121 The Royal Canadian Legion MANITOBA & NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO COMMAND www.mbnwo.ca LEROUX, François Xavier WWII François enlisted in 1940 with the Winnipeg Light Infantry. He had one month of training then he was home for two years. In the fall of 1942, he went back to No. 10 District, then to Portage la Prairie for basic training for six or seven weeks. He was drafted to Halifax (Eastern Passage) for advance training of about one month. There he signed for overseas and was given embarkation leave. On his return to Halifax, he was taken off the draft because his documents got lost between Portage la Prairie and Halifax. So, for the time he was in Halifax, he had no money except for seven dollars he was given at the time of embarkation leave and no pay. From there he was drafted toVancouver where his documents were retrieved but he had no pay again. He never did find out what did happen to that pay. In the spring of 1943, he was in Vancouver, stationed at Boundary Bay on Coast Guard. From there he got leave for seeding, then back to Vancouver and was stationed at North Vancouver, West Vancouver and Hastings Park until the end of August when he again got harvest leave. In the fall of 1943, he went back to No. 10 District Depot and was drafted to Barriefield, Ontario (Kingston) where he took Basic and Advance Training. Again, François signed up for overseas and got embarkation leave and went back to Barriefield and was taken off the draft again because of his right eye. He spent two weeks at Kingston Military Hospital where he was told he could not be fitted with glasses. François spent some time repairing heaters in camp, fired a pressure boiler for a while then in 1944 he was sent to the kitchen on vegetable preparation but not for long. He was on cooking until spring when again he got farm leave. After seeding he went back to Barriefield and cooking until he got harvest leave. Back again to Barriefield and cooking until February when he was taken on a refresher course in preparation for overseas, but he got no further than the kitchen. In the spring of 1945, in March or April, he was drafted to Peterborough, Ontario for further training with all staff members from Buck Private to Lieutenant, where he stayed until VE Day. Shortly after this he got farm leave which was extended to November. He reported back to Depot #10 and back to cooking until March 16, 1946 when he got his discharge. François went to Flin Flon on April 4, 1946. There he joined the reserve force Militia in 1947 until he left Flin Flon on May 4, 1952.While with the Forces in Flin Flon, he was called into Winnipeg for the 1950 flood. In 1942 to 1943, he was in Winnipeg Light Infantry in Portage la Prairie. In Halifax in the spring of 1943, he was in the Royal 1 Canadian Artillery-Heavy Anti-Aircraft Gun. InVancouver he was with the RCA 3-7 gun.He was with the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps until he got discharged on March 16, 1946. In Flin Flon he was with the RCAThe Royal Canadian Engineers. In May 1952, he came back to Fisher Branch to farm but lost two crops to the wet years, so he moved to Winnipeg. LIGHTBURN (STEWART), Janet WWII Janet was born in Dand, Manitoba on June 25, 1924. She enlisted with the Canadian Women’s Army Corps in April 1943 in Winnipeg, MB and took her basic training in Vermillion, Alberta and driver training in Red Deer. She was stationed in Winnipeg for a short time as a driver and then stationed in Victoria, BC to deliver mail and to drive officers. She was discharged in May 1946. Janet passed away in 2003 and is buried in Nanaimo, British Columbia
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