Ludwig Alexander Alex Sigesmund Larke

Canadian Volunteer Service Medal (CVSM), Canadian Forces Decoration (CD) and Clasp (2)

Royal Canadian Air Force Service Police (SP)

Construction Engineering Branch

Canadian Armed Forces

WW II

Ludwig Alexander (Alex) Sigesmund Larke was born to Ludwig and Luise (Keding) Larke on 5 December 1918 in Morden, Manitoba. He was the third eldest of 7 brothers (Herman, Willhelm, Douglas, Karl, Archie, Kenneth and Howard) and 4 sisters (Margareta, Emelie, Elsie and Helen). His father emigrated from Poland to Canada through the United States, his mother was from Russia. Growing up in the dirty thirties Alex had to quit school and find work to help support the large family as his father, a carpenter/builder, could not find work during this time.

Alex married Elsie Agnes Hill in 1939 and then joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1941. He was trained as Service Police (SP) and was stationed at various flying bases in Canada to help safeguard the aircraft involved in the Commonwealth Air Training Plan in support of the war effort. Over time Alex and Elsie had 3 children Graham Alexander (1941), Gerald Norman (1945) and Janet Maureen (1949). Alex stayed in the military following WW II but transferred to Construction Engineering. During this time there were transfers to Namao AB, Edmonton AB, Rivers MB and Calgary AB. Alex had grown up speaking German and in January 1957 was selected for a transfer to NATO Headquarters in Trier, Germany and two years later to Royal Canadian Air Force Station Zweibrucken (3 Wing), Germany. Most of the Construction Engineering civilian workers were Germans and Alex’s language skills were an asset to the operation. Living overseas enabled Alex and his family to enjoy travel to many countries of Europe.

In 1962 Alex was transferred from Europe to Air Command Headquarters in Winnipeg and served there until his retirement from the forces as a Master Warrant Officer in 1973. Alex and Elsie divorced in 1975 and he moved to Edmonton. He went to work in Construction Engineering at Canadian Forces Base Griesbach, an Army Base on the north side of Edmonton, as a civilian. He was married again to Olga Mills (1976) and remained in Edmonton.

Alex passed away, peacefully, in his sleep on 20 June 2007, he was 89.