The Town of Okotoks is paying tribute to the young men who gave their all while fighting for their country and the freedom which all Canadians enjoy today.
There are 14 pictures and essays dedicated to the soldiers from the Okotoks area who were killed during the Second World War. Fifteen soldiers from the area were killed during the war, but only 14 photos of those killed were available.
Two of the 15 killed were members of the same family. The McIntyre family, who lived on what is now D’Arcy Ranch, had three brothers, Jack, Ronnie and Malcolm who joined the Royal Canadian Air Force.
Malcolm was the lone brother to return home. He settled in Vancouver and died in 1981. Following are excerpts from the tributes of John and Ronald McIntyre.
The town office had pictures of the 13 First World War soldiers killed while serving their country hanging on its wall last year.
John Duncan McIntyre
Flight Sergeant
196 Sqdn, Royal Canadian Air Force
Age 31
John Duncan “Jack” McIntyre was born and raised in Okotoks on the family farm which is now the D’Arcy Ranch Golf Course.
He and his younger brothers Ronnie and Malcolm all joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. Jack was stationed in Edmonton and later posted overseas. He was reported missing in action on Feb. 15, 1943. His name is among those inscribed at the Runnymede Memorial in Surrey, England.
This memorial commemorates by name 20,000 airmen who were lost in World War II, but who have no known graves.
Ronald Maitland McIntyre
Flight Sergeant
40 RAF Sqdn, Royal Canadian Air Force
Age 24
Ronald was born on the family farm, immediately north of Okotoks, one of seven children. He was one of the first to sign up from the Okotoks district.
He joined the air force in 1939 and trained as a wireless operator/air gunner. Ron was one of three McIntyre brothers to enlist, but only one, Malcolm, came back.
His last letter home arrived Oct. 13, 1941. He wrote: “I’d be content to settle on the farm now, but not until this job is done.”
Two days later, on Oct. 15, Ron’s plane failed to return. It was established months later that it had been shot down over Dusseldorf, Germany.
He was 24. Ron is buried at Durnbach War Cemetery at Bad Tolz, Bayern, Germany.
Sam Hodson, editor of the Okotoks Review wrote on Dec. 4, 1941: “Before this war is over we will have to chronicle the passing of many of our boys and young men. . . The first fatal casualty from those who have volunteered for service from your own local district always seems to strike harder than succeeding ones.”
The 15 Okotoks area residents killed in the Second World War were:
• Ned Baker, RCAF, killed on Jan. 2, 1945 in France
• James Prosser, Rowles, killed May 25, 1941 at age 31, died in the Battle of the Rhineland
• Frank Carr, RCAF, killed in training in Jan. 6, 1943 at the age of 27.
• Leonard Ardiel, Calgary Highlanders Intelligence Corps, killed in action Jan. 6, 1943 at the age of 27
• Robert Henry Davies, RCAF, killed in action Aug. 17, 1944 at the age of 20
• Ron Renard, U.S. Infantry, killed inaction Jan. 25, 1945 at the age of 22
• Frank Fennessey, RCAF, killed in action April 23, 1944 at the age of 24
• Joseph Frederick Laycock, RCAF, killed in training on Sept. 12, 1941 at the age of 25
• Murray Hick, RCAF, killed in action June 13, 1943 at the age of 36
• Archibald Noble, RCAF, killed in action May 26, 1944 at the age of 28
• Arnold Roseland, RCAF, killed in action July 13, 1944 at the age of 28
• Harvey Gordanier, Royal Canadian Artillery, killed in action March 13, 1945 at the age of 30
• Ronald McIntyre, RCAF, killed in action Oct. 15, 1941 at the age of 24
• John Duncan McIntyre, RCAF, killed in action Feb. 15, 1943 at the age of 31
