in 1928.

In February 1941 at the age of 25 Jack joined the army in Calgary, he was then sent to Camp Borden. Before going overseas Jack was sent on many trips across Canada escorting POW’s by train to the West Coast.

In Nov. 1941 Jack embarked at Halifax and sailed to Liverpool. He then spent 3 years in the U.K. in the #9 Provost Coy employed as a L/CPL spending time in France, Germany, Italy, Belgium and Holland. He spent a lot of his time dispatching messages by motorbike. While stationed in the U.K Jack was able to take several leaves and visit his family who lived there.

Jack was awarded the 1939-45 star, France & Germany star, Defense Medal, CVSM & Clasp and War Medal 1939-45. He was later discharged February 21, 1946.

Jack returned from the war in 1946, soon to buy NE 35-72-3-W6 where he built his home. He homesteaded SW 13-73-3-W6 and eventually bought the adjoining quarter NW 13-73-3-W6.

Jack met Molly Ethel (Walker) and they were married May 11, 1951. They settled in their home and within the next 5 years had 3 children: Dorothy (Grotkowski) 1953, Tom 1954 and Howard 1956.

Over the years Jack worked in sawmills as a faller and also spent some time in the oil patch. Many winters the family spent time living in camp with Jack. George Steven and Pete Kebalo were two of the men Jack logged for. When Dorothy was out of school age, Molly and the family stayed home and Jack only spent a few more winters away and soon stayed home as well.

The family did mixed farming, grew grain, raised livestock and put up hay, many summers were spent on the homestead land picking roots. All the family was involved in helping numerous chores on the farm. In later years after retirement, Jack enjoyed the garden and was proud of the beautiful produce that was harvested and also the bountiful raspberry patch.

Some relatives came from England and visited and in 1983 Jack and Molly made the trip over to visit them.

Over the years Jack and Molly had seven grandchildren added to their family which brought much joy to them both.

Jack remained on the farm until his passing in 1985 and Molly still survives and is living in a lodge in Grande Prairie. Jack was buried in the Glen Leslie Cemetery and was also a member of the West Smoky Legion Branch #244.

Written by Tom and Janet Laverick

• Glen Leslie Cemetery

Date of Birth: 26/08/1918

Bill was born in Quebec, June 29, 1920. After graduating from Grade 12, he attended Edmonton Normal 1939-40. He taught one year ay Annellen.
In 1941 he enlisted in the army, spending two years in the Dental Corps. In May, 1943, he was taking part in a raid on Munster when his plane was shot down. Bill's many friends will always remember his quick wit, obliging nature and dramatic ability.
Source: Beaverlodge High Year Book 1947-48 p.25
Beaverlodge to the Rockies p25

Birth Place: Danville, Quebec
Residence: Beaverlodge, Alberta
Service Number: J42183
Force: Air
Regiment: Royal Canadian Air Force
Rank: Flying Officer
Killed in Action: March 25, 1945
Notes: Son of Harold R. and Evelyn I. Lay, of Beaverlodge, Alberta, Canada.

• Commonwealt War Graves Commission
• Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Regimental Number: M-17575
Rank: Sapper

Cecil was born on April 9, 1905 to Harbert Barnard Lebbell and Selina Hannah (nee Houchen) Lebbell in Wayland, Norfolk, England. He had an older sister, Gladys and two younger brothers, Stanley and Graham. By 1919, Cecil had completed nine years of school and went to work as a brush factory employee for two years. He then, worked for various farmers in England from 1921 – 1923. Cecil decided to immigrate to Canada in 1923 and again worked as a farm labourer in Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta.

Cecil eventually decided to move to the Peace District and filed a homestead application on SW 22-73-2-W6 on October 8, 1928 in an area of Bezanson known as Fitzsimmons. The property was very overgrown with trees; however, a fire swept the area in October which left the land relatively clear. Cecil cleared the remaining trees by axe and then broke the land with a team of horses. In 1929, a log cabin was built on the north-west corner of the property adjacent to cabins owned by Dexter Wagner and Mr. and Mrs. Soloman Graham. As such, the little area became affectionately known as “Punkin Center”.

On June 23, 1940, Cecil enlisted with the Royal Canadian Army, Edmonton Regiment, 18 Canadian Field Corp, in Grande Prairie. He was transferred to Edmonton for basic training followed by advanced training in Calgary. In May, 1941, Cecil successfully completed courses to become a Qualified Carpenter & Joiner “Group B”. In June, he was attached to the RCETC at Dundurn, Saskatchewan. Cecil was sent to Valcartier, Quebec followed by Halifax where he embarked for the United Kingdom on January 25, 1942. On June 3, 1944 Cecil embarked for France where he spent the following year. He arrived back in the United Kingdom on July 15, 1945. Sapper Cecil Bernard Lebbell served in Canada, the United Kingdom and Continental Europe and received the 1939 – 45 Star, France & Germany Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-45 and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal & Clasp. He was discharged on demobilization on October 4, 1945 at Calgary.
Cecil received the patent on his land in 1942. Once discharged, he returned to his homestead. He eventually sold his land and moved to Clairmont, Alberta. Cecil subsequently retired and divided his time between living in England and Grande Prairie.

Contributed by Wanda Zenner

Sources:
Service File
Smoky River to Grande Prairie

Date of Birth: 08/06/1912
Notes: 79-24-W5, 1951

Date of Birth: 30/07/1918

Regimental # M605530. Enlisted Dec 30 1942, Discharged Feb 14 1946. Served Canada. Filed in Township 77-25-W5, 1946. Died July 14, 1974.

Date of Birth: 31/03/1914

Date of Birth: 29/09/1921

d. Sept 9, 1970 in Beaverlodge, Alberta

• Alfred's obituary

Rank: Trooper
Service No: M/27254 Regiment/Service: Calgary Regiment, R.C.A.C.
Date of Death: 24/08/1945 Age: 45
Notes: Son of Mr. and Mrs. J. J. Lewis, of West Selkirk, Manitoba; husband of Jennie Lewis, of Grande Prairie.

• Common Wealth war Graves Commission

Regiment: Canadian Scottish
Force: Army
Sources: Legion Album

• War Brides Collection
• Lightfoot Wedding Photograph

Date of Birth: 23/11/1915
Regimental Number: R76543

Source: Beaverlodge High Year Book 1947-48 p.26
Beaverlodge to the Rockies p123

Source: Beaverlodge High Year Book 1947-48 p.26
Beaverlodge to the Rockies p123

Source: Beaverlodge High Year Book 1947-48 p.26
Beaverlodge to the Rockies p123

Date of Birth: 1914

Date of Birth: 1923

Date of Birth: 21/08/1918

Date of Birth: 13/07/1912

For King and Country poster in Wembley

For King and Country poster in Wembley

Rank: Private
Service No: M/102498
Regiment/Service: Canadian Scottish Regiment, R.C.I.C.
Date of Death: 16/07/1944 Age: 29
Notes: Son of John and Sarah J. Logan; husband of Julia E. Logan, of Grande Prairie, Alberta.

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Date of Birth: 1913

Lived near Elmworth and worked as a farmer, trapper and a guide.

• Grace Longson fonds

Branch: Edmonton Fusilliers
Lived in Two Rivers

• Rejoins Unit

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

Rank: Private

Second youngest child of Robert Alexander Love (farmer of Irish ancestry) and Sarah Jane Love (nee Harris - teacher of British ancestry), Elliott Alexander Love was born on October 10, 1917 on the family farm near Boissevain, Manitoba, the only boy among 5 sisters whom he loved visiting throughout his life after they married (Betty Ford-Bezanson; Ruth Hilton-Edmonton; Florence Kent-Winnipeg/Kelowna; Muriel Lea-Red Deer and Phyllis Whittall-Port Alberni). Elliott was adored by his sisters due to his work ethic, kindness and very funny low-key gentle sense of humor. The family worked three quarter sections in Boissevain, MB, for many years before Elliott’s dad, Alex, made enough money trading on the Winnipeg Grain Exchange to move the entire Love family to Winnipeg in 1929 where, for a brief period, the family traded the toils of the farming life for a life of relative leisure in the big city where Elliott had a job delivering groceries on a three wheeled bicycle for the Wiggly Piggly grocery store. Alex was a daily fixture at the Winnipeg Grain Exchange before the October crash of 1929 caused him and countless others to lose everything. Too proud to return to farm in Boissevain or return to his birth community in Morden, MB, chagrined Alex packed the family and 12-year-old Elliott up to return to farming anew, buying three quarters from Tom Rice near Bezanson, AB. Elliott left school in grade 8 to work full time on the farm.

