Today, we celebrate Remembrance Day in Canada, and I usually try and honour the memory of one of our soldiers.
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We are going to look at the soldier on this headstone... Corporal Harold Norman Erickson of the Canadian Parachute Battalion. He passed away on 12 December 1945.
Harold was born 25 March 1918 in Vegreville, Alberta. His father was a farmer. Harold went to school in Edmonton and left high school at the age of 16. Apparently both of his parents had died, he had no siblings and was raised by his grandparents.
After leaving school, he found his way to BC and worked a number of odds jobs over the years: deckhand on a fishing boat, mine driller near Squamish (maybe the Britannia Mine??), odd jobs in logging camps, tree faller, truck driver, auto mechanic and machinist. He was working in Port Alberni as a logging machinist just before enlisting.
On 25 March 1943, his 27th birthday, Harold enlisted with the Canadian Army. He had been living in Vancouver with friends and was single. His next-of-kin was his friend, Stanley Doiron of 2024 Ferndale Street in Vancouver.
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| 2024 Ferndale Street, Vancouver - where Harold was living at the time of his enlistment. (From Vancouver Heritage Site Finder) |
Upon enlistment, Harold was assessed for his suitability. The army learned that he liked to go to shows and play cards. He was also athletic, playing baseball, hockey, football and badminton, as well as swimming and fishing. He was moderately educated and liked to read. He smoked, but seldom drank alcohol.
One report writer noted that Harold had high learning ability. He presented with a healthy and husky appearance and impressed the writer as an aggressive, stable hard worker, who had adequate traits of initiative and aggressiveness. Harold was particularly keen on the paratroops and was considered as being good material for this arm. He was anxious to make a good showing and the report writer thought he might later be considered as NCO material.
Harold was sent on to Vernon, in the Okanagan, for basic training and from there went on to Shiloh, Manitoba. On 23 July 1943, he was assessed again as being an excellent candidate and was accepted as a rifleman in the paratroop battalion.
A month later, he and his battalion were sent to the United Kingdom where they received more training, particularly in parachute jumps.
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| 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion - January 1944 (From Juno Beach site) |
The battalion parachuted into France on D-Day (6 June 1944) and were there till September 1944. In October 1944, Harold was promote to Corporal and later to Acting Lance Sergeant. From 25 December 1944 to February 1945, he was back on the continent having sailed for Belgium and taking part in the Battle of the Bulge.
Harold returned to Canada with his unit in June 1945.
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| Typical emblems of the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion. Harold Norman Erickson would have had something similar. Medals are: 1939-1945 Star, France & Germany Star, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and the Defence Medal. (From 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion Museum site) |
On 11 November 1945, he was granted a six month industrial leave to work for his former employer in the logging industry.
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| Franklin River logging camp, near Port Alberni, BC. |
A month after returning to work, on 12 December 1945, Harold was killed near Franklin River after being struck by a falling tree.
Lance Sergeant Harold N. Erickson was given a funeral in Nanaimo with full military honours. He had been awarded the 1939-1945 Star, the France and Germany Star, the Defence Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal. He had no family to mourn his passing.
