The British Columbia Genealogical Society is putting together a veterans book of ancestors that have served in armed forces around the world.
I though this was a great idea, so I am also putting my contribution into a post here for everyone to see. I found 20 men for the list. I have probably missed some – so if you know of any I have missed, let me know and I’ll add them to the list for next year. And, if you have better pictures, send them to me and I’ll update this post.
This posts only includes those who are gone. To those veterans still alive – thank you for your service, I hope it is a long time before you are included here.
Aircraftman 2 James Ross who was involved in the Berlin Air Lift in WW II. He was an AW mechanic serving in the Royal Air Force.
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Bernard “Barney” Finlan was a D-Day veteran in WW II serving in the Canadian Armed Forces.
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John Albert Johnson was an officers’ cook in the Canadian Armed Forces in WW II.
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Sergeant Rudolph Holver Degerness was a member of the British Columbia Dragoons in the Canadian Armed Forces in WW II.
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Trooper Mandell Reuben Degerness served in the Canadian Armed Forces in WW II.
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Ernest Herbert Algar was evacuated from Dunkirk. He served in the British Armed Forces during WW II.
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Arthur Jones served with the 230th Battalion of the Canadian Forestry Corps.
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Amos Lawrence Young attempted to enlist during WW I, but they rejected him as he was underage. He served with the Regina Rifle Regiment (also known as the “Farmer Johns”) during WW II.
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Private Edward Francis Whelan served in the 3rd Eastern Division of the Irish Army at Wexford during the Irish Civil War.
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Chief Engineer Charles Ross was a merchant seaman with the Clan Lines, starting there at the ages of 14. He served on ships during WW I and WW II. He received the war medal, the 1939-1945 star, the Atlantic Star and the Pacific Star. You can read more on the ships his time with the Clan Lines here.
Private Arthur John Algar was in the Calvary in WW I with the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment. He was gassed and his horse died, but he survived. He almost lost his arm, but was able to convince the medics that he needed his arm to work as a tailor. He received the 1914-15 star. He was in the Home Guard in WW II.
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Private Gordon Ashley Young served with the Saskatchewan Regiment 1st Depot Battalion in the Canadian Armed Forces in WW 1.
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Corporal Wilbert Ernest “Ernie” Young served with the 214th Battalion Canadian Expedition Force and the 15th Canadian Reserve Batallion in WW 1.
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Private Harvey Charles William Parr worked as a manservant before the war. Just before enlisting in WW I he was filling shells at the Woolich Arsenal. He was a member of the Kings Liverpool Regiment and became a batman. He developed Malaria and eventually had a heart attack leading to his release from the army. Read more on Harvey here.
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Private Frank Henry Burman served with the Royal Warwickshire Regiment, 1st and 5th Battalions in WW I. He was killed in action 02 March 1917 and is buried at Assevillers New British Cemetery in Somme, France.
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Private Walter Wishaw Moberly was a member of the Strathcona’s Horse of the South African Constabulary in the South Africa War. For this volunteer service he applied for a land grant under the Volunteer Bounty 1908 Act. He also served in WW I with the 5th Battalion and the 214th Battalion.
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William Ross served with the 90th Perthshire Regiment of Foot in the Ninth Xhosa War and the Anglo-Zulu war, at the battle of Kambula and the battle of Ulundi. He was awarded the Africa Medal.
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Brigade Surgeon William Winslow Tomlinson served as a surgeon in the British Army from 1864 to 1894. He was involved in the Battle of Tel-el-Kebir.
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Private Wilby Green served with the 20th Foot for 17.5 years. He was in Colaba, Bombay in East India Service. He then volunteered with the 6th Foot.
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Captain Richard John Woods served with the Buffs, the Royal East Kent Regiment in the Napoleonic Wars. He was in the Battle of Duoro, Capture of Oporto, Battle of Talavera, Battle of Busaco, The Lines of Torres Vedras and Battle of Campo Maior. After he lost his right leg in the Battle of Albuhera, he became a captain of the Royal 8th Veteran Battalion, eventually retiring as a Major at half-pay.