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Monday, November 12, 2012

NEIL SNOW AND CHLOE ROSELTHA FORSYTH, WORLD WAR II - 1958

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Neil and Chloe had 8 children; 5 boys, a girl, and 2 more boys: Thomas Rex Forsyth, Neil Scott Forsyth, George Kenneth Forsyth, Mylo Wilfred Forsyth, Duane H Forsyth, Ruth Forsyth, Garth Dean Forsyth, and Bryce H Forsyth.

Children of Neil and Chloe Forsyth with spouses at
Seattle Temple for Neil Scott's 80th birthday
about mid 1994

Several of Neil and Chloe's children have graciously shared their memories of parent's and family. Gratitude and special thanks are in order to each of them and their families for preserving the records of their parents, our ancestors. Grandpa Neil's own history, compiled and arranged in 1996 by his daughter (Ruth Forsyth Horne), from his many handwritten and typed journals, may be accessed at the LDS Church History Library in Salt Lake City, Utah. We sincerely appreciate her work on these and other records as well as pictures she has shared. As much as possible she retained his spelling and punctuation. 

A brief history, on this blog, of his childhood and growing years is titled 'Neil Snow Forsyth history'. With her kind permission I quote from Ruth's work. Their courtship and marriage, and first years living in Magrath and starting their family share more history of this family.  Another post, 'Neil Snow and Chloe Roseltha Forsyth, Cardston Years' picks up the thread of Grandpa's history in 1924, as they move from Magrath to Cardston. His service in World War I is detailed as a separate post. We continue the narrative of their family during World War II, and their later years with an empty nest, from his records and Ruth's concise summaries:

"**World War II brought many changes to the home of Neil and Chloe. When Neil fought in the 1st world war, it was said to be the war to end all wars. Now just 20 years later their sons would have to go to war.

RCMP George Kenneth Forsyth

"Jan 2, 1941 – Ken chose to serve in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police which required a 5 year commitment, without marriage. He had proposed to June Hinman, and she had agreed to wait for him. He gave her a watch for a Christmas present, then he was off to Regina for his first training.**


"May 9 – Rex was now principal of Kimball School, and was boarding with Bp. Gerald Low. On this date he married Ruth “Chic” Campbell, a sister to Geralds wife." 

"Scott had bought a lot and I was now putting in some time building forms for his basement. [From Ruth's personal history we learn that Scott was physically exempt from the war and he worked as manager of the Lumber yard in Cardston.]


RCAF Sgt Duane H Forsyth

"Aug 15, 1941 **Duane joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and reported to Manning Depot in Edmonton. Nov 1st he was transferred to the air base in Claresholm, and Nov 30th he was sent to #3 wireless school in Winnipeg in Manitoba.**

"1941 – This year was busy right from the start, I had all the work I wanted all year long.

"**The fall of 1941 Rex and Chic moved to Mt. View, where he was principal.  [Ruth tells us her brother announced in the spring his plan to marry. She says, "... they were married by the Bishop in his home May 14th. I could tell my parents were not happy with him not being married in the the Temple, but he seems very happy and I am happy to have another sister!

"The war is still going on in Europe where Germany has just passed a law that all Jews over 6 years of age, must wear a yellow star of David on their clothing.

"In September my brother Rex gets a new teaching assignment as Principal of the Mt. View School, ... [and] convinces me to come there to school, so each Monday through Friday I live with him and his wife and attend school. On the weekends I go home and spend time with my family. ..."] ** She became very close to this couple and spend much time with her sister-in-law during subsequent years as military duty and jobs moved them to other places. **


Army Private Mylo Wilfred Forsyth

"Jan 2, 1942 – **Mylo reported for army duty, because of his health he was assigned to clerical work at the main base post office in Ottawa, Ken was in Ottawa with the RCMP at this time, so they could attend church and visit regularly. The church was a small branch so Mylo had numerous invitations to dinner on Sunday.

"April 1942 – Rex signed up for duty with the RCAF, but did not report for duty until the end of school, July 2. He reported to Calgary, then was sent to Manning Depot in Edmonton.

FO Thomas Rex Forsyth

"July 1942 – Ruth started work as a clerk at the Alberta treasury branch in Cardston. 

