99 www.on.legion.ca ONTARIO COMMAND DOWKER, Arthur B. Arthur was born on May 17, 1918, in Baie-d’Urfé, Quebec. He enlisted in the Army (Regular Force) on October 9, 1939, and served with 12th Field Battery, London Ontario and 44th Regiment during World War II. On September 21, 1944, an infantry company participated in the capture of Boulogne. Just as the company moved forward against the final objective, the second-in-command was killed. Captain Arthur Bagnall Dowker, at that time in reserve as an artillery forward observation officer, quickly realized the vital necessity of getting the supply ammunition lorries forward to the company. He immediately took charge of the situation, organized the small column and acting with complete disregard for his own safety, personally led the convoy through the city, which was still in enemy hands, over roads cratered and mined and under intense enemy shell fire. He brought the convoy up to the company position, just at the time when ammunition supply was exhausted. During the night of September 21, Captain Dowker re-established the communications between company and battalion headquarters and with his observation post crew directed vital artillery support to the company. He was released in 1945 and took up residence in Thornhill/Richmond Hill in 1953. Arthur passed away on April 15, 2000. DUROCHER, Lucien Joseph Lucien was born in Casselman, Ontario on June 26, 1920. He joined the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals on September 4, 1939, and embarked for the United Kingdom on December 7, 1939. He participated in the Spitzbergen expedition from August 17 to September 9, 1941. He fought in the invasions of Sicily and Italy. He trained for Operation Jedburgh, a covert operation behind enemy lines and on June 24, 1944, under cover of darkness, he parachuted for mission Dodge as SOE agent code name Oswald, into German occupied France near Beaurepaire, France. He remained with the French resistance until the arrival of Allied Forces in October 1944. He was promoted to Lieutenant while still behind enemy lines fighting with the French Marquis. He received a Mention in Dispatches for his outstanding work. Also, he participated in SOE Operation Massingham in NorthAfrica. He was discharged on March 29, 1945. Lucien passed away on October 2, 1985, and is buried at Beechwood Cemetery. He received the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Clasp, 1939-1945 Star, Italy Star, Defence Medal, France and Germany Star, and War Medal 1939-1945. He was a long-standing member of The Royal Canadian Legion Branches 439, 462 and Ontario Command T.V.S. DUNBAR, Clifford Ross “Cliff” Clifford was born in Grey Township, Huron County, Ontario on June 14, 1896. He enlisted in the Army (Regular Force) on March 10, 1916, in Brussels with the 161st Battalion. He went overseas in October and was transferred to the Machine Gun Unit of the Fourth Canadian Brigade and fought at Vimy Ridge in April 1917 and at several fronts on the Somme. He advanced to the rank of Sergeant in 1917 in France. He was discharged on May 25, 1919, on demobilization. He returned to Canada, was married to his wife Anna, and returned to farming. He had an avid interest in politics and was a councillor for four years and was Reeve from 1960 to 1969. Cliff owned and operated a chopping mill in the village of Ethel. He also operated a portable sawmill. Cliff passed away on March 6, 1986, at the age of 89. He was a member of The Royal Canadian Legion Brussels Branch 218 for over fifty years.
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