257 The Royal Canadian Legion MANITOBA & NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO COMMAND www.mbnwo.ca WILSON, Charles V. WWII Charles, son of Humphrey and Madeline (Stewart) Wilson, was born in Neelin, Manitoba in 1920. He served overseas with the Provost Corps as part of a motorcycle unit that brought ammunition and supplies to the troops. Later, he often remarked that the people of Holland and Belgium were happy to be liberated and showed their kindness to Canadian soldiers. He returned home in 1945, farmed for a short time then worked for the Manitoba Telephone System in Winnipeg until he retired. Charles lived in Charleswood for many years and enjoyed gardening and making sauerkraut with his friend Ray. Charles had four children and passed away in 2005. WILSON, Donald WWII Donald Wilson enlisted in Winnipeg, Manitoba on August 26, 1941 in the Royal Canadian Air Force and served in Winnipeg and Eastern Canada for about two years. In 1943, he remustered to air crew to train as an air gunner. While awaiting his posting to wireless school and air gunnery training, he had a chance to volunteer for overseas service. Donald left Canada in late 1943. He ended up in Bournemouth, England, where he accidentally ran into his brother Andrew who was stationed there, but Donald was not aware of that. He, like many more of the “boys”, ended up in northern England. There they were posted to several Tactical Air Force Wings preparing for, as they later learned, the invasion of Europe. He was with one of several “Spitfire Wings” that was part of 2nd Tactical Air Force that gave fighter cover for their troops etc. going into France. Being a mobile unit (all their equipment was transported by trucks) they carried all their personal equipment, etc. They trained at several places in England and ended up in the south prior to D-Day. Shortly after D-Day, they embarked on L.S.T. ships and sailed out of Gasport, England to land on Juno Beach. Their unit #144 Fighter Wing, led by thenW/C Johnnie Johnson the famous RAF fighter ace, was one of the first Air Force units to land in Normandy. They were at a small field just off the beach (Juno Beach) Sainte-Croix-sur-Mer. They stayed there until after the Battle for Caen, and after the Falaise battle. They progressed through France to Brussels, Belgium in September 1944. In one of his letters from home, he received Mrs. Leo Delhaye’s mother’s and sister’s address. He did locate them and with his small knowledge of French he was able to speak to them. This sure was quite a surprise and they were most anxious to know all about Mr. and Mrs. Delhaye etc. They gave him a letter to send to Mrs. Delhaye, this he had to keep until he came home, as he could not put it in his mail to be sent home, as no one could censor it. They moved from Belgium to Holland where they spent the winter of 1944-45, near Eindhoven. There he met “Ikey” Rudyk who was in the army.They sure were surprised to see one another. In early spring of 1945, they moved over the Rhine River through Germany. They were near “Belsen Concentration Camp” for awhile. What a horrible sight. They were at different airfields ending up north of Hamburg, Germany. He remained there until it was time for him and others to go home. From Hamburg, Germany they went to Bournemouth, England. They sailed from Southampton on the Queen Elizabeth Ship to NewYork. From NewYork, they went by train to Montreal and on to Fisher Branch. They were home in time for Christmas 1945. This sure was a great Christmas as it was the first family reunion since before the war. They sure did have plenty to talk about and to give thanks to God for saving them all.
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