"In July Mylo got his first two week leave and on the train home he and some other soldiers met two young ladies from Emerson, Manitoba. One was Kay Ring, the other Helena Maier. After his leave, he dated Helena and found she had a sister Matilda teaching school in Tolstoi, Manitoba. They were Lutheran, but Matilda was interested in other religions, so Helena suggested Mylo to write to her, and tell her about the Mormons.

"In the fall of 1942, Ken heard of a member of the RCMP that had served 9 years, and still could not get permission to marry, so Ken decided he did not want to wait that long to marry his June, so they set the date for May 12, 1943.

"Sept 1942 Duane was stationed in Mt. View, a little island on the shore of Lake Ontario. On his next 10 day pass he stopped in Calgary to see Verna Nielson, a girl he had dated in high school.

"Sept 13, Rex was transferred to Saskatoon and on Nov 21 he began his navigator training at #2 air observer school.

"Nov 1942 – The Rotary Club asked Ruth to be their queen candidate for the local charity fundraising ball. There were three candidates, and Ruth was chosen queen of the Mardi Gras. [To find a suitable dress, Chloe and Ruth took the train into Lethbridge to shop. They bought a blue chiffon formal, and a silver evening bag to match, and a silver chain for an antique watch Neil purchased for Chloe when he was in Europe in WWI, so she could wear it as a necklace. Her father was most pleased and contributed more than he ever had before to this worthy cause. He danced with her that night as he had done at other dances. It was a very special night for all.]

Mardi Gras Queen, Ruth wearing an antique watch
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"Mar 1943 – Ken told Mylo he planned to marry on the 12th of May, so Mylo thought it would be nice if he could get leave for that time. As it turned out, his heart gave him problems after the army doctors checked him carefully, he was given a medical discharge and arrived home May 10th, Mother’s Day.

"Mar 19, 1943 – Rex graduated and received his wings as a navigator. On April 13th he sailed for England. The crossing was rough, the weather was terrible and their convoy was attacked by two U-boats. One ship in their convoy was sunk, with 37 RCAF officers drowned, of the 53 aboard. 

"May 12, 1943 – May 1, Ken had a 2 week leave and came home. May 12th he married June Hinman in the Alberta temple. When he returned to Regina he was discharged, because he didn’t have permission to marry. He came back to Cardston and started work with Dad. Dad gave him the N 60ft of lot 4 and on Aug 25, they tore the front part of the old home down so they could dig a basement for Ken and June’s new home.

"It was not until August that Rex was transferred to an advance flying unit. Whenever he could get leave he enjoyed travel in England, and visited the places Dad had been on his mission and in the first war. He spent some time with Mrs. Roe and her family, they always treated him royally.

"1943 – Dad had a good crew of as many as 18 men working for him this year. It was a very good year financially for him.

Sept, 1943 – Duane re-mustered to train as a pilot and was sent to Toronto. Also at this time Rex was assigned to a crew of 7, and they trained together as a unit, still not seeing any war duty. [In 1943 the Shooting Star was the first US fighter plane to fly more than 500 mph and Jacques Cousteau introduced the Aqua Lung to the French Navy. It was the first successful underwater breathing apparatus.] 

Oct, 1943 – Ruth left her job at the treasury branch, to move to Edmonton and live with “Chic”, while Rex was overseas. She found a good job with C. Woodward Ltd. as manager of their sub post office.

"Jan, 1944 – Rex and his crew were assigned to No. 1664 heavy conversion bombing unit.

"Jan 24, 1944 – Ken and June had a baby girl, Marilyn June the first grandchild for Neil and Chloe.

"Mylo had been working as a time keeper for the Alberta gov’t for a gravel crushing outfit, in and around Claresholm. He lived in a tent and they moved from one area to another from Claresholm to south of Calgary. This job ended in Feb. and he returned to Cardston, where he started work with T.P. Durrant and Fox Foto Studio.

"Mar 13, Rex was assigned to an 8 member crew, with approx 30 crews in his unit. April 18, was their first night bombing raid on the outskirts of Paris. April 20th, they were again over enemy territory in northern France. April 24th this attack was over Germany, with Canadian and British squadrons. This was a long tiring flight—600 miles round trip.

