All Six Brothers Returned From WWII Duties

Veteran Pete Spencer shows off part of his WWI display of medals and buttons (left) as well as a WWII display at right, that includes pictures of himself—and five of his brothers on a table at Hillcrest Lodge. ©Provost News Photo. More pictures in November 3 edition of The Provost News.Want to Subscribe to The Provost News? Click here.

Pete Spencer, who now lives in Provost at the Hillcrest Lodge remembers clearly:
He served in the army during World War II. His brother Jack signed up for the infantry, Brother Vince went into the air force. Brother Lou went into the army and stayed for a 30 year career. Brother Jim went into the air force. Brother Walter joined the infantry and was attached to the British “Desert Rats.”

Pete Spencer, who now lives in Provost at the Hillcrest Lodge remembers clearly:

He served in the army during World War II. His brother Jack signed up for the infantry, Brother Vince went into the air force. Brother Lou went into the army and stayed for a 30 year career. Brother Jim went into the air force. Brother Walter joined the infantry and was attached to the British “Desert Rats.”

“They all came back” in one piece though Walter had extra pieces to dig out of his body after a mortar shell hit him in the back.

Pete Spencer, a resident of Consort until a year ago when he moved to Provost talked to The News about events that happened so long ago. The 83 year old said his parents moved to Consort in 1923 after his father served in WWI. Later, after the 11 boys and three sisters lost their father, the family became split up with some being adopted by other families. “But in ‘62 we all got together in one place” at Hanna for a reunion, he smiled.

Spencer says that even though last year there were only seven veterans at the annual service in Consort he hopes to return there again this year, explaining that that’s where most of his friends are. He’s looking forward to a parade, church service and supper. “There are not many WWII Legion members left.” The five year army veteran served in the artillery and then went into the engineering division. The veteran also trained for chemical warfare in southern Alberta at Suffield (near Medicine Hat). “That’s bad stuff” he adds and the troops who had taken the training were dispersed when it was decided not to pursue that type of warfare. Later Spencer found himself in England “We were fixers” who built bridges and repaired roads and “cleared a lot of mine fields.” He also toured France, Belgium, Germany and Holland when with the army.