61 www.on.legion.ca ONTARIO COMMAND BYERS, Milton Bernard Milton was born in Bethany, Durham County on January 11, 1879. He had worked as a farm hand near Bethany and eventually he was a farm foreman. In Durham County, he joined the Durham Field Battery with the Canadian Militia. Shortly before the war started, he received an offer to manage a farm inAlberta. He enlisted onAugust 26, 1915, in Calgary with the regular army, 56th Battalion CEF and sailed from Halifax for England on the SS Baltic on March 20, 1916, arriving on April 11, 1916. When at Shorncliffe Camp, he was transferred to the 2nd Mounted Rifles on May 25, 1916. He landed in France on May 26, was taken on strength that day, and joined the unit in the field on June 3, 1916. He was in hospital on January 13, 1917. Private Milton James Byers was killed in action onApril 9, 1917 at the Battle of Vimy Ridge. He was 38 years old. Milton was eligible for the Victory Medal and the British War Medal. CAIRNS, Robert Ernest Setchell “Bob” Bob was born on October 30, 1924, in North Adams, Massachusetts, USA, to Robert and Harriett Cairns who had immigrated fromAuchendinny, Scotland and London, England. He immigrated to Quebec at the age of three. At age sixteen, Bob began university in Engineering. Just turning eighteen, Bob recalls coming home to Quebec City from university in Nova Scotia on a Monday and on Wednesday, he volunteered with the Royal Canadian Navy Reserve. By Friday, he was off to basic training. After five weeks of training, two advance training courses, and one week of leave, Bob was off to Halifax to prepare to cross over to Scotland on the Ile de France. Once in Scotland, he travelled to Manchester, England for additional training in Aircraft Radar. He later served on the Royal Navy Airfields in Arbroath and Fern in Scotland before returning home on the new aircraft ship HMCS Warrior. Bob completed his Mechanical Engineering Degree on his return fromWorld War II. Today, Bob enjoys the quiet lifestyle at home with his wife of over 65 years and his three children. He is a proud member of The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 139 in Mississauga. CAIRNS, Helen Margaret “Sue” Helen, better known as Sue, was born on November 4, 1928, in Edinburgh, Scotland to Robert and Harriet Cairns who had previously immigrated from Auchendinny, Scotland and London, England to Canada in 1927. Sue spent her childhood in Kénogami, Quebec and was fluent in both French and English. At an early age, Sue became a Registered Nurse and practiced in the province of Quebec. Her father, Robert Cairns, served in both World War I Royal Navy and World War II Royal Canadian Navy (Lieutenant Commander) and her brother, Robert E. S. Cairns, served in World War II Royal Canadian Navy Reserve. As she wanted to do her part, Sue enlisted with the Canadian Army on November 26, 1962, as a Lieutenant Nursing Sister and was stationed in Lahr, Germany. She returned to Canada on June 16, 1967, and continued with her nursing career; retiring from Jeffery Hale Hospital in Quebec City, Quebec in her early fifties. One of Sue’s favourites was travelling the world. At the age of 88, Sue passed away in Saint John, New Brunswick on August 27, 2017.
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