509 www.on.legion.ca ONTARIO COMMAND THOMPSON, Erwin Ernest Erwin was born on January 3, 1899 in McGillivray Township, Parkhill, Ontario, the son of Albert and Olive Thompson. Erwin left the farm to enlist in the Army in May 1918, joining the Canadian Engineers. He sailed on the SS Saturnia to England landing in France on September 2, 1918. Erwin was in hospital for months with pneumonia and mumps. He was discharged in May 1919, returned home, and married Mary Steeper. Erwin passed away in 1973 and is buried at the Parkhill Ontario Cemetery. THOMPSON, Richard Fredrick James “Rick” Richard was born on May 19, 1949 in Kingston, Ontario. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force on May 19, 1967. He took basic training in Saint Jean, Quebec and electronics training at RCAF Station Clinton then on to Borden to graduate as a Radar Systems technician. First operational Squadron in Cold Lake Alberta working on the magnificent CF 104 Starfighter. He was posted to Shearwater in 1977 where he served on the HMCS Protector and Provider supporting Sea King anti-submarine operations. He was then promoted to Sergeant in 1982, on to 477 (Tac Hel) Squadron employed as a supervisor on the heavy lift CH147 Chinook helicopter and transferred to 414 Squadron in 1987. He was Project manager of the Tactical Helicopter Night Vision Goggle program in Ottawa in 1990. Rick was commissioned from the rank of MWO to Captain in 1983 whereupon he was posted to Moose Jaw as the DCO of 15 Air Maintenance Squadron. He was selected as the first Squadron Maintenance Engineering Officer for Snowbirds, 431 (AD) Squadron, finishing his career in Saskatoon Recruiting Center as a Career Counselor on July 24, 2004. Rick is a fourteen-year member of The Royal Canadian Legion Owen Sound Branch 6. THOMPSON, Neil Neil was born on May 20, 1925 in Evantural Township, Ontario. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force on July 1, 1943 during World War II. Neil took his elementary flying in Windsor, Ontario and completed his pilot training with No. 9 Service Flying Training School in Centralia. He was part of a surplus of pilots who were put on advanced training, becoming familiar with instrument flying and formation flying. At the end of 1944, he was sent to Three Rivers, Quebec, on a “commando” training course. He was then posted overseas, but before being shipped out to Halifax, his orders were cancelled. After his discharge in February 1945, he went back to high school, completing Grade thirteen and then enrolled at Queen’s University obtaining his degree. Neil was employed with Hydro One and the Atomic Energy of Canada. He currently resides in Vancouver.
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