507 www.on.legion.ca ONTARIO COMMAND STANYER, Walter Walter was born in Ahmic Harbour, Ontario on September 24, 1919. He enlisted in the Army and served in Canada, England, Africa, Italy and Germany during World War II. He first joined the Queen’s Own Rifles but in 1943, fed up with inaction, he volunteered to give up his Corporal stripes in order to transfer to the 48th Highlanders. He was sent to Africa, then Sicily to help maintain the shipping lanes and then to Italy. In October of 1943, Walter and an Officer stumbled into a nest of German soldiers and were taken prisoner. He spent 18 months in Stalag 4F as a POW terminating in the late Winter of 1945 and after being moved in one of the infamous “Death Marches” as the Germans were moving its POWs west ahead of the advancing Russians, he was picked up by the British Army at the end of the war. Walter received the 1939-45 Star, Italy Star, and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal, Defence Medal and clasp, and the War Medal. Walter was discharged on September 5, 1946. He was a member of Magnetawan Legion Branch 394 for 50 years. Walter passed away on May 23, 1997. STAPLETON, Frank Leslie Frank was born in Jerseyville, Ontario on October 9, 1895. He enlisted in the Army on December 7, 1917 and served with the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery in England and in Scotland during World War I. He returned home in 1919 and was married on Armistice Day, November 11, 1920. Frank worked as a fireman with TH&B Railroad and later as an Engineer. He may have been the first Engineer to drive a diesel locomotive. Frank passed away in 1957. STAPLETON, Douglas Leslie Douglas was born in Welland, Ontario on December 27, 1922. Doug was only eighteen when he enlisted in the Air Force in 1940 and served with RCAF 111(f) Squadron West Coast, Canada during World War II. He joined the Squadron at Patricia Bay on April 14, 1942, from 115 Squadron and was killed five days later on April 19, 1942. He was flying P-40 (AL212) on a training exercise and crashed into the sea off Galliano Island near Patricia Bay – no body was ever found. His name was added to the family gravestone in Hamilton.
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