519 www.on.legion.ca ONTARIO COMMAND TOMS, Everett James Everett was born in Havelock, Ontario on June 18, 1920. He enlisted with the Artillery on June 27, 1941 and completed basic training in Peterborough. He served in Canada, England, Sicily, Italy, Belgium and Holland during World War II. He was posted to Woodstock for Driver-Mechanic training, then to Petawawa for training as a Gunner. He was deployed overseas with the Anti-Aircraft and departed Halifax on March 20, 1942, arriving in Greenoch, Scotland on March 29. Everett served throughout Sicily and Italy until July 1944 when his regiment was disbanded and transferred to the Infantry, 5th Armoured Division as the Lanark and Renfrew Scottish Regiment. He was transferred to NW Europe early March 1945 and re-designated Anti-Aircraft, when 5th Division disbanded. He served with the Occupation Forces collecting enemy equipment and escorting POWs until he returned to the UK and Canada October/November 1945. He was discharged on December 3, 1945. He worked in Peterborough at Canadian General Electric for 37 years. He married Betty Evelyn Barrons and together they raised five children. He was a member of Peterborough Legion Branch 52 for over fifty years. Everett passed away on August 8, 2001. TOTTEN, Osborne R. Osborne was born on December 11, 1914 in Forest, Ontario. He loved his country and served it with pride and distinction during World War II. He enlisted in the Army on November 29, 1939, along with seven others from Forest, Ontario, and served six years in the Corp of Engineers. He served with various divisions of the 7th Field Company, including the 2nd, 5th and 1st either building things or blowing them up by his accounts. He was hospitalized three times and returned home with seventeen pieces of shrapnel in his body, souvenirs or reminders he would say. Three, by coincidence, was also the number of times he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant, and then busted back down to private of sapper. He never gave all the reasons, so one can only guess. He served in the United Kingdom and the Central Mediterranean area. Osborne was discharged on November 23, 1945. He returned to Forest, married Vivian Doan and went to work for the federal government as a fruit and vegetable inspector, traveling extensively around south western Ontario. In 1958, tired of all the travel, he purchased an insurance agency from his sister so he could be closer to home and his two children. Some years later, he sold the thriving agency and moved to London with Vivian. They wintered in Florida so he could golf year round but always returned to Forest. He was an active member of various service groups; St James Presbyterian church; served as mayor of Forest and as President of Forest Legion Branch 176. He had a special place in his heart for the Forest Legion and was a Life Member. He proudly wore his Legion uniform, as did Vivian her Auxiliary uniform, at Remembrance Day services every year until 2007, while in Parkwood Hospital the year before he died. Osborne passed away on March 5, 2008. TOMS, William Albert William was born in Belmont Township, Peterborough, Ontario on September 4, 1895. He enlisted with the 33rd Battery Canadian Field Artillery in Peterborough on February 21, 1916. He served in Canada, England, Belgium and France during World War I. He was single and listed his occupation as a “Trackman”, probably with the Grand Trunk Railway where his father Edwin also worked at the time. His attestation also states that he had one year of military experience with the local Militia, 57th Regiment. While in France William was able to coincide his leave with that of his father who was serving overseas with the 21st Battalion and they spent some time together. He was killed in action on August 11, 1917 while serving with the 1st Divisional Ammunition Column in the Loos area of France. His mother received word from Ottawa on August 20. He is buried in Loos British Cemetery. At the time of his death, his father was in hospital in England recovering from wounds received at Vimy Ridge.
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