Volume 6 - Legion BC/Yukon Command Website

British ColumBia / Yukon CommandWaller, James (Jim)Jim was born in Victoria, BC on April 25, 1917. He joined the Navy andserved as a cook on convoy duty during World War Two. Jim was on HMCSOttawa when it was torpedoed and sunk on September 13, 1942 and was oneof 65 survivors out of a crew of 178. He was also on HMCS Saguenay whenit was torpedoed on December 1, 1940, but not sunk. Jim also served onmany other ships, including HMCS Ontario and HMCS Cayuga, his finalassignment. He was stationed at HMCS Naden at “Nelly’s Block” when heretired as a Chief Petty Officer in 1961. Jim died in 1973 after a short battlewith leukemia.Walter (nee Dobbin), Margaret OliveOlive was born in Kelowna, BC in 1920. She served in the Royal CanadianArmed Forces (Women’s Division) in Canada during World War Two. Shetook basic training in Rockcliffe, Ontario and was posted to Uplands inOntario and later to Lachine, Quebec. Her final posting was to Trenton,Ontario. Olive was discharged in December 1946. Olive was a member ofLegion Branch #69 in Peachland, BC before joining Branch #288 inWestbank, BC She has been a member for thirty-nine years and has servedseveral years on the Executive Committee.Wardell, Clifford (Cliff)Cliff was born in 1905 in Virden, Manitoba. He joined the Army Engineers in 1940and was assigned to the 9 th Canadian Field Park Company. First, he served in the UKand then went to Italy in February 1944. Cliff took part in the Battle of the Liri Valley.On May 24, 1944, when tanks and anti-tank guns were held up at the San MartinoRiver, Cliff earned the Indian Distinguished Service Medal when he trundled hisunarmoured bulldozer forward under fire and, despite an earlier wound from mortarsplinters, stuck to his job until he had the bank cut down and a route cleared. KingGeorge VI presented the Medal to Cliff in August 1944. Cliff remained in Italy untilFebruary 1944 then went to Marseilles, France, working his way north to Hollandwhere he remained until the end of the war. Cliff was also awarded the 1939-45 Star,the Italy Star, the France and Germany Star, the Defence Medal, the CanadianVolunteer Service Medal, and the War Medal 1939-45. Cliff was discharged inNanaimo BC in October 1945, and worked as a heavy equipment operator.www.legionbcyukon.ca283