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For my uncle Fredrick John Parsons, flying officer 400 Squadron.

My dad, Howard, joined the navy and was a musician gunner on the HMCS Ontario. He volunteered Pacific and spent much time in the area of Hong Kong and Ceylon, Hawaii and Malacca,to name a few. His older brother Fred left London Ontario where they were growing up and joined the RCAF. He was a reconnaissance pilot and on October 5, 1943 his plane was shot down over France. Fred was killed at the age of 21 and is buried in a cemetery in LaHavre, France. I have take my dad to visit his brother’s grave. They were both excellent musicians and my dad remembers Fred telling him as he boarded a bus to leave London, that when he returned from the war, Howard (my dad) would be the front man in his big band! Howard continued to play music most of his life. He is now 94 and has many wonderful stories of his brother and the many men that he served with in the Navy. Dad lives in his own home still near Listowel Ontario. It would be a dream for him to attend some sort of ceremony and to be honoured as one of the oldest living veterans from WW2. My brothers and I are very proud of our dad and we will never forget the memories of his brother which he tells us often. My oldest brother is named Fred also, after his brave young uncle…Never forget.

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For my uncle Fredrick John Parsons, flying officer 400 Squadron.

My dad, Howard, joined the navy and was a musician gunner on the HMCS Ontario. He volunteered Pacific and spent much time in the area of Hong Kong and Ceylon, Hawaii and Malacca,to name a few. His older brother Fred left London Ontario where they were growing up and joined the RCAF. He was a reconnaissance pilot and on October 5, 1943 his plane was shot down over France. Fred was killed at the age of 21 and is buried in a cemetery in LaHavre, France. I have take my dad to visit his brother’s grave. They were both excellent musicians and my dad remembers Fred telling him as he boarded a bus to leave London, that when he returned from the war, Howard (my dad) would be the front man in his big band! Howard continued to play music most of his life. He is now 94 and has many wonderful stories of his brother and the many men that he served with in the Navy. Dad lives in his own home still near Listowel Ontario. It would be a dream for him to attend some sort of ceremony and to be honoured as one of the oldest living veterans from WW2. My brothers and I are very proud of our dad and we will never forget the memories of his brother which he tells us often. My oldest brother is named Fred also, after his brave young uncle…Never forget.

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