33 www.on.legion.ca ONTARIO COMMAND ATKINSON, Robert John “Bob” Bob was born on November 9, 1912, in Port Elgin, Ontario. He joined the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps on July 31, 1942 and served in England, France and Belgium, suffering shrapnel wounds in his left hip. He married Beryl (Doris) Harbord from New Malden Surrey, England and returned to Canada a married man and father to one son. He received the 1939-1945 Star, the France and Germany Star, the Defence Medal, the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Clasp, and the War Medal 1939-1945. Discharged on March 19, 1946, Bob returned to Paisley, Ontario and worked for Ontario Hydro in addition to working his farm. A Legion member for 58 years, Bob was awarded a Life Membership by Paisley Branch 295 and a MSM in 1985. He founded the track and field program for local elementary students in Bruce County, aptly named “The Bob Atkinson Memorial Cross Country Meet” and received the “Caring Canadian Award” from the Governor General for his volunteer commitment to the citizens of Paisley and District in 1994. Bob passed away on December 7, 2004. He is survived by three sons. AUSTIN, Gerald Blake “Jerry” Jerry was born on May 21, 1933, in London, Ontario. In 1950, at the age of 17, he convinced his father to sign the consent form allowing him to join the Royal Canadian Navy. After initial training, his first deployment was to the Korean War. Throughout his 25-year naval career, Jerry served on 12 RCN ships: the HMCS Huron, HMCS Ontario, HMCS Bonaventure, HMCS Margaree, HMCS Nipigon, HMCS Fundy, HMCS Haida, HMCS Star, HMCS Tyne, HMCS Lanark and HMCS Hulloise acting as a weapons technician, operator and instructor. Subsequent deployments took him to the Cuban Missile Crisis, the Far East, and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Jerry’s family had a history of service. His father in the Navy and two brothers in the RCAF. In 1955, Jerry married Rosaline Martell from Cape Breton Island. Three of Jerry’s four sons have also served in the Navy, and now his grandson in the RCAF. Upon retiring from the RCN, Jerry moved his family back to his home in London, Ontario and became a London Transit Bus driver from 1975 to 1995. Jerry was a proud veteran until his passing on October 8, 2018. He was a member of The Royal Canadian Legion Branch 422. ATKINSON, Thomas Hayden Thomas was born on November 2, 1895. He joined the Army at the age of 18 in the winter of 1914-15 and served with the 19th Canadian Infantry Battalion as a Lance Corporal in the Signal Corps. He joined the 9th Battalion, 4th Brigade and spent the duration of his service in France. He fought in the Somme where he was hospitalized for typhoid fever as well as at Vimy Ridge. He was gassed in Ypres resulting in his being hospitalized again in Belgium. He was discharged in July 1919. Thomas is well known in the Warkworth area for his woodcarvings and displays which he made for residents. His hobbies included woodworking and farming. One of the last remaining World War I veterans, Thomas died in the Golden Plough Lodge in Cobourg on June 2, 1994 at the age of 98. He was a member of St. Paul’s United Church as well as Warkworth Legion Branch 380.
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