Image: Navy Seaman in formation on the deck of a ship. Three officers are addressing the crew. 1942 (SPRA 264.12)
Jack Thorpe enlisted in the Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve when he turned 18, at the end of 1941. He completed Basic Training on the Nonsuch, a drydocked ship in Edmonton, then went on to Esquimalt (Vancouver Island) for further training, and finally to the Stadacona Base in Halifax for Radar Training. He served aboard HMCS Bayfield, a minesweeper which patrolled the east coast from Boston to Halifax; HMCS Orangeville, a Castle Class Corvette in the North Atlantic; and HMCS Atholl, on convoy duty from St. John’s to Londonderry, Ireland.
Soldier Spotlight highlights veterans from the Archives’ online Soldiers’ Memorial. Each week, our volunteers select a remarkable individual to showcase in this blog series. The Soldiers’ Memorial commemorates more than 1,100 WWI veterans and 2,300 WWII veterans from our region. Three dedicated volunteers have contributed over 1,200 hours to this project by researching and writing biographies. Our goal is to have all South Peace soldiers acknowledged for their service. If you know of someone who lived in the South Peace and should be listed on the Memorial, or would like to get involved by researching a local veteran, please contact the Archives.