Twenty-three banners featuring Moose Jaw veterans now hang from light poles on Main Street as part of a project that city hall pursued to honour those who served in war and peace.
Below are the biographies of three men who appear on the banners. The information comes from the City of Moose Jaw website.
This is part 4 of 7.
Jack E. Harlton
Jack was born at Stony Beach on April 21, 1922, on the farm to which his parents came from Ontario in 1912. His father was a native of Clandeboye, Ont., and his mother was the former Mildred Marjorie Sedore of Sutton West.
He received his education at Stony Beach Public School and Belle Plaine High School and then attended the Aeronautical School at Moose Jaw. Upon completion of his course, he joined the staff of the Prairie Airways of Moose Jaw and Regina.
In October 1940, at the age of 18, he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force. He was winged at Dauphin, Man., on July 14, 1941, and left for overseas, arriving in England on Sept. 1. The next April, he was sent to the Middle East on operations.
On July 14, 1942, he was taken prisoner in Africa and confined to an Italian camp for over a year. Escaping on Sept. 9, 1943, he finally arrived back to Allied lines on Nov. 18. He was sent back to England in December and from there home, arriving in Stony Beach on Jan. 24, 1944.
Less than two weeks after returning home, on Feb. 5, he married Miss Ruby Read of Bethune, Sask. The young couple moved to Ottawa, where Flight Lt. Harlton did instructional work for the RCAF.
Ralph Alexander Johnstone
Ralph Alexander Johnstone was born in Moose Jaw, the son of William & Clara (Lillico) Johnstone. Ralph came from a family of nine children. He was employed as a truck driver and butter wrapper at Johnstone Dairies, where his father and two brothers were owners.
Ralph signed up with the RCAF in Regina on July 14, 1941. He indicated that he wanted to stay flying after the war. On July 23, 1941, he received his pilot’s licence. Ralph then went to No. 2 Manning Depot in Brandon, Man., then to No. 2 ITS in Regina and No. 19 EFTS in Virden, Man. On June 27, 1944, he attended Sydney, N.S., with 128 Squadron for aerodrome defence courses.
On July 27, 1944, Ralph’s Typhoon IB MN 156 experienced a mid-air collision with another Typhoon in England. In a letter dated Aug. 4, William and Clara Johnstone were informed of Ralph’s mid-air collision and death in Denton Court, Kent, England.
Ralph was subsequently buried in England.
John Alexander Irwin
John Alexander Irwin was born on Oct. 10, 1895, in Middlemiss, Ont. and his wife, Mary Bridget Irwin (Fallon), was born on Oct. 13 of that same year in Edinburgh, Scotland. They were married on April 15, 1919, in Edinburgh, Scotland.
John was in the Canadian Army and fought in the First World War in France, Belgium and Germany. For his service, he earned the Victory Medal and the British War Medal.
Mary was performing in pantomimes in the theatre in Edinburgh and working in a munitions factory. John and Mary lived in Moose Jaw for 27 years. In 1934, they adopted their daughter Dorothy Anne Irwin, who grew up in Moose Jaw and attended the local teachers’ college, beginning her life-long career as an educator.
Their family home always had an open-door policy for visitors. During the Second World War, several English families from the local air training base called it home. Sunday open houses were a regular occurrence, with singing around the piano and the sharing of rationed food.
St. Joseph’s Catholic Church could always count on extra accommodations when needed for visiting clergy at John and Mary’s house. Mary was also a dedicated volunteer with the church and performed a wide variety of roles for the parish.
John operated a successful auto parts business in Moose Jaw for several years — from the very early 1940s until the mid-1960s — called City Auto Parts. His shop was located at 118 Fairford Street West in the now empty lot in between the old former fire hall and Heritage Insurance. This lot is across the street from the current Safeway store.
In their retirement, John and Mary lived in several communities in Western Canada. When each of them died — Mary on March 21, 1985, and John on May 29, 1991 — they were buried next to each other at the Sunset Cemetery in Moose Jaw.
