Volume 6 - Legion BC/Yukon Command Website

British ColumBia / Yukon CommandGrinstead, Bernard (Bernie)Bernie was born in Hamilton, Ontario in 1931. He was employed in theprinting industry after graduating from high school but decided to join theRoyal Canadian Air Force when he was twenty. He took basic training atAylmer, Ontario and was selected to take an Airframe Technician course atCamp Borden, Ontario. Over the next three years, he then divided his timebetween Trenton and Hamilton, Ontario working on Mustang aircraft. In1955, Bernie was posted to No.1 Fighter Wing in Marville, France and in1959, to Winnipeg before being posted to St. Jean, Quebec in 1967 as aninstructor in basic training. After three years there, Bernie was posted toMoose Jaw, Saskatchewan, where he retired as a Master Corporal in 1971.Following his retirement, Bernie became a newspaper publisher, pub owner,and music publisher. He has been a Legion member for twenty-eight yearsin both the Langley and Cloverdale Branches in BC.Gunson (nee Ward), Daisy C.In 1942, when she was 18, Daisy tried to enlist but was discouraged by her mother.She did enlist in the Air Force at 19, and then went to Regina for exams and testingbefore taking basic and office training at Rockcliffe, ON. She was then posted toBrantford, ON at the Service Flying Training School #5 (SFTS) then to #6 RD atTrenton, ON, typing DRO’s and maintaining personnel files. Three months later, shewas transferred to the 8 th Bombing and Gunnery Station at Hagersville, ON whereshe arranged the documents for those who finished their training and were beingdischarged. She then went to #6 B&G at Jarvis, ON until it closed and then toLachine, QC. She volunteered to go to Europe to help “mop up” but her commanderrefused to let her go. She spent the time discharging returning soldiers, and once thebulk of personnel had been processed, Lachine was closed and Daisy went back toTrenton until she was discharged on December 18, 1946. She now lives inCranbrook, BC and is a member of Legion Branch #24.Haine, Robert GordonRobert joined the Army on July 22, 1941 in Rosetown, Saskatchewan, did hisbasic training in Petawawa and then was assigned to the 67 th Battery, a lightanti-aircraft unit. Overseas, his unit spent some time in Northern Ireland thensaw service in France, Belgium, Holland, and Germany. Robert was also amilitary switchboard operator in England. One of his experiences was inGermany where literally thousands of Germans were surrendering and beingdisarmed in Aurich outside of Emden, Germany, not far from the North Sea. Herecalls it being quite a sight with acres of arms, ammunition, and thousands ofprisoners. Robert’s medals include the 1939-45 Star, the France and GermanyStar, the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp and the 1939-1945 WarMedal with Bronze Oak Leaf, for being mentioned in dispatches. Robert washonourably discharged in 1946 and now resides in Cranbrook, BC. He has beena member of Legion Branch #24 in Cranbrook for forty-seven years.www.legionbcyukon.ca133