William Thomas Hartry

Canadian Volunteer Service Medal (CVSM)

Royal Canadian Air Force

WW II

William Thomas Hartry was born 05 January 1907 to Maurice Edward Hartry and Zella Laura (Usher) Hartry in Waskada, Manitoba. He had two siblings, a brother Fred and a sister Grace. William started working at 18 years of age. He worked as a clerk at the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) 1925-1929 and opened RBC branches in The Pas, Cranberry Portage and Flin Flon. From RBC he moved on to Rodman Department of Public works 1929-1931. He was briefly unemployed 1932-1933 before taking a clerks position with Crawley and McCraken, 1933-1935 a Pulp and Paper Company in NW Ontario. Following his time in Ontario, William went back to Waskada and took the position of Secretary Treasurer for the village of Waskada and the Rural Municipality (RM) of Brenda, until enlistment in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF).

William Thomas Hartry joined the RCAF at Winnipeg, Manitoba, 24 June 1942 and was assigned the occupation of Postal Clerk. His enlistment papers indicate that he had a family in Waskada, wife Dorothy’s Mary Susanna Hartry (nee Griffith) and a son James William born 23 January 1939. He also indicated that he enjoyed sports like curling, hunting and tennis and listed under hobbies, he stated that he had “a good knowledge of accounting.” How often is a person able to secure good and stable employment, doing what they consider a hobby?

After initial military training in Brandon, Air Craftsman Class 2 (AC2) Hartry spent time in Winnipeg and Rivers, Manitoba, Toronto, Ontario and Calgary, Alberta. Within 6 months of his enlistment he had achieved the rank of Corporal and in 1944 applied to re-muster to Aircrew but was refused on medical grounds. On 28 June 1945 he was promoted to Sergeant. Sergeant Hartry spent his time as a Postal Clerk and as the First Financial Assistant within the Post Office.

Sergeant Hartry was honourably released from the RCAF and transferred to the Reserves on 29 October 1945. He listed his release address as Waskada, Manitoba. On his return, he resumed his previous position as Secretary Treasurer of the Village of Waskada and the RM of Brenda. He remained there until 31 December 1953.

On 17 January 1950 the Hartry family was blessed with the birth of a daughter, Marlene, born at the Deloraine Hospital. William moved his family to Morden, Manitoba 01 January 1954, where he had accepted the Secretary Treasurer position with the Town of Morden and the RM of Stanley, remaining there until his passing in 1973.

William found that a growing family and being Secretary Treasurer of both Municipalities was a full time commitment. He still, however, found time for curling, golf, Royal Canadian Legion involvement and was active in the Manitoba Municipal Secretary-Treasurer’s Association.

Sergeant William Thomas Hartry died 14 April 1973 and is buried in the Waskada Cemetery, Waskada, Manitoba.

Information from family and Library and Archives Canada.