LEST WE FORGET 357 WAKELAM, Donald Thomas “Don” Donald was born on January 9, 1927 in Regina to Thomas and Mabel (Perras) Wakelam. He grew up in Regina and graduated from Central Collegiate in 1946. He began his career working at the Canadian Bank of Commerce in southern Saskatchewan before joining the Canadian Army in 1949, serving in the Royal Canadian Army Pay Corps. Don served in Churchill (where he also volunteered as a radio announcer at Station CHFC), Vancouver, Regina, Washington, DC (at the Canadian embassy), Ottawa (where he was involved in the very early years of computer pay systems) and Calgary, where he retired from the military in 1974. Subsequently he worked for Greyhound Lines of Canada, when he was a founding member and past Chairman of the Canadian Payroll Association, retiring in 1987 as Director of Payroll Services. Don was President of Calgary Canukeena, and as an avid model railroader, was a member of Cal-O-Rail for over thirty years and served on the Board of the Calgary Model Railway Society. Don was also a volunteer for 26 years at Spruce Meadows and served as a Ring Master for national and international events. He was a life-long reader and especially enjoyed military history and current events. He married his high school sweetheart, Sharon Mona Smith, in Regina in 1951. Don passed away on May 29, 2019. WALKER, Robert Andrew RESERVES Robert was born in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan, on July 1, 1934. He served with the 1st North Saskatchewan Regiment Reserve, Saskatchewan Reserve Army Band from October 1954 to September 1959. Canada’s Reserve Army in the 1950’s was comprised of many WWII officers and NCOs as leaders and trainers. Colonel Hal Tucker OC wanted a reserve army marching band to raise reserve army profile and encourage enlistment. Charlie Thompson was a WWII tankman who entertained troops in dance and concert bands in Britain. His music started at age five in the Salvation Army band. By age ten he was tunneling in a Welsh coal mine and playing trombone, trumpet or any horn in a postwar Prince Albert city band. Charlie created a very prominent band playing Remembrance Day service, Prince Albert and Saskatoon Exhibition Travellers Day parades, Regina Armories concerts, Prince Albert National Park Waskesiu concerts, Saskatchewan 50th year golden jubilee, Tisdale with the RCMP musical ride and glowing reviews when the critics reviewed the band’s opera presentation at the Prince Albert Music Festival. Sadly in 1949, Government austerity cancelled reserve army bands. As a Veteran, he continues his 47 years of Legion service with a Lifetime Membership award in 2018. WALKER, Alexander WWI Alexander Walker was born to John and Miriam Walker of Bo’ness Falkirk, Scotland, on July 5, 1894. He was working as a bank clerk in Outlook when he enlisted in Winnipeg on November 22, 1915, at the age of 21. He served in France with the 43rd Battalion, Manitoba Regiment, from November 14, 1916 until he died at 10 Casualty Clearing Station of a massive gunshot wound to his thigh on October 26, 1917 at the Battle of Passchendaele; he was assigned to the Cameron Highlanders of Canada at the time. A Memorial Cross was presented to his mother, Miriam Walker. Private Alexander Walker is commemorated at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery in Belgium.
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