LEST WE FORGET 141 HAGAN, Henry Edward Philip “Harry” WWI Henry was born in England on August 23, 1894, the son of Henry and Annie Elizabeth (Ballamy) Hagan. According to his enlistment documents, he came to Canada with his parents in 1908. Henry was married to Ada Irene McLaughlin and living with her parents in Conquest when he enlisted in Outlook on January 17, 1916. The couple had two children, both born in Conquest: Beryl Annie and Robert Edward (who was an RCAF pilot killed in action in World War II). Henry trained in Moose Jaw and served in England, beginning on August 24, 1916. Because he suffered from childhood bronchial asthma, which was aggravated by the damp English climate, most of his service was confined to base duty. The asthma became so severe that he could not perform his duties and he was discharged. He departed for Canada aboard the S.S. Grampian on February 22, 1917. Following his discharge, Henry worked as a salesman for a store in Wolseley before the family moved to Smith Falls, Ontario where his parents resided. He became a postal worker and lived in Ontario for 40 years of his life. Henry Hagan passed away on November 16, 1976 in Smith Falls, at the age of 74. HAGEN, Ole A. WWII Ole was born in Cumberland House, Saskatchewan on May 9, 1927, the fifth of seven brothers. During World War II, his four older brothers had enlisted in the Canadian Forces and at the age of seventeen, he also enlisted. He was assigned to basic training with the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry at CFB Shilo and Fort Garry, MB. Just as his Company B was assigned to go overseas, Ole was confined to infirmary and before he recovered, the war ended. Ole was a lifelong member of The Royal Canadian Legion Red Deer Branch 35 for 35 years and passed away on October 15, 2009. As per his final wishes, his remains were donated to the University of Calgary for scientific research. HAGAN, Robert Edward WWII Robert, son of Ada and Henry Hagan, was born in Conquest on January 17, 1923. He attended school in Conquest until his parents moved to Wolseley. He enjoyed playing hockey and baseball. He was living in Deveron and training at the ReginaYouth Training Centre as an airframe mechanic when he enlisted in the RCAF on August 31, 1941. Robert was posted with Squadron 428 of the RAF at the Dalton Air Base when he and four crew members of a Lancaster bomber were sent on a night raid over Duisberg on May 21, 1943. The average age of the crew was 22. They were part of a huge bombing raid that involved 63 Wellington bombers, 36 Sterlings and three other Lancasters. Robert’s plane took off from Dalton at 22:05 hours as part of plan for extensive laying of mines. Squadron 428 records report that the aircraft was “lost without a trace.” Robert, age 20, is officially listed as killed in action on May 23, 1943 and is commemorated at Runnymede Memorial, along with over 20,000 men and women of the air forces, who were lost in World War II during operations from bases in the United Kingdom and North and Western Europe, and who have no known grave.
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