Broadmead Care by Times Colonist

Heroes Among Us

Honouring Canada’s veterans

Peter Lake: resilience and courage

Peter Lake, who lives at Veterans Memorial Lodge, served as a wireless operator/air gunner with the Royal Air Force. Joining at 17 years of age in 1937 with his father’s permission, Peter became a wireless

operator serving in France, South Africa, Italy, and Burma. He completed 61 combat missions ying in Beauforts, Baltimores, and Wellingtons during his two tours from 1942 until the end of the war.

Peter is one of 93 Canadian and Allied veterans who live at Veterans Memorial Lodge, a Broadmead Care Home.

As we re ect on the remarkable achievements

of these heroes among us, we mark important milestones that look back at signi cant con icts over time — con icts in which brave men and women from the Canadian Army, Royal Canadian Navy, and

Royal Canadian Air Force made huge sacri ces for the freedom we have today. is special feature celebrates the lives of some of these remarkable heroes.

Veteran Peter Lake (age 103) at Veterans Memorial Lodge. (DARREN STONE, TIMES COLONIST)

Heroes I have known

During my ten years at Broadmead Care, I’ve had the honour of knowing some remarkable veterans whose sacri ces have touched me deeply. I have had the opportunity to sit with many of Canada’s veterans, learn their stories and put what I can to paper. Learning about these veterans, some of whom joined the front lines as young as 17 years old, resonates strongly with me, especially as a mother of two teenagers in a world facing increasing global con icts.

Here are just a few of the incredible veterans I’ve had the privilege to meet, who have now passed on. I won’t soon forget them, or their sel ess sacri ces.

Frank Poole : Frank was a mid-upper gunner with No. 420 (Snowy Owl) Squadron of the RCAF Bomber Command during the Second World War. Shot down over Hanover, Germany, he miraculously survived by pulling his parachute in midair. “ e reball blew o the wings and tail section of the plane. I bailed out but was knocked unconscious. e cold air revived me as I tumbled through the air.”

Earl Clark : Earl joined the Armed Forces in 1940, serving with No.

18 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps. He took part in the Juno Beach liberation operation and his memories of that day never faded. Dressed in his uniform and wearing his medals, Earl passed away peacefully on November 11, 2016, in his room at Veterans Memorial Lodge, surrounded by his family.

Albertine Rimmer : Albertine served with the Women’s Royal Naval Service, stationed at HMCS Niobe in Greenrock, Scotland during the Second World War. She witnessed the devastation and could clearly recall the moment she truly understood the amount of damage the war had done, “It was a lace curtain ying out the window of a bombed building. It was such a lonely thing, this curtain ying three stories up.”

Ted Vaughan: Ted piloted a 4-engine Lancaster bomber, ‘Old Faithful’, on 36 successful missions during the Second World War, including several on D-Day, to help clear the path for soldiers on the ground. Ted lived at Veterans Memorial Lodge for six years, bringing much music to our halls with his stereo. He was humble about his wartime e orts, simply saying, “I just did my job!”

Olive Bailey : Olive worked as a code breaker at Bletchley Park for MI6 during the war, playing a crucial role in deciphering enemy communications. Olive’s contributions were vital to the Allied war e ort, and her story is a testament to the hidden heroes of the war.

Murray Edwards : A long-time resident of Veterans Memorial Lodge, Murray was one of the last surviving members of the 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry Regiment (2PPCLI), who fought in the Battle of Kapyong during the Korean War. is con ict was one of

Canada’s greatest and least-known military achievements. A highly decorated hero, Murray passed away last fall at 103 years old.

omas Burdge : Tom ew Mosquitos along the Norwegian coast, targetting enemy supply ships during the war. “It was more e cient to dive on the target. We had four .303 machine guns in the nose and four 20-mm cannons. It made a heck of a racket!” Tom was committed to supporting veterans who lived at Broadmead Care, years before he came to live at Veterans Memorial Lodge himself. Since 1995, more than

1,200 veterans have lived at Veterans Memorial Lodge. e countless stories of sacri ce and dedication to preserving our freedom couldn’t possibly t in just a few pages. It’s our duty to capture their stories, document their history, and share them with future generations.

