105 The Royal Canadian Legion MANITOBA & NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO COMMAND www.mbnwo.ca DELMAGE, Raymond WWII In December 1940, Ray was farming with his parents, Simon and Alice Delmage, on the family farm in the Cameron District, north of Minnedosa. He was twenty years old when he and older brother Ernie enlisted in the RCEME and on July 1, 1941, they travelled to Camp Borden, Ontario, to begin basic training. From there, Ray transferred to Debert, Nova Scotia, with the 4th Canadian Armored Division as a REMEE and was subsequently shipped to England. The invasion of Italy began in 1943 in Sicily. At this time, Ray was attached to the 1st Canadian Army Tank Brigade as a tank transporter. They joined the British 8th Army and began the invasion of Italy. The loss of Allied lives as they pushed north in the campaign was enormous. At some point during the campaign, Ray contracted malaria. This condition would later plague him with recurring attacks for several years after he returned home. In 1944, Ray was wounded and lay in the mud and cold for 48 hours, before being retrieved. This resulted in him developing double pneumonia. In the field hospital, Medics attempting to treat him, as well as remove shrapnel, opened him up from sternum to groin. As they were pushed to suture the opening quickly, due to vast numbers of casualties, he was left with a scar that was a great source of fascination to his children in later years. (They always felt it looked like laced up skates). As Ray was no longer fit for duty, he was shipped back to England, where he spent eleven months in hospital before being repatriated back to Canada in 1945. He returned on the #2 Hospital Ship, T.S.S.T. Letitia. A treasured family memento of that journey is a program from the New Year’s Eve party that featured Cpl. Delmage in the #10 spot, accompanying himself on the guitar and yodelling. When back in the Cameron District, he returned to the family farm. In July 1946, he married Shirley McPherson, a Foxwarren girl, who was teaching at the Cameron School. Together they raised four children. To supplement the farm income, Ray put the skills he learned in the army to good use as a mechanic at Funnell’s Garage. Ray also worked part-time at the Manitoba Liquor Commission. In 1967, failing health forced him to sell and leave the farm. He died in February 1970, at age 49. Ray is interred at Minnedosa Cemetery. He received the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp, Defence Medal, Italy Star, 1939-1945 Star and War Medal 1939-1945. DENNIS, Raymond A. WWII Raymond was born in Plumas in 1919. He joined the 17th Field Regiment Royal Canadian Artillery, serving in Canada, the United Kingdom, Italy, southern France and Europe. He passed away in 1996, and was a member of The Royal Canadian Legion.
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