April 26 – With a force of almost 500 aircraft, Rex’s unit bombed the Ruhr valley, with great success. April 27th they were called out again to strike the enemies communication system. Their target was 400 miles each way, located in eastern Belgium close to the German border. All bombers hit their targets but 15 aircraft failed to return and Rex’s was one of them. Rex gave his life on a distant battlefield, fighting for his country and all the things in which he believed.

Cardston Centotaph photo taken by Thomas Rex Forsyth
I remember visiting this memorial as a child with my school classes each year
Uncle Rex's name was inscribed there with others that gave their lives.

Grave Memorial in Cardston for Thomas Rex Forsyth

"May, 1944 – Duane graduated with honors from pilots school and was posted to Virden, Manitoba for basic flying training. June 30th he flew solo. In Nov. all pilot training of “colonials” was cancelled because the big boys decided the war was winding down, so Duane remustered to air gunner. He graduated in Feb. 1945 and was commissioned “Pilot Officer”

"Aug 1944 – Mylo had corresponded with Matilda Meier for almost two years now and was sure she was the one he wanted to marry. With a diamond ring, he went to Port Arthur to meet her family and to propose to her. On August 7th she accepted his ring, and they planned for a wedding in the future. She continued teaching and he returned to Cardston to work and save for their wedding."

"In August Chloe came to Edmonton to visit Chick and stayed with Ruth a couple of nights. She is still mourning the loss of her son and is glad she doesn't have more sons overseas. ... In October [Chloe, Neil and Chick] received the official notice that Rex is dead, so there is now no hope of his return. Ruth went home for Christmas. Duane, Mylo and Garth and Bryce were all there. We all spent time with Scott and Gladys in their new home but it was a sad year for all of us. 

"Mar 5, 1945 – Duane was discharged and placed on RCAF Reserve Air Crew status.

"April 3, 1945 – Duane married Verna Neilson in the Cardston Alberta temple. Ruth is happy to have another female in the family.

"Apr 15, 1945 – Ruth was called to serve as a local missionary in the Edmonton branch of the Western Canadian Mission.

"May 19 – Ken and June had a baby boy, George Kenneth who died the day he was born.

"Scott and Gladys had been married for sometime now, and not able to have children of their own, they sent a letter to N.E. Tanner via Ruth in Edmonton. They requested twin girls with black naturally curly hair, like Scotts sister had. Pres. Tanner sent word to them that they had twin girls with blonde naturally curly hair, and if they wanted them they could adopt them. Cheryl Jean and Caryl Yvonne had been born 1 Mar 1945 and were about three months old when adopted.

"July 24, Ruth was on vacation in Cardston for the 24th celebration. Her boy friend, Robert Horne, a US service man from Salt Lake, flew to Cardston with Cap’t Wes Duce for the holiday and to meet Ruth’s family.

Front: US, Canada border crossing August 1945,
Chloe Forsyth with her father, Thomas Hatch
Back: US, Canada border crossing August 1945,
Chloe Forsyth with father, Thomas Hatch

"Aug 11 - Chloe took her aging father on the train to her birthplace in Arizona to visit relatives. On their return trip they stopped in Salt Lake to visit her Uncle Charlie Pearce. She mentioned to them that Ruth was dating Robert Horne from Salt Lake and to her surprise they asked if she would like to meet his sister Ruby, she was their daughter-in-law and lived in their upstairs apartment. Ruby's husband, Dub Johnson,  is the son of Uncle Charlie's 2nd wife, Zina -a very unusual coincidence.

"Aug 14 - Japan surrendered ... what a happy day! August 15th no one worked, we were all out in the street celebrating the end of the war.

"Dec 20th - [On Neil and Chloe's 34th wedding anniversary Ruth went to the temple with them and received her endowments. Scott also did an endowment for Rex today, making it a very special day. On the 21st Bob and Ruth helped decorate the Christmas tree and they enjoyed time as just a family. In 1945 the new antibiotic Penicillin was first used as the 'wonder drug' in medicine.]

"Dec 27, Ruth married Robert M. Horne in the Cardston Alberta temple. Mar 5th, they left Canada to live in Salt Lake.

