75 The Royal Canadian Legion MANITOBA & NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO COMMAND www.mbnwo.ca GARDNER, James S. WWII James was born in Elkhorn, MB. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and served until his discharge in 1945. He married Wilda King and moved to Kindersley where they raised three children. GARDNER, William Ronald WWII Ronald was born in Elkhorn, MB. He joined the Army in 1942 and served in Canada and Overseas in the Provost Corps. Following the war, he worked in the Elkhorn creamery and in Brandon. He married Lilly Turner and they raised a family of three. GEISEL, Michael “Mike” WWII Michael was born in Winnipeg in 1918. He joined the 2nd Battalion Winnipeg Grenadiers on November 22, 1940 and served as a Photo Finisher; he later transferred to the Air Force. One of his postings with the Air Force was at Rivers, MB. While there, Mike was a member of the Concert Party that left base to entertain troops stationed in Brandon, MB. Mike was also an acrobat, performing various handstands and moves that he learned with Russel Saunders and his brother. He also served as an Observer on a five-man crew of a Wellington MK II Bomber; his job was navigator and backup pilot on missions to Germany from England, Italy from North Africa (Tunisia) and then back to England with the 420th Snowy Owls, 6th Bomber Command. He was “struck off strength” on September 6, 1945 on completion of a term of voluntary service during an emergency as a Flight Lieutenant. Mike received the Defence Medal, Air Navigator’s Badge, RCAF Ops Wings, 1939-1945 Star, CVSM with Maple Leaf, Star of Italy, 1939-1945 Medal and the Bomber Command Medal. Mike was a member of the Charleswood Legion Branch 100 for seventeen years before he passed away in 1996.
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