War Memorial WW 1 Roll of Honour



Those not recorded on the Memorial World War Two	World War One World War Two Post World War Two
Trooper Robert Austin Acres K/71541 12th Manitoba Dragoons September 5, 1944 Calais Canadian War Cemetery (Leubringhen), Pas de Calais, France Son of Richard G. and Edith Acres, Chilliwack, B.C. Husband of Maiza B. Acres, Chilliwack, B.C.
Lance Corporal Arthur Percy Allen L/101638 Royal Canadian Engineers January 10, 1944 Tisdale Cemetery, Saskatchewan Son of Mr. and Mrs. Walter Allen, Hamilton, Ontario Husband of Ina May Allen, Tisdale, Saskatchewan Lance Corporal Allen died at Chilliwack Hospital from injuries he received in an accident. At the time he was riding a bicycle from Cultus Lake towards the Canadian Engineers Training Center when he struck two pedestrians. Allen suffered a fractured skull and one pedestrian was seriously injured. His wife Ina lived at Cultus Lake.
Sergeant Clifford David Branscombe B/26934 Royal Canadian Engineers March 19, 1945 Toronto (Park Lawn) Cemetery, Ontario Sergeant Branscombe joined the army in 1942 and was stationed in Chilliwack since October 1943 where he underwent both sapper and non-commissioned officer training. He was lost while on a group march training manoeuvre near the Vedder River. At one point during the exercise the platoon attempted to cross the river half a mile down from the bridge at Vedder Crossing. Several men became caught in a whirlpool, and both Sergeant Branscombe and Lieutenant G.D. Markland managed to rescue the men in distress. However, Branscombe became caught in the whirlpool and was pulled underwater and drowned. Nearly 100 soldiers provided a funeral escort and the A-6 Canadian Engineering Center band played the funeral march when the body of Sergeant Branscombe was taken to the C.N.R. station March 23, 1945.
Sergeant Malcolm Hutton Brooks (Service Number) 4811 Royal Canadian Air Force October 15, 1947 Vancouver (Mountain View) Cemetery Son of Archibald Hutton Brooks and Jessie Brooks, of Chilliwack; Husband of Louisa Brooks of Vancouver. Brooks lived in Melville, Saskatchewan until his enlistment in the R.C.A.F. September 11, 1939. He was mentioned in despatches, his name appearing in the London Gazette October 12, 1945. He is not recorded on the Melville Honour Roll.
Lieutenant Stanley Ralph Casey Calgary Highladners September 30, 1944 Bergen-op-Zoom Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands Son of Fred Edward and Hecla Casey Husband of Peggy Joan Casey, Cultus Lake, B.C.
Lieutenant Lloyd Alexander Elliott November 6, 1942 Royal Canadian Engineers Chilliwack (Royal Canadian Legion) Cemetery, B.C. Brother of Vincent Elliott, Dutton, Ontario During a demolitions training exercise at Vedder Crossing November 5, 1942, Lieutenant Elliott was seriously injured at 12:15 AM when a lit explosive charge detonated. Another officer, Lieutenant M.L. Davies was blown out of the chamber by the charge and in quick succession the other charges detonated. Although Lieutenant Elliott was also blown out of the chamber he was severely injured by rock wounds to the left side of his body. He died at Chilliwack General Hospital the following day.
Corporal Robert John Ferguson L/784157 Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps August 6, 1946 Chilliwack (Canadian Legion) Cemetery, Little Mountain, B.C. Son of William John and Elizabeth Ferguson, Crystal City, Manitoba Husband of Edna Pearl Ferguson, Chilliwack, B.C. Born in Ontario on 1888 he later lived at Crystal City, Manitoba and Ruthilda, Saskatchewan where he farmed for 30 years. In 1941 he enlisted with the Regina Rifle Regiment and remained with them for four years. At the time of his death he had been living in Chilliwack for ten months. He had two children Earl and Phyllis. His brother Private James Andrew Ferguson was killed during the First World War with the 27th Battalion C.E.F.
Private Thomas George K/93835 Veterans Guard of Canada May 30, 1945 Chilliwack (St. Thomas) Anglican Cemetery, Little Mountain, B.C. Son of Frederick A. and Elizabeth George of Vancouver, B.C. Husband of Rosina George, Chilliwack, B.C. After service during the First World War Thomas George purchased a 25-acre farm on Bell Road through the Soldier’s Settlement Board. He came to Canada in 1911 and was a member of St. Thomas Anglican Church and the Canadian Legion. At the time of his death he was survived by his wife Rosina and nine children.
