March 14, 2022
Story by Tim FitzGerald
Their names are listed on the Carillon Tower downtown in Simcoe. At that time, theses young men and women were well known to the citizens of Norfolk County. They grew up here, went to high school here, worked here, played sports here. But years later, parents have passed on and many families have moved in the great diaspora.
Dave Stelpstra is one of a large volunteer group of some sixty-three "editors" who have researched the history and war records of those that enlisted in the army/navy/air-force and published them so that we can know them and remember them as people - ordinary from all walks of life.
These are the stories of the enlisted - who their parents were, where they lived/worked, where they served. Tales of a mother who lost three sons (which was not supposed to happen), a fisherman from Port Dover who signed on in the Navy as a ships engineer and got torpedoed in the Mediterranean, airmen who died in training - sometimes learning to fly could be as risky as flying over Europe. The war records showing where they trained and served, also show promotions and discipline. Some discipline may not need to be remembered; but the incident of a soldier training at Camp Petawawa who applied for "leave" to get married and unknowingly left the base before it was officially approved was snatched, 10 days later, by the MP's while on his honeymoon and returned to base.
Dave said that the book will be available for sale at the two branches of Norfolk County's libraries.