123 The Royal Canadian Legion MANITOBA & NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO COMMAND www.mbnwo.ca KOHUT, Harry WWII Harry was born in July 1923 in Rosa, Manitoba but the family moved to the Souris district in 1929. He remained there all his life except for his years in the service. On September 28, 1943, Harry enlisted in Winnipeg, Manitoba with the Royal Canadian Air Force. He trained in Regina, Saskatchewan then served as a Leading Aircraftman in Canada and Newfoundland. Harry was honourably discharged at Lachine, Quebec on February 22, 1946 and was awarded the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Clasp. He married Joan Milnes in February 1950, raised a family of four and ran a Massey Harris/Massey Ferguson dealership before switching to selling farm parts in Souris from 1947 until 1989. Harry was a member of Souris Legion Branch 60 for fifty years before he passed away in Souris in April 1992. KOWALCHUK, William “Bill” WWII Bill was born in 1922 in the Ukraine. He joined the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserve and served during World War II in Prince Rupert, British Columbia at Boom Defence and in Korea. Bill was given the first membership at the North Battleford Legion Branch in 1946 and he was a member of the Legion for forty-one years. Bill passed away in 1987. LAFORTE, Philip WWII Philip, of Sagkeeng (Pine Falls), Manitoba joined the Canadian Army during World War II and served with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles in Canada, England and Europe. He was killed in action on April 7, 1945 and is commemorated at the Holten Canadian War Cemetery in Holland. Laforte Creek, which flows northeast onto the Croswell River, was named after him in 1964. KROPELNICKI, John WWII John was born on March 28, 1916 in Germakowka, Poland and came to Canada in 1933 at the age of 17. He was a Cadet in Poland before his arrival in Canada. John enlisted in 1939 in the Royal Canadian Artillery and trained at Camp Shilo before going overseas. He served as a marksman/sniper and later became an artillery gun layer in England, France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. After the war, he returned to Winnipeg and he and his wife Anne had two children. John was able to retain his marksman skills throughout his life, enjoyed hunting big game with his original 348 Winchester and also won many turkey shoots. He was a member of Ukrainian Veterans Legion Branch 141 in Winnipeg for twenty-five years before passing away on May 1, 2005.
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