219 The Royal Canadian Legion MANITOBA & NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO COMMAND www.mbnwo.ca WIDDICOMBE, C. Wesley “Wes” WWI Wes was born in 1885 on the homestead near Binscarth, Manitoba. He grew up on the farm and was educated at the rural schools of Bayfield and Balmerino. He became a linesman for the telegraph company and worked on the Canadian Pacific Railway telegraph line between Edmonton, through Provost, Alberta as well as at Fernie and some other spots in BC. He enlisted on January 18, 1916 and went overseas with the 151st Observation Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force Division as #624575 Sapper C. Wesley Widdicombe of the Signal Corps and landed in Crowsborough, Sussex, England on March 24, 1917. Upon his return from active service in France, he went farming in Czar, Alberta. In 1926, he went to live with a sister in Wainwright, AB. He passed away in 1967, a confirmed bachelor, and is buried in the Veteran’s Section of the Wainwright Cemetery. WILLIAMS, James A. WWII James was born in Deloraine, Manitoba in 1912. He enlisted in the Army on June 21, 1941. He served in Canada, the United Kingdom, Central Mediterranean area and Continental Europe during World War II. He was discharged on September 27, 1945, returning to the Deloraine area to farm. He was a member of the Legion Branch 83 for 34 years. James passed away in 1975. WILLIAMS, Leonard R. WWII Leonard was born at Foxwarren, Manitoba on October 7, 1922. Following his graduation from Foxwarren Collegiate, he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force. He trained at Dauphin, MB and went overseas in 1941 as a Flying Officer attached to Squadron #272. He was posted to Shaluffa, Station, Egypt and North Africa during World War II. While training a student on November 22, 1944, his Beaufighter went down in the Mediterranean Sea, ten miles off Suez, Egypt. The student was rescued but Leonard’s body was never found. He had just turned 22.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM0NTk1OA==