Local Heroes

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Museum Blog - November 2019

In 2014 the Royal Canadian Legion Ontario Command launched the first in an ongoing series of Military Recognition Books. The inaugural edition details the lives of more than 450 veterans and commemorates their sacrifices. In this post we draw attention to those with a connection to the United Counties of Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry.

Blue cover of the "Military Service Recognition Book, Volume I." Features a poppy, soldier portraits, a Canadian flag, and remembrance quotes. Tone is respectful and solemn.

Volume I of the Military Service Recognition Book includes summaries of the following veterans from Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry:

  • Gerald Belanger was born in Cornwall, served in Korea and died in 1972.
  • Dan T. Delage served in the SD&G Highlanders.
  • James A. Lalonde was born in Sussex, served in Cyprus, Germany and was reported living here in Cornwall in 2014.
  • Fernand J. Marion was born in Metcalfe, served in Italy, and as of 2014 was a member of the Cornwall Legion.
  • Gerard S. Marion was born in Cornwall and served as a radio operator.
  • Alexander (Alex) J. McLellan served in Belgium, and as of 2014 was a member of the Cornwall Legion.

Volume II of the Military Service Recognition Book includes summaries of the following veterans from Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry:

  • Brent L. LaFave was born in Cornwall and served in the SD&G Highlanders.
  • Robert G. MacMillan was born in Winchester and served in the Air Force in World War I.
  • Alex W. Ramsey was born in Cornwall and served in the Navy during World War II.
  • Robert T. Robertson was born in Cardinal and served in England and France during World War I.

Volume III of the Military Service Recognition Book includes summaries of the following veterans from Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry:

  • Arthur William Boate served and died in World War II as a member of the SD&G Highlanders.
  • Gordon B. (Bruce) Butler was born in Cornwall and served in the Air Force in Egypt.
  • James R. Hubel was born in Cornwall. He enlisted in the Army, then relocated to Toronto.
  • Ron Lefebvre was born in Alexandria and served in Cyprus and in the Congo.
  • Pierson C. McArthur was born in Martintown and fought at the Ypres, the Somme, Arras, Vimy Ridge and Passchendaele.
  • Xavier F. Sabourin was born in Maxville and served in the Army Service Corps.
  • Harold M. (Mac) Upton was born in Cornwall and serves in the Navy during World War II.
  • Eric Urquhart was born in Williamstown and served in the Air Force during World War II.
  • Eric E. White was born in B.C., served in the reserves and as of 2016 was living in Williamstown.

Volume IV of the Military Service Recognition Book includes summaries of the following veterans from Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry:

  • Bernard Ashton was born in Cornwall and served in the Air Force during peace time.
  • Frederick (Fred) Sidney George Buckland was born in England, served in Continental Europe during World War II, was a member of the Legion in Cornwall and died in 1990.
  • Blake Bird Keyes was born in Gananoque. He was the brother-in-law of Major Archibald MacDonald of the SD&G Highlanders. Both were killed in action during World War II.
  • Frederick A. Lauzon was born in Summerstown and served as infantry during World War I.
  • Archibald MacMaster was born in Glengarry and served in North Africa and Italy during World War II.
  • Robert Mark was born in Maxville, and served in Hanover, Germany during peace time.
  • Norman M. Morrison was born in Moose Creek, served in the Dragoons in England, Scotland, Sicily, Italy, France, Belgium and Holland.
Cover of the Military Service Recognition Book, Volume V, featuring a central war memorial with poppies and soldiers, conveying remembrance.

Volume V of the Military Service Recognition Book includes summaries of the following veterans from Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry:

  • Aime Joseph Lafrance was born in Cornwall and served in the Army in Italy during World War II.
  • Alec MacDonald was born in Williamstown and served in the Navy during World War II.
  • Albert Victor Mason was born in Peterborough and served with the SD&G Highlanders in Central Europe during World War II.

Volume VI of the Military Service Recognition Book includes summaries of the following veterans from Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry:

  • Harold Joseph Hood was born in 1917 on Scugog Island, Ontario. He enlisted in the Army and landed around noon on June 6 1944, D-Day with the 9th Brigade of SD&G Highlanders 1st Battalion.
  • George Pollock was born in Iroquois, initially serving in the Air Force then integrating into the Navy. He served in Canada, France and Egypt during peace time.
  • Alexander George Wensley was born in Weston. He served in the SD&G Highlanders in France, Belgium and Holland during World War II, having trained in Cornwall.
A somber statue of a hooded figure stands in a vast field of red poppies under a dark, cloudy sky. Text: "Legion Ontario Command Military Service Recognition Book Volume VI."
Cover of the "Military Service Recognition Book, Volume VII" by the Legion Ontario Command. Illustrations of veterans with poppies and a monument in the background.

Volume VII of the Military Service Recognition Book includes summaries of the following veterans from Cornwall:

  • Harold Cyril “Jake” Barrett
  • James Henry Bringloe
  • Douglas Joseph Chenier
  • Earl John Derochie
  • William James Dymond
  • Robert Gordon Manwell
  • Thomas Roy Manwell

Volume IX of the Military Service Recognition Book includes summaries of the following veterans from Cornwall:

  • Gerald Belanger
  • Russell George Brown
  • Cory Adam Daniel Pignatel
  • Morris “Manning” Wright
A young girl holds a red poppy near a soldier's grave, with poppies all around. Silhouettes of soldiers and a plane appear in the cloudy sky above.
Cover of a Military Service Recognition Book features a red poppy over hands, silhouetted soldiers, and the text "Their Sacrifice, Our Freedom" on a blue background.

Volume X of the Military Service Recognition Book includes summaries of the following veterans from Cornwall:

  • Fernand J. Marion
  • Alex McLellan

Our thanks to Royal Canadian Legion Branch 297 President Marvin Plumadore for ensuring that copies of this series of publications was donated by the Branch for use at the Cornwall Community Museum and Archives.