41 The Royal Canadian Legion MANITOBA & NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO COMMAND www.mbnwo.ca BORKOFSKY, Edward (NMN) WWII Edward was born on April 22, 1922, in the Rural Municipality of Boulton, on a farm, east of Inglis, Manitoba. He was the fourth of fifteen children born to Louis and Mary Borkofsky, homesteaders from Poland, Belarus, and Ukraine, Eastern Europe. Edward went to school in and near Inglis. He farmed before enlisting in the RCAF in Vancouver on September 14, 1942. He trained in Claresholm, Toronto, Quebec City, and Mont Joli, before shipping overseas to England. A flight Sergeant, he was a tail gunner in a Halifax bomber with 78th Squadron. On a 320-plane raid to synthetic oil factories near Gelshenkirchen, Germany, his plane was shot down on October 6, 1944. They were buried by a German farmer and a German patrol at the crash site. The crew was later reinterred in Reichswald Forest Cemetery near Kleve, Germany. Edward was posthumously honoured with medals and stars for Volunteer, Defense, Victory Europe and WWII. BUTCHART, Reginald “Keith” WWII Keith Butchart was born on May 1, 1919 on the family farm in Shiloh district near Kenton, Manitoba. His parents were Ivan and Edith, who also had two daughters, Gwen and Beth, in addition to Keith. Gwen married WWII veteran, Jack Houston, (featured in Volume 9). Keith attended Kenton school, then farmed, before enlisting in the RCAF in 1940. With 417 Squadron, ground crew and logistics, he served in Britain, North Africa, Sicily and Italy. Following discharge in 1946, Keith returned to farm near Kenton. He married Gladys Whyte of Kenton in 1947. Blessed with two sons, Brian and Jim, Jim carried on farming, while Brian careered in banking. Keith retired in 1975. Gladys and Keith were active in the community, including church, music concerts, and school activities. Keith was a Legion member of Branch 118 Woodworth in Kenton, since returning 1946. His medals include Stars, including North Africa, Italy, Volunteer, Defense, WWII, and Victory Europe. Pre-deceased by Gladys, in 1974, Keith passed away on April 24, 2001. They are in Greenwood Cemetery near Kenton. BUTLER, James Gordon “Jim” WWII Jim Butler was born at home on March 25, 1920.With parents, James and Janet, three brothers and a sister, Jim grew up on the family farm and attended Verity School near Kenton, Manitoba. His brother Harry enlisted in the RCAF and Jim enlisted in the Canadian Army in Brandon, Manitoba in 1940. He trained in artillery at Camp Shilo, then, while posted to Vancouver, Jim became very sick. Following convalescence in hospital for months, he was medically discharged, serving the remainder of the war in Essential Service Agriculture on the family farm with his brother Ivan. Jim, with VLA, bought his own farm towards nearby Kenton, Manitoba. He married Kathleen (Kae) Budinski from Insinger, Saskatchewan in 1951. There they raised daughters Karen and Heather. Jim and Kae were solid in church and community. Jim joined Legion Branch 118, Woodworth, Kenton, in 1946. He was also in Masons and active on Hamiota District Health Centre Hospital Board. Jim passed away in 1998, and Kae in 2010. Both are buried in Shiloh United Church Cemetery south of Kenton.
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