Family/Spouse: Judy. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

He saw action in France during the Second World War with the 1st Canadian Paratroop Battalion. He retired with rank of major and remained with the militia for many years. He was employed with the Royal Bank of Canada for thirty years, and then was a partner in Basin Insurance Agency until retiring in 1983. He was a member of St. Peter’s Parish, Dartmouth, NS. He was a life long member of Gyro Friendship Club, Windsor, Truro and Dartmouth.

Source: http://www.bowlbyfamily.org/ancestor/d4334.htm:
ALL SET FOR HIS FIRST LEAP is Canadian Paratrooper, Sgt H.R. Bowlby, Yarmouth, N.S. After five jumps he will get his wings. Major Harold R. Bowlby – World War II Veteran
Prologue — Rather than singling out one individual who has made a contribution to our Country, I have chosen to do this project on a group of individuals. This group is all the men and women who served in the Canadian Armed Forces during the Second World War. The person I have chosen to represent this group is Major Harold R. Bowlby, 1st Canadian Paratroop Battalion – Royal Canadian Army – my grandfather.
I was born on September 12, 1917 in the small village of Wilmot in the Annapolis Valley of Nova Scotia. Here, I grew up on our family farm with my parents, a younger brother and sister, Arthur and Marian, my grandmother and great grandmother. Life seemed great to me even though there were chores, long hikes to school, hand-me-down clothes, and none of the luxuries of life that we have today for work or play. The farm provided us with plenty of good food, including vegetables, fruit, eggs, meat, milk products and honey. This helped our family get through the depression years. School work was a cinch for me and I graduated with honours in 1934 to take up a career in banking with the Royal Bank of Canada.
The out break of World War II in 1939 changed all that. Shortly after this, I resigned from the bank and enlisted in the West Nova Regiment. After completing basic training, I awaited orders to go overseas to England. About this time, volunteers were requested to form Canada’s first ever paratroop battalion. I volunteered among the many and was the second man chosen in Canada to form this battalion. We did initial jump training with the American Army in Fort Benning, Georgia. We then were qualified as instructors and returned to Camp Shilo, Manitoba to instruct other Canadian soldiers.
Our unit arrived in England in July of 1943 and began a long series of advanced combat training. During a training jump in England in late 1943, I had a horrifying experience – my parachute did not open and I thought I was a goner. However, a short distance from the ground, my secondary chute partially opened enough to break my fall. I was laid up in hospital for awhile. After my release from the hospital, I jumped again and transferred to the British Intelligence Service and spent the next few months learning to become a spy.
In early June, 1944, shortly before the D-Day Invasion, in the dead of night, I parachuted into France. part of my mission was to make contact with the French Resistance to establish escape routes for troops of the invasion. With a cyanide capsule drilled and embedded into one of my teeth, I had orders to bite should I be caught by the enemy. It would serve no purpose to discuss any further details of my mission into France. I was merely doing my duty as were hundreds of thousands of other Canadian service men and women. I was luckier than many and was able to return home following the was.
But I did not return home to the same Canada that I left. What was a very young and immature country was now a place of hope and prosperity; it was a land of people who were proud to have stood on their own feet for the first time in history. We had declared war ourselves and fought with the Allies with distinction and honour for freedom. My comrades and I were proud to contribute to this change. We no longer took freedom for granted.

Harold married Marie Alma BOURQUE on 29 Nov 1941 in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia. Marie was born on 20 Apr 1922 in Sluice Point, Yarmouth, Nova Scotia; died on 1 Dec 1997 in Dartmouth, Halifax, Nova Scotia; was buried in Memorial Gardens, Dartmouth, Halifax, Nova Scotia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Marie was a devote catholic and was active for over 56 years in the Catholic Women’s League of Yarmouth, Windsor, Truro, and most recently, Dartmouth. Her C.W.L. activities included Meals on Wheels, Feed Others of Dartmouth (FOOD) program, and cancer dressings. She was also an active member of the Dartmouth Gyrettes.

Notes:

Nova Scotia. OBITUARY - N.R. Bowlby
WILMOT — Neil Ross Bowlby, 82, of Wilmot, Annapolis, died Saturday in Colchester Hospital, Truro.
Born in Wilmot, he was the son of the late Arthur and Adelaide (Pierce) Bowlby. He is survived by a daughter, Marion (Mrs. A.G. Kennedy) Truro; two sons, Harold, Dartmouth, Arthur, Toronto; two sisters, Evelyn (Mrs. E.H. Fales), Melrose, Mass.; Jean (Mrs. H.P. Reagh), South Weymouth, Mass.; and 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife. The body is at the Warren T. Roop Funeral Home, Middleton, where funeral service will be held Monday at 3 P.M. with Rev. Milton Munn officiating. Burial will be in Pine Grove Cemetery, Middleton.

