341 www.on.legion.ca ONTARIO COMMAND SMITH, James Flemington James was born in Scotland on May 4, 1914. He enlisted in the Army (Regular Force) on July 12, 1940, and served with the Royal Canadian Engineers during World War II. From 1948, James resided in Acton, Ontario and was a member of The Royal Canadian Legion Acton Branch 197. James passed away on February 5, 1987. SMITH, Wilfred Wilfred was born on October 22, 1896, in Grey Township, near the village of Moncrieff, Huron County. The son of a farmer, he enlisted in the Army (Regular Force) in Toronto on September 26, 1917. By February 1918, he was sailing on the SS Scotianto England. He was taken on strength by the CanadianArmy Service Corp becoming a driver for the 22nd Motor Machine Gun Battalion. He was deployed to France. He returned to Canada on the RSS Garmania in July 1919 and discharged on July 15, 1919. He received his service medals, and he donated his army uniform to the War Museum in Ottawa. Wilfred returned to his home area where he worked as a mechanic in Monkton, Ontario. In 1941, Wilfred built the first school bus in the area to transport high school students to Mitchell, Ontario. Wilfred married and had five children. He was a member of The Royal Canadian Legion Mitchell Branch 128 for thirty years and died in 1975, at the age of 78. SNELL, John Carl John was born in Snelgrove, Ontario on December 18, 1917, to Elias and Bertha (Armstrong). He had seven siblings: Evelyn, Elmer, Viola, Velma, Edna, Roy, and Irene. During his early years, he worked on his parents’ and uncle Richard’s farms. Later, he would work at the National Steel Car in Malton. He loved carpentry, hunting, fishing, hockey, baseball, and swimming at the family Snell’s lake (Heart Lake). He enlisted on July 6, 1942 and was training with Lorne Scots #46 Niagara Camp, later Debert, Nova Scotia; onward to Camp Borden, then back to Debert. On December 6, 1943, he was shipped to England for more training. He was deployed for action to France on July 23, 1944. From the “War Diary – August 27, 1944”, his battalion was given the objective to overtake the German forces in a village called Igoville. Encountering heavy shelling and enemy snipers, Jack was shot and killed in action, witnessed by a friend, Bob Post, of Brampton. He is buried at Bretteville-sur-Laize War Cemetery. His medals include the 1939-1945 Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal, War Medal 1939-1945, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal, and Silver Cross.
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