Lest We Forget.

Shannon Donnelly, Fund Development Coordinator Broadmead Care

It’s your turn to support the veterans at Broadmead Care. Visit www.broadmeadcare. com/people-and-stories to learn more about their experiences and make a donation today.

1944: Frank Poole, back row le�, was one of only two members of his crew to survive being shot down over Hannover, Germany. Fellow Gunner Sam Camerman front row centre, also survived.

Racing against time

Close to half the residents at Veterans Memorial Lodge served Canada in the military, but many of their stories have never been told.

The 225 residents of the Lodge include just under 100 veterans, some of whom were in the Second World War or Korean War.

The stories are also a way to raise awareness of the Rooted in Care Campaign, a fundraiser to upgrade the courtyards and garden areas at the lodge.

The Lodge has nine courtyards where residents can enjoy the outdoors in safety and even get their hands dirty in the garden beds.

The goal is to raise about $520,000 over three years to upgrade the courtyards and gardens. More than $260,000 has been donated so far, enough to complete work on three of the courtyards.

Former Times Colonist columnist Jack Knox, who still writes the occasional piece for the paper, has stepped up to support the campaign.

Of all the stories he has come across through the years, Knox counts the tales of veterans as some of the most memorable.

A few are included in his 2018 book On the Rocks: Islanders I Will Never Forget.

“Here’s the thing,” Knox said in a recent interview. “There was no John Wayne, flag-waving bravado with any of these guys. They grew up in the Depression, they went straight into war, lost people they loved and just came out the other side as quiet, humble people who basically kept their stories to themselves.”

He said he was concerned the veterans’ stories would die with them.

“Most of them wouldn’t even talk about the war until late in life. Then it became like a race against time to get their stories down before they were gone.”

Take Rudi Hoensen, for example, a big lodge supporter who died in 2020 at the age of 96.

Knox marvels at the way Hoenson approached the world, despite what he faced as a soldier.

He was taken prisoner during the Second World War as an 18-year-old and was a POW for over three years — which left him emaciated.

“A day after an air raid in which the guy next to him was killed, they were cleaning up from that, he looked up and the Nagasaki nuclear bomb went off over his head,” Knox said.

Yet Knox described Hoenson as “one of the

most happy-go-lucky, contented people you would ever meet.”

He once said to Hoenson that he had all sorts of reasons to be bitter, and asked him why that wasn’t the case.

“He said: ‘Hey, I got to come to Canada and I got to meet my wife. What else do you want?’ ”

Hoenson did well financially in his life and loved to give his money to a range of causes, Knox said.

Another veteran’s story Knox likes to tell is about the late Mac Colquhoun, a lodge resident who helped to build escape tunnels while in a POW camp.

“He stood in his room and showed me how he used to use strings in his pockets to release tunnel dirt from little bags hidden inside his pant legs.”

A similar tactic was used by POWs in the movie The Great Escape to get rid of the dirt removed during tunnel building.

The movie is about an actual escape from a POW camp next to the one Colquhoun was in, while the real-life escape from Colquhoun’s camp is depicted in the movie The Wooden Horse

jbell@timescolonist.com

Mechanic recalls pilot flying her under London Bridge during Second World War

As a teenage aircraft mechanic in the Second World War, Ronnie Bennett-Butcher had to go on test flights in whatever plane she worked on.

The most memorable was a flight in a Wellington aircraft with a pilot from New Zealand, who decided he would show her some fancy manoeuvres.

“He flew under London Bridge,” Bennett-Butcher, who turned 99 on May 31, said with a smile. “Crazy.”

The stunt did not go over well with military officials. Afterward, the pilot was reassigned and BennettButcher was reprimanded for not wearing a parachute.

Bennett-Butcher, one of three women who live in Veterans Memorial Lodge who sat down to recount their wartime experiences this week, had followed her father’s lead and joined Britain’s Royal Air Force as soon as she could, at the age of 17. There, she earned her mechanic’s certification.

