147 www.on.legion.ca ONTARIO COMMAND HICKSON, Joseph Lamarsh Joseph was born in Wheatley, Ontario on August 20, 1923. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force (Regular Force) on November 3, 1942, and trained as an air gunner. He was posted to 420 Snowy Owl Squadron flying as a rear gunner in Halifax III in Tholthorpe, England. On his thirteenth operation mission to bomb sub pens in Keil, Germany, his plane was hit by flak just after dropping bombs. Damage was so severe that they could not make it all the way back and ditched in the North Sea. After sixteen hours in a dinghy, they were located and rescued. Of 185 rescue missions, theirs was one of five successful. The entire crew survived. He was released from service on November 8, 1945. He was a member of The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 324 for 64 years. Joseph passed away on March 20, 2015. HILL, Brian John Brian was born on May 20, 1934, in Newport, Wales, United Kingdom. He was the second oldest of five siblings. His father was a Mechanical Engineer and played trombone in the local Salvation Army Band. In his late teens, Brian joined his father and younger brother in the band. They all played the trombone and Brian played the biggest one available. This would come in handy when, on October 27, 1955, Brian signed up with the Royal Mechanical Engineers Regiment to do his national service and became part of their marching band. At one point, this band took part in the trooping of the colours in front of Buckingham Palace, wearing their red tunics and black Busby’s. After his discharge in 1958, Brian signed up with the Royal Reserve and remained there until immigrating to Canada in 1988. Brian worked as a Mechanical Engineer Draftsman until he retired in 2000. After his wife passed away in 2009, Brian joined The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 139 in Streetsville, Mississauga, Ontario. He married three times and had three children. Brian passed away at the Westwood Long Term Care Facility in York, Toronto, Ontario on October 14, 2022. HILDER, Norman Edward Norman was born on April 12, 1954, in Toronto, Ontario. He enlisted in the Army (Reserve Force) on November 24, 1970. He served with the Elgin Regiment in Canada at the rank of Private. He was discharged on April 1, 1971. After his discharge, Edward installed fire protection equipment for 28 years. Norman is now retired and makes his home in St. Thomas, Ontario. He is a 27-year member of The Royal Canadian Legion Port Stanley Branch 410.
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