81 www.on.legion.ca ONTARIO COMMAND COULSON, Cecil Benjamin Cecil was born on July 9, 1921, in London, Ontario. He was in the militia’s Middlesex and Huron Regiment in London, Ontario when he was taken on active service for World War II on May 26, 1941, just before he turned twenty years old. He started at No. 12 Basic Training Centre in Chatham, Ontario and remained for two years as an active corporal and instructor. In August 1943, he went to the United Kingdom in the Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit and was assigned to the Algonquin Regiment in December. The regiment landed in France on July 22, 1944. Cecil was wounded on August 9 during the Falaise Pocket battle. After treatment back in England, he returned the Algonquins in December and fought in Germany during the winter. Cecil was discharged back home in London on December 2, 1945. In civilian life, he worked for General Motors Diesel Division in London. Although Cecil never married, he was close to his mother, eight brothers and sisters, and many nieces and nephews. Cecil passed away on May 12, 1987. COULSON, Walter Kitchener Walter was born in London, Ontario on December 23, 1919. He joined the Royal Canadian Navy (Regular Force) on September 16, 1940, in London, Ontario. He was stationed at HMCS Stadacona (stone frigate) in Halifax where he trained at Signal School. Unfortunately, a little over a year after enlisting, he contracted scarlet fever and was medically discharged on October 3, 1941. He returned to his hometown of London but still wanting to do his part for the war effort, he found work as a civilian with the Canadian Army in London. It was there that he met his future wife, Doris, a member of the CanadianWomen’s Army Corps. They married in 1952 and built a house in a Veterans Land Act subdivision in London and raised their family there. He was a member of the London Branch of The Royal Canadian Naval Association, serving as treasurer for several years. Walter passed away on December 13, 1997. COULSON (HAYES), Doris Powell Doris was born in Windsor, Ontario on May 22, 1924. She joined the Army (Regular Force) with the Canadian Women’s Army Corps in Windsor, Ontario, on November 23, 1942, six months after she turned eighteen. After basic training in Kitchener, Ontario, she was stationed in Woodstock, Ontario where she served as a clerk in the parts warehouse of the Canadian Army Advanced Driving and Maintenance School. She made many lifelong friends among the other CWAC members there. Late in the war, Doris was transferred to Ordnance Corps in London, Ontario where she met her future husband, Walter Coulson, who was working for the army as a civilian since his medical discharge from the navy. They married in 1952 and built a house in a Veterans Land Act subdivision in London and raised their family there. Doris passed away on May 28, 2017.
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