Lieutenant Seaman 3rd Class Ernest Westwood was a WWII Veteran in the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserves (R.C.N.V.R.). The R.C.N.V.R. became the backbone of the Canadian Navy and was used to rebuild a fledging Navy in 1939. After the War in 1945, the R.C.N.V.R. was the third-largest Navy. It merged into the Royal Canadian Naval Reserves.
Ernie was born in Barking, England. When he was five years old, he moved to Canada in September 1928 with his mother, Lilian, sister Reta, and brother Kenneth. They sailed from Liverpool, England, on the "SS Antonia." His father, Conrad, never believed Ernest was his son, as he was born at ten months. The father's first words to this child were calling him 'boy,' which his father called him for the rest of his life.
He ran away from home around age 13. This was due to the trauma and beatings he faced from his father. A brother and sister, Johnny and Katie McDermid, of Nottawa, Ontario, would take him in. They became his guardians. He worked on their farm until signing up for the War. Knowing he would be enlisted in the War at age 16, he enrolled at the Legion in Long Branch, Ontario, Canada. He was 15 years old when he enlisted, not 16 years old.
In 1939, he was sent from Canada to England to train as a British Commando. He stayed in the R.C.N.V.R. and spent the entire War overseas. He remained in the Royal Canadian Navy until the War ended in 1945.
While in the War, he became a lightweight boxer, earning the nickname "Titch." After the War, he returned to the McDermid farm. He tried to buy a farm connected to McDermid's. But, the V.A.C. (Veterans Affairs Canada) looked after married men first. So he began hitchhiking and was picked up by Alan White, owner of a car dealership in Port Credit, Ontario, Canada.
Ernie trained as a Master Mechanic, but the license no longer exists. Only three people in Canada held the license, including Alan White. It later became a mechanical engineering license. He was a Class A Mechanic and a Class B Bodyman.
On 24 December 1948, he married Naomi Dollassa Reid in Cooksville, Ontario, Canada. Their two children were Karl and Tasha. His guardians were grandparents to his children. Ernie kept in touch with his guardians, Johnny and Katie McDermid, until their deaths.
For 31 years, Ernie lived in Hopeville, Ontario, Canada. He caused emotional trauma and was abusive to his children. A month short of his 95th year, he died in Meaford, Ontario, Canada. His guardians, John and Katie McDermid, Nottawa, Ontario, predeceased him. He was survived by his son Karl and his daughter Tasha Heart. Tasha is from Southampton, Ontario. She was omitted from the obituary listing on purpose by her brother.
Lieutenant Seaman 3rd Class Ernest Westwood was a WWII Veteran in the Royal Canadian Naval Volunteer Reserves (R.C.N.V.R.). The R.C.N.V.R. became the backbone of the Canadian Navy and was used to rebuild a fledging Navy in 1939. After the War in 1945, the R.C.N.V.R. was the third-largest Navy. It merged into the Royal Canadian Naval Reserves.
Ernie was born in Barking, England. When he was five years old, he moved to Canada in September 1928 with his mother, Lilian, sister Reta, and brother Kenneth. They sailed from Liverpool, England, on the "SS Antonia." His father, Conrad, never believed Ernest was his son, as he was born at ten months. The father's first words to this child were calling him 'boy,' which his father called him for the rest of his life.
He ran away from home around age 13. This was due to the trauma and beatings he faced from his father. A brother and sister, Johnny and Katie McDermid, of Nottawa, Ontario, would take him in. They became his guardians. He worked on their farm until signing up for the War. Knowing he would be enlisted in the War at age 16, he enrolled at the Legion in Long Branch, Ontario, Canada. He was 15 years old when he enlisted, not 16 years old.
In 1939, he was sent from Canada to England to train as a British Commando. He stayed in the R.C.N.V.R. and spent the entire War overseas. He remained in the Royal Canadian Navy until the War ended in 1945.
While in the War, he became a lightweight boxer, earning the nickname "Titch." After the War, he returned to the McDermid farm. He tried to buy a farm connected to McDermid's. But, the V.A.C. (Veterans Affairs Canada) looked after married men first. So he began hitchhiking and was picked up by Alan White, owner of a car dealership in Port Credit, Ontario, Canada.
Ernie trained as a Master Mechanic, but the license no longer exists. Only three people in Canada held the license, including Alan White. It later became a mechanical engineering license. He was a Class A Mechanic and a Class B Bodyman.
On 24 December 1948, he married Naomi Dollassa Reid in Cooksville, Ontario, Canada. Their two children were Karl and Tasha. His guardians were grandparents to his children. Ernie kept in touch with his guardians, Johnny and Katie McDermid, until their deaths.
For 31 years, Ernie lived in Hopeville, Ontario, Canada. He caused emotional trauma and was abusive to his children. A month short of his 95th year, he died in Meaford, Ontario, Canada. His guardians, John and Katie McDermid, Nottawa, Ontario, predeceased him. He was survived by his son Karl and his daughter Tasha Heart. Tasha is from Southampton, Ontario. She was omitted from the obituary listing on purpose by her brother.
Gravesite Details
Cremated September 2018, Georgian Bay Cremation Services, Flesherton, Ontario, Canada
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