213 www.on.legion.ca ONTARIO COMMAND GUTHRIE, Hector Campbell Hector was born Kimbrae, Saskatchewan on September 12, 1909. He was the oldest of three brothers to volunteer to serve in the Canadian Armed Forces during World War II. In September 1939, he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Engineers. He was promoted steadily to the rank of L/Sgt. He was “decorated in recognition of gallant and distinguished service overseas with awards of mention in Dispatches”. After being discharged in 1945, he returned home to marry his fiancée Dora Lambert. Hector was awarded the 1939-1945 Star, the France and Germany Star, theWar Medal with Oak Leaf (1939-1945) and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with a silver maple leaf bar. The couple made their home in Toronto where Hector worked for Ontario Hydro. He passed away on October 5, 1958 in his fiftieth year. The couple did not have any children. HALL, Gordon Stanley Gordon was born in Hillsburgh in Erin Township, Wellington, Ontario on December 23, 1921. He served with the 100th Battalion, the 2nd Heavy A.A. Battalion, the Royal Canadian Regiment and the First Special Service Force (aka the Devil’s Brigade). Gordon was with the Royal Canadian Regiment in Italy, the FSSF in the south of France and shortly before the end of the war, was wounded by shrapnel from an 88 shell in the left chest and the right knee in Apeldoorn, Holland after returning to the Royal Canadian Regiment. As a result of serving with the FSSF, Gordon was awarded the U.S. Army’s Combat Infantry Badge. This was later converted to the Bronze Star but only for those past members of the FSSF who were still living. Unfortunately, he had already passed on by that time. The FSSF was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, the highest civilian award that the U.S. can bestow for meritorious service. From Canada he received the 1939-1945 Star, the Italy Star, the France and Germany Star, the Defence Medal, the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and the War Medal 1939-1945. Following the war, Gordon married Dorothy, raised four children and worked in the mines in Kirkland Lake, Bancroft, Sudbury and Manitouwadge. Gordon passed away on September 8, 1998. GUTHRIE, Jerry Taylor Jerry was born in Acton, Ontario on May 21, 1922. He was the youngest of three brothers who volunteered to serve in World War II. His two older brothers joined the army and went off to war instructing the youngest to stay home and work on the family farm. Jerry had other ideas. In Guelph on September 1, 1942 he enlisted in the Royal CanadianAir Force. After U of T pre-aircrew education and exams, Guthrie was sent to #9 Bombing & Gunnery School in Mont-Joli, Quebec where he graduated 2nd out of 109 fellow students. On February 6, 1944 he was promoted to Flying Officer and a month later was posted to operational unit, RAF 408 “Goose” Squadron based in Yorkshire. On the night of July 28/29, 1944 on his 21st operational trip F/O Guthrie’s squadron was part of an attack on the German port city Hamburg. His Halifax VII bomber was shot down and all seven crew were killed. He was awarded the 1939-1945 Star, the Air Crew Europe Star with France and Germany Clasp, the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal, the War Medal 1939-1945, Operational Wings, the Memorial Bar and the Memorial Cross.
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