Walter was born in Ahmic Harbour, Ontario on September 24, 1919. He enlisted in the Army and served in Canada, England, Africa, Italy and Germany during World War II. He first joined the Queen’s Own Rifles but in 1943, fed up with inaction, he volunteered to give up his Corporal stripes in order to transfer to the 48th Highlanders. He was sent to Africa, then Sicily to help maintain the shipping lanes and then to Italy. In October of 1943, Walter and an Officer stumbled into a nest of German soldiers and were taken prisoner. He spent 18 months in Stalag 4F as a POW terminating in the late Winter of 1945 and after being moved in one of the infamous “Death Marches” as the Germans were moving its POWs west ahead of the advancing Russians, he was picked up by the British Amy at the end of the war. Walter received the 1939-45 Star, Italy Star, and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal, Defence Medal and clasp, and the War Medal. Walter was discharged on September 5, 1946. He was a member of Magnetawan Legion Branch 394 for 50 years. Walter passed away on May 23, 1997.

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