"May 28 – 1946 Duane and Verna’s son Robert was born.

"July 12, Mylo married Matilda Maier in Port Arthur, Ontario, Can. He had travelled to Port Arthur, and they were married in her church.

"Dec 22, Bob and Ruth Horne had a son, David George. Chloe came to Salt Lake and stayed three weeks with Ruth.

"Duane went to school in Edmonton to get his teaching certificate, then moved to Welling to teach school in Raymond. The Raymond Air Cadet Squadron needed a supply officer so he took the job. After about 10 years he became Commanding Officer of the 565 Squadron and was promoted to Flight Lt. He served long enough to receive the Canada Defense Medal and retired in 1975.**

"**After the war with most of the family out of the nest, life went on for Chloe and Neil. In 1946 Dad finished their home on the South Hill property. In 1947 he built a store and a small motel on the adjoining property which had previously been a two acre garden. Chloe worked very hard in the motel serving the people, cleaning the cabins and doing the laundry.

"Chloe served in a Relief Society presidency, and also as a visiting teacher. She and Neil attended the temple regularly as well as Sunday meetings.

Pillowcase dolls made from the handwork of Chloe Forsyth

"She was never idle, she enjoyed hand work—knitting, crocheting, tatting and quilting. She made temple clothing for several of her children. Of course her family were continually coming home with their children and this meant extra work for her, but they brought many pleasant hours and a great deal of satisfaction.

[December 31, 1946 Chloe arrived in Salt Lake to help her daughter Ruth with her first child born December 22nd - a healthy boy. She cooked a lovely chicken dinner for New Year's and was much appreciated as Ruth learned to be a mom. Chloe was also able to visit Loree Snow (Neil's brother"s daughter raised by his parents when orphaned), and Neil's sisters Florence and Mary in Bountiful. On Jan 23 she took the bus to Cardston. Neil met his newest grandson  when he traveled to April Conference on the 1st. He returned home on the 8th.]

"May 27, 1947 – Mylo and Matilda’s first child was born, a son they named Neil Leonard, he was Neil and Chloe’s 7th grandchild in a little over three years.

[June 7, 1948 Bob and Ruth travel to Canada and stay with her folks. Ruth says, "Mother is such a gracious hostess and treated us all royally." Ruth met Mylo's son Neil, Chick came to see them and also Uncle Marion and Bernice. Gladys brought the twins up, Ken and June and Marilyn, also other friends. On the weekend Matilda came home from the Hutterite Colony, and also Uncle John and Aunt Jennie came. Everyone was happy to see them and their new son.] **

"Oct 14, 1948 – Our son Garth married Elna Jean Campbell of Hillspring.

"I took Bryce to Pincher Creek to help build a house and barn.

"1949 – Joe Shaw, a plasterer and mason who had worked on many of my houses, had done real well in Cranbrook B.C. last summer and he wanted me to go with him this year and contract with him, but I was not interested. He went over early in the spring, then phoned for me to come and do the carpenter work for him.

"I had my motel running then and my wife thought she could run it, so I went over and made a deal with him. I came back and got Garth and we went over and started work. We had a room at a hotel and were eating at a café. We were eating dinner when we heard the men in the café talking about how fast that house was going up. The cook told them we were building it. By the time we had it closed in, we were the talk of the town, how fast two men had done it. We soon had a contract to build a frame house for a Mr. Johnston. We went over on his lot and built a small shack to live in. We then came home and got dishes, bedding, etc., and Garth’s wife and Bryce, who was just out of school, and set up housekeeping. Before we finished that house we had another contract—Duane was teaching school and when it was out, he came to work with us. Then we did a business block for a Mr. Dale and hired more men.

"Aug 1, Garth took Jean to Cardston to be there for their expected baby, so we batched from then on. Kenneth had been farming at Orton that summer so when he finished farming he too came over to Cranbrook to help us.

"Aug 24, After work to-day (my 70th birthday) Duane announced we were all going to the Cranbrook hotel for dinner—when we went in, the manager and his wife and waitresses were lined up in the dining room watching us, Duane took us to a table with a candy 70 on it. When it was time to cut the cake, the girl brought a knife and asked if it was me to cut the cake? The manager said they couldn’t see a 70 year old man when we came in!

