35 The Royal Canadian Legion MANITOBA & NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO COMMAND www.mbnwo.ca BLAIR, Kenneth C. WWII Kenneth was born in Salem, Manitoba, in 1919. He enlisted in the Army Reserves in 1939 for basic training and transferred to the Royal Canadian Air Force Transport Repair Depot, Trenton, Ontario. In June 1943, he was posted overseas to England and the continent with the 143 Wing Airfield Squadron. The one story foremost in his mind was going off the barge in Normandy in June 1944 on D-Day. He was discharged in January 1946. His family members have many fond memories of his remarkable life. He received the 1939-1945 Star, France and Germany Star, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp and War Medal 1939-1945. Kenneth passed away in 2009 and had been a member of the Portage la Prairie Branch 65 of The Royal Canadian Legion for sixty years. BLAKE, David Robert “Dave” WWII Dave was born in Rapid City, Manitoba in 1925. He enlisted as air crew in the Royal Canadian Air Force in Winnipeg, in August 1943. He was first posted to Manning Depot in Edmonton, then sent to Vancouver to upgrade his education, moving then to #4 S.F.T.S. in Saskatoon where he waited to get posted for Initial Training School. When an opening turned up, he was posted to I.T.S. in Edmonton where he took a three-month course for navigators, graduating as Leading Aircraftsman. Following this, Dave was posted to #1 Central Navigation School in Rivers, Manitoba. He graduated in October 1944, got his navigators wings and three hooks, and then his new promotion to Sgt. Navigator. He flew with Mark IV and V Ansons. At this time, there seemed to be sufficient aircrew overseas, so he chose to return to his civilian job with the Royal Bank in Russell. Three months later, he was called back by the RCAF for service, but never saw action in Europe due to the end of the war in May 1945. Dave and half of his crewmates volunteered for Pacific Duty. Brandon #12 S.F.T.S. had been converted into an Air Crew Conditioning Unit, so they went there to learn “jungle” training and judo, followed by more commando and survival training in Shilo. During this time, Japan had capitulated, and Dave was discharged in December 1945. His rank on discharge was Sgt. Navigator. Dave then returned to RBC and met and married Gwen in Flin Flon in 1951. They had three girls and two boys and settled in Minnedosa before retiring in 1982. Gwen owned and operated Blake’s Jewellers, and Dave pursued politics, serving the Minnedosa Constituency for seventeen years from 1971 to 1988 as Progressive Conservative MLA. Both Dave and Gwen were busy with local service groups, and Dave was President of The Royal Canadian Legion Minnedosa Branch 138 in 1995. He was a member of Gen. Hugh Dyer Branch 138 in Minnedosa for 49 years. Dave passed away in 2008. He received the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal, the War Medal 1939-1945, C.D. (Good Conduct Medal), and the Queen’s Medal (awarded to members of the Legislature).
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