Lake Superior Regiment

Lt-Col. H.H.A. Parker

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Lieutenant-Colonel Harry Parker
Lake Superior Regiment

The question of returning to Canada is one which is of great interest to all of us, and naturally there has been a lot of discussion about it. Unfortunately, the army is a great breeding place for rumours—mostly of the ‘latrine’ variety—and this subject has proved itself to be just as fruitful in the production of rumours as any that has ever been under discussion. So I’m going to ‘put you in the picture’, as far as I know it myself, to give you some idea of what the future holds.

(War diary, Fifty Forum, 20 Jul 1945)

Born on 25 May 1915 in Lockerbie, Scotland, Henry Hugh Alexander Parker was a University of Toronto graduate and insurance agent. He enlisted with the 48th Highlanders and went overseas with the 1st Division. He returned to Canada in 1942 to be an instructor at RMC before joining the staff of the 4th Armoured Brigade headquarters. He served as assistant adjutant and quartermaster-general of the brigade during the Normandy campaign. In September 1944, he was appointed second-in-command of the Lake Superior Regiment under Lieutenant-Colonel Bob Keane.

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Lt-Col. R.A. Keane

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Lieutenant-Colonel Bob Keane
Lake Superior Regiment

It is very difficult to speak upon an occasion like this; one just doesn’t know what can possibly be said about the boys that are gone. I was with the unit when we received our first casualty on the continent and have been with you ever since. It gets tougher and tougher as time goes on accepting these casualties. With the memory of our comrades still fresh, let us remember the mothers, wives, sweethearts and families of the boys, and do what we can to lighten their load.

(Keane, war diary, 18 March 1945)

Born on 14 May 1914 in Fort William, Ontario, Robert Angus Keane was a hockey player, real estate agent and a commissioned officer in the Lake Superior Regiment since 1935. He became battalion adjutant after mobilization in 1940 and went overseas with the Cameron Highlanders in 1941. Although he rejoined the LSR in January 1942 when it converted to motorized infantry, he went to the United States for parachute training while the regiment embarked for England.

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Lt-Col. J.E.V. Murrell

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Lieutenant-Colonel J.E.V. Murrell
Lake Superior Regiment

They immediately came under a great deal of fire. Snipers were everywhere. Control was lost and the coy was pinned down … At that time the C.O., Lt-Col. J.E.V. Murrell, arrived on the scene … The C.O., on hearing some of the wounded in the wheatfield, yelled “Follow me” to a group of men across the road and dashed, disregarding the sniper fire, into the field and with the help of other men who followed him in, evacuated the wounded to a safer spot.

(War diary, 9 August 1944)

Born in Southend-On-Sea, England on 24 September 1904, James Edward Victor Murrell was a constructor contractor and adjutant in the Lake Superior Regiment, which he had joined in 1923. When the unit mobilized in 1940, he was acting second-in-command and after it converted to motorized infantry he led the battalion overseas in August 1942. When Lieutenant-Colonel H. Cook returned home due to ill health, command instead went to Lieutenant-Colonel W.T. Ibbott of the Westminster Regiment. Murrell remained second-in-command as more original officers were transferred.

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Lt-Col. W.T. Ibbott

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Lieutenant-Colonel W.T. Ibbott
Lake Superior Regiment

Offr of medium height and stocky build who has a pleasant personality and good military bearing. He impressed the Board as possessing aggressiveness, drive, leadership and alertness. Having requested the interview, he willingly discussed his case …

He states that he has had many promises of promotion by his former Comds which have not been implemented and has a keen sense of disappointment.

(Survey and Classification Board report, 1945)

Born in Lancashire, England on 13 March 1894, Walter Taylor Ibbott was a Vancouver insurance agent and adjutant in the Westminster Regiment. He had served with the 13th Battalion in France where he was wounded, earned the Military Medal, and demobilized as a lieutenant. After the Westminster Regiment arrived in the United Kingdom, in January 1942 Ibbott was promoted to second-in-command.

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Lt-Col. H. Cook

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Lieutenant-Colonel Herb Cook
Lake Superior Regiment

They are commanded by Lieut.-Col. Hebert Cook of Port Arthur, a veteran of the last war and a contractor in civil life. He is quiet, has a mild twinkle in his eye and is possessed of a subtle wit.

(Evening Citizen, 2 May 1941, 2)

Born in Manchester, England on 19 September 1891, Herbert Cook was a construction contractor in Port Arthur, Ontario. During the First World War veteran, he served in France with the 52nd Battalion, which was perpetuated by the Lake Superior Regiment after the war. He assumed in 1938 and mobilized with the battalion in May 1940. An inspection report described him as “A quiet spoken but apparently capable man to whom this battalion, I think, may be safely entrusted.”

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