107 The Royal Canadian Legion MANITOBA & NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO COMMAND www.mbnwo.ca DOW, Norman Earl WWII Norman was seventeen years old when he enlisted in the 70th Battery, Royal Canadian Artillery on June 19, 1941, in Neepawa, Manitoba. He had been living in Bethany, Manitoba. He was stationed at Shilo, MB; Debert, NS, then Sussex, NB. In Sussex, their unit was changed over to 70th Light ACK ACK 8 L.A.A. Regiment. They had no Bofar Guns to train on so someone built a few out of wood, which they used until going overseas to England. They left from Halifax, NS, in August 1942, on the Capetown Castle (an old cattle boat). As Norman put it, “Never ate so many hard-boiled eggs in my life, as the food was fish and fishy. You can imagine the smell with about 10,000 soldiers on board in hammocks slung six high and bunks about four high.” They arrived in Colchester, England. They were stationed all over England: Colchester, Dunley Hill, Newlands Corner, Borden, Clacton, Stone Cross, Newmarket (where they slept in horse racing stalls), and Pippinford Park. Through all these Camps, Norman took Signal and Clerk Courses. During this time, they also manned Light Anti-Aircraft Gun Sights. When they left for continental Europe, this was the work they performed in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. Norman was slightly wounded at Hoshwald Forest in March 1945. He was later discharged in Winnipeg, MB, on November 2, 1945, and went to work at the Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting in the Mill Department, where zinc, copper and gold is separated. “The pay was .65 cents an hour, big money compared to $1.30 a day Army pay!” In August 1950, Norman decided to rejoin the Army in Winnipeg, “E” Battery, 2nd Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, and was shipped to Shilo, MB. His Battery then took a train to Fort Lewis, Washington, for further training. From the States, they traveled aboard the General Buckner, bound for Korea. “It sure was a treat, great meals and a decent place to sleep. The Pacific Ocean was very quiet and we had a good trip over.” They landed at Puson and immediately went into action. Norman returned home in August 1952 and was discharged with the rank of Bombardier. He returned to his former job in Flin Flon. Norman married Grace Bowen on June 6, 1953. They had four children, two girls and two boys. In September 1982, he retired from his job as Labor Foreman in the Mill and stayed in Flin Flon. He was a member of The Royal Canadian Legion for 49 years and did much canvassing for the Cancer Society, Red Cross, Arthritis Society, etc. He was also President of the local Seniors Group. For his service in World War II, Norman received the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp, Defense Medal, France and Germany Star, 1939-1945 Star, and War Medal 1939-1945. Norm was awarded Commander-in-Chief’s Certificate, which read: “21st Army Group. 4 Bdr. N. E. Dow It has been brought to my notice that you have performed outstanding good service and shown great devotion to duty during the campaign in North West Europe. I award you this Certificate and I have given instructions that this shall be noted in your Record of Service. B. L. Montgomery, Field Marshall, Commander-in-Chief, 21st Army Group” He received the Korea Medal, United Nations Service Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal for Korea for his service in the Korean War. It took forty years to be recognized.
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