Showing 286 results

Mike Smith was featured in a video production, "Fall out : the Canadian Airborne Regiment"

Born 13 February 1931 at Macklin, Saskatchewan, John "Al" Stangowitz worked as an apprentice welder in Edmonton before joining the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) in February 1948. He completed Recruit Basic Training at Camp Borden in Ontario and was posted to B Company, 1st Battalion, PPCLI at Currie Barracks in Calgary, Alberta in May 1948. He was trained as a bren gunner and then sent to Rivers, Manitoba where he completed his jump course (parachute training) in May 1950. Private Stangowitz was reposted to the 1st Battalion in 1950 and then returned to Camp Borden where he completed the Driver Operator and Signals course. When he returned to the Battalion in July 1950, he was employed as a Signaller and passed the Air-Portability course in August. Stangowitz then was sent to Wainwright, Alberta to help train the Second Battalion, Signals for service in Korea. He was sent to Korea, arriving in September 1951, and was attached to B Company, 2nd Battalion, PPCLI. Al was wounded by a shell fragment to the head in April 1951 and evacuated to Japan where he spent three months recovering. He was then transferred to Movement Control at Iwakuni, Japan where he was employed loading priority supplies onto aircraft. When the 2nd Battalion was relieved by the 1st in October 1951, Private Stangowitz returned to Canada and applied for discharge in November. Following the War he worked as a carpenter for forty years. He was active in the PPCLI Association, the Korea Veterans Association and the Royal Canadian Legion, and volunteered at the PPCLI Regimental Museum. He was married to Dorothy Stangowitz (d. 2006) and to Doris Stangowitz. He had four children, James, Gordon, Brenda, and Douglas. He died in Calgary on 13 September 2012.

476040 Conrad Stephens, 1891-1971, known as "Steve" and "Con", was born in Leicester, England. As a young man he emigrated to Canada and established a farm at Phippen, Saskatchewan. He enlisted in the 3rd University Company in Saskatoon on 12 July, 1915. The Company joined Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) in the field on 6 December, 1915. He was promoted to Lance Corporal in November 1916 but reverted to Private at his own request in March 1917. Around this time he joined the PPCLI Comedy Company, a unit which staged variety shows to raise the morale of the troops. On 12 November, 1918 the Comedy Company amalgamated with the 3rd Division Concert Party, better known as the Dumbells. On 8 March, 1919, Stephens was struck off strength by the 3rd Division and returned to farming in western Saskatchewan. He died in North Battleford on 12 July, 1971. He is buried near other members of his family in Rockhaven Cemetery, Cut Knife, Saskatchewan.

P 22191 William Raymond Stephens, 1916- , was born in Caerphilly, Wales. He came from a musical family and undertook studies in several instruments and in voice. He developed particular interest in the tuba. He joined Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry in 1936 as a bandsman and became a drummer for the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry Dance Band formed ca.1937. When war broke out he was stationed with the Regiment in England was later promoted to Sergeant. He transferred to the 1st Canadian Division Band in March 1941, then to the Royal Canadian Artillery Band, then Allied Broadcast Network in London. During the final year of the war he served in Italy and Northwestern Europe. Following the war he worked for the music retailers Boosey and Hawkes (Canada) and Frederick Harris Music Company. He is the author of The Harps of War (1986), Memories and Melodies of World War II (1987), and The Canadian Entertainers of World War II (1991). He married Eunice Davies, and they had two sons, David and Glyn. In 1991 he was living at Oakville, Ontario.