After volunteering to serve in WWll on June 24/40, Elliott undertook basic training before being granted temporary harvest leave on August 25/40 to bring in farm crops. There he suffered a wound to his foot chopping firewood and a case of gangrene necessitated that his leg be amputated in September of 1940 before a planned army posting overseas. He was subsequently discharged as physically unfit for military service on March 3, 1941. After being hospitalized in Peace River, he spent several years convalescing before finding work he could physically handle, which would have been difficult having left school young to work on the family farm, the only occupation he had known. He enrolled in a Radio & Electronics course in Calgary from which he graduated in 1945. 1946 found him working in Kelowna, BC, for the insurance firm Whillis and Gaddes (Dr. Gaddes was a war veteran from Saskatchewan). While living in Grandma Bains Rooming House he met his future wife, Grace Gudrun Olafson, who had also moved to Kelowna from Winnipeg in 1946 after giving up her job to returning WWII servicemen, taking a secretarial job at BC Tree Fruits in Kelowna at age 24. Grace was impressed with Elliott because he was very self-sufficient and could not only cook, but ironed his own clothes. No big deal for a self-sufficient farm boy of that era!

Elliott and Grace married in 1947 and they first lived in one of the small cottages behind the Willow Inn in Kelowna before buying their first home on Leon Avenue in about 1949, then into a bigger home on Water Street in 1954 with their two children (Barbara – August/50; Robert – January/54).

Grace was a Winnipeg born city girl of Icelandic heritage and she encouraged Elliott to take night school courses to become an accountant so he could work in an office environment. Elliott graduated as an RIA (Registered Industrial Accountant) and, in 1956, moved his family to Penticton, BC, to work in the regional Federal Income Taxation office. He was also a member of the Rotary service group. In 1965, Elliott took a promotion to work in Ottawa where the family lived in the Elmvale Acres neighborhood until 1970, when they transferred to North Vancouver for Elliott to be the new Chief of the Source Deductions department, then located on Georgia Street in downtown Vancouver. His wife Grace was delighted with the move as she had 4 brothers living in the Vancouver area at that time.

The family took many summer vacations driving from both Penticton or Ottawa to visit both Bezanson, AB and Elliott’s farm birthplace outside Boissevain, MB, as well as trips to Winnipeg and Gimli, MB where Grace’s Icelandic family holidayed.

Elliott retired from Revenue Canada in 1979 after a successful 33-year career in the public service. In his late 50’s, Elliott decided to pursue a hobby making stained glass lamps, ornaments and windows and for years he was a regular with his sales booth at the many Christmas craft fairs in North and West Vancouver - a hobby that he continued in his little shop at his home on Colwood Drive in North Vancouver where he lived happily for 34 years well into his 90’s.

From about 2002 until 2011, Elliott faithfully made daily trips to see Grace at Capilano Care Home in West Vancouver where she lived with Alzheimer’s disease until her passing on Dec 31/11, having being married to Elliott for 64 years. Elliott also lived briefly at Capilano Care Home from mid 2011 until his passing on November 19/12.

Liked and respected by everyone, Elliott was typical of farm bred boys who worked hard, helped others, was loyal to friends & family, remained ever optimistic and maintained a wicked but respectful sense of humor throughout his life. He never lost the habit of getting to bed early, rising early and staying busy most days. He always had a sense of wonder about progress as his early farming experience with manual pump water wells, outhouses, chickens, a milking cow, horses, mules and donkeys were replaced by modern machinery, things that fly and cars that speed. His usual expressions were “things never stay the same” and “better days ahead”, which were really his requisites for optimism.

It is noted that Elliott, in his 80’s, finally avoided ironing his own clothes by buying wrinkle free shirts and pants! His children, Barbara and Robert, both live in North Vancouver and still make visits on contemplative days to seek Elliott and Grace’s advice where they rest in adjoining niches in Capilano View Cemetery, located along the beautiful Capilano River in West Vancouver.

“Things never stay the same!”
“Better days tomorrow!”

Written by Bob Love - son

Served in WWI & WWII

• Jack & Betty Lowe fonds

Date of Birth: 26 Jan 1920
Place of Birth: Grande Prairie, Alberta
Service Number: J9148
Force: Air
Regiment: Royal Canadian Air Force
Rank:Flight Lieutenant
Killed in Action: 3 Apr 1945

Jesse was born in Indiana, USA and lived in the Halcourt and Grande Prairie ares. Jesse served in the R.C.E.M.E during the war. Jesse died Feb. 23, 1976 and is buried in the Halcourt Cemetery.

For King and Country poster in Wembley

Also spelled McAllister

Date of Birth: 21/07/1922

Private

• Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Date of Birth: 1919

From Wanham

• Earns his Wings
• Promoted to Pilot officer

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

Date of Birth: 1919

Pilot Officer

• Canadian Virtual War Memorial

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

Regimental Number: M102080

Date of Birth: 1920

Regimental Number: M30955

Birth Date: 5 Nov 1919
Birth Place: Campbeltown, Scotland
Residence: Wembley, Alberta
Service Number: M31387
Force: Army
Regiment: Loyal Edmonton Regiment, R.C.I.C.
Rank: Private
Killed in Action: 27 Dec 1943

For King and Country poster in Wembley

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission

Date of Birth: 18/03/1922

Date of Birth: 17/11/1917

Notes: 77-25-W5, 1949

Date of Birth: 10/11/1911

Date of Birth: 1913

Lived in Washington, USA with his grandfather.
Served in the U.S. Navy on the U.S.S. Bismark Sea
Source: "Across the Smoky" pg. 346
"Bridges to the Past" pg.297

Served in the Canadian Army
"Bridges to the Past" pg.296

.

• Recruits Join the Colors

.

• Recruits Join the Colors

Regimental #M62298 Provot Corp.
Served Canada.
Filed on Township 78-26-W5, 1952
Born March 4 1904. Marinka, Man.
Died July 23 1970, Age 66.

Killed in Action

For King and Country poster in Wembley

Enlisted: November 1942

• On Leave

In 1940 Mark joined the Edmonton Regiment and later transferred to the Calgary Tankers.

• Wounded

Rank: Private
Enlisted: May 1941
From Pipestone

From King and Country poster in Wembley

• On Leave

Date of Birth: 24/06/1900
Branch: Army

Charter Member of the Eaglesham Legion, Sept 8, 1947. Served in both World War I and World War II.

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

For King and Country poster in Wembley

Date of Birth: 1923

Source: Pioneer Round-Up pg. 100

Regimental Number: R105724
Rank: Leading Aircraftsman

Rueben (Butch), born on October 18, 1898 in the Souris, Manitoba area, had a twin sister, Francis. They were the youngest in John and Catherine (nee Cooper) McFadzen family of ten children; Fred, Robert, James, Margaret, John, Maude, Mary Jane, Catherine and the twins, Rueben and Francis. John was originally from Quebec and Catherine Cooper was originally from Ontario. The family settled in the Sifton, Manitoba area. Unfortunately, John passed away in 1904 and Catherine and the children moved into Brandon. Catherine also had two grandsons, Victor and Richard Ernest, who lived with her at one time as well. Rueben received his education in Manitoba and had been enrolled in a machinist program.

Rueben’s brother Fred moved to the Peace District and Butch worked for his brother who was the manager of St. George’s Ranch at Windsor Creek, AB in the 1930’s. He also had been employed with Imperial Oil for several years. In May 1940, Rueben married Harriette Robideau who had one son, William (Billy).

