315 www.on.legion.ca ONTARIO COMMAND ROCHE, William Lennon William was born on March 29, 1913, in Salvador, Saskatchewan, to William and Cora Roche. He enlisted in the Army (Regular Force) and was with the 1st Battalion Essex Scottish Regiment. He served in England, Belgium and Holland during World War II until his discharge on November 15, 1945. Lennon worked at the Acton Tannery before settling on the farm on Ziska Road in Bracebridge where he raised his family. Lennon was a member of The Royal Canadian Legion Central Muskoka Branch 161 until his death on November 24, 1995. ROPER, Robert B. Robert was born in Windermere, in Muskoka, Ontario on May 10, 1923, to Bruce S. Roper and Lillian Russell. He enlisted with the Royal Canadian Air Force on April 25, 1942 and trained at the RCAF Technical Training School in St. Thomas, Ontario as an airplane mechanic before being sent overseas during World War II. As the planes followed the army’s front lines, Robert and crew of 143 Wing would advance with them. He was released from the service on September 27, 1945. He received the RCAF Reserve Badge, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal, Defence Medal, and France and Germany Star. In 1946, Robert married Mary Noreen Gibbs and they raised three children. He built homes and cottages in the Muskoka area. Robert passed away on June 4, 2014 and is buried in St. Thomas Cemetery in Bracebridge, Ontario. He was a member of the Central Muskoka Branch 161 of The Royal Canadian Legion. ROCHON, Wilfred Victor Wilfred was born on May 17, 1926, in Sudbury, Ontario. He, however, grew up mostly in the town of Gogama, Ontario. He worked in the mines and sawmills. In early 1944, he tried to enlist in the Canadian Army, but was denied because he was only seventeen. Finally, he enlisted at the age of eighteen joining the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry in Winnipeg, Manitoba in late 1944. He did basic training in Fort Garry, Manitoba and went on to advance training in Shilo, Manitoba. The European portion of World War II ended in May 1945, so he was assigned to the Pacific Force in Vernon, BC, training under American Officers including parachute training. The war ended before he could be sent overseas, so he was sent to Gravenhurst, Ontario to guard German Officers at the POW camp there. Wilfred was honourably discharged in June 1946. He married Amelia in 1956 and they had three sons. He worked over thirty years at G.M. in Windsor, Ontario before retiring in 1990. He was a member of The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 12 for over twenty years. Wilfred passed away on July 7, 2021, at the age of 95.
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