67 www.on.legion.ca ONTARIO COMMAND BRIGGS, Clarence Robert “Bob” Bob was born in Whitewood Grove, Ontario on July 3, 1915. Bob was living in Cooksville with his father and stepmother when he enlisted in the Army (Regular Force) on May 27, 1939, in Barriefield. Assigned as a signalman with the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals, Bob then attended the School of Cooking at Camp Borden. On November 13, 1941, he was stationed in Aldershot, England when he was promoted to Corporal. He married an English nurse, Madge Manser, before being shipped to Italy. At the River Moro, Bob was affected so badly by the carnage that he was sent to the Avellino Holding Unit, in charge of marching fifty men around the parade square but was so ‘shell shocked’ that he was relieved of all regimental duties and assigned as Cook B at #3 GHQ. He later contracted jaundice and malaria at the Gothic Line and was awarded the Oak Leaf for valour after being mentioned in despatches. He was released on January 12, 1946. After demobilization, he continued to cook at various mine sites throughout northern Ontario, eventually retiring in Sudbury where he died on August 14, 1988. Bob was an avid curler, founding member of theYellowknife Lions Club and longtime member of the Royal Canadian Legion Lockerby Branch 564. BRODA, Frederick Paul Frederick was born on November 3, 1918, in Melville, Saskatchewan, to Andrew Konieczny and Katharsima Walczak along with one brother and two sisters. World War II was raging and the Government’s call for help prompted Fred to join up. He enlisted in the Army (Regular Force) in April 1942 and was assigned with the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps. When the war was over, Fred was kept on for eight months to help clean up. He was finally discharged in January 1946. He obtained employment with Indiana Steel in Kitchener where he remained for 37 years. He married Jean Elvera (Nahrgang) and they raised ten children, Bob, Tom, Terry, Connie, Crystal, Ron, Kevin, Tim, Todd, and Brigit. Fred was very instrumental, along with a group of his friends, in starting a Royal Canadian Legion in New Hamburg where he spent many years on the executive also playing darts, horseshoes, and dancing with Jean. He was a member of New Hamburg Branch 532 for 35 years. Frederik Broda passed away on March 27, 1987 and is buried in Riverside Cemetery in New Hamburg. BRIGHT, John John was born in Fort Erie, Ontario on January 5, 1884. He enlisted in the Army (Regular Force) on April 26, 1915. John, a black soldier, initially served with the 44th Lincoln and Welland Canal Force, arriving in France in 1915 to serve with the 1st Battalion of the Canadian Corps. Private Bright was injured in the Battle of Mount Sorrel by a nearby exploding shell. After convalescing in England, he returned to the Western Front. Bright was promoted to Corporal then Lance Sergeant. He was awarded the Military Medal, the second of six Canadian black soldiers in World War I to receive this honour, for being exceptionally courageous during the Battle of Passchendaele. Lance Sergeant Bright was killed in battle on August 30, 1918 and is buried in Upton, France. Bright’s name is inscribed on the War Memorial in his hometown of Fort Erie, Ontario.
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