Military Service Recognition Book

45 www.on.legion.ca ONTARIO COMMAND BENTALL, Michael Weller “Mike” Mike was born in Brighton, England on September 30, 1920. He enlisted with the Royal Berkshire Regiment in 1939. After training in England and France, he was sent to the Belgium border to stop the German advance into France. The entire British Force was pushed back and had to be evacuated at Dunkirk to Dover. Several hundred thousand allied troops including Mike were saved to fight again. From there he went to Ireland for several years because of the fear that the country could be invaded. From there he went to India to try to stop the Japanese and drove supply trucks into Burma. He was then transferred to the Royal Army Service Corps and sent to Japan shortly after their surrender. Mike was in Kure and Hiroshima and brought back several mementos of the terrible destruction. He had difficulty getting back to England because of shortage of British boats and spent two years in Japan. He immigrated to Canada in 1949 and took a job for the Mobile Library system. He married and fathered six children but was then divorced. He was employed at several jobs in Southern Ontario and he also lived near Algonquin Park and Tobermory. Mike currently resides in Neustadt and is a member of the Hanover Legion Branch 130. BERG, Robert W. Robert was born in Waterloo County, Ontario on April 24, 1941 to Arthur (1988) and Erma (2012) (Neeb) Berg and has five sisters and two brothers. In 1960, times were tough and no jobs were available, so on the advice and with a gentle push from his Uncle Nelson Seftel (a Veteran of World War II) who said: “Three meals a day, a bed to sleep in and they will teach you a trade” sounded really good so in 1960, Bob joined the (RCEME) Royal Canadian Electrical/Mechanical Engineers to become a mechanic. In 1963, he became a Canadian Guard and eventually finished with an honourable discharge on September 26, 1965. After Army life, Robert was drawn to the outside in carpentry and the inside as a mechanic, carpentry won and Bob framed houses in Ontario, British Columbia and even got back to Germany and framed houses Canadian style. Robert was a thirty-year Life Member of The Royal Canadian Legion, on the Executive of Branch 530 Waterloo and was the Zone C2 Commander. He is also a member of (NVOC) NATO Unit 5. Bob lives in Kitchener with his wife Ev; they have four children and five grandchildren. BERG, Ralph Peter Ezra Ralph was born in Kitchener, ON on April 11, 1922 to Frederick Henry and Frieda “Hammer” Berg. Ralph joined the RCAF on September 15, 1942, signed up as aircrew and graduated as a navigator with a commission on March 2, 1944. He was posted overseas May 3, 1944 and served with 101 Squadron. He completed 32 operational sorties with bomber command based in the U.K. He served in Canada, the United Kingdom and Continental Europe. Ralph received an honourable discharge on September 19, 1945 and was awarded the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp, 1939-1945 Star, Operational Wings and Navigators Badge. Returning to civilian life, Ralph enrolled in the University of Toronto and studied to become an architect. He drew his own blue prints and built houses throughout Kitchener, Waterloo, New Hamburg and surrounding areas. A highlight accomplishment was teaming up with a friend and building a large stained glass window which is installed in the Trinity Lutheran Church in New Hamburg. In May 1933, at the age of 71, Ralph lost his life due to a farm accident and is buried in the cemetery of Philipsburg Lutheran Church.

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