"1950 – **Neil is keeping busy with small jobs in Cardston. In April Arley Bohne, who was now a carpenter in Lethbridge, asked him to come and work for him. Being past 70 he thought he would stay home and run the motel, as he thought it was too much for Chloe.**

"June 1, 1950 – Walter Olsen said he would give me a ride to Lethbridge on Monday and back on Friday, if I would do finish carpentry for Arley Bohne. I talked it over with Chloe and she felt it would be alright for me to go, and I worked with them till Nov 10.

"Jan 1951 – **Bryce received a mission call to the Atlanta GA mission. Dad had not said much about it, but we all know that he would have liked all his boys to go on missions, but with the depression and then the war, Bryce was the youngest, and first son to serve a full time mission. He went to the temple for his endowments Jan 9th, and it was very special because Garth and Jean had their endowments and were sealed that same day. Dad was happy to support Bryce on his mission and was blessed in many ways for doing so. He arrived in Salt Lake from Cardston January 17th to stay with [Ruth and family] until he reports to the Mission home ... on Jan 22nd. He left for the mission field January 31st by train. [Ruth went with him for him] to be set apart by Apostle Cowley, it was a very inspiring blessing he received. **

"July 3 – I started work on the new Stake House just west of the temple and worked there until Dec 13. I cut the little finger off my left hand in a plainer, they rushed me to the dr. and he dressed it. I was off work till after Christmas.

"Feb 1, 1952 – I started on the Stake House again and worked there till Sept 2. The first week in Dec, I went to Calgary to visit Mylo and family. Just 2 blocks from his place I saw a man working on a basement. We talked and he said he could sure use some help. So I helped him for a week and finished what he needed. I told him my bill was $84 and he paid me. I went home the next day and learned Bryce had written that his mission had been extended another month and that he would need another $75, so I sent it out of the $84.



Garth, his wife Jean and their sons Rex and Gene,
lived in the motel cabins during the winter of 1952.
Jean helped Chloe with the motel work.

"1953 – **At age 74 Dad is still doing carpentry work. Bryce returned from his mission in March. Soon after returning home he went to Calgary and got a job with the Northern Asbestos Co. It was here he met June Volk, a convert to the church. They became engaged before she had been a member a year, so they waited till 1955 to marry.

[Neil's brother Tom died in Salt Lake March 1953. Neil and Chloe, John and Jennie came for the funeral on Monday, to Ruth's, and then returned to Canada the next day. **


Siblings at funeral of Thomas William Forsyth the end of
March 1953 L-R: John James Forsyth (Jenny),
Mary Emma Forsyth (James William) Evans,
Neil Snow Forsyth, [unknown behind],
Sarah Isabella (Belle) Forsyth Gardner,
Joseph Frank Forsyth and Florence Ida Forsyth Mercer

"April 14, 1954 – I started another double unit for my motel and completed it July 13.




"Feb 23, 1955 – Our son Bryce married June D. Volk in the Alberta temple. Her folks live in Carmangay and we went there for their reception after the wedding.

"Dec 21, 1955 – Chloe and I left Cardston to spend the holidays in Utah. We returned to Cardston Jan 19, 1956.

"July 1956 – Duane and his family came from Utah in July as he had decided to take a teaching job at the Jefferson school. He went to work for Remington Bro. on the Blood Indian Reserve. The end of Aug. he quit to start school. Remington then negotiated with me to take his place by paying me top carpenters wages. I was then 77 years old and I worked for them till Nov 2, when they shut down because of freezing weather.

"Nov 5, 1956 – I was in Calgary for a motor court convention. After lunch I went to Dr. Spackmans office for a check up. He showed me I had kidney stones that should be removed. I knew of others he had operated on successfully and I told the Dr. I would be back next week for an operation. Nov 9, I had a kidney stone attack and was put in the Cardston hospital. Nov 12, Chloe and I went to Calgary and on Nov 13, I went in the hospital and was operated on Nov 14, in the Holy Cross Hospital. I left the hospital Nov 20. We stayed at Mylo’s till Nov 26, then came home. I have had no trouble since.

