PORTRAIT / PROFILE
Meet Charles Hunter, witness of the 20 th century
COR POR A T I ON D E L A MUNICIPALITÉ DE LA NATION
PROPRIÉTÉS À VENDRE
En conformité avec le règlement no 26-2012 administrant la vente de propriétés municipales, le Conseil a déclaré les propriétés suivantes comme surplus à ses besoins et par la présente, désire faire une offre de vente :
PARTIE DU LOT 17, CONCESSION 11 Dans l’ancien Canton de Calédonia étant décrit comme 1792, chemin Mainville Grandeur du lot : 0.85 acre Prix minimum requis : 7 000 $ en plus des coûts reliés à cette vente PARTIE DU LOT 19, CONCESSION 11 Dans l’ancien Canton de Calédonia étant décrit comme 1960, chemin Mainville Grandeur du lot : 0.84 acre Prix minimum requis : 7 000 $ en plus des coûts reliés à cette vente PARTIE DU LOT 20, CONCESSION 10 Dans l’ancien Canton de Calédonia étant décrit comme 2061, chemin Mainville Grandeur du lot : 0.94 acre Prix minimum requis : 7 000 $ en plus des coûts reliés à cette vente
photo Candice Vetter
Charles Hunter stands in front of SecondWorldWarmemorabilia in his room in Russell Meadows retirement home. The medals and tokens belong to him, his father and brothers, one of whom was killed. The photo shows Hunter with two buddies in Rome. Both friends were killed shortly afterward, but says Hunter, “They had a real good day in Rome.”
C ANDICE V ETTER candice.vetter@eap.on.ca
After the battle his division was sent to rest in an orange grove. The owner showed them a large concrete cistern—dirty and filled with algae, so they cleaned it. “And here’s how it looked,” he said, laughed, and clickedonaphoto.Menswamandsataround ahugeconcretepool,andoh,yes,they’reall naked. Hisprizedobjectishisarmyjacket,stillin excellent condition. It was from the First World War because there weren’t enough new ones ready. Hunter says he was a neat soldier,lookedafterhisthings,becamemore disciplined after seeing combat, was promotedfivetimesanddemotedfivetimes. WhenhereturnedtoCanadahelivedthelife ofayoungbachelor.“Thegirlslookedpretty good.” Afterthewarhetrainedasalabtechnician andworkedforCPRailinMontrealanalyzing oilfromdieselengines.HeswitchedtoCIL, working in their explosives laboratory. His last employer was Nobel. He retired to the Ottawaareatobeclosetohissonandfamily, and has lived near his son in Russell for 20 years. He said he recently got tired of looking after himself, so moved into a retirement homeinKanata.ButwhenRussellMeadows opened,hemovedback. HewasmarriedformanyyearstoAudrey Stokes,whopassedawayaccidentallywhile they were on holiday. They had three children. Later he needed a lawyer who one day asked him if he would take out her mother. Heendedupgoingoutwiththeladyforten years and considers her family part of his. Hehasreturnedtosomeoftheplaceshe sawduringthewarandhasphotosofOrtona after the shelling and later after post-war rebuilding. Although he doesn’t plan to go again he wants others to know about a trip being planned by Stephen Gregory. OperationHusky 2013 will revisit the route taken by the First Infantry Division in July, 1943, on the 70 th anniversary of the Sicily landing. If interested email ashepstone@explorica.ca.
RUSSELL | He was born in Montreal almost 92 years ago of Scottish and Englishparents. He grewupduring the Great Depression. He went to war and wasamongthe“luckyones”tocameback barely without a scratch. Hewent on to live a happy life, raising a family. For almost 20 years, he has lived in the Russellarea.HisnameisCharlesHunter. Growing up during the Depression, his familywasconsideredwealthybyneighbours becausehisfatherwasoneofthefewmenon their street whoworked every day. Hunterwasoneofmanyyoungmenwho joined up in 1939 to fight in the Second World War. He joined the First Infantry Division, whowas primary defence against Germanairbornetroops.Hestillbelongsto his old regiment. Thefirstthreeyearsofthewarwerespent inBritainandbrieflyinFrance.SaysHunter, “I wasn’t a very good soldier then. I enjoyed myselftoomuch.” He didn’t see combat until July 10, 1943, when his division was part of Operation Husky,theAlliedinvasionofSicilyinwhich Canadiansfoughtundertheirowncommand for the first time. “We were green troops,” saysHunter.“Butwewereeducatedquickly bytheGermans.” He spent two years in Italy, had malaria twice,wasburiedduringshelling,andcame through the war with only three “band-aid wounds”.Hesays,“Iwasvery,verylucky.” He lost his brother and many very good friendsandstillthinksofthem.Hisroomat RussellMeadowsretirementhomedisplays memorabiliafromthattime,withphotoson display and on his computer, each with a story. ThereisoneofhimonleaveinRomewith twofriendsandtwogirlsthey’dmet.Shortly afterwards the friends were killed. Hunter treasuresthememoryofthe“realgooddayin Rome.”
Des soumissions scellées, clairement identifiées incluant un chèque certifié ou une traite bancaire au montant de 20% du prix soumis, seront reçues par la soussignée jusqu’à midi, heure locale, le 23 avril 2012, au bureau municipal à Casselman. Les soumissions seront ouvertes publiquement à cette même date, lors de l’assemblée du Conseil, à compter de 19 h.
MUNICIPALITÉ DE LA NATION a/s Mary McCuaig, Greffière 958, route 500 ouest, Casselman, Ontario KOA 1MO Tél. : 613 764-5444, poste 222 •Télécopieur : 613 764-3310
VEUILLEZ IDENTIFIER CLAIREMENT LA PROPRIÉTÉ SUR LAQUELLEVOUS FAITES UNE OFFRE.
T H E COR POR A T I ON O F THE NATION MUNICIPALITY
PROPERTIES FOR SALE
In accordance with By-law no. 26-2012 governing the sale of municipal real property, the Council has declared the following properties as surplus to its needs and hereby offers it for sale:
PART OF LOT 17, CONCESSION 11 In the formerTownship of Calédonia being described as 1792 Mainville Road Lot size: 0.85 acre Minimum asking price: $7,000 plus all cost related to this sale PART OF LOT 19, CONCESSION 11 In the formerTownship of Calédonia being described as 1960 Mainville Road Lot size: 0.84 acre Minimum asking price: $7,000 plus all cost related to this sale PART OF LOT 20, CONCESSION 10 In the formerTownship of Calédonia being described as 2061 Mainville Road Lot size: 0.94 acre Minimum asking price: $7,000 plus all cost related to this sale
Sealed bids, clearly marked as to contents and containing a certified cheque or bank draft for 20% of the bid,willbereceivedbytheundersigneduntil12:00noon localtime,April23rd,2012attheMunicipalOffice in Casselman. Tenders to be opened in public on the same evening at the Council meeting commencing at 7:00 p.m.
THE NATION MUNICIPALITY c/o Mary McCuaig, Clerk 958 Route 500West, Casselman, Ontario KOA 1MO Phone: 613 764-5444, extension 222 • Fax: 613 764-3310
PLEASE CLEARLY IDENTIFYTHE PROPERTYYOU ARE BIDDING ON.
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