Submitted by Gerry Tilmans,
1st VP, Public Relations
Lion’s Head Legion Branch 202 will be hosting our annual Spaghetti Dinner and Silent Auction on Saturday October 17, with a 5pm social hour and dinner at 6pm. A few tickets are left, please contact Don Colter at 519-793-3473.
Poppy season is now just a month away and this year it runs October 24th to November 11, a week earlier than in the past. This extended period will be the norm going forward, giving people more time to consider a donation. All funds raised are kept separate from other donations and fundraisers and go to support veterans and their families. All legion members are expected to help canvass poppies and the extra time should allow for more to take a shift.
Last issue I talked about the commemorative banner for Private John Gilbert and in this issue it is about Tadeusz (Ted) Giefert. Twenty commemorative banners will be installed in Lion’s Head after Thanksgiving.
Karen Lovell gathered and submitted this information about her father:
Remembering Tadeusz (Ted) Giefert:
“Ted was born in Poland in 1923. At the beginning of WWII, the German forces took his family and he was made a POW working in the woods cutting trees for the camps. He heard a train in the distance and planned his escape and was determined to pursue the escape through very heavily invaded territory. He made the escape and enlisted in the British Army.
Some of the countries Ted fought in include Italy, France, Siberia, Egypt and Libya. My Father fought in the battle of Monte Cassino in 1944. On September 4th British, Polish and Canadian troops landed on Calabria. He lost most of his platoon in the battle of Monte Cassino.
He was a crew commander who occupied a command post and a Corporal. We remember him saying he was on the front line and eventually drove a tank. He fought the entire war and when the war was over he came by boat to Canada and eventually ended up in Spry, Ontario.
My 3 brothers bought land in Spry prior to my parents moving up. My parents (wife Barbara) loved it so much they decided to purchase land and built in Spry in the early 90s. My 3 brothers followed and just 4 years ago my husband and I moved to Miller Lake. My parents were retired when they moved to Spry. My dad was an extraordinary carpenter most of his life. While loving retirement he built custom lawn furniture as a hobby and had a great love for his vegetable garden. They were very close to all of us and always ready to give a helping hand.”
Photo: Tadeusz (Ted) Giefert.
Photo: Private John Gilbert
Our address is 6 Hellyer Road. Contact me at branch202pro@gmail.com for more information about our Branch.
~ Lest We Forget ~