Rueben listed with the RCAF in May 28, 1941 at Edmonton. He served as a Leading Aircraftsman during WWII. Rueben was discharged on June 2, 1944 at Calgary and received the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal.

Once Rueben returned home, he purchased land (SW-18-74-5-W6) that was located four miles north of Sexsmith by means of a VLA loan. The property had a flowing well that had been drilled by the previous owner, Alden Sedore. Rueben farmed his land and worked out as well until he became ill and was hospitalized in Grande Prairie. He passed away on September 7, 1951 and was laid to rest at the Glen Leslie Cemetery. In 1952, Hattie sold the land to the VLA at which time she and Billy moved back to Bezanson to be closer to her family. Alf and Don Olson built a house for Hattie that was located just across the road to the north of the Bezanson Store.

Contributed by Wanda Zenner

Sources:
Smoky River to Grande Prairie
Interview with Larry Fells
Interview with Louise Kimble
1881 & 1891 Canada Census

Source: Pioneer Round-Up pg. 100

• Leaves for Edmonton

Sergeant

• Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Rank: Lieutenant

from Wembley, Alberta.

• List of Recruits

Allen was in Beaverlodge for only a couple of years when he enlisted in the airforce in 1942, During a raid over Germany his plane was badly shot up. On the return trip it was struck by lightening and crashed over England.
Source: Beaverlodge High Year Book 1947-48 p.26

Enlisted: April 1941
Rank: Trooper

• On Leave

Regimental Number: M55471 & SM55471

Arthur, born on April 5, 1921 in Vancouver, was the only child of Ross and Hilda (Aikman) McKinnon. Ross was originally from New Brunswick but moved to Vancouver where he met Hilda. While there, he found employment as a teamster digging basements. After reading about the possibilities for land ownership by means of homestead applications in the Peace District, Ross decided to move his family to Grande Prairie. He filed an application on S ½ 30-73-2-W6 on March 28, 1928 in an area of Bezanson known as Fitzsimmons and arranged for his family to join him. In an effort to clear off dead grass, Ross started a grass fire that got out of control and burnt all their possessions. However, by the end of summer, Ross had built a log home and cleared 10 acres of land on each quarter. In the spring of 1929, Ross and Hilda went to work for Jack McKenzie in Teepee Creek and that is where Arthur started school with Mrs. Mackey as the teacher. Arthur stayed with the Bennet family and walked to school with the Erno children. After Christmas, the family moved back to the homestead. At one point, Arthur attended the Boy’s Central School in Victoria for 18 months.

Once Arthur had completed his education, he walked to Grande Prairie to find work; however, as there was not any work to be found, he walked and rode a freight car to Chisholm where he found his first paying job. He was employed in a mill and worked twelve-hour days, six days a week. That only lasted for three weeks at which time Arthur decided to enlist in the Army. In 1940, Ross traded the family farm at Fitzsimmons for a Model A Ford and drove to Vancouver where he and Hilda made their home.

Arthur enlisted with the Royal Canadian Army on July 18, 1940 in Edmonton. He was transferred to Calgary for basic training where he was attached to the RCASC. In February of 1941, he was transferred to Camp Borden in Ontario and attached to the 2nd Armoured Brigade Coy. In August 1941, Arthur successfully completed courses to become a Qualified Driver I.C. “Class III”. The following November, Arthur embarked for the United Kingdom. He was transferred to Italy in November 1943 with the Central Mediterranean Forces where he remained until March of 1945 when he was transferred to France. Arthur arrived back in Canada in September 1945 and was discharged on November 6, 1945 at Vancouver. Arthur re-enlisted in the Canadian Army (Regimental # SM55471 Interim Force) on July 8, 1946 and listed his trade as a “wood caulker”. He was qualified as a Coach Painter in August 1946 and was discharged on September 30, 1946 when he was taken on strength by the RCASC (Active Force) on October 1, 1946 and was eventually discharged on October 23, 1947.

Once discharged, Arthur returned to Vancouver where his parents were living. In 1947, Arthur married Iona Secord who was from Dauphin, Manitoba. They lived in Vancouver until 1956 at which time they decided to move to Gibbons, Alberta where they raised their family of six children; Bill, Michael, Rebecca, Rachel, Peter and Kirsti. In their retirement, Arthur and Iona moved to Dauphin, Manitoba.

Arthur passed away on April 1, 2014 followed by Iona on July 11, 2017. Both were interred at the Grandview Memorial Gardens, Grandview, Manitoba.

Contributed by Wanda Zenner

Sources: Smoky River to Grande Prairie
Wagon Trails Grown Over
Service File

Regimental Number: M31379

Earl McLaughlin was born in 1917, the third oldest son of Ira & Nellie McLaughlin of Grenfell, Sask. Earl attended school in Grenfell until the age of 11. In 1928 him, his older brother, two sisters and mom moved to the peace country where his dad and one other brother were already building a home for the family on land in Bezanson. After their move another girl was born in 1932 and the family was complete. The family farmed and used their thrashing machine to help out other farmers in the area, their 1530 tractor was used in the area breaking and clearing land. When WW2 began Earl and older brother Neil joined the army.

Aug. 3, 1940 Earl joined Edmonton Fusiliers CASF in Edmonton, Alta. Later sent to Patricia Bay where he did training and helping other men train, he attended special motorcycle course and completed class 2 driver, track class 3 M/C. Was employed in carrier platoon as a driver and qualified driver instructor. Most of his training was done in Patricia Bay; Port Alberni, BC; Long Beach, BC; Courtney BC and Sidney. He was in Woodstock, Ontario for Combined Operations School of Instruction Jan/43. Promoted to L/Cpl Jan/43.

Earl was recommended for discharge due to his injuries received as a child, burn to left axillary region & arm and also loss of tips of two fingers on right hand in a saw sharpening incident as a young man. Jan.25, 1944 Discharged from #13 District Depot C.A. He received two metals, Canadian Service Medal and The War Medal 1939-45.

Earl returned from the war in 1944, at that time his dad had decided to go deeper into politics and was elected into the legislative assembly as a Social Credit Candidate. Dad had decided to let Earl take over the farming on SE 12 72 3W6.

Nov. 6, 1950 Earl married Myrtle Ford (Thorpe) and with Myrtle's two son’s Brian (8 years old) and Lynn (6 years) they continued on the farm. Earl put the farm into beef cattle instead of Holsteins his dad had raised. Over the years his herd grew and more summer pasture was needed, it was then they had found pasture across the river, crossing these cows turned into a yearly cattle drive that everyone looked forward to, lots of work preparing before and enroute. Chasing cows, fixing fences, boating calves across the river so the cows would follow and then tubing bulls across without drowning. At the end of the day it was time well spent, lots of laughs and experiences to share.

Earl and Myrt bought more land around their place for hay and pasture. They bought the adjoining quarter to the home place and also NE 7 72 2W6 and SE 7 72 2W6 which is now known as Rio Bend Estates. This was later sold in 1993.

Brian and Lynn enjoyed farm life, it certainly had its ups and downs but lots of stories. In May 1968, Lynn was in a boating accident on the Wapiti river, his body was never recovered and no sign of it was found. This was a terrible blow to the McLaughlin family but the community and family helped them get their crop in that year which they were forever thankful for.

Brian married Colleen (Head) in 1965 and made their home in G.P. they added 3 boys to the family, Brad, Reid and Monty. Brian passed away of ALS in 2015 and Monty was in a terrible car accident and died in 2009. Earl & Myrt lived on the farm until their passing, Earl in 1988 and Myrtle in 1993.

Written by Janet Laverick

• Glen Leslie Cemetery

Regimental Number: 171886 (RCAF)
Rank: Leading Aircraftman

Neil McLaughlin was the first child born to Ira and Ellen („Nellie‟ Currie) McLaughlin on April 22, 1914 in Grenfell, Saskatchewan, where his parents had married and lived on a dairy farm.

Ira's parents (originally “MacLaughlin” until Ira's generation) hailed from Scotland and emigrated to a farm at Clyde River, near Charlottetown, P.E.I., Canada.

