Harvey Edward Theobald

  General Notes:

Served with the 17th Hussars, Royal Canadian Armoured Corps in WWII. Moved to Belleville in 1935, graduated from Belleville Collegiate Institute. Went overseas in December 1941 and landed on Normandy beachheads on D-Day. Wounded in October 1944 but returned to fight in Holland, Belgium and Germany. =============================================


From the Globe & Mail issue of July 7, 2012

Saturday July 7, 2012 THEOBALD, Harvey Edward Colonel (retired) MC,CD On 30 June 2012 in Ottawa at the age of 90. Survived by Irene (née Pidgeon), his wife of 69 years. Father of Gregory (Bronwyn) and Pamela (Doug Barkley). Grandad to Andrew (Efrat), John (Jackie), Simon (Sara), David, and Caroline. Great- Grandad to Noori and Rami. Survived by sister Barbara, brother Stuart, close kin John Ofrady (Marilyn), Barbara Barrington (David), and Howard Duncan (Anne), numerous cousins, nieces and nephews. Predeceased by siblings Gordon, Alan, Ian and Lois. Born 1 December 1921, Harvey spent his childhood in Quebec City and Belleville before enlisting and sailing to the UK in 1941 with the Fort Garry Horse Armoured Regiment. He met and married the love of his life, Irene, in England in 1943. He landed on Juno Beach 6 June 1944, and fought for the liberation of France, Belgium, and the Netherlands. His bravery was recognised by mention in parliamentary despatches as well as the award of the Military Cross in 1945. He continued his distinguished military career as Canadian Representative to the International Commission for Supervision and Control in Indochina, Chief Instructor of the Armoured Corps School at CFB Borden, Commanding Officer of the Fort Garry Horse, Base Commander of CFB Gagetown, and the Senior Canadian Representative at Central Army Group, NATO. Following seven years at the Ontario Housing Corporation he enjoyed retirement in Oakville and then Ottawa. During that period he was an active campaign organiser for the Canadian Cancer Society, a regular at both Tiger-Cats games and NAC Orchestra performances, and would rarely be seen without the most recent copy of The Economist in hand. Throughout his life he shared with family and friends his passion for Beethoven's music, gardening, reading, traveling, and vintage port. A proud and immensely supportive father and grandfather, he served as a model of kindness, duty, generosity, and selflessness for family, friends, community, and country. A private family service will be held at Beechwood Cemetery. In Memoriam donations to charity of choice, the Historica-Dominica Institute Memory Project or Canadian Battlefields Foundation appreciated.

Harvey married Delores Irene Pidgeon.