Local Veterans
Leading up to this year’s Remembrance Day, we are honouring local Veterans by hanging Veteran banners in our Downtown district. These banners are officially up, and we encourage everyone to come and check them out. Each Veteran has a connection in some way to the Niagara Region; and these are their stories. Thank you Niagara Peninsula Energy and the Royal Canadian Legion
Charles Prince Leard
1910 – 1987
Charles was born in Summerside, Prince Edward in 1910. During his time of service, he was active during WWII. His branch of service included the Royal Canadian Air Force. He moved with his family here from Nova Scotia in 1954; where he found work as an auto mechanic in Niagara Falls. He lived in Niagara Falls until he passed away in 1987.
Lorna E. Fletcher (Collacott)
Lorna, born in 1924 in Hawley, Kent, England, served with England during 1943-1945. She served with the Women’s Auxiliary Air Force in WW2. Lorna’s family currently lives in Niagara Falls.
Tom Hilston
1913-1965
Tom was born in Musselburgh Scotland before becoming a resident of Niagara Falls. Tom served both Canada and England during WW2, with the Royal Canadian Air Force, and RAF as a Sergeant.
John S. Collacott
1920-1974
John was born 1920 in Edmonton, London England. He served during 1943-1945 with the Royal Canadian Air Force. John’s family currently resides in Niagara Falls ON.
Jack Hipfner
1914-1979
Jack Hipfner was born in Montmartre Saskatchewan on October 31st, 1914. He served with the Canadian Army during WW2 from 1940-1945, with the South Saskatchewan Regiment. Jack’s family lives in Niagara Falls and are active Legion members with Branch 479.
James Scott
James Scott, born in 1966, served Canada for multiple missions during 1988-1994. With Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (P.P.C.L.I) James was active in peacekeeping missions in Cypress 1991, Former Yugoslavia 1992-1993.
William Duncan Gillies
1921-2011
William Gillies, born 1921 in Niagara Falls, served Canada in WW2 and in Korea. William was a part of the Ontario Tank Regiment as well as the Lord Strathcona Horse in Korea. When off duty William was a proud “early bird” member of Branch 350 Royal Canadian Legion. He worked as a Niagara Falls Police officer, and owned the McRae Food Market on McRae street.
Melvin Lloyd Garland
1922-2007
Melvin was born in 1922 in St. Catharines, and was raised in Port Dalhousie. He served Canada in WW2, from 1941-1945 with the Spitfire Pilot Squadron 403 RCAF. He was presented with the “The France and Germany Star”.
William Hetherington
1892-1955
William Hetherington was born in 1892 in Paisley Scotland. William served in WW1, with the 3rd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders. In the early 1920’s William moved from Scotland to Niagara Falls where he and his wife resided and had 10 kids on Stamford Street until he passed in 1955.
Douglas Hetherington
1925-2019
Douglas was born in 1925 in Niagara Falls NY, a year later his family moved across the border to Niagara Falls ON. Douglas served in WW2 from March 26th 1943- December 23rd 1945, with Company 1, 20th infantry Regiment, 6th division. Douglas continued to live in Niagara Falls for the next 93 years of his life. He worked for 41 years at the Sir Adam Beck Generating Station from 1942 to 1983, during his service.
William Beltran Donald Price
1915-1944
William was born in South Wales in 1915. At the age of 27 he served in WW2 during 1924-1944, where he was sadly killed in action. William was titled Private Donald Price when he served with the Algonquin Regiment. This season, William will be featured on one of our banners in Downtown Niagara Falls.
Roy C. Williamson
1922-2019
Roy was born in Toronto in 1922; he served Canada in WW2 with the Royal Canadian Navy out of Halifax N.S, on HMCS Corvette the Mayflower. This season, Roy will be honoured on one of our banners in Downtown Niagara Falls.
James Morocco
1921-1998
James Morocco was born in 1921 in Niagara Falls, and when not serving Canada, James was employed by the City of Niagara Falls. Private James Morocco served in WW2 with the Lincoln and Welland Regiment.
John Hamill
John was born in Niagara Falls, in 1921. He remained a resident throughout his life and even raised his own family here. John served with Canada in WW2 from 1941-1945 with the Royal Canadian Ordinance Corps.
Kyle Martin
Kyle Martin, born 1985, is connected to Niagara Falls via the Legion. His branch of service included the 2 Air Movements Squadron and the 436 Squadron. Kyle served Canada from 2008-2016 in Afghanistan, Kuwait, Haiti, and Mali.
William (Billy) Desson
1915-1945
William (Billy) was born in 1915 and was raised in Niagara Falls. During his time of service, William fought with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise’s) during WW2. Billy was sadly killed in action in the Netherlands, where he is currently resting at the Holten Canadian War Cemetery. William can be located on page 509 of the Book of Remembrance. William lived on Lombard Ave, which has since been renamed to Desson Ave in honour of him.
James C Cote
1922-2007
James served in WW2, Gander, and NFLO with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Born in 1922, James became Corporal in his service and worked with Radio and Radar Service Tech.
Alexander Bates
Alexander was born in Avoca Quebec, but later moved to Niagara Falls from 1936-2001. Alexander was in the Navy during WW2 and became titled with Seaman First Class.
Elliott Brady
1923-1993
Elliot was born in 1923, in Niagara Falls. He fought with the 10th Infantry Brigade, The Algonquin, during WW2. Elliotts home was always Niagara Falls, as he was born, raised, worked and died here.
