485 www.on.legion.ca ONTARIO COMMAND TURVILL, Harold George Harold was born on August 25, 1923 in Toronto, ON. He enlisted in the Navy in Toronto in 1939 and served with the RCNVR in North Atlantic Convoy Escorts from 1939 to 1945. He spent 32 months on North Atlantic Escort Duty as a Wingless Operator on Corvettes HMCS Chambly and Agassiz between North America and the United Kingdom. The final 18 months of duty were on the HMCE Wallaceburg. He is a member of the Hepworth – Shallow Lake Legion Branch 586. URQUHART, Eric Eric was born in Williamstown, Ontario on January 3, 1923. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force on August 9, 1941 and trained as a fighter pilot. Promoted to Warrant Officer, Eric shipped to England and flew combat missions in Hurricanes and Spitfires. Eric is a modest man and would not speak of his experiences much, but it is known that on several occasions he flew as a wingman to the famous RAF fighter ace “Johnny Johnson”. Eric was there in a Spitfire on D-Day flying “top cover” and in the ensuing days and weeks of the invasion followed the Allied Armies, bombing and strafing enemy positions as they advanced into Europe. He was awarded the Air Crew Europe Star, the 1939 – 1945 Star, the War Medal, the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and the Defence Medal. Eric was discharged on January 23. 1945. In civilian life, Eric raised a family and became a deacon of his church. He was a member of Legion Branch 544. UPTON, Harold M. “Mac” Mac was born in Cornwall, Ontario on January 1, 1922. He enlisted in the Navy on January 19, 1942 with the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve and served in Canada, the North Atlantic and the English Channel during World War II. Mac was an ERA (Engine Room Artificer) 4th Class. He initially served 1 ½ years on the corvette HMCS Regina as convoy escort in the North Atlantic. As D-Day approached, he served on the corvette HMCS Woodstock. On D-Day, Woodstock escorted some 75 U.S. Liberty ships to Omaha Beach. Woodstock thence was on nightly escort patrol for E-Boats and submarines for several weeks. She struck a mine while running down an Asdic contact. The explosion destroyed the sonar capability and the rudder gear quadrant was lifted out of mesh and fell back into line with a 15 degree steering error. Mac, with two others, stabilized the waist deep flooding below decks. As Woodstock was of no further use for invasion duties, it was returned to Halifax for refitting. Mac was a Chief Petty Officer on discharge. He was discharged on August 20, 1945. Following release, he was involved in metal working machinery sales until his retirement. Mac was a volunteer for many years at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, both in the main hospital and the Veterans Centre.
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