William Seed Edmondson (1915 - 1978)

Born 24 Feb 1915 in Estevan No. 5, Saskatchewan, Canada

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Isabel (Newton) Pratt — married 30 Sep 1939 (to 23 Aug 1978) in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada

Descendants

Died 23 Aug 1978 at age 63 in Victoria B.C

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Stacy Edmondson [send private message]

Biography

Source of revised death date : Copy of death certificate given to Doug Edmondson by Bill's wife Isabel (Newton) Edmondson in addition to the detailed biography below. Doug is nephew of his now deceased Aunt Isabel.

William Edmondson was the first child born to Fred and Fanny Edmondson on 24 Feb 1915. Bill road the rails in 1934 looking for work, spent some time working in the depression relief camps, and worked as a clerk in Estevan for a time. Finally he joined the Permanent Active Militia on 13 Nov 1937 in Winnipeg-- the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry at the rank of Private. Bill transferred to the Canadian Army Active when Canada declared war on 10 September 1939. Before going overseas, he married his sweetheart Mary Isabel Newton on 30 September 1939 in Winnipeg. In England he was commissioned an officer in September 1941 and was transferred to the South Saskatchewan Regiment. Bill served in the Normandy campaign until wounded on 8 August 1944 on the 2nd day of Operation Totalize. After recovery in England, he returned to the SSRs on 8 Nov 1944 in Holland and served with SSRs through to Germany until the war ended on 8 May 1945. In 1946, he attended Army Staff College in Kingston, Ontario, and also served in different roles in Regina, Winnipeg and Ottawa until posted to the military attache section attached to the Canadian Embassy in Washington DC where he served from 1951to 1955. He served in Regina on his return to Canada and experienced a heart attack in 1957 which brought an end to his military career at the rank of Major. He was then employed in the BC Governments Emergency Measures Organization from 1958 to 1968 when he was transferred to the BC Provincial Secretary's Office where he served as a Protocol Officer until retirement in 1970.

Bill was a man of faith and was active in the St. Dunstan's Anglican church in the Gordon Head area of Victoria BC, and was active in the finance committee which was responsible for construction of the church, and for paying off the mortgage which was accomplished during his time.

He died suddenly on 23 august 1978 when an abdominal artery ruptured.