“There weren’t that many of us in the entire air force,” said Bennett-Butcher, whose family was Canadian but living in England.

She said her father was against her being in the air force at first, but grew to be proud of his daughter’s

accomplishments.

Bennett-Butcher said that mechanical work came naturally to her. “I liked taking things apart and putting them back together,” she said with a laugh.

She was in the air force for the duration of the war and stayed on after it ended, becoming a drill instructor.

Bennett-Butcher said she worked only on planes and never branched out to other things, like trucks and cars.

“I could have done because it’s all the same — induction, compression, power and exhaust.”

Pam Belanger, 99, meanwhile, was one of more than 50,000 women who served in Canada’s armed forces during the war.

Stationed in Vancouver with the Pay Corps, Belanger helped soldiers sort through their finances before they headed to the war.

She especially remembers one young man whom she had helped figure out what to do with his assets, all of which he wanted to give away.

“I told him: ‘You know what, you won’t have anything left’,” she said.

“His answer was ‘I won’t need it.’ ”

She took that to mean he was ready to die in battle.

“It was sad,” Belanger said. “It was right at the beginning of the war when it was the roughest. I would give anything to know if he made it back.”

She was recently presented with her Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and 39-45 War Medal, which she had never received during the war because she left the service abruptly after getting pregnant.

Her husband, Jack, was a fellow member of the Pay Corps.

She was given the medals in February in a ceremony at the lodge.

Iona Kennedy’s wartime job was working as a radio operator based in Ontario, as well as being a member of the military police.

Radio operators were not allowed to divulge the information they received and transmitted, said Kennedy, 101. “We were sworn not to tell what we were listening to.”

She said it was an honour to contribute to the war on the home front.

The women are among

Veronica “Ronnie” Butcher in uniform. Enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force, Ronnie served under Britain’s Royal Air Force during the war.

Pam Belanger, with the Pay Corps, helped soldiers sort through their finances before they headed to the front lines.

about 100 veterans at the lodge, which is home to a total of 225 residents.

Veterans are being celebrated this year by Broadmead Care, which operates the lodge, since 2024 marks both the 80th anniversary of D-Day — coming up Thursday — and

Iona Kennedy’s wartime job was working as a radio operator based in Ontario, as well as being a member of the military police.

the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Visit www. broadmeadcare.com/ people-and-stories to learn more about their experiences and make a donation today. jbell@timescolonist.com

Left to right, Veronica Bennett-Butcher, Pam Belanger, and Iona Kennedy at Veterans Memorial Lodge. (DARREN STONE, TIMES COLONIST)

Veterans serving veterans

Becoming volunteers at a facility that caters to veterans was a natural step for a pair of retired viceadmirals.

Robert George and Gary Garnett have been helping at Veterans Memorial Lodge for about 20 years.

George’s naval career began as a cadet in 1961, and saw him advance into high-level positions in Ottawa, Tokyo and Brussels.

His career path included command of Maritime Forces Paci c in Esquimalt in 1987, followed by a stint as commander of Maritime Command in Halifax from 1989 to 1991. George, 84, said that the veterans at the lodge are not necessarily as old as people might think. For some, it’s a question of health and the care the lodge can provide, he said.

“When people talk about veterans, they think of an older group,” he said. “But I’m visiting veterans here that used to work for me and are younger than me.”

George said he was drawn to the welcoming atmosphere of the lodge when he was volunteering as a driver for a pastor who visited people in their homes and at other locations.

eir rounds happened to include a stop at the Royal Oak site, where the rst

person he encountered was a captain he knew in the service. “Here he was in extended care as a naval veteran,” he said. “ at sort of got me hooked on seeing more of what was going on here.”

Both he and Garnett, who is 79, have come across other former naval colleagues living at the lodge over the years. Of the 225 lodge residents, about 100 are veterans.

George said his volunteer activities have ranged from listening to veterans share their military experiences to joining them in listening to performances by guest musicians.

He encouraged others to get involved as volunteers, saying there are always opportunities to help make residents’ lives better.