Winn Cornell
1923-2006
Winn, also referred to as Leading Seaman, served in WW2 with the Navy. He was born in Tillsonburg, and grew up in Niagara Falls, where he attended Simcoe Street and NFCVI High School.
George William Gregory Mallet
1923-2002
George served with No.2 District Dept Toronto Scottish Regiment during WW2 and later transferred to the Royal Regiment of Canada. George was born and raised in Niagara Falls, and he was an active member of the local Legion Branch 51.
Hugh Ferguson Oliver
1923-1996
Hugh was born in 1923, and served during WW2 with the Canadian Army. Hugh spent his life in Niagara Falls, as a resident.
Braden Buczkowski
Braden was born in Niagara Falls in 1970 and was raised in Niagara-on-the-lake. Braden joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1989 and still serves to this day. He fought in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom, and Global War on Terrorism. Braden also took part in an exchange program with the US Air Force during 2002-2005.
Norman Buczkowski
1923-1982
Norman served Canada during WW2, and in Normandy as a Grenadier Guard with the Canadian Army. Here in Niagara Falls, Norman owned and operated “Norm’s Service Centre” on Bridge Street. He worked as the sole distributor for parts and service for “Mr. Coffee” in Canada.
James F. Buczkowski
1921-1983
James was born in Poland in 1921, and served during WW2 as a R.C.A.F., and Crew member of the “Hercules Aircraft”. He later moved to Niagara Falls, and worked with Norman Buczkowski at Norm’s Service Centre, on Bridge St.
James McConvey
1920-2010
James served the Seaforth Highlanders Regiment of Vancouver during WW2, in 1942. During the years of 1943-1945 he served overseas. James was born in Glasgow Scotland in 1920, and moved to Niagara Falls in 1957 with his wife and three children. While here, he worked for Hydro and H.G Acres. During his time in action, James was wounded in an Italian battle, after which he received battlefield promotion to Captain.
Burt H. Hanna
1921-2021
Burt was born in 1921 in Stamford, a township of Niagara Falls. Burt enlisted in WW2, with the Canadian Navy. He remained in Niagara Falls as a lifelong resident, where he was a member of Legion branch 479.
John Willet
1922-2014
John born in 1922 was raised in Point-a-la-Croix Quebec. He served in WW2 with the Royal Canadian Army Services Corps. In his late twenties John moved to Niagara Falls, where he raised a family of three boys- Wayne, Ken and Tim. He stayed in Niagara until he sadly passed away in 2014 at the age of 92.
Allan A. Wreggit
1924-1996
Allan was born in Huntsville ON, in 1924. He served Canada in WW2, with the Army- Infantry, within the 43 Glengarry Highlanders. Allan lived in Niagara Falls for over fifty years of his life.
Angelo “Boots” Marbella
1921-2001
Angelo, nicknamed Boots, was born and raised in Niagara Falls. At the young age of 19, Angelo enlisted in the Algonquin Regiment of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment, and served during WW2; in the UK and France.
Nigel Purvis
Nigel was born in 1946 in Cornwall England; and went on to serve both Canada and England in battle. As a Royal Engineer, RC Navy and Merchant Marine, Nigel was dedicated to his service. Nigel was loyally a part of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch AT9, R.C.N.A, Canadian Corps.
Frank Cecil Sutherland
1889-1972
rank, born in London England of 1889, served for both Canada and England during the war. He joined the Marines as a youth in London and served aboard the HMS Cochran Senior Escort ship to King George V and Queen Mary when they went to India in 1911. When WW1 began, he moved to Canada, and enlisted in the 87th Grenadier Guards Montreal regiment. Shortly he returned back to England to be stationed at the Whitleycamp and was drafted in 1918 to go to France. After some time he moved to Thorold then Niagara Falls, where he worked at the Cyanamid for 27 years. Frank was a faithful member of the British Canadian Veterans Association.
Ernest Charles Jamesty
1918-2003
Ernest was born in 1918 in Niagara Falls, and was a long life resident within our city. He served with the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals in WW2. Ernest sadly passed away in 2003.
Tommy Chase
1898-1938
Tommy was born in Winnipeg Manitoba in 1898. He served in WW1 at the battle of Vinny Ridge, with the title of Sergeant. Many of his dependents were born in Niagara Falls, and many still live and reside here today.
Ronald C. Sutherland
1923-1992
Ronald was born and raised in Niagara Falls in 1923. Ronald served in WW2 with the Royal Canadian Navy for twenty years, serving on convoy duty in the North Atlantic while stationed on the HMCS Gifford. During his enlistment in May of 1945, members of the Gifford rescued 38 survivors from the torpedoed frigate in the valley-field. Ronald was a member of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 479 in Niagara Falls Ontario. During his life, when he was not serving his country, he worked at Niagara Wire Weaving and Niagara South Board of Education.
Gene Johnson
1922-2010
Gene was born in 1922, in Foam Lake Saskatchewan. He enlisted with the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve (RCNVR): HMCS Trillium, and went on to serve in WW2 through the Battle of the Atlantic from 1941-1945 where he was titled Stoker First Class. After the war ended, Gene and his wife Jeanna moved to Niagara Falls from Kendra in 1947. While here he worked for Oneida Canada from 1949 to 1984. Gene passed away in 2010 and is currently resting in Lundy’s Lane Cemetery.