From there, Ira went west to Grenfell where he married Nellie, from Almonte, Ontario, in 1913 and they had three sons, Neil, Elmer (Beezer), and Earl (Hap). In 1926 the family moved to Bezanson, and had a dairy and grain farm.

Sisters Jean (Herbert Kimble), Joan (Russell Ames), and Helen (Alan Redwood) were born in Grande Prairie, Alberta. Later Ira, Nellie and the youngest daughter Helen moved to Grande Prairie town where Ira worked as a salesman for the J. M. Crummy Garage and began a political career, sitting as the local Social Credit member of the Alberta legislature for 27 years from 1946 until 1973.

Neil attended school in Bezanson and later, high school in town, renting a house on the same street that his young family would later live on. Neil‟s early ambition to become a medical doctor was frustratingly denied due to lack of family funds for what would have been expensive years of training in a distant city. Years later, that circumstance was lamented publicly by father Ira in a speech he made in the Alberta Legislature in support for the establishment of a new student loan program. Neil initially worked on the family farm and at other jobs in the area.

At 20, Neil met Elizabeth (Betty) Wales, 15, who lived at Glen Leslie. Betty‟s father was sufficiently concerned by their mutual attraction that he sent Betty to Edmonton to finish high school. Because Betty was unwilling to ask her father‟s permission to marry, she and Neil waited until Betty turned 21! They married on August 8, 1940 on the farm where Betty had grown up in a two-story log homestead house that her father Ross Wales had built. The newlyweds set up their home in Belloy, Alberta (ENE of Wanham, and now essentially a ghost town), where Neil had become a United Grain Growers agent/grain buyer a year earlier. Their first child, Aileen, was born in Grande Prairie on April 3, 1942.

Neil volunteered to join the war effort and was enlisted into the RCAF in summer 1942 as a Leading Aircraftsman or LAC. His aptitudes led to his selection as a mechanic-technician of the new technology called radar, which required intensive training courses in Edmonton and Saskatoon. Betty and the baby were able to accompany him during training. The RCAF granted him leave in fall of 1942 to help with the harvest.

Assigned to the 172 Squadron, Neil embarked for the UK in June of 1943. After a few months there, he was sent to Gibraltar, and from there to the Portuguese Azores islands which was an important outpost during the Battle of the Atlantic. He subsequently served in Limavady, Ireland and Malvern, England before returning home after the war in late 1945. While he was away, Betty and Aileen lived on the Wales family farm in a new modern house just built by her father.

Upon his return from the service, Neil again found work as an elevator agent with United Grain Growers, this time in Beaverlodge, where the second child, Ross Ira, named after both grandfathers, was born on August 28, 1946.

In 1947, Neil bought a quarter section with an existing house (still with “outdoor plumbing”) at Glen Leslie, Alberta under the Veterans Land Act. That house nestled between the Somme School allotment and the Glen Leslie log school which had become the local church.

Neil and Betty also acquired an adjacent quarter section next to land owned by Betty's siblings. Now all four Wales children, Betty and brothers Alfred, Charlie and Jack, as well as their father Ross, owned interconnecting land.

The family lived and Neil worked the farm from 1946 until 1952. Daughter Gail and son William were born September 25, 1947 and July 20, 1949 respectively. In 1952 Neil continued to run the farm but again also took on a position as elevator agent to the UGG, this time in Grande Prairie. The family moved into town to live in a house (indoor plumbing!) that the company renovated close to Neil‟s work at the elevator. Daughter Bonnie‟s birth on December 15, 1955 brought the nuclear family number to seven.

A well-respected member of the business and farming community, Neil was often consulted for his knowledge of farming and grain marketing. A proud family man, he brought friends, relatives, and business acquaintances home for lunch or supper, sometimes even unannounced to wife Betty, who took it all in stride along with feeding the brood of five children. He was a member of the Smoky Royal Canadian Legion and of the Grande Prairie Masons.

Neil ran the GP UGG elevator from 1952 until 1964 except for the last years when he was appointed as the company district superintendent. Finding that position took him away from home too much, and also disliking the collection duties, he resigned and in 1964 he and Betty built a new house for the family to live in on the farm.

The farm was then expanded by purchasing and renting several other quarters in the area, some 15 miles away and more. Besides farming his core ten quarters and rented land, he did farming work on Riverview Ranch Co. land, and farmed a nearby quarter owned by daughter Aileen and her husband Gordon Bayley as well as brother Elmer‟s 3 ½ quarters, sometimes employing Elmer‟s sons. Neil was generously supportive of his brother Elmer.

Neil had a strong entrepreneurial spirit. While also working with UGG and farming, he partnered with Charlie Moon, one of Betty‟s uncles, and Arnold Christie, a former UGG employee in Calgary, in the company that they had named Riverview Ranch Co. Riverview ran cattle on a lease south of the Smoky River and owned other land that included a section near Debolt called “Cranberry Lake Ranch”. They also built corrals and a watering system on brother Elmer‟s. They grew potatoes, turnips, cereal grains, and hay on the Smoky River flats, utilizing a warehouse on the creek bank near the train trestle in Grande Prairie for storage, washing, waxing, and bagging. There came a fire that destroyed the building and contents that ended the venture.

Separate from Riverview, Neil owned a caterpillar crawler tractor and contracted government work building roads on mountainsides in B.C. and constructing the much-celebrated “Whitecourt cut-off” highway from Valleyview to Whitecourt connecting a much shorter route from GP to Edmonton. Sometimes brother-in-law Russell Ames was employed to drive the cat (sister Joan), and luckily survived when it rolled down a steep hill when he was driving it.

Neil saw his first four children launched, walking daughters Aileen (1960) and Gail (1967) down the aisle, seeing son Ross married and through fourth year university and son Bill graduate high school, and welcoming the first four grandchildren. Bonnie, the youngest child was still only aged 13 and attending Bezanson school when tragedy struck.

In early 1969 Neil was found to have a fast-growing and inoperable cancerous brain tumour. Radiation and chemotherapy treatment at the Cross Cancer Hospital in Edmonton did not help. Doctors at the time would/could not prescribe morphine or the like to ease his constant extreme pain. Paralyzed on one side, and rendered speechless, he passed away at only age 55 in the Grande Prairie Hospital on May 23, 1969.

Neil is remembered by his family as a very generous father and parent who respected, along with his wife Betty, the autonomy and personalities of each of his children. He was buried in the Glen Leslie Cemetery, and his wife Betty was buried beside him in 2018.

Submitted by Bonnie (McLaughlin) LaValley (April 8, 2021)
Written by Neil's children

Regimental Number: M69443 (WWII)
Rank: Private

Nelson “Mac”, born on June 26, 1895, at Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. He had four brothers and five sisters. In 1900, John moved his family to a farm at Clyde River, PEI.

Prior to Mac’s enlistment, he was attached to the 82nd Regiment of the Active Militia. On March 1, 1916, he enlisted with the 105th Prince Edward Highlanders at Charlottetown and sailed for England aboard the Empress of Britain on July 15, 1916. As the 105th was disbanded, Mac was drafted by the 26th New Brunswick Regiment in France and later joined the 2nd Machine Gun Battalion in which he served until the end of the war. Although he had been appointed to Acting Corporal, his rank eventually reverted back to Private. Private Nelson McLaughlin was discharged on demobilization on May 25, 1919. He served in Canada, England and France and received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

In August 1920, Mac decided to move west to Grenfell, Saskatchewan where his brothers, Ira and Louis had settled. In May 1922, he arrived in Grande Prairie and filed on NW 13-72-3-W6 through the Soldiers’ Settlement Board. On June 15, 1927, Mac married Blanche Moody and they had four children; Gerald, Lorena, Donald and Jack. The children all attended the Lindsay school.

During World War II, Mac enlisted with the Army and served at the Army Training Centre in Grande Prairie with the Veterans’ Guard of Canada. Mac was discharged on demobilization and returned to the farm at Bezanson.

