17 The Royal Canadian Legion MANITOBA & NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO COMMAND www.mbnwo.ca BAIRD, James W. WWII James was born in Boissevain, Manitoba in 1922. He joined the Royal Canadian Artillery, 8th Light Anti-Aircraft, Gun # 4 of B Troop. During the war, the LAA was disbanded and Jim was assigned to Colonel Cormack’s Commandos. He survived Falaise Gap and served four and half years in Belgium, France, Holland and Germany. After the war, he remained for a year in Europe with the Occupation Forces. Jim passed away in 2005 and was a Life Member of the Elgin & Souris Branches # 216 & 60 of The Royal Canadian Legion. BALES, Leonard R. PEACETIME Leonard was born in Gladstone, Manitoba in 1953. He joined the Air Force and served in Damascus, Bosnia and twenty-seven other countries. He has been a member of the Beauséjour Branch #132 of The Royal Canadian Legion for four years. BARCLAY, Ronald A. SPECIAL AREA DUTY Ronald was born in Souris, Manitoba in 1943. He joined the Navy and served in Canada on HMCS Cornwallis, Gloucester and Naden before being discharged at Esquimalt in July 1962. He has been a member of the Souris Branch #60 of The Royal Canadian Legion for forty-two years. BALES, Ralph L. WWII Ralph was born in Westbourne, Manitoba in 1919 and enlisted with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles in June 1940. He trained at Shilo, went to England, landed in Normandy on D-Day, and then fought through Germany. He was discharged in September 1946 and received the 1939-1945 Star, the France and Germany Star, the Defence Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp. In 1965, he was hospitalized for emphysema and in June 1974 had a cancer operation on his left eye and face. In 1976, he was admitted to Deer Lodge and remained there until he died on July 14, 1979. Ralph was a member of RCL Gladstone Branch #110 for sixteen years.
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