409 www.on.legion.ca ONTARIO COMMAND OTTEN, Jack Francis Jack was born in Kingston, Ontario on February 14, 1921, to Horace and Mabel (Pollitt) Otten. He enlisted with the Militia (Frontenac Regiment) from 1934 to 1936. September 12, 1939 Jack enlisted in the Ordnance Corp only to be discharged two months later and transferring to the RCAF. He trained as Air Crew as a Wireless Operator (Air) Gunner and was promoted to Sergeant before embarking for the UK inApril 1941. Transferred to Middle East Command in June 1941, he was based out of Malta and Egypt with the RAF Squadrons 148 and 38. While serving with the 38 Squadron, he was promoted to Pilot Officer. During an operation on Petras Harbour Greece March 27,1942, his Wellington Bomber came under fire and was shot down. He was taken prisoner and was transferred to Italy on September 26, 1943. He escaped near Chietti, Italy, eventually meeting up with Allied forces. He returned to England on November 9, 1943, and embarked for Canada on November 24, where he began training as a Pilot. He was “Mentioned in Despatches” for gallantry during Air Operations in the Mediterranean area. Discharged on October 4, 1945, he returned to civilian life in Kingston and married Irene Marks on July 6, 1946. Jack passed away on January 10, 2004. PACKHAM, Olive Lucy Olive was born in Birmingham, England in 1917. She enlisted in the British National Fire Service in the Birmingham, Slough London area in 1941 during the aerial bombing of London. She received the 1939-1945 Star and the Defence Victory Medal. After her discharge in 1946, she moved to Hensall, Ontario with her husband Ron, a World War II Veteran, and was a major supporter of him and their son, Richard. She was a member of The Royal Canadian Legion Hensall Branch 468 and passed away on August 24, 1993. OXLEY (KNACK), Eileen Marie Barbara Eileen was born in Preston, Ontario on October 4, 1918 to Amiel and Minnie (Morrow) Knack along with one brother, William. Prior to World War II, Eileen was working in sales but coming from a military family compelled her to join up. She enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force Women’s Division on September 3, 1942 and was stationed at No. 7 Department, Rockcliffe, Ottawa. She signed up for some very serious training and became a member of the Precision Squad that toured Canada to promote new recruits to sign up. Eileen married Herbert Oxley in 1948 while she was working in Muskoka and they had one child, Robert. Eileen passed away on June 28, 2009 in Northville, Wayne, Michigan, USA.
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