A Second War & Korea Group To The Hastings & Prince Edward Regiment

A Second War & Korea Group to the Hastings & Prince Edward Regiment - 1939-1945 Star; Italy Star; France and Germany Star; Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Overseas Clasp; War Medal 1939-1945; and Efficiency Medal with Canada scroll, George VI (PTE. H.W. KEILLOR CH of O (MG)). Naming is officially impressed on the EM, the others are un-named. Un-mounted, cleaned, light contact, better than very fine. Accompanied by copies of Attestation Paper, Service Records, Statement of Service, Medal Awards Cards, Discharge Certificate and a Letter from the Department of National Defence in Ottawa (confirming he had been approved for the Efficiency Medal and that his was being forward to his next-of-kin for safekeeping, dated March 11, 1946).Footnote: Hugh Wesley Keillor was born on February 14, 1920 in Aylmer, Ontario, the son of Aura Keillor (mother). He had two brothers and two sisters and enjoyed football, swimming, track, hunting, collecting rifles and firearms, watching educational and war movies and was a regular reader of history books and southern stories, along with being a Boy Scout, Patrol Leader and Rover Scout. He achieved Grade Eight but left school at the age of 15, in order to work so he could support the family. He had taken a one term Vocational (night) course in Motor Mechanics and was employed at $12/week as a Grocery Clerk, in addition to serving with the 25th Battalion, Elgin Regiment in St. Thomas, Ontario, from February 4, 1937 to September 2, 1939. He enlisted with the Canadian Army in August 1940, at the age of 20, when the staff for No. 12 Basic Training Centre in Chatham was being formed. He took six weeks basis training and went to Chatham as an Instructor. In his Personnel Selection Report, dated October 20, 1942 at Chatham, the interviewer noted that Keillor had "been an excellent all around instructor here. He is well liked by all and is definitely capable of accepting the responsibilities of a senior N.C.O. rank. He has been recommended by his Company Commander for a commission but, because his educational standard, and "M" test score are both below the required minimums this recommendation could not be concurred in by the Army Examiner." He went on to state that "Sgt. Keillor is an excellent instructor, very reliable and possesses leadership qualities and, if the standard of officer selection is ever lowered, he should be given first consideration." Keillor was residing in Aylmer when he signed his Attestation Paper as a Private (A56907) on May 1, 1941 in Chatham, Ontario, naming his next-of-kin as his mother, Mrs. Aura Keillor of Aylmer (later changed to his wife, Mrs. H.W. (Viola) Keillor of Windsor, Ontario on September 2, 1943), stating that he had served for four years with the "2nd Elgins", from 1937 to 1940, that he was Single (later changed to Married) and that his trade was that of Grocery Clerk. He was employed as an Advance Training Instructor at No. 12 Canadian Army Basic Training Centre at Chatham, from May 1, 1941 to September 18, 1943, with various postings in Ontario, including two months advanced infantry training at A29 Army Training Centre at Listowel, acting as an Instructor at the Canadian Infantry Training Centre at Camp Ipperwash and at No. 6 Basic Training Centre in Stratford, also as an Instructor. He was granted permission to marry on October 25, 1941 and married Viola Keillor on November 22nd in Windsor. His new wife continued to live with her mother in Windsor. Keillor had volunteered for Paratrooper Training on June 22, 1943 but was rejected by M.O. He was confirmed in the rank of Sergeant at Chatham on August 12, 1943 and one month later, was posted to No. 1 Transit Camp at Windsor, Nova Scotia on September 7, 1943, to prepare for overseas service. He embarked Canada on September 14, 1943, arriving in the United Kingdom on the 19th and was posted to No. 3 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit the next day. He was posted to the 5th Battalion, No. 2 Canadian Base Reinforcement Depot on October 13th and employed as an Acting Company Quartermaster Sergeant (A/CQMS). Keillor embarked from the United Kingdom for service in the Italian theatre on October 26, 1943, arriving in Italy onNovember 10th, where he was an A/CQMS. In Italy, he was transferred to the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment on August 3, 1944 and reverted to the rank of Private at his own request three days later. He was appointed Lance Corporal on October 20th and again reverted to Private on December 25th. Upon the ceasing of hostilities, Keillor embarked from Italy on March 10, 1945, disembarking in France on the 12th, for service in North West Europe, again in the capacity of an A/CQMS. Five months later, he was transferred to the 3rd Battalion, Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa (M.G.) on August 27, 1945 and three weeks after his transfer, was awarded two Good Conduct Badges on September 16, 1942. Post-war, he qualified as a Bandsman "C" on February 28, 1946 and was hospitalized for almost three weeks at No. 7 Canadian General Hospital, where he was admitted on March 4, 1946 and discharged on the 23rd, the reason not stated in his records. Private Keillor embarked for Canada aboard the Ex-Vessel W-1129 "Ile de France" on August 5, 1946 and was discharged upon demobilization, "to return to civil life", on August 15th, at No. 1 District Depot in Toronto, credited with having served in Canada, the United Kingdom, the Central Mediterranean Area and Continental Europe. He was awarded the 1939-1945 Star, the Italy Star, the France and Germany Star, the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Overseas Clasp and the War Medal 1939-1945 for his Second World War service. His service totalled eight years, eleven months and thirteen days, qualifying him for the Efficiency Medal with Canada scroll, which was approved on March 11, 1946 and awarded to him on April 3rd, the medal sent to his wife for "safekeeping". Keillor planned to become a Barber in his civilian life, his Army Counsellor noting on August 14, 1946 that he was "extremely neat in appearance, friendly, courteous, and not-too-robust build. His manner is mature and his conversation suggests a man who is sincere, well motivated in his desire for future steady employment and security and capable of sound judgment. His exemplary army record indicates his ability and willingness to accept responsibilities." The Counsellor went on to state that Keillor had been "given assurance by two different barbers of employment when his course (in barbering) is completed and one of these barbers was overseas in the same unit as Keillor and is familiar with his work as unofficial company barber." Thirty-six years after he left the Army, he wrote a letter to the Department of Veterans in Ottawa, dated December 2, 1982, stating that he had submitted his medals, along with those of his brother-in-law, Raymond Brown (Windsor Regiment, Service Repair Element) to a store, to have them "mounted and glass covered". He had forgotten about them until reminded by his wife and had found out that the store had gone out of business and understood that they had been sent to the War Department but questioned such. He requested them back or to have replacement medals sent to him, both his and his brother-in-law's. As both his brother-in-law (Raymond Brown) and Brown's wife (Dorothy) were deceased, that made Keillor's wife (sister to Dorothy) the next-of-kin and she wanted Raymond Brown's medals "for mounting as a keep sake". Keillor died on June 2, 1993 in Windsor, Ontario.