Our Local Heroes – Lost but not forgotten

Cadets from the Royal Canadian Army Cadet Corps 2644, have taken the initiative to research the lives of a number of our local heroes, the following is one of their stories:

 

J / 15622 Flying Officer Charles R. Olmsted
Charles Robertson Olmsted was the son of Howard R. Olmsted and Claire Olmsted, of Ottawa, Ontario. He was born on September 15, 1919. He married Elizabeth Olmsted, in September 1943.
Charles was a student from 1933 until 1939 at Glebe Collegiate in Ottawa.
He worked for Herridge, Gowling, Mactavish and Watt Barristers and Solicitors from June 1939 until May 1940. Charles enrolled with the Royal Canadian Air Force on December 20, 1940. He received his wings in the month of August 1941 and was deployed to Europe the following month. For the next 18 months, Charles R. Olmsted was a Spitfire fighter pilot. Charles was one of several pilots who flew over France and Belgium during the assault on Dieppe. Mr. Olmsted returned to Canada at the end of January 1943 due to medical reasons. He was subsequently transferred to Bagotville, Quebec. He took up the post of officer in charge of navigation at the operational training school.
Charles R. Olmsted died at the age of 24 in a flight training accident in Bagotville, Quebec on May 1, 1944. He rests in peace in Bellevue Cemetery in Aylmer.

Written by: Cadet Christian Michaud-Hamel, 13 years old        
Cadet Corps 2644 - Régiment de Hull

 

1289485 Private Clifford James Pack

Clifford James Pack was a Canadian soldier. He died on October 1, 1918 after participating in the First World War. He was only 18 when he died. He was born July 17, 1900 in Westboro, Ontario (now Ottawa). His mother Harriet Amelia Moore Pack was Canadian and his father William Henry Pack was English. His nickname was Pack. He had 10 other siblings. He died of pneumonia and in the past we did not have the drugs as well developed as today. He and his parents are buried together in Aylmer (Bellevue) cemetery.

Pack was part of the Canadian Corps Military Stores unit. He was never married. Prior to the war, he served in the Army for 18 months with the Governor General's Foot Guards (GGFG) and then rejoined on September 23, 1918, 9 days before his death.


May he and his family rest in peace.
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Written by: Cadette Emma-Jane Michaud-Hamel of Corps de cadets 2644 - Régiment de Hull