Over the years, Mac was involved in the development of the Bezanson Community; however once retired, he became interested in politics. Mac passed away in 1982 and was buried at the Glen Leslie Cemetery. In 1990, Blanche passed away and was laid to rest alongside her husband at the Glen Leslie Cemetery.

Contributed by Wanda Zenner

Sources:
Smoky River to Grande Prairie
Census Records
Service File

Date of Birth: 1920

Date of Birth: 1917
Place of Birth: Grande Prairie
Service Number: M54349
John joined the army in WWII as a motor mechanic in July, 1940, He was posted to the UK in the fall of 1942 and in 1944 served in France and Holland. After the war he and his two brothers formed a business partnership, Mc Levin Bros.

• Fonds 361 John Mc Levin fonds

Regimental Number: 3891 (British Imperial Army, WWI); M42387 (Canadian Army, WWII)

Peter McNally was born October 18, 1894 in Cork, Ireland. When he was a youngster his family moved from Ireland to Maryport England, where he attended school and grew up. On his Department of Veterans Affairs Service Interview summary Peter indicated that from 1909-1911 he worked as a mixed farm hand, from 1911-1914 he worked as a coal miner. In 1914 he joined the Imperial Army. Peter McNally served from 1914 – 1919 in the British Imperial Army, his regimental particulars were: #3891 63rd Bde. R.A. Peter served in the United Kingdom, Central Mediterranean area, and Continental Europe; decorated M.W. in WWI. After WWI ended Peter returned to mining in England from 1919 – 1920. In 1920 he immigrated from Maryport England to Canada, he was joined later by Mary Jane Studholme and they were married, making their home and farming in the Drake and Lockwood area in Saskatchewan where their first 6 children were born. Peter and Mary decided to bring their family west and arrived by train in Grande Prairie in April 1929. It was a tough life, the family suffering many hardships, not unlike other new pioneers. They lived in various places in the area farming and renting farmland until Peter got his own homestead in 1929. The log homes built had sod roofs and hewed poplars on the floor. Peter worked the homestead in the summer and worked for Wapiti Coal Mines in the winter. The last 3 children were born on the homestead. Depending where they were living, the children attended school at Lindsay or Fitzsimmons Schools. When WWII broke out, Peter now 54 years old, answered the call and joined in Calgary #13 Coy.Veterans Home Guard on June 5 1940; regimental #M42387. Peter served in various Alberta and British Columbia Depots including:

#13 Vet Home Guard Calgary, #130 Seebe POW Internment Camp, #110 Vernon – Training Ordnance Camp – shoe maker shop, #29 Coy Vancouver, #4 Camp Ordnance Depot Nanaimo, Trail (the Trail smelter plant during WWII had grown to the largest smelter in the world), #133 Lethbridge POW internment camp, Wainwright #135 POW internment camp.

The Army kept close track as evident on “statement of service records” but Peter said they were never told where they were posted, and they were flown on erratic paths to each camp for security reasons. Peter was discharged on June 26 1945 and was awarded the Canadian Volunteer Services Medal for his 5 years of service. After the war, with the aid of VLA, Peter purchased the Henry Tripp quarter (NE 25-71-2-W6) along with some farm machinery and continued farming in the Bezanson area. Peter and Mary retired in 1954, selling to Andy and Joan McNally and buying a house in Grande Prairie from Bill Boyd. Peter enjoyed retirement, going to the race track and betting on the horses. He passed away December 23, 1972. Mary moved to Aurora Court where she lived until her death in August 1976.

Written by Donna (Diederich) McNally

Sources: Smoky River to Grande Prairie p. 171

• Home on Leave

Regimental Number: M35751
Rank: Gunner

Stephen, born in the Drake District of Saskatchewan on May 19, 1922, was the 2nd oldest in Mary and Peter McNally’s family of six children. He had an older sister, Dorothy and three younger brothers; Terrance, Bob and Andrew and one younger sister, Rose, who had passed away as an infant. In April 1919, Peter decided to move his family to Grande Prairie. They stayed at the Immigration Hall until they found a place to rent. Peter eventually rented a quarter of land and the family moved into an existing log cabin on the property. In October 1929, Peter acquired a ½ section of land in an area of Bezanson known as Fitzsimmons. Steve and his siblings attended the Lindsay School until the Fitzsimmons School District was established and a school was built. Steve completed Grade 7 at the Fitzsimmons One-Room School. In July of 1937, Steve went to work for Tom Warden as well as Tuttle Graham until he was in a position to rent land (NE 32-71-5-W6) on which to start his own farming operation. In lieu of pay, Steve had the use of Tom Warden’s horses and equipment.

On May 27, 1941, Steve enlisted in the Royal Canadian Army. He was transferred to Edmonton for basic training followed by further training in Calgary, Debert (Nova Scotia) and Sussex (New Brunswick). He embarked for the United Kingdom on August 7, 1942; arrived in England and began advanced training. Steve was transferred to France in July 1944. He also served in Belgium, Holland and Germany where he remained until November 1945 at which time he arrived back in the United Kingdom. Gunner Stephen McNally served in Canada, the United Kingdom and Continental Europe and received the 1939-45 Star, France & Germany Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-45 and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal & Clasp. He was discharged on demobilization on February 4, 1946 in Calgary.

Once discharged, Steve found employment hauling logs with horses at Moon’s Mill north of Clarkson Valley, Alberta. On November 28, 1949, Steve married Edna Wurtz who was originally from a Mennonite Colony in Saskatchewan. They had three children; Herbert Andrew, Steven Bruce and Kathy Ann. Steve continuously worked in logging camps and for local farmers for several years before purchasing land of his own that was located five miles east of Grande Prairie. Finances were exceptionally limited at that time; however, Steve did manage to purchase 40 acres off of the quarter of land before it was foreclosed upon. In 1958, the Imperial Planer Mill opened in Grande Prairie and Steve worked there until it closed. Steve then became employed by Canfor as soon as it opened and remained there until retirement. However, hobby farming was Steve’s passion and he often had students come to the farm for field trips. He supplied sheep to the rodeos and was a life-time member of the Grande Prairie Agricultural Society that is now known as Evergreen Park. He participated in most of the stock classes and was very interested in horse racing and heavy horse pulls. Edna worked as a custodian for the Public School Board. One of the McNally’s proudest moments was when they were honoured as the “Agricultural Family” of the year. Once retired, Edna loved to play bingo and Steve continued with his hobby farming. They both enjoyed spending time with friends and family; especially the grandchildren.

Steve passed away on April 14, 2006 and Edna passed away on October 2, 2015. Both are buried at the Grande Prairie Cemetery. It appears that Steve is buried in his parents’ plot.

Contributed by Wanda Zenner

Sources:
Smoky River to Grande Prairie
Service File
Interview with Kathy McNally (daughter)

From Sexsmith

• Joins Army

Killed in Action: 1944

Date of Birth: 1898
Regimental Number: L12773

.

• On Leave

From Rio Grande

• List of Recruits

Regimental Number: 69414

Zotique, born on August 14, 1892 at Alexandria in the Glengarry County, Ontario, was the 3rd youngest of Charles and Etere Menard’s family of six sons. He attended school at Alexandria and Glen Robertson, Ontario. In 1913, he decided to move to Northern Alberta and arrived in Edmonton by train where he found employment at a nearby coal mine for which he was paid $2.50 per day. In 1914, he decided to travel to the Peace River District and arrived at Watino by train and then walked to Pruden's Crossing where he worked on the bridge that was being constructed to cross the Smoky River.

