383 www.on.legion.ca ONTARIO COMMAND WEIR, William John William was born in Newmarket, Ontario on November 5, 1913. He enlisted in the Army (Regular Force) on December 13, 1943 and served as a private with the RCASC in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Continental Europe. He was discharged on November 25, 1946. William received the 1939-1945 Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal, and Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp. He was a member of The Royal Canadian Legion Milton Wesley Branch 426. He married Helen Fairbarn and they had four children. He was a butcher by trade and on his return to civilian life continued in that trade before going into construction of various kinds. William passed away on July 7, 1977. WHITBY, Richard Reginald Frederick Richard was born on December 30, 1923, in Toronto, Ontario. He was the eldest son of Frederick and Alice Whitby. His father was a tinsmith, and Ricky, as he was called, was a former ‘Star’ newspaper carrier. He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in March 1942 and graduated as a pilot from No. 5 Service Training School in Brantford in April 1943. Ricky was sent overseas and was attached to the RAF unit. He was based at 3LFS Airfield and flew an Avro Lancaster 1 call sign I ED376. According to reports, ‘While carrying out a long night training flight, his aircraft, in company with others, took off late on June 16, 1944, and on its return journey, crashed near base. From investigation proceedings, it would appear that two aircrafts, W4851 and 3LFS, collided in or above the clouds.” All seven crew members on his plane were killed, five were Canadians, two British. The crash occurred at the SSE of Downham Market on June 17, 1944. He was twenty years old and was buried at Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey, England. WHEATON, Charles Claude Charles was born on February 15, 1922, in Petitcodiac, New Brunswick. He joined the Army (Regular Force) on February 17, 1940, at the age of eighteen and served with No. 7 District Depot in Italy, Belgium and the Netherlands. His service included dispatching and maintaining tanks. Charles also trained as an electrical apprentice. After he was discharged in March 1946, he completed his electrical apprenticeship. In 1956, he got married and they raised one daughter. In 1968, the family moved to Windsor, Ontario where Charles worked for the Canadian National Railroad. Also in 1968, he joined The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 578 and was a member for 22 years. Charles passed away on October 20, 1992.
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