53 www.on.legion.ca ONTARIO COMMAND BOHNERT, Leo J. Private Leo Bohnert was born in Hanover, Ontario in 1920. He attended Holy Family School and Hanover High School. He worked at Knechtel Furniture before enlisting in The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry during World War II in 1940. After training in Hamilton and Petawawa he was shipped to England where he spent almost two years in training. In August 1942 he was part of the infamous Dieppe raid during which he was killed by mortar fire before reaching the beach. His name is inscribed on the cenotaph in Hanover, ON. BOON, Arthur H. Chief Warrant Officer Boon was born in Peterborough, England on November 12, 1924. Arthur joined the Canadian Armed Forces in 1940. Following training he was sent overseas in 1942. His regiment, the 19th Field (S.P.) Regiment was part of the “D” Day landing on June 6, 1944. He was a tank gunner and landed on “Juno Beach” on the morning of June 6, 1944. He saw action in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. He was wounded twice. He volunteered for the Pacific Force. Arthur was discharged in 1946. In 1956, he re-enlisted with the Perth Regiment and in 1964, joined 3RCT as a Staff Sergeant Major. In 1964, he was promoted to Company Sergeant Major (CSM) 3RCR. In 1974, he was promoted to Regimental Sergeant Major (RSM) of 4RCR. He retired from the Canadian Armed Forces in 1981. Arthur is a Life Member of The Royal Canadian Legion, a member of the Army, Navy, Air Force Association and President of RCR Association; a Past President of the Perth Regiment Veteran’s Association and the 4RCR Officer’s Mess; a member of the 19th Field Regiment Association and past President. He lives in Stratford with wife Lois. In 2004, he was the Stratford Senior Citizen of the Year; the I.O.D.E. Citizen of the Year Award in 2005. He was awarded the Veteran’s Affairs Commendation, a recipient of the Canadian Meritorious Service Medal for service and the Legion of Honour Medal from France. BOLAND, Joseph Patrick “Joe” Joe was born on January 11, 1920 in McGillivray Township, Ontario. He enlisted in the Canadian Army (Active) on March 20, 1940 and served with the Canadian Fusiliers prior to being shipped overseas. In England he was transferred to the Essex Scottish Regiment before going to France. He had written a letter to his brother saying how he had been inspected by General Montgomery and King George but did not know why unless they wanted to see them before proceeding to the second front. As it happened, Joe was killed in action while crawling on his belly through a French wheat field near Cannes. He was struck by machine gunfire on July 29, 1944 as his Regiment tried to take control of a German occupied road. Joe was 24 years old. He is buried in a military cemetery in Brettville near Cannes France.
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