Zotique worked there until freeze-up, returned to Edmonton and enlisted in the Army with the 218th Battalion on March 6, 1916. He listed his occupation as farmer and detective. Zotique was granted “leave” and travelled to Grande Prairie where he filed a homestead application on NW 24-72-3-W6 in the Bezanson area on September 6th. He disembarked in England on March 15, 1917 and was transferred to the 233rd Battalion on April 17, 1916 followed by the 178th Battalion on March 1, 1917 and then 10th Reserve Battalion on March 15, 1917. On July 13, 1917, he was assigned to the 22nd Battalion. On July 27, 1917 he injured his right knee when he attempted to jump across a trench in Etaples, France. He was diagnosed with synovitis of the right knee and spent 108 days in hospital after which it was recommended that he be discharged as a category “E” (unfit for general service, service abroad or in Canada). On Feb 23, 1918, Zotique sailed for Canada from Liverpool and received his official discharge on June 4, 1918. Private Zotique Menard received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

He returned to his homestead and worked at clearing the land with an axe and grub-hoe. In July of 1919, he applied for another homestead, NW-7-72-2-W6 and received the patent in 1925. In 1921, he met Marguerite Chabeau who had arrived from France and was staying with her sister, Suzanne Rice. They married in 1922 and lived in a log shack with a sod roof for many years. A son, Paul was born in 1923. Zotique’s mode of transportation was mainly walking or on occasion, by team and buggy.

In 1939 with the onset of WWII, Zotique again enlisted in the Army and served his country until 1945. His son, Paul, farmed the land while he was gone. All the farming was done by horses and horse-drawn equipment until 1940 when a tractor had been purchased.Marguerite passed away on September 23, 1948 after a short illness. Shortly thereafter, Paul and his wife moved in with Zotique. Zotique passed away on January 8, 1985 and was buried in the Grande Prairie Cemetery next to his wife.

Contributed by Wanda Zenner

Sources: Smoky River to Grande Prairie pg. 360-361; HT Oct. 14, 1955; 1926 Canada Census

Date of Birth: 11/01/1919

Source: Pioneer Round-Up pg. 100

Source: Pioneer Round-Up pg. 93, 100

Born in Grande Prairie, served five years with the Canadian Army.
Beaverlodge to the Rockies pg.416

Date of Birth: 1 Feb 1922
Place of Birth: Grande Prairie, Alta.
Service Number: J87568
Force: Air
Regiment: Royal Canadian Air Force
Rank: Pilot Officer

• Commonwealth War Graves Commisssion

Born March 17, 1917 Moirnville Alta Regimental #M12182. Enlisted July 2,1940. Discharged Dec.1945. Served in Canada England and NW Europe. Charter member of the Eaglesham Legion.

Date of Birth: 29/06/1921

Regimental #R272242. Charter Member of the Eaglesham Legion, Sept 8 1947. Born Nov. 24
1927. Enlisted Sept 1943 Discharged 1946. RCAF, Served North Atlantic (NFLO) Labrador CVSM-clasp.

Regimental Number: H602673

Carlyle was born on April 4, 1917 at Vista, Manitoba to Otto and Jane (Rusch) Miller. He had two brothers, Aldred, Carmen and a younger sister Lorraine. The Miller family farmed in Manitoba until 1941 when they decided to move to the Peace District.

Carlyle enrolled for service with the Royal Canadian Army on April 9, 1942 at Winnipeg, Manitoba and was transferred to Portage La Prairie for training. Carlyle was placed in a low medical category in June 1942 due to a knee injury. Private Carlyle Miller received his official discharge on December 1, 1943; served in Canada and received the War Medal 1939-45.

In 1942, Carlyle married Dorothy Baker, also from Vista, Manitoba. The young couple decided to move west later the same year. They lived near the hamlet of Bezanson for over a year and then moved to Peter Moon’s property where Carlyle managed the farming operation and Dorothy maintained the household. Dorothy and Carlyle had six children; Margaret, Beverly, Lynn, Christie, Joanne and Barbara.

When Peter Moon passed away in 1964, the Miller’s inherited the property. They continued to farm and raise cattle. Carlyle also went into business for himself custom grain hauling.

Carlyle passed away on November 7, 1990 and was buried at the Glen Leslie Cemetery.

Contributed by Wanda Zenner

Sources:
Service File
Smoky River to Grande Prairie History Book
Larry Fells interview

Regimental Number: M518618; SM # 65851
Rank: Private; Lance Corporal

Carman, who went by “Dusty”, was born on July 25, 1920 at Vista, Manitoba to Otto and Jane (Rusch) Miller. He had two brothers, Aldred, Carlyle and a sister Lorraine. In 1935, Carman had completed Grade 8 and worked on his father’s farm. The Miller family decided to move to the Peace District in 1941.

Carman enlisted with the Royal Canadian Army on July 18, 1941 at Grande Prairie and was subsequently sent to Edmonton and then on to Camrose for basic training. He was granted permission to marry Margaret Durfee on November 24, 1941. Also in November, he qualified in 3” mortar. From Camrose, Carman was sent to Calgary, Edmonton, back to Calgary, Hamilton and finally to Petawawa Camp in Ontario. Carman sailed for the United Kingdom on December 29, 1942, disembarked on December 30 and began more training. In July 1943, Carmen received the Good Conduct Badge following which he successfully completed the Blacksmith Group “B” course in 1944. Carmen disembarked at Northwest Europe in January 1945. He also successfully completed courses on Jr. NCO and Field Engineering. Private-Lance Corporal Carman Miller, served in Canada, the United Kingdom and Northwest Europe, was discharged under demobilization on December 7, 1945 and received the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp, 1939-1945 Star, Defense Medal and the France & Germany Star.

From 1945 to 1949, Carman worked for the Grande Prairie Creamery. For 8 months in 1940, he was also a Civil Service Fireman at the Grande Prairie Armories. For 3 years beginning in 1950, Carman worked in the lumbering industry in Northern Alberta. During 1953 and 1954, Carman also worked as a roughneck in the oilfields. Margaret and Carman had three sons; Dennis, Boyd, Randy and a daughter Lana.

In December 1954, Carman returned to the Military (Regimental # SM-65851); the Loyal Edmonton Regiment at Grande Prairie. He completed basic and corps training followed by new soldier training. Carman was stationed at various locations in BC before being transferred to Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1960. In 1970, Carman retired from the Military and returned home to Winnipeg where he worked at the Toronto-Dominion Bank for 12 years.

Carman passed away on April 9, 1999 and was buried at Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Contributed by Wanda Zenner

Sources:
Smoky River to Grande Prairie
Service File
Larry Fells

From Beaverlodge

• Now Captain

Branch: RCAF

• Joins RCAF

Serg. Pilot

• Leaves to Join
• Home on Leave

Branch: Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps.

• On Leave

.

• Recruits Join the Colors

Regimental Number: M17436
Rank: Lieutenant

Charles was born on December 18, 1897 in Newcastle, England. He had one sister, Agnes. Charles’ mother passed away while quite young and Charles was raised by various family members. After completing two years of High School and 15 months at an Agricultural College, he enlisted in the British Army during WWI and served as a Corporal from March 15, 1915 to February 15, 1919. Charles received the Meritorious Service Medal in 1916. He was transferred to the Air Force in 1918 and underwent training as a pilot. Upon his return, Charles decided to immigrate to Canada and settled in Winnipeg for a short period of time before returning to England. However, he soon realized that employment was scarce. Newspapers after the war were filled ads boasting of the agricultural opportunities available in Alberta. Once again Charles immigrated to Canada and travelled to southern Alberta where he quickly found employment on a farm in the Olds area that was owned by the Brinson family. The Brinson’s had hired their niece, Ruth Brinson, to help look after their large family and she soon met Charles. On February 8, 1928, Charles and Ruth were married at Three Hills. Shortly thereafter, the young couple decided to move to Northern Alberta. They loaded all of their stock, machinery and household furnishings on a government rail-car and hired a fellow to travel in the boxcar with the stock. The Milner’s arrived in Grande Prairie and rented Jim Storm’s farm for two years and then moved to the farm of Bill Storm where they stayed until 1933 when Charles had finished the construction of a large log-home on the homestead. Charles had applied for a homestead (NW-23-71-3-W6) in the Fitzsimmons District in July 1930. A son, Billy was born on August 13, 1930 at the Grande Prairie Hospital followed by a daughter, Patricia who was born at a neighbor’s residence on November 5, 1933.

