Nova Scotia/Nunavut Command of The Royal Canadian Legion www.ns.legion.ca 127 continued ... James Joseph Redmond was born in Halifax in 1918 to James and Margaret Redmond. James enlisted in the active army on 31 August 1939. A month later he transferred to the regular force of the Royal Canadian Artillery with a posting to the Fortress Company in Halifax. James Joseph Redmond and Mary Estelle Manolopolis married on 16 October 1940 at Halifax. Mary gave birth to their son George in 1941. Bombardier Redmond arrived in England in September 1943, as a qualified army clerk, and was transferred to the Canadian Armoured Corps where he was promoted to sergeant. Sergeant Redmond arrived in Italy in February 1944 and was retained at the 5th Canadian Armoured Brigade HQ as a senior clerk. Redmond must have had some special traits or skills, as he was never posted to any one regiment of the brigade. He was one of those senior non-commissioned officers who could be placed anywhere within the brigade to get things sorted out. The 5th Canadian Assault Troop was organized for the 5th Canadian Armoured Brigade of the 5th Armoured Division in Italy on 1 June. The troop was raised to provide the brigade with its own engineers. Its strength was 2 officers and 84 other ranks of tankers and engineers. They were given special training in methods of keeping tank routes open, which included using demolitions and removing enemy mines and booby-traps. One section from the Troop joined each of the three armoured regiments on 18 July 1944. Segreant Redmond was appointed as the troop sergeant major. Sergeant Redmond’s troop were supporting the British Columbia Dragoons when he was killed in action on 28 July. Joseph Thomas Edison Walsh was born in 1920 in Dartmouth. He was the son of Joseph and Margaret Walsh, and the husband of Ruth Muriel Walsh and father of Thomas and Dorothy. He enlisted 10th Fortress Royal Canadian Artillery in May 1939 as a reserve gunner and enlisted in the active army in October. He and Ruth were married in March 1940. In October 1941 he transferred from the RCA to the Royal Canadian Engineers and joined the Electrical/Mechanical troop of 2nd Fortress Company. Sapper Walsh arrived in England inAugust 1942. He took part in the invasion of Sicily in July 1943. Sapper Walsh of 3rd Field Company, RCE, was killed in action on 7 August 1944 during the ‘Advance to Florence.’
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