257 The Royal Canadian Legion MANITOBA & NORTHWESTERN ONTARIO COMMAND www.mbnwo.ca SPENCER, Ralph Ernest WWII Ralph was born in 1921 in Morden, Manitoba. He was a toughy as a wee man and never lost his zest for a good fight. He was considered Grandpa’s favourite by some of the other siblings. Although he was an average student in school, Ralph loved to read. It was stated that he was a pretty good match as a hockey player. When his older brother Orval would take the horse and cutter into Morden, Ralph was all ready to go too. When he came home after that long drive, he would place those cold feet on his brother Mervin who had been in bed for a while and was toasty warm. Needless to say, he was not very popular for a few moments. Ralph met Hazel, fell in love, and while working up in Snowflake, Ralph and Hazel were married. The same year, 1940, Ralph enlisted in the Royal Winnipeg Rifles, better known as the “Little Black Devils”. Ralph and Hazel lived in Ernest and Amanda’s first homestead house. The arrival of their first born, Karen, delighted Ralph. Before he was shipped overseas, a second child, Bruce, was on the way. Ralph corresponded regularly with Mervin, Cora and his mother. Cora sent a picture to him while he was overseas of Hazel and the two children. Ralph was so proud of all of them that he showed that picture to everyone who would look at it. Corporal Ralph Spencer was killed on the beaches of Normandy on June 6, 1944. He is commemorated at Benysur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery in Calvados, France. Spencer Lake (64 N/4), north of Lac Brochet, was named after him in 1972. STASUIK, William WWII William was born near Cut Knife, Saskatchewan on December 9, 1917. He enlisted in the Army and served with the Irish Regiment of Canada and Royal Canadian Engineers in Great Britain and Europe during World War II. He was discharged on October 19, 1945 and received the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal. William married English War Bride Peggy Sowter and together they had two children Raymond and Beverley (Choquet). He resided in Saskatchewan and then Frazerwood and Winnipeg, Manitoba. He was a member of The Royal Canadian Legion West Kildonan Branch 30 for ten years. He passed away in 1979 and is buried in the Brookside Cemetery in Winnipeg.
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