Bowlby — The family of the late Neil Bowlby wishes to express our sincere thanks to relatives and friends for flowers, donations, and expressions of sympathy at our time of sorrow. A special expression of thanks to neighbors for their many kindnesses. Your thoughtfulness was much appreciated. – Harold, Marie and family; Marion, Ken and family; Arthur, Betty and family.
The Application for Registration of Birth was signed by his mother, Adelaide Pierce Bowlby and declared before H. Ray Pierce, J.P., on September 1, 1943.
Copy of the registration of death in his estate records.

Neil married Jennie Raymond WOTTON on 27 Dec 1911. Jennie (daughter of George Ambrose WOTTON and Teressa Annie SKINNER) was born on 17 Mar 1890 in Brooklyn, Annapolis, Nova Scotia; died on 17 Dec 1959 in Wilmot, Annapolis, Nova Scotia; was buried in Pine Grove Cemetery, Middleton, Annapolis, Nova Scotia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Jennie died at home after a brief illness. She was educated at the Provincial Normal College, Truro, NS and taught school for several years. She was active in church and community life. She was a Baptist. Her funeral was from the Middleton Baptist Church with Rev. Austin MacPherson officiating and interment was in Pine Grove Cemetery.
The “Raymond” in Jennie’s name was after her mother’s (Teressa Skinner) brother-in-law, the
missionary Alexander Forester Raymond, who married Rosetta R. Skinner. (Source – Judy Bowlby)

A tribute published in the pages of a Halifax Newspaper, Halifax, N.S.
Middleton, December 23, 1959 – Mrs. Jennie Bowlby, 69, wife of Neil R. Bowlby, died at her home following a brief illness. She was born at Wilmot, daughter of George and Theresa Wotton and was educated at the Provincial Normal College, Truro. She taught school for several years and was active in church and community life. She was a Baptist. She is survived by her husband, one daughter, Marion, (Mrs. A.G. Kennedy), Truro; two sons, Arthur, F/Lt. RCAF, St. Hubert, P.Q., Harold, Truro; two sisters Bessie (Mrs. George Heatley), Bedford; Vera (Mrs V.M. MacCoy), Chelmsford, Mass.; one brother Louis, Wilmot and her parents. The funeral was Sunday afternoon from the Middleton Baptist Church with Rev. Austin MacPherson officiating. Interment was in Pine Grove Cemetery.

The funeral service for the late Mrs. Jennie Raymond Bowlby of Wilmot, Annapolis County will be held at the Middleton Baptist Church, Sunday 2 P.M. conducted by Rev. Austin McPherson. Interment Pinegrove Cemetery, Middleton. Rather than send flowers, it is requested that donations be made to Soldiers Memorial Hospital, Middleton.

The “Raymond” in Jennie’s and her son, Harold’s name honours Teressa’s brother-in-law, the missionary Alexander Forester Raymond married to Rosetta R. Skinner.

Jennie earned her Senior A. R. #11871 in May 1959 of Royal Life Saving Society, Ontario Branch.

Believing she was sick with the flu, Jennie continued her Christmas shopping. In fact, she had suffered a heart attack.

The Application for Registration of Birth was signed by her Aunt, Mrs. Isabel Skinner Barteaux and Declared before H. Ray Pierce, J.P., her Uncle on August 13, 1943.

Notes:

Wedding Bells Bowlby - Wotton
A very pretty home wedding took place at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. George A. Wotton, Wilmot on Wednesday morning, Dec. 27th, when their youngest daughter, Jennie Raymond, became the bride of Neil Ross Bowlby also of Wilmot. The bride was attended by Miss Evelyn Bowlby, sister of the groom, while the groom was supported by Louis E. Wotton, brother of the bride. Little Jean Bowlby acted as ring bearer. The ceremony was performed by the Rev. J. D. Skinner, of Yarmouth, uncle of the bride, the double ring ceremony being used. The bride was tastefully attired in white silk and bridal veil and carried a large bouquet of ferns and bridal roses. The bridesmaid was dressed in blue silk and carried a bouquet of pink carnations. The grooms present to the bride was a gold watch and chain, to the bridesmaid a ring and the ring bearer a locket and chain. Among the number of handsome presents was a large rocker from the Wilmot Sunday School and some valuable dishes from the Wilmot Club and a nice assortment of silverware, china etc. from a large number of invited guests present. After a dainty wedding breakfast the happy couple were driven to Middleton where they took the D.A.R. express for Boston where they will visit relatives. On their return they will reside at Wilmot.

Their marriage certificate is numbered 2412. The clergyman was Rev. J.D. Skinner, her uncle an United Baptist minister. The witnesses were Charles L. Wood of Annapolis, N.S. and John G. Marsters, Melvern

Other Events and Attributes:

• Occupation: 1881; Farmer

George married Teressa Annie SKINNER on 8 Jun 1879. Teressa (daughter of Deacon Charles SKINNER and Eunice Ann DIMMOCK) was born on 22 Nov 1855 in Weston, Kings, Nova Scotia; died on 18 May 1929 in Wilmot, Annapolis, Nova Scotia; was buried in Pine Grove Cemetery, Middleton, Annapolis, Nova Scotia. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

George and Teresa were married by Rev. J. D. Skinner