Military Service Recognition Book

95 www.on.legion.ca ONTARIO COMMAND CHAMBERS, John H. “Jack” Jack was born in Toronto, Ontario on June 10, 1916. He married Sadie in June 1938, joined the Toronto Fire Department on January 22, 1940 and enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force on June 29, 1942. He served in Penfield Ridge, NB, Stanley, NS and Gander, NL. Upon his discharge on April 1, 1946, he returned to the TFD. Nicknamed “Jarrin’ Jack” by his co-workers and crews, he retired as a Captain in 1977 from #30 Hall on Commissioners Street. He and Sadie raised four children and they moved to a home they had built outside of Novar, north of Huntsville. Jack was a Life Member of Huntsville Legion Branch 232 and a Past Zone E-5 Commander and was the driving force behind the building of the Legion Seniors Apartments in Huntsville. He died on November 19, 2003. CHEER, Charles Alfred “Russell” Charles was born on October 28, 1897 in St. Joseph Township, St. Joseph Island east of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario, to John and Minnie Cheer. He was referred to as Russell. His attestment document lists him as a farmer and he enrolled in the 119th Overseas Battalion on December 31, 1915, the same day as fellow islander William Campbell. Russell was later assigned to the 52nd Battalion (New Ontario Regiment). The battalion travelled to Halifax where it boarded a ship for England, arriving around August 18, 1916 and by the end of the year they were in France. Early in January 1917, he was suffering from trench foot and was sent back to England for treatment. In the fall of 1917, he was back in France serving as a stretcher bearer. In August 1918, he was slightly wounded. Russell wrote home every few days from 1916 until his last letter on September 21, 1918. On September 28, 1918, while serving in France, he was killed in action when a piece of shrapnel hit him in the head. He is buried in the Crest Cemetery, Fontaine, Notre Dame, France. CHEER, Amos Gordon Gordon was born on December 10, 1895, in Richards Landing on St. Joseph Island, east of Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario to Amos and Elizabeth Cheer. His attestment document shows that he was a clerk by trade but where is not known. He joined the Army (Regular Force) with the 51st Soo Rifles on August 1, 1914, and was later assigned to the 19th Bat. CEF on November 11, 1914. On April 4, 1916, he was stationed in Belgium where he was looking over the top of a parapet of the trench when he was shot in the head. A local newspaper account stated that he died of sniper fire. Gordon is buried in the Ridgewood Military Cemetery in Belgium. His picture is displayed in the Lounge at Branch 374 of The Royal Canadian Legion, St. Joseph Island and his name is inscribed on the Richards Landing cenotaph.

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