Private Leonard James Harper K/3197 Canadian Scottish Regiment March 29, 1945 Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Nertherlands Son of Mr. and Mrs. William Gawn D. Harper of Chilliwack, B.C. A native of Cupar, Saskatchewan, prior to the Second World War he worked as a sheet metal worker at Quesnel and was a well known badminton player and golfer. He then worked in the shipyards of Vancouver before he joined the Canadian Army. He first served in North West Europe in December 1944 and was killed when he was struck by bomb fragments in the neck and left shoulder. These injuries occurred when a German self-propelled gun hit a nearby tank on the outskirts of Emmerich. Harper during the action was attempting to extract the tank’s crew when he was mortally wounded.
Private William Alexander Hill K/47965 Westminster Regiment (Motors) October 5, 1945 Burnaby (Forest Lawn) Memorial Park Son of James and Winifred Hill, Vancouver A one time resident of Ryder Lake, Private Hill served with the “Westies” throughout the campaign in Italy. He was stricken with stomach ulcers in August 1944 and while riding aboard a Seaforth Highlander’s troop train across Canada died.
Private Charles Glen Illingworth K/50757 Westminster Regiment (Motors) December 4, 1944 Ravenna War Cemetery, Italy Son of Edwin and Elsie May Illingworth, Vancouver, B.C. Glen Illingworth was well known in the Chilliwack area and worked on the farm of M.H. Rutledge. He joined the Canadian army March 1943 and was sent overseas in August. In May 1944 he was wounded but returned to his unit a few months later. His brother Harold Illingworth was killed serving with the British Columbia Regiment February 26, 1945. Their parents later relocated to North Battleford, Saskatchewan.
Sergeant David Janicki February 9, 1945 Canadian Scottish Regiment Son of George and Peal Janicki of Vernon, British Columbia Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands David Janicki was born in Yale, B.C. located about an hour east of Chilliwack. As a youth he attended school at Boston Bar and in Chilliwack but in 1937 moved with his family to Vernon. He was killed when attempting to return to Command Headquarters when he was ambushed by the enemy. Although his name does not appear on the Chilliwack War Memorial his name is recorded on the west side of the memorial at Vernon.
Flying Officer Howard Kitchener Jones J/15670 430 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force June 21, 1944 Le Mans West Cemetery, Sarthe, France Son of Elsworth B. and Ethel H. Jones of Chilliwack, B.C. Jones was a pilot with 430 Squadron who was killed flying a Mustang aircraft (AG 377) and was shot down by flak while on a tactical reconnaissance mission over the Chartres area of France. Fighter-reconnaissance units were the eyes of the army. Photographing the French landscape in preparation for the landings at Normandy. Mustang pilots would often slip under the cloud cover to obtain crucial pictures or visual information about the area. Jones never lived in Chilliwack and is recorded as being from Yellow Grass, Saskatchewan. His brother, Harold Jones worked at the Boeing Aircraft Factory in Chilliwack. Both Howard and Harold lived at Cultus Lake for several years and played on the Cultus Lake softball team.
Lance Corporal Clare Davidson Kines H/41150 Royal Winnipeg Rifles June 8, 1944 Beny-sur-mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, Calvados, France Son of W. Clarence and Hazel B. KInes of Chilliwack, B.C. Mr. and Mrs. Kines lived on McNaught Road when they received news of their son’s loss. Lance Corporal Kines was born at Roblin, Manitoba and enlisted in June 1940. He was trained in Winnipeg, Camp Shilo and Debert, Nova Scotia and was a D-Day veteran. Kines was one of several Canadians executed as prisoners of war.
Sapper Alfred James Leslie Martin K/75229 6 Field Company, Royal Canadian Engineers June 6, 1944 Beny-sur-mer Canadian War Cemetery, Reviers, Calvados, France Son of Alfred William and Lillian May Martin Husband of Madge Martin, Chilliwack, B.C.