For Garnett, his introduction to the lodge was through his father-inlaw, who was a resident in the nal years of his life.

e people there, both sta and fellow residents, “became like family to him,” Garnett said.

So when he and his wife eventually retired to Victoria, he was inspired to help with the lodge’s golf tournament — a key fundraiser for the past 21 years. e 2024 event, which is sold out, takes place June 6 at Royal

Colwood Golf Club.

George is also involved in the tournament, which has gone from raising a few thousand dollars a year to more than $100,000.

e two men have been able to channel their military and business connections into helping the tournament grow, to the point that organizing it has become virtually a year-round exercise. “All of the money that we’ve raised has gone into capital improvements,” said Garnett, whose career took him to the rank of vicechief of the defence sta before his retirement in

2001. ings like installing overhead li s to move patients and refurbishing rooms and hallways have been funded by the tournament, he said.

Garnett said the interior of the building has essentially been redone thanks to the support the tournament receives. “It doesn’t look like a hospital or a care facility, it looks like a home.”

Resident Malcolm Bull, an 89-year-old air force veteran who joined George and Garnett for an a ernoon chat this week, said the homey touches make a big di erence. He

said the sta also does an incredible job in making the lodge a special place.

One of his favourite things is the daily visits from dogs that people bring in to mingle with residents. e dogs clearly li residents’ spirits, Bull said. “I think it’s really good for people, especially if they had to give up their dogs when they moved in.”

He also likes to pay a daily visit to the courtyards and gardens, getting up at 4 or 5 a.m. to water the tomatoes. Rising early and heading outside are a big part of his routine, Bull said.

Le� to right: former Vice-Admiral Gary Garne�, Royal Canadian Navy; RCAF veteran Malcolm Bull; and former Vice-Admiral Robert George, Royal Canadian Navy, at Veterans Memorial Lodge.

Eager to serve

GGreat-grandfather Roy Mackay is waiting for the day he can add another “great” to his name.

reat-grandfather Roy Mackay is waiting for the day he can add another “great” to his name.

At 93, the Montreal native is a proud family man, with two daughters in Victoria, a son in Vancouver and another generation coming along.

Pictures of his relatives are everywhere in his room at Veterans Memorial Lodge, where he is among close to 100 military veterans out of a total of 225 residents.

Mackay served Canada in the Korean War, toward the end of the conflict, on HMCS Athabaskan II.

Mackay served Canada in the Korean War, toward the end of the con ict, on HMCS Athabaskan II.

One of his shipmates also lives at the lodge, run by Broadmead Care.

“He’s a young guy,” Mackay said with a chuckle.

“Well I call him young, he’s 92. He’s down at the other end of the hallway.”

Mackay was a stoker — a skill that would serve him later in the private sector — using bunker oil to propel the ship.

Mackay’s military career began at 18 when he joined the army — inspired by his older brother’s service in the Second World War.

Mackay was a stoker — a skill that would serve him later in the private sector — using bunker oil to propel the ship.

“ ey could bring these ships up to 40 miles an hour out there,” he said.

“They could bring these ships up to 40 miles an hour out there,” he said.

After completing a threeyear contract, he wanted to serve his country in the Korean War but realized it wasn’t about to happen right away through the army.

A er completing a threeyear contract, he wanted to serve his country in the Korean War but realized it wasn’t about to happen right away through the army.

e ship was used for a range of duties, including going into the Yellow Sea to help cut North Korea’s supply lines.

The ship was used for a range of duties, including going into the Yellow Sea to help cut North Korea’s supply lines.

He said he came out of the service with a trade and the experience of having travelled the world.

staying in the navy for 20 years, “in and out of Victoria and Halifax.”

He said he came out of the service with a trade and the experience of having travelled the world.

After the navy, Mackay and his late wife, Joy, decided their future was to head west.

With that, he decided to join the navy.

“The navy said they would send me to Korea after I did the basic training,” Mackay said. “They were true to their word.”

“ e navy said they would send me to Korea a er I did the basic training,” Mackay said. “ ey were true to their word.”

