69 The Royal Canadian Legion MANITOBA & NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO COMMAND www.mbnwo.ca GARRIOCH, Fawcett C. WWII Fawcett was born in Portage la Prairie, Manitoba on April 2, 1926 and was active in the Artillery Reserves prior to leaving school. He became an Acting Bombardier, trained on Field Guns, Gas, Rifle Gage Shooting, and Range Fracture on the Sten, Bren and heavier machine guns. Fawcett joined the Royal Canadian Artillery Corps and, being better trained than most, was promoted. They were short of military police to check security on trains, so he volunteered, thereby seeing lots of train stations and military units. Following his discharge, he joined the CNR as a Tower Operator, checking the electronic signals then in use. Fawcett has been a member of Portage la Prairie Legion Branch 65 for more than thirty-five years. He is classified as blind and is a permanent resident of Douglas Campbell Home in Portage la Prairie. GARRIOCH (nee BARTOTTBACK), Gladys Mary W. WWII Gladys was born in 1902 in London, England and was proud to call herself a “Cockney” from London Town. In WWI and WWII, groups were formed to entertain the many troops transient to the area. One of the Canadians who enjoyed the routines was Vernon Garrioch who was convalescing from the war zone. He married Gladys Mary, one of the entertainers, and they had three sons. Life in the 1920s was turbulent but together, they kept things going. With others, they produced many stage events that kept the church solvent. She also taught young girls the basics of good dancing. Gladys was a real trooper who enlisted in the Women’s Navy, making it every member of their family being in the Canadian Forces. She served on HMCS Stadacona. Gladys was a Charter Member of the Women’s Auxiliary but this later changed to Portage la Prairie Legion Branch 65. She died in 1987. GILL, Thomas L. “Tom” WWII Tom was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba on January 5, 1925. He started work at the CNR at 17 and enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in Winnipeg in 1943 before training at the Calgary Wireless School. When asked why he joined the Air Force, he said, “There is too much walking in the Army; I’d rather fly!” Tom still has his logbook with the number of hours trained on the Harvard and other aircraft. After serving in Canada as a qualified wireless operator, he was discharged in March 1945 and returned to work for the CNR in Winnipeg. He later worked in Sprague, MB and Hudson, ON before Pine Falls, MB, where he married Barb Aseltine in 1952. Tom was a member of Pine Falls Legion Branch 64 for over fifty years and assisted with many Legion events there prior to the family’s return to Winnipeg in 1973. He enjoyed playing tuba with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles Band. Tom completed 42 years of service at CNR Symington Yard until his retirement in 1984. GAUDREAULT, Louis-Philippe SPECIAL DUTY AREA & PEACETIME Louis-Philippe was born in Cabano, Quebec on May 10, 1931. He enlisted in Montreal on August 23, 1955 with the Royal Canadian Armed Forces and was discharged at CFB Montreal on December 21, 1981. In February 1956, he was transferred overseas to Marville, France with #1 Fighter Wing, then went on to Ramstein, Germany as Air Vice Marshall Casorlen’s chauffeur. Louis-Philippe then went to Winnipeg for five years and continued to be Casorlen’s chauffeur. Sergeant Gaudreault left Winnipeg and did a second tour in Marville, France from 1966-69, after which he served as a Peacekeeper in Ismailia, Egypt from April to October 1978. He had originally joined for three years but ended up staying for 26 years. Sergeant Gaudreault was awarded the Canadian Good Conduct Peacekeeping Medal and the NATO Medal. He has been a member of Portage la Prairie Legion Branch 65 for thirty-nine years.
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