Sapper Ernest Henry Morris L/41677 August 17, 1942 Royal Canadian Engineers Veteran’s Cemetery, Esquimalt, B.C. Brother of Evelyn MacDonald, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan Sapper Ernest Morris a veteran of the First World War died as the result of injuries sustained when his bicycle was struck by an Atkins Stage lines bus near Vedder Crossing. At the time Sapper Morris was riding southbound along Vedder Road. An inquest heard testimony that Sapper Morris was riding on the wrong side of the road without any lights. The bus swerved to avoid Sapper Morris and crashed into a telephone pole, the driver sustaining light injuries and his passengers fortunately unhurt. Ernest Henry Morris served for four years with the 29th Battalion, C.E.F. during the First World War. He was born in Victoria, B.C. December 27, 1889 and was a waiter. Morris served with the 5th Canadian Garrison Artillery prior to enlisting in the 103rd Battalion of the C.E.F. He is one of several soldiers who are recorded as having a second enlistment. At that time he was recorded as a “Special Enlistment”, with the Canadian Military Police Corps performing the duties of a special guard.
Warrant Officer I Laurence Munro McLean R/62458 1406 Meteorological Flight Royal Canadian Air Force January 6, 1943 Leuchars Cemetery, Argyllshire, United Kingdom Son of Mr. and Mrs. William McLean, Cultus Lake, B.C. Laurence McLean was born in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. Following graduation in Moose Jaw he entered into business with his father. In 1939 he joined the R.C.A.F. and served on reconnaissance flights over the North Sea, and later stationed at a communications station in Scotland. His death was reported in the Chilliwack Progress January 20, 1943. At the time Warrant Officer McLean was the pilot of a Miles Master aircraft that crashed at Leuchars Airfield, Wick, Scotland. One other crewman was also killed in the crash.
Sergeant Edward Claus O’Krafka A/51059 Royal Canadian Engineers June 13, 1946 Elmira (St. James) Evangelical Lutheran Cemetery, Ontario Son of Claus and Rebecca O’Krafka, Elmira, Ontario While riding aboard an army truck Sergeant O’Krafka was killed when the vehicle overturned on the Trans-Canada Highway about six miles east of Abbotsford. The Department of National Defence vehicle was on its return to the Royal Canadian School of Military Engineering in Sardis from Vancouver when the mishap occurred. Joining the army in 1945 Sergeant O’Krafka had previously served as a member of the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Private Edward Fred Rusnak A/107325 Royal Hamilton Light Infantry December 9, 1946 Chilliwack (Royal Canadian Legion) Cemetery, Little Mountain, B.C. Son of Nick and Polly Rusnak, Sardis, B.C. No other details known.
Lance Corporal William Herbert Sager L/2346 The Saskatoon Light Infantry (M.G.) December 24, 1946 Chilliwack (Royal Canadian Legion) Cemetery, Little Mountain, B.C. Son of Ester A. Sager, Chilliwack, B.C. Husband of Nellie R. Sager, Chilliwack, B.C. No other details known.
Private Colin Thackeray H/66743 48th Highlanders of Canada December 11, 1944 Ravenna War Cemetery, Italy Son of Mr. & Mrs. J.H. Thackeray, Goodwater, Saskatchewan Private Thackeray’s parents were living with their daughter, Mrs. Arthur Procure of Atchelitz. In 1941 Private Thackeray joined the Royal Canadian Artillery in Brandon, Manitoba. In October 1943 he transferred to the 48th Highlanders and was one of several Canadians who were attached to British units in North Africa for battle experience. He was wounded in Italy in September and at the time of his death had only recently returned to the front.
Private Gordon Lewis Wilkinson D/91520 31 Corps Troops Company, Royal Canadian Army Service Corps July 22, 1943 Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey, United Kingdom Son of George Wilkinson Husband of Jenny Wilkinson, Chilliwack, B.C.
Sapper Wesley David Wilson K/76418 May 22, 1942 Royal Canadian Engineers Summerland (Peach Orchard) Cemetery, B.C. Son of George and Jessie C. Wilson, Summerland, B.C. The first fatal casualty stationed at Camp Chilliwack. Wesley Wilson and other engineers were falling a tree when the tree broke and struck him on his head. He was first taken to the camp’s hospital, then Chilliwack General Hospital and subsequently to Vancouver where he died. He was 17 years of age.
Civilian War Dead Ellen Grover The Commonwealth War Graves Commission records Ellen Grover as having died as a civilian casualty on November 12, 1940 at 15 Hadley Avenue, Worthing, West Sussex, England. Her name was discovered quite by chance when a search of the London Gazette revealed her name, pursuant to the Trust Act as being “late of Chilliwack”. At the time of her death she was 74 years of age. Her husband was Harry Grover and their connection to Chilliwack has not been established at this time.


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