"Dec 18, We took the bus to Moses Lake. We spent the holidays with Kenneth and his family, who had moved there two years before.

"May 26, 1957 – We had radishes from our garden to-day. It’s been warm and showery all through May. June 22, we had ripe strawberries from our patch for breakfast.


L-R: Neil, Gene, Chloe, Ken, Jean, Rex, Garth Forsyth

"Oct 6, Garth took us to Moses Lake to visit Scott and Kenneth. Scott had moved over there in the spring. Kenneth was just starting a new home and Garth and I helped him on that while there. Oct 15, we returned home and on the 16th we gathered strawberries to put in the deep freeze. That night Bryce came and took us to Calgary, he had decided to build a home there, and he wanted my help. Oct 30, Bryce brought us home in a heavy snow storm and stayed overnight and went home the next day.

"Nov 22, I went to Moses Lake to finish Ken’s house as he had a bad heart. I finished it and returned home Dec 10.

"Dec 16, we left for Salt Lake in a car (with Bro. and Sis. Hansen) and arrived at Ruth’s Dec 19 and spent Christmas with her family.

"Jan 7, 1958 – We left Salt Lake and arrived home Jan 9th.

"Feb 4, Dr. Fred Spackman cut a skin cancer off my left cheek. He took the stitches out Feb 11, then I had to go to Lethbridge for x-ray treatment every 6 weeks. It has been a very mild winter.

"Apr 1, I went to Calgary to work on Bryce’s house, I had it all closed in by April 14, and returned to Cardston. In March I had cleaned and prepared our cabins and now I worked in the garden for a week while Bryce’s house was being plastered. Apr 22, I returned to Calgary to finish Bryce’s house and returned to Cardston May 1. During May they had some of the hottest weather ever recorded in Alberta.

"Aug 17, Chloe and I, Verna and Duane left in their car for Duane’s graduation in Provo. We arrived at Ruth’s Aug 18, and went to Provo for a reception that night. Aug 22, Ruth and Bob took us to the graduation exercise where Duane, with 516 others received their degree that night.

"Aug 23, Florence and Ammon Mercer came in from Bountiful and we all went to Liberty Park for my birthday dinner, I was 79 Aug 24. Duane, Verna, Chloe and I left for Canada that day.

"Sep 25, 1958 – We sold our home and motel to Reed Pitcher, he takes possession Nov 1st. Sep 29, I bought a 60 x 180 ft lot with a basement and a house partly framed for $2,500 2 blocks west of the temple. Oct 1st we signed the contract with Pitcher and got $4,000 down on it. I started work on our new home immediately. Duane and Garth came and helped me on the new home and we got it finished enough for us to move in Nov 5, and we turned our other place to Pitcher. I had an old door tacked in the front door frame, and the back door hung, and all the windows in but the 2 big front ones. I had  ¼” veneer tacked over them till we could get thermopane windows. I hung our bedroom door after we moved in that night. I had the table (counters) part of the kitchen cabinet finished with the sink in it, so that we managed very well while I went on with the finishing.

"Dec 4, Our recommends (membership) were read in the Cardston 1st ward to-day. I had already been appointed by the bishop to supervise the first group of ward teachers. By Dec 14 I had the house well finished. Dec 16, I went to Calgary on business, while there I went to the hospital and saw Bro. Faulkner who was very sick.

"Dec 22, Duane took Chloe and I to Welling to their school program. Bro. Faulkner died Dec 21. His bishop sent for me to come and speak at his funeral Dec 23. Chloe and I went and I spoke at the funeral, then we stayed and spent Christmas with Mylo, Bryce and families. I did some work on Bryce’s home Dec 26 and 27, and went to church there on Sunday. We left for Cardston on the 2:30 PM bus Dec 29. Scott met us at the bus station in Claresholm and took us to Oviatts to stay overnight. He and Gladys had spent Christmas with her folks. They took us to Cardston the next day. They with Duane, Garth and their families had turkey dinner with us Dec 31.

1958 - 1962, comprising Neil's 80th birthday, Neil and Chloe's 50th wedding, and her death are posted as Chloe Roseltha Forsyth nee Hatch death


** Quotes by Ruth Forsyth Horne (Robert) as she tells history of her life and family

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