The training was at CFB Esquimalt, where he ended up on HMCS Athabaskan II headed to Japan.

e training was at CFB Esquimalt, where he ended up on HMCS Athabaskan II headed to Japan.

Everything we value in life, they put on the line.

“We also used to drop o the South Korean commandos behind enemy lines, and they’d go ashore and cause mischief,” Mackay said. “We did a lot of that stu .”

“We also used to drop off the South Korean commandos behind enemy lines, and they’d go ashore and cause mischief,” Mackay said. “We did a lot of that stuff.”

A er the navy, Mackay and his late wife, Joy, decided their future was to head west.

“I stopped off and got a good job in Port Arthur in a shipyard, and then we decided to move out of there — and I had always remembered the good weather in Victoria.”

Roy, L, walking with a friend.

at particular duty drew a lot of enemy re, said Mackay, who was on the ship for a year before the war was over, but ended up staying in the navy for 20 years, “in and out of Victoria and Halifax.”

That particular duty drew a lot of enemy fire, said Mackay, who was on the ship for a year before the war was over, but ended up

“I stopped o and got a good job in Port Arthur in a shipyard, and then we decided to move out of there — and I had always remembered the good weather in Victoria.”

Victoria became home, and Mackay said he found “a beautiful job” working for the B.C. Telephone Company in building maintenance.

“They gave me a truck and tools, and I went everywhere in Victoria and the Island — as far as Port Hardy.”

“ ey gave me a truck and tools, and I went everywhere in Victoria and the Island — as far as Port Hardy.”

He retired from the company after 20 years, and was able to dedicate his time to caring for Joy, who had multiple sclerosis.

He retired from the company a er 20 years, and was able to dedicate his time to caring for Joy, who had multiple sclerosis.

Roy MacKay, inset photo (le�), and recently at Veterans Memorial Lodge. (DARREN STONE, TIMES COLONIST)

YYYour compassionate spirit can support the Second World War, Korean War, Modern Day veterans, and others who live in Broadmead Care Homes.

Visit www.broadmeadcare.com/workwith-us and come make a difference for Canada’s veterans, seniors, and adults with disabilities.

ou’ll have read elsewhere in this special section about how we’re setting out to rejuvenate nine courtyards and gardens at Veterans Memorial Lodge through the Rooted in Care campaign. is threeyear initiative aims to create safe, beautiful, and functional outdoor spaces for veterans, seniors, and their families to gather and enjoy.

section about how we’re setting out to rejuvenate nine courtyards and gardens at Veterans Memorial Lodge through the Rooted in Care campaign. This three-year initiative aims to create safe, beautiful, and functional outdoor spaces for veterans, seniors, and their families to gather and enjoy. is to raise $520,000 for essential repairs and new installations like benches, trellises, and shade sails. So far, generous donors like you have helped us raise more than $260,000. Thank you!

e campaign’s goal is to raise $520,000 for essential repairs and new installations like benches, trellises, and shade sails. So far, generous donors like you have helped us raise more than $260,000. ank you!

started renovations! We’re beginning by power washing courtyards, and painting handrails and benches.

is means we’ve started renovations! We’re beginning by power washing courtyards, and painting handrails and benches.

Memorial Lodge, says, “The beautifying the courtyards.

Janet Power, Executive Director at Veterans Memorial Lodge, says, “ e Rooted in Care campaign is about more than just beautifying the courtyards. It’s about creating spaces where the people who live here can connect with their families and each other, where they can relax, or participate in meaningful activities.”

here can connect with their participate in meaningful promote wellbeing through fostering social connections

For veterans and seniors, beautiful outdoor spaces is crucial. These areas provide

e initiative will also promote wellbeing through accessible activities and gardening programs, encouraging physical activity and improved mental health. ese outdoor areas will invite community gatherings, fostering social connections and a sense of belonging. For veterans and seniors, having access to safe and beautiful outdoor spaces is crucial. ese areas provide a sanctuary where they can enjoy fresh air, nature,

and the company of others, enhancing their overall wellbeing and quality of life.

Janet adds: “When you support this campaign, you’ll make a lasting impact on so many people’s lives.”