On August 30, 1933, Charles became the Postmaster for the Fitzsimmons Post Office and operated it out of their home. As the Milner’s did not have a vehicle, they hauled the mail from Bezanson by horse and caboose. A stove was installed in the caboose which made the trips in the wintertime quite comfortable. Their home was quite a gathering place on Saturday evenings as everyone waited for the mail that only arrived once a week. In 1934, Charles was elected secretary-treasurer of the Fitzsimmons school for which he received $25 per year. Charles received the patent on his homestead in 1945.

Charles enlisted with Army, Regimental # M17436, on July 10, 1940 in Edmonton and was stationed at Calgary. In his absence, Ruth became the Acting Postmaster on August 10, 1940 until September 21, 1940 at which time she decided to join her husband and moved to Calgary. Charles was later transferred to various places in Alberta & BC with his last transfer being to Camrose where he worked in one of the Army offices. In July of 1945, Charles was transferred to the Veterans Guard of Canada where he successfully completed a course for appointment to Commissioned Rank. On May 9, 1946, Charles embarked for England to provide escort service for German POW’s. Lieutenant Charles Milner served in Canada and the High Seas and received the War Medal 1939-45 and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal. He was discharged on demobilization on July 30, 1946.

Once discharged, Charles returned to Camrose. The family decided that they liked the area so much that they were going to stay. Charles found employment as an accountant for the Alberta Government at Rosehaven – a position he held for 16 years until he passed away. Charles was also instrumental in the creation of the Credit Union in Camrose. Ruth worked for the Alberta Government at Rosehaven as the head seamstress for 22 years until she retired.

Charles passed away in July 1963 and was buried at the Valley View Cemetery in Camrose. Ruth passed away in 2001 and was also buried at the Valley View Cemetery.

Billy married in 1955 and settled in Ottawa where he was a business analyst for Indian Affairs with the Federal Government. He had three sons and one daughter.

Pat, after being employed as a nurse for 10 years, married in 1963 and settled in Calgary. They had two daughters and one son.

Contributed by Wanda Zenner

Sources:
South Peace Regional Archives Land Database
Smoky River to Grande Prairie
City of Camrose
Photo courtesy of daughter Pat (Milner) Robinson

Branch: RCAF

Regimental Number: M609560
Rank: Private

Calvin, born on January 20, 1925 at Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA, was the youngest of three boys. In 1926 when Calvin was nine months old, his parents separated. Shortly thereafter, Calvin’s father thought it would be best if his sister and her family raised the little boy. Ernestine and John Poirier immediately took in Calvin and raised him on the family farm. The Poirier’s had moved to the Peace River District from Ontario.

Calvin completed Grade 7 at a rural school in the Bezanson area. During 1940 to 1944, Calvin worked on the Poirier farm and for Tom LaValley on his farm. Calvin was very musical and played the violin and guitar. He enjoyed playing softball, hunting and reading fiction books.

Calvin enrolled in the Royal Canadian Army on February 7, 1944 at Calgary. He was then transferred to Camrose for basic training followed by transfers to Calgary, Woodstock, Ontario, Prince Albert and back to Calgary again. He successfully passed his Qualified Driver Class III wheeled course while in Woodstock. Private Calvin James Mireault, served in Canada, was discharged on August 31, 1946 and received the War Medal 1939-45.

On discharge, it was Calvin’s intention to return to Minneapolis and seek employment; however, he stayed in the Calgary and Grande Prairie areas. He married a young lady by the name of Annabelle. Calvin passed away on February 20, 1980 and was buried at the Grande Prairie Cemetery. He was survived by one brother, Fabian, in Princeton, Minneapolis.

Contributed by Wanda Zenner
Sources:
Smoky River to Grande Prairie
Service File
Obituary

Signaller

• Signallers Left for Edmonton

Enlistment Date: 1941
Source: Pioneer Round-Up pg. 61, 100

Regimental Number: M57435

Jack was born on April 5, 1896 at Armstrong Corner, New Brunswick and was raised on a farm. Jack enlisted in the Canadian Army in St. John, New Brunswick in January of 1916 where he served as a Gunner with the No. 9 Siege Battery, Canadian Field Artillery. Jack embarked from Halifax on January 25, 1917 and arrived at Liverpool on February 6. On July 17, 1917, Jack was transferred to France. Jack received gunshot wounds to his back, face, and legs on November 19, 1917 at Passchendaele. He was dangerously ill for about a month before he began to improve and still had limited movement in his legs when he was invalided to Canada in June of 1918. He was discharged on October 1, 1918 at Fredericton, New Brunswick. Gunner John Alexander Mitchell served in Canada, England and France and received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal. Once recuperated, Jack decided to move west to the Peace River District after reading about the agricultural potential of the area. He made the trip across Canada with George Tilley and the Harris brothers. In 1919, he filed homestead applications on NE 26-71-1-W6 and SE 35-71-1-W6 in the DeBolt area. In 1925, Jack married Hilda Moon from Bezanson following which they moved to Detroit, Michigan where they had two sons; Robert (1926) and Donald (1928). The family decided to move back to the Bezanson area in 1928. Jack soon found employment as a grain buyer for United Grain Growers located at Huallen. Two more children were born; Jack Jr. (1930) and Dorothy (1932). They left Huallen in 1937 and purchased Norman Moon’s farm at Bezanson where Joyce was born in 1942. All the children attended the one-room Bezanson School. Jack enlisted with the Army during WWII and served with the Veteran’s Guard in 1941 and was stationed at the Sarcee Base in Southern Alberta until 1943 when he was discharged. Jack sold the farm in 1952 and moved to St. Albert. Hilda passed away in 1960. In 1965, Jack moved back to New Brunswick where he met and later married Beatrice Clarke.

Contributed by Wanda Zenner

Sources:
Service file
Smoky River to Grande Prairie
South Peace Regional Archives – land database

Regimental Number: M4250
Rank: Private

Robert Mitchell, born on March 2, 1926 in Detroit, Michigan was the oldest in John and Hilda Mitchell’s family of five children. The family moved back to Bezanson in 1928. Shortly thereafter, John found employment with the United Grain Growers in Huallen and moved his family there. They moved back to Bezanson in 1937 and purchased Norman Moon’s farm. Robert attended the Bezanson One-Room School where he completed Grade 8 after which, he worked on the family farm and also worked for J. Lowe as a farm labourer in 1942. During 1941 and 1942, Bob worked in a lumber mill operating the edger machine. Bob enjoyed baseball, hockey, hunting, swimming, boxing, dances and movies.

Robert enlisted with the Canadian Army on October 31, 1944 in Calgary. Bob was transferred to Wetaskiwin for basic training followed by Camp Petawawa in Ontario, Canadian Forces Base in Dundurn (Saskatchewan), back to Calgary and Wetaskiwin and on to Edmonton, Lethbridge and North Bay (Ontario), and Halifax where he embarked for the United Kingdom on March 3, 1946 on POW Escort Duty. Private Robert Warren Mitchell served in Canada and the United Kingdom. He was discharged on April 29, 1946 in Calgary and received the War Medal 1939-45.

In 1952, John sold the farm and the entire family moved to St. Albert. Robert found employment as a carpenter and shortly thereafter contracted out his services. He married a lady by the name of Germaine who had a son and a daughter. Bob and Germaine had two boys and one of Bob’s grandsons, Ian Mitchell, is currently (2021) playing hockey in the NHL for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Robert passed away in 2000 and was buried at the St. Albert Cemetery. Germaine passed away in 2019 and was laid to rest alongside her husband.

Contributed by Wanda Zenner

Sources:
Smoky River to Grande Prairie
Find a Grave
Interview with Grant Moon

Date of Birth: 1902

Date of Birth: 20/12/1917

Date of Birth: 12/09/1916

Regimental Number: 305683
Rank: Flight Sergeant

Mary, born on November 16, 1922 in Bezanson, was the second youngest in Peter and Catherine Moon’s family of four children. She had two older brothers, William (Bill) and Jack and one younger sister, Joyce. Peter had arrived in the Bezanson area in 1912 and filed a homestead application on SW 27-71-3-W6. In 1914, he married Catherine Grant in Edmonton following which, the young couple traveled over the Edson Trail and arrived at the homestead three weeks later. The family lived in a log house with a sod roof for 10 years before a new home was built. Mary attended the Bezanson One-Room School and then moved to Grande Prairie where she stayed with her aunt, Mrs. A.F. Christie and attended the Grande Prairie High School. While in Grande Prairie, she joined the Canadian Girls In Training (CGIT) Club and soon realized she wanted to become a nurse.

