Byron Curtis was born on September 28, 1920 in Blackville. He enlisted with the Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers unit on March 10, 1940 and served in England, France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. Pte. Curtis was awarded the Defence Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal, War Medal 1939-45, France-Germany Star and the 1939-45 Star. A Dispatch Rider for H.Q. R.C.E.M.E. 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, Byron was discharged in March, 1946.

Ella Mountain was born in Blackille on February 22, 1923. She enlisted with the Royal Canadian Air Force Women’s Division in 1943 at Moncton, with basic training in Rockcliffe, Ontario. Her first posting was at the Bombing & Gunnery School in Belleville, Ontario where she taught air craft recognition to air gunners. She then continued on to No. 1 Training Command in Toronto, Radar School in Clinton, Ontario and Lachine, Quebec where she was discharged. At the end of the War in May 1945, she enlisted for the War in the Pacific. Ella Mountain was awarded the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and the War Medal 1939-45.

Byron and Ella married on April 20, 1946. Watch as their daughter Patricia shares their story below.