Volume 6 - Legion BC/Yukon Command Website

British ColumBia / Yukon CommandBrady, William James (Bill)Bill was 17 when he volunteered for war, telling the recruiting officers that hewas 18. After basic training at Camp Shilo, MB, he went to England in July1943. Bill qualified as a parachutist with the 1 st Canadian Parachute Regimenton September 11, 1943 and jumped into France on his 19 th birthday, June 6,1944, during the Invasion of Normandy. Battalion orders for the D-DayInvasion were for the 1 st Canadian Parachute Battalion to land one hour inadvance of the rest of the brigade, secure the dropping zone, destroy roadbridges then neutralize the strong points on the cross roads. Bill landed in theDives River, and almost drowned but a fellow paratrooper pulled him out. Halfof the paratroopers on that jump died. On August 13, 1944, while sniping, Billwas chased by some Germans and stepped on a mine. He lay for many hoursbefore someone could get to him. He spent six months in hospital in Englandand still has shrapnel in his hands and legs. Bill went home in January 1946.Branton, HaroldHarold was born in Craigmyle, Alberta in 1923. He enlisted in the RCAF inCalgary on December 22, 1942, became a frame mechanic in Medicine Hat andtrained in St. Thomas, ON before returning to the #10 Repair Depot in Calgary.He then joined the 429 Squadron in Leeming, Yorkshire, England, working onminor inspections and flack damage on Halifax Bombers and flying with crewsto test modifications made to the bombers. Harold returned to Canada and wasdischarged in 1946. He then spent four years in Toronto earning his Bachelor’sDegree in theology. Originally a member of the Vernon Legion, he transferredto Legion Branch #11 in Trail in 1968 when he moved his family to become theMinister of the Baptist Church. After retiring from the ministry, Harold was aschool bus driver, worked in public transportation and charter busing andbecame a driving instructor, retiring again in 1993. Harold received his LegionLife membership in 1999 and was named Trail’s Citizen of the Year in 2002.Brown, JackJack was born in Toronto, Ontario on June 18, 1925. He enlisted in theRegina Rifles on September 1, 1943 and served in Canada and Europe untilhe was demobilized in July 1946 with the rank of Corporal. He enlisted inthe Queen’s Own Rifles in 1947 and served until 1967 when he retired withthe rank of Staff Sergeant. In 1993, Jack and his wife Jean moved fromToronto to North Vancouver where he joined Legion Branch #118. Jack diedon January 19, 2011.www.legionbcyukon.ca77