However, her nursing career was put on hold when she enlisted with the RCAF on July 23, 1942 in Edmonton and served as a Flight Sergeant. Flight Sergeant Mary Moon served in Canada and received the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal. Once discharged on demobilization on January 8, 1946, Mary attended a school for Nursing Aides. The school, under the joint sponsorship of the Department of Health and the Canadian Vocational Training, was organized to train ex-service women for 10 months at which time they would be qualified for an annual license from the Department of Public Health and would be eligible to work in Alberta as a certified nursing aid. Mary completed her training and received her Certificate in 1947. By 1951, she had earned a R.N. degree at the Royal Alexandra Hospital. Shortly thereafter, Mary was appointed as a staff nurse at the Western Hospital in Toronto. While there, she completed an intensive course in hospital administration and one course in linguistics at the University of Toronto. In May 1957, Mary achieved her goal of missionary work when she was appointed to Angola at the annual meeting of the Dominion Board of the Women’s Missionary Society. In September, she sailed for Portugal and once in Lisbon, one year was devoted to the study of the Portuguese language followed by an intensive program to learn the African language. Once Mary had completed the requirements, she was appointed to one of the four mission hospitals conducted by the United Church of Canada.

Following her sojourn in Africa, Mary returned to Canada where she continued in her nursing career. Mary and her partner, Jean lived in a little white house that they had built themselves on SE 34-71-3-W6. They eventually decided to move to Edmonton at which time they gifted the little white house to Keith Patterson who moved it to SW 3-72-3-W6. Mary and Jean eventually settled in Sidney, BC where she retired. Unfortunately, Mary became ill and passed away on February 12, 1985. She was cremated with her ashes being interred in the Royal Oak Crematorium, Saanich, BC.

Contributed by Wanda Zenner

Sources:
Smoky River to Grande Prairie
Interview with Grant Moon
Interview with Arnold Moon
Herald Tribune newspaper articles
Obituary
Service File

Regimental Number: M59217
Rank: Sapper

Jack, born on January 26, 1921 in Bezanson, was the 2nd oldest in Peter and Catherine Moon’s family of four children. He had an older brother, William (Bill) and two younger sisters, Mary and Joyce. Peter had arrived in the Bezanson area in 1912 and filed a homestead application on SW 27-71-3-W6. In 1914, he married Catherine Grant in Edmonton following which, the young couple traveled over the Edson Trail and arrived at the homestead three weeks later. The family lived in a log house with a sod roof for 10 years before a new home was built. Jack attended the Bezanson One-Room School where he completed most of Grade 9. Jack worked on the family farm until he enlisted.

On February 5, 1941, Jack enlisted in the Army – Royal Canadian Engineers at Grande Prairie. He was subsequently transferred to Calgary then to Petawawa, Ontario and lastly to Debert, Nova Scotia for training. At these various locations, he completed courses to become a Qualified Driver Class “C”, Pioneer Class “C” and a Qualified Carpenter Class “B”. He sailed from Halifax on August 23, 1941 and disembarked at Glasgow, Scotland the following day. Jack continued his training in the UK where he became a Qualified Driver Mechanic Class III before being sent to France in June 1944. Sapper Peter John “Jack” Moon was discharged on February 6, 1946 at the No.13 District Depot in Calgary. Jack served in Canada, the United Kingdom and Continental Europe and received the 1939-45 Star, France Germany Star, Defense Medal, War Medal 1939-45 and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp.

Once Jack was discharged, he returned to the family farm. On April 17, 1946, he married Lena McDonald from the Crystal Creek area. Lena passed away on June 30, 1958 and was buried at the Glen Leslie Cemetery. Jack continued to farm but eventually sold his land to Grant and Ross Moon. He lived in his own residence that was located on Joan and Andy McNally’s land for a period of time and then lived in a little house in Earl and Allie Weegar’s yard. Jack passed away in 1981 and was buried at the Glen Leslie Cemetery. Jack was a member of the Royal Canadian Legion West Smoky Branch No. 244 in Bezanson for many years and also served on the executive.

Contributed by Wanda Zenner

Sources:
Smoky River to Grande Prairie
Service File
Larry Fells

Regimental Number: M562851

Bill, born on May 25, 1917 at Bezanson, was the oldest of Peter and Catherine (nee Grant) Moon’s four children; Jack 1921, Mary 1922, Joyce 1927. Peter had arrived in the Bezanson area in January 1912 and filed a homestead application on SW 27-71-3-W6. On March 4, 1914, Peter married Catherine Grant (originally from PEI) in Edmonton and returned to the homestead where they lived in a log house with a sod roof for a decade or more.

Bill attended school for one year at the Somme School held in the Glen Leslie Church; however when the Bezanson School was moved closer to the Moon’s residence, Bill transferred to Bezanson where he completed up and including Grade 8. Grade 9 was completed in a Grande Prairie School.

Bill enrolled in a 30-day training course with the Non-Permanent Active Militia Canada on January 7, 1941 in Grande Prairie. His family stated he was subsequently sent to eastern Canada for additional training following which he returned to the farm in Bezanson.

On June 30, 1941, Bill married Ida Lee from Beaverlodge. They had three children, Deryle (April 28, 1943), Cheryl (October 25, 1946) and Gurth (October 13, 1952). Bill farmed and raised cattle in partnership with his uncle, A.F. Christie for five years. From 1940 to 1950, Bill farmed and trucked followed by ten years in the sawmill business with his father, Peter. In 1962, Bill sold some of his land and moved his family to Grande Prairie where he worked as a carpenter. He sold the last of his land in 1975. Bill passed away in 1986 and was cremated. Ida passed away in 2009 and was also cremated.

Note: Library & Archives Canada does not have any record of additional Military service other than the 30 day training course in Grande Prairie however the family states Bill was sent to Eastern Canada for further training once the training in Grande Prairie was finished.

Contributed by Wanda Zenner

Sources:
Service File
Interview with Gurth Moon (son)

Branch: Canadian Women's Auxiliary Air Force

• Joins CWAAF

.

• Recruits Join the Colors

Regimental #M105627. Born Oct 12 1923 Unity, Sask. Enlisted Nov.
Unit RCS Corp. Served Canada, England and NW Europe. Died 1993.

Anti-tank Unit

• On Leave

From Woking

• Leaving for Edmonton

Killed in Action

Flying Officer

• Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Date of Birth: 26/04/1894

Robert was not a long time resident of the Peace Country. Born in Hartford, Ontario 30 October 1906, he spent his youth at school and farming with his father. Later, he farmed in Saskatchewan before homesteading in the Peace River District of Alberta. He returned to Hartford in 1938 upon the death of his father. At some point, he married Mildred Anderson. He enlisted in the army while in Hartford, shortly after war was declared. He escaped the Fall of France and later died in December 1944 while fighting in Italy.

• Killed in Action

from Valleyview

• List of Recruits

Birth Date: 4 Apr 1919
Birth Place: Cork, Ireland
Residence: Grande Prairie, Alberta
Service Number: M16001
Force: Army
Regiment: Loyal Edmonton R.C.I.C.
Rank: Lance Corporal
Killed in Action: 11 Dec 1943
*Real name - Arthur Jack Smith as per attestation papers.

• First Recruits attached to Edmonton Unit
• Commonwealth War Graves Commission
• Grande Prairie Recruits
• Mentioned in Holloway letter

For King and Country poster in Wembley

Lake Saskatoon Reflections pg. 189

Hockey player

• Joins Up

Branch: RCAF

C.W.A.C.
Pioneer Round Up pg.355

Branch: RCAF

Enlisted: February 1942
Rank: Gunner

• On Leave