Will you join us in transforming Veterans Memorial Lodge’s outdoor spaces? Your donation today will fund essential repairs and installations. Projects like this rely entirely on the support of generous donors like you, as there is no other funding available. Make a lasting impact by donating now to build communities where everyone can experience wellbeing and happiness. Together, we will ensure that Veterans Memorial Lodge continues to be a place of beauty, connection, and joy for years to come.

Caring for Canada’s veterans, seniors, and adults with disabilities isn’t just a job; it’s a calling, and an opportunity to say ‘thank you’.

With angels on his shoulders

IT’S MY TURN TO SUPPORT CANADA’S HEROES

Name

information

I would like to make a: one-time gift

Veteran John Hillman, in Victoria, B.C. May 7, 2024, at Veterans Memorial Lodge.

(DARREN STONE, TIMES COLONIST)

IIExpiry

Signature

Cheque payable to Broadmead Care

Mail to: Broadmead Care 4579 Chatterton Way Victoria BC V8X 4Y7

Donations can also be made by phone to (250) 658-3274, or on line at our website. Broadmead Care Society #12929 0383 RR0001 www.broadmeadcare.com/people-and-stories

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n early 2024, John Hillman moved to Veterans Memorial Lodge, already a bit of a celebrity thanks to his media presence since 2020. At 100 years old, John began walking to raise money for Save the Children, completing one lap around the parking lot at his building for each year of his life. All that walking has raised more than $440,000. From the ground to the air, John’s life has been lled with remarkable experiences, and at 105, he shows no signs of slowing down.

n early 2024, John Hillman moved to Veterans Memorial Lodge, already a bit of a celebrity thanks to his media presence since 2020. At 100 years old, John began walking to raise money for Save the Children, completing one lap around the parking lot at his building for each year of his life. All that walking has raised more than $440,000. From the ground to the air, John’s life has been filled with remarkable experiences, and at 105, he shows no signs of slowing down.

enlistment age of 18. He trained as a wireless operator, a role that took him to France, South Africa, Italy, and Burma.

deaths. “By not getting on that troop ship the day before, he was spared again,” McDiarmid said.

not getting on that troop ship the day before, he was spared again,” McDiarmid said.

“I didn’t win the war, but I did a little part, a little tiny part,” he humbly remarked.

Born in Wales as one of five siblings, John joined the Royal Air Force before the Second World War, sharing, “It was the height of depression in Wales and there were no jobs for youngsters.” At 17, he enlisted in 1937 with his father’s permission, as he was under the standard

Born in Wales as one of ﬁve siblings, John joined the Royal Air Force before the Second World War, sharing, “It was the height of depression in Wales and there were no jobs for youngsters.” At 17, he enlisted in 1937 with his father’s permission, as he was under the standard

His son-in-law, Ralph McDiarmid, is writing a detailed account of his wartime experiences titled Two Angels on My Shoulders , which refers to two critical moments when fate spared John’s life. One instance was in France when he wasn’t selected for a mission to bomb bridges. “The squadron was more or less annihilated,” McDiarmid noted. The second instance occurred when he was en route to the coast to meet a troop ship. The port had been attacked, and the ship sunk the day before, resulting in thousands of deaths. “By

John remains humble about his wartime service, always emphasizing the small part he played, though in reality, his contributions were significant. His relentless determination to continue contributing to society is truly inspiring. For Broadmead Care, it’s an honour to serve John at this stage of his life and to witness firsthand his enduring spirit and commitment. Keep an eye out for his book to learn more about his wartime experiences, and to remember the sacrifices made by people like John, ensuring their legacy is never forgotten.

John remains humble about his wartime service, always emphasizing the small part he played, though in reality, his contributions were significant. His relentless determination to continue contributing to society is truly inspiring. For Broadmead Care, it’s an honour to serve John at this stage of his life and to witness firsthand his enduring spirit and commitment. Keep an eye out for his book to learn more about his wartime experiences, and to remember the sacrifices made by people like John, ensuring their legacy is never forgotten.