Billy Bishop Home: Museum, Archives, and National Historic Site and Branch #6 of the Royal Canadian Legion will be hosting the 18th Annual Honouring Our Local Veterans (HOLV) on Sunday, October 28, 2018, at 2:00 PM at the Owen Sound Royal Canadian Legion.
This year we will recognize nine Veterans from Grey and Bruce Counties who have served and sacrificed for their country. To date this program has honoured the service of over 150 First World War, Second World War and Korean War, Cold War and UN Peacekeeping Mission Veterans from Grey and Bruce Counties.
The Royal Canadian Legion Colour Guard and a ceremonial piper will introduce the honoured Veterans. Several local dignitaries will also be on-hand to acknowledge this year’s Honourees and their service.
Special guest speaker Alexander Fitzgerald-Black will be discussing his book “Eagles Over Husky: The Allied Air Forces in the Sicilian Campaign, 14 May to 17 August 1943”. He will also be available after the ceremony for a book signing.
This year’s honourees are:
Christopher David Kemp: Infantry Soldier, British Army, Korean War. Christopher served as an infantry soldier on the frontlines in the Korean War with the British Army Norfolk Regiment from June of 1951 until he was injured on January 31, 1952.
William Shane Hotchkiss: Rifleman with the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry. While a Rifleman in C and A company 1PPCLI, Shane was posted to the Anti-Armour Defense Platoon, where he drove the M113 and acted as a TOW Gunner.
John Leonard Smith: Trooper, Canadian Army, Second World War. John was a Sherman tank driver in North Africa and first saw action with the Allied push north in Italy to take the city of Rome. John also participated in the August 1944 “Month of Hell” at the Gothic Line.
Thomas Hiram Eastnor Munn: Corporal, Canadian Army, First and Second World War. Thomas enlisted in December 1916 with the 248th Battalion and served until the end of the war. During the Second World War, he trained at Camp Borden as a Rifleman and a Commando for the Suicide Squad.
Ron O’Donoughue: Lieutenant, Royal Canadian Navy. Ron enlisted with the RCN Fleet Air Arm in February of 1960. He served on HMCS BEACONHILL, then the USS LUCE while on exchange with the USN. He then trained as a Sub-Lieutenant with the RCAF in Centralia, ON and Portage-La-Prairie, MB. Ron is a Cold War Warrior and was discharged as a Lieutenant in 1967.
Stuart Carlyle Peacock: Captain, Royal Canadian Air Force, Second World War and Cold War Era. Glen trained to become a Wireless Air Gunner – Radio Operator. He re-enlisted in 1953 and served for another 19 years.
George Bismark “Cy” Simpson: Corporal 1941, Sergeant 1943, Canadian Army. Cy signed up with the 259th Battalion in 1918 and then again with the Royal Canadian Ordinance Corp in 1940. He was a Rifleman and served in Siberia during the First World War. Cy was an Armourer and served in Nanaimo, BC during the Second World War.
Rene Michael Joseph Boudrias: Warrant Officer, Canadian Army. Mike served for 33 years during UN peacekeeping missions in Cyprus and Haiti. He is also the Founder of the Meaford branch of the Canadian Veteran Freedom Riders, formed in 2011.
John Doherty: Lance Bombardier First World War, Canadian Army. John enlisted with the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force in January of 1916 at the age of 26. John saw action at Vimy Ridge and Ypres, which he survived. He was killed on July 26, 1918 while helping to adjust artillery to meet their targets when a shell exploded prematurely.
source: media release, Billy Bishop Museum
