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| 2005 – January: | Col (Ret) CORRY, G.D. (Geoff) |
| Flt/Lt (Ret) NAPIER, Bill | |
| – April, May: | LCol (Ret) KAMOFF-NICOLSKY, George |
| LCdr (Ret) SMART, John | |
| Capt MARSHALL, Harvey | |
| Lt (Ret) NATION, John | |
| – November: | Col (Ret) STONE, J. R. (Jim) |
| – December: | LCol (Ret) NELSON, F. D. (Doug) |
| 2006 – January: | Flt/Lt (Ret) WILKINSON, P. E. (Percy) |
Colonel James Reilly Stone died in Victoria on Nov. 24 at age 97. “Big Jim” as he was called by his men, was holder of three Distinguished Service Orders, two from World War Two and one awarded in Korea. He enlisted as a private at age 31 in 1939 and served in every rank retiring as a colonel, at which time he was Provost Marshal of the Canadian Army.
LCol John Bishop, CD (Ret) presented a Kapyong Comrade’s salute in a memorial tribute service held in Victoria mid-December. The service was to commemorate Colonel Stone’s passing and to pay tribute to his considerable achievements as one of Canada’s truly outstanding soldiers and military heroes.
He was 31 when he volunteered with the Edmonton Regiment in 1939. Rising through the ranks, he became the regimental sergeant major before commissioning. His regiment was in the invasion of Sicily and later the Italian campaign when, as a major, he was awarded the Military Cross for single-handedly wiping out an enemy gun emplacement.
He assumed command of his unit in Oct. 1944, now renamed the Loyal Edmonton Regiment. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order and later a bar. The citation for the second award read: “There were many instances (in Italy and Holland) where Lt.-Col. Stone’s personal leadership was the contributing factor to success in battle. His initiative and courage are unsurpassed.”
After returning to civilian life in British Columbia, he took command of the Rocky Mountain Rangers, a militia regiment. In 1950 with the outbreak of the Korean War, he took command of the newly formed 2nd Battalion, Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (2PPCLI). This was the first Canadian unit to depart for Korea ahead of the other Canadians still at Fort Lewis, Wash. He weeded out hundreds of volunteers as unsuitable. He was a tough commander and he made his unit tough too.
The work paid off and the battalion was “lean and mean” and ready for its first action against the Chinese in Feb. 1951. Much of this was due to Stone’s adamant refusal to commit his troops to battle before completing training, despite the urgent requests from the U.S. commander, Lt.-Gen. Walker.
Recovering from smallpox, he returned from hospital just in time to command his unit in the battle of Kapyong, for which 2PPCLI received the U.S. Presidential Citation. Big Jim was awarded the second bar to his DSO.
Later, he was promoted to colonel and made
Provost Marshal of the Canadian Army.
Born in Montreal Feb. 27, 1918, LCol Doug Nelson passed away peacefully Dec. 15, 2005. A Victoria resident since 1928, he joined the 5th Artillery as a drummer boy, later to command the Regiment. Serving overseas in the Second World War where he was wounded, he met his wife and lifelong love, Renee, who predeceased him in May 2005.
Doug had a full civilian career with National Defence. But his real passion was military history where he won many national and community awards and accolades for his significant contribution to the advancement of B.C.’s culture and military history. While in high school, he became associated with the Boy Scouts and their band and then the Trumpet Band of the 5th (BC) Coast Regiment of the Royal Canadian Artillery in 1935.
By 1939, Doug had qualified as a sergeant with the 56th Battery, RCA at Albert Head. Later he served at the Duntze Head Battery in HMC Dockyard as the senior NCO. He went on to serve as an instructor with 6 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Lethbridge, Alta. After serving in Alaska, his regiment was transferred to Petawawa, Ont. before proceeding overseas to England in 1942.
Commissioned in 1943, Lt Doug Nelson was seconded to 98th AA Regiment, Royal Artillery and saw action in the air defence of Great Britain. He returned to Victoria in 1945 serving with 42nd HAA Bty, RCA until demobilized in 1946.
Beginning his civilian career immediately as a personnel officer and administrator at HMC Dockyard, Esquimalt, he also re-enlisted with the Militia in his original unit, the 5th (BC) Coast Regiment, eventually becoming commanding officer from 1956 to 1960. Upon Militia reorganization in 1964, LCol Doug Nelson retired after 30 years of military service.
It was also in 1946 when Doug joined the United Services Institute of Vancouver Island where, after 1968, he served on the Board of Directors as vice president, president and newsletter editor for a total of 19 years. He was awarded an Honorary Life Membership in 1987 and exceeded 59 years of RUSI of VI service.
Other community interests included governor of the Corps of Commissionaires, trustee of the Maritime Museum of BC, guild master in the Baden-Powell Guild of the Boy Scouts of Canada, past president of the 5th (BC) Artillery Museum and co-founder of the CFB Esquimalt Naval and Military Museum where he served as Base historian, for which he received the Maritime Commander’s Commendation. He also served with the Esquimalt Heritage Advisory Committee and received the BC Heritage Trust Award.
Predeceased by wife Renee in May, he is
survived by daughter Christine (Robert) and family and son
Christopher (Diana Reid) and family.
Born in Oregon July 1, 1903, “Percy” passed away on Jan. 1, 2006 in Victoria. He came to B.C. with his parents in 1908 and grew up in Saanich and Victoria. Most of his working life was spent in education: ten years in five independent schools, 11 years in three public schools and 20 years in the BC Department of Education. He received BA and BEd degrees from the University of BC and in 2004 was granted an Honorary Doctorate from the University of Victoria.
After 18 months in the militia (3Bn, Canadian Scots Regiment), Wilkie joined the RCAF in January 1942 as an administrative officer. He was Adjutant of 14 (F) Sqn from September 1942 and, during 1943, participated in its "detached operations" from "X Wing" (USAF), at Fort Glenn, Umnak Island in the Aleutians.
In Feb.1944, 14 Sqn was renamed 442 (F) Sqn. and joined 12 Air Defence Group at Digby, Lincolnshire. Then, for six months, he held the unenviable position of Effects Officer at Middleton St. George, one of the eight stations of No.6 (RCAF) Group. In Sept.1944, Wilkie became Adjutant of 404 (F) Sqn in 18 Group, RAF Coastal Command, at Banff, Scotland. That unit was disbanded May 25, 1945 and Wilkie was discharged at Jericho Beach, Vancouver, at the end of Sept.1945.
Wilkie was predeceased by wife, Kathleen (nee Kennington), their daughter Percia (Hamer), and two brothers Donald and Philip. He is survived by grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Percy has been an active member and
supporter of the Royal United Services Institute of Vancouver
Island (Victoria), the Boy Scouts of Canada for over 80 years,
the Royal Canadian Legion for over 50 years, the Airforce
Officers Association of Victoria, and a Life Member of the
Airforce Association of Canada. As noted, he joined RUSI of VI in
1946 where he has not only served as alternate Secretary to the
Board of Directors in the early 1970s, but achieved one of the
longest service records in RUSI, 59 years!
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