107 The Royal Canadian Legion MANITOBA & NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO COMMAND www.mbnwo.ca LOWER, Douglas A. “Doug” WWII Doug was born in 1920 in Winnipeg, the youngest of five brothers. In 1933, the family moved to a farm and he attended the one-room Bonnie Doon School. In 1942, he followed three of his brothers and joined the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, training across Canada before being promoted to Corporal and earning the A-1 Badge. He was shipped to England in 1943 before landing in Normandy. He served in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. In 1944, he transferred to the Lake Superior (Motor) Regiment near Kalkar, Germany. In March 1945, Doug was seriously wounded and he died the next day. LOWER, Ernest J. “Ernie” WWII Ernie, the oldest of five brothers, was born in 1910 on a farm in Bonnie Doon, Manitoba, but the family lived in Winnipeg from 1912 to 1933, and then moved back to the farm. In January 1940, Ernie joined the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry in Winnipeg and after a brief training, was sent to England in June. While there, he was transferred to the Lorne Scot Regiment. In July 1943, he embarked for the invasion of Sicily but in the Mediterranean, the troopship was torpedoed and sank. After 11 hours in the water, he was picked up by an American boat and taken to Africa after which he rejoined his outfit in Italy. In 1945, he was shipped to Holland and finished the war there. Ernie was married but had no children and he died in 1974 at the age of sixty-four. LOWER, Richard H. Jr. “Dick” WWII Dick was born in 1914 in Winnipeg, the fourth of a family of eight. In 1933, his parents and the five boys moved to a farm west of Woodlands, Manitoba. Dick married in 1939 and his first daughter was born in 1940. He enlisted in the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry in February 1940 and was shipped to England in July. While in England, he transferred to the Canadian Scottish Regiment. Overseas, he was in charge of two 1500 gallon Scammel pumper trucks while on fire duty. He was sent to Normandy in 1944 and served in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. Though not wounded, he spent time in hospital with bronchitis. He returned in 1945 and bought the land next to his Dad’s. Dick was a member of The Royal Canadian Legion before he died in 1982. LOWER, George E. WWII George was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba in 1917. Following in his two older brothers’ footsteps, he joined the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry in 1940 at the age of 23. He trained at Shilo, Manitoba and Nanaimo, British Columbia then was promoted to Corporal and qualified for the A-1 Badge. He was also a Provost in Winnipeg. George embarked in Halifax for England in 1943 and while there, was transferred to the Regina Rifle Regiment. On June 3, 1944, he was loaded aboard a landing craft bound for France and he landed on Juno Beach in Normandy on June 6. Three days later, George was killed in action by an enemy tank in the small village of Bretteville-l’Orgueilleuse, while in charge of a mortar crew.
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