Corporal Vera Armstrong is celebrating her birthday today, a local legend with a life story that spans continents and now, an entire century.
Born in 1924, on a farm outside Mervin, Saskatchewan, she experienced the simplicity and challenges of early 20th-century farm life. Horses were the primary mode of transportation, and the economic hardship of the Great Depression shaped her early years.
Corporal Vera’s path took a turn during World War II. Inspired by her brother’s enlistment, she joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in 1943, at the age of 19.
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Trained as a Wireless Operator, she served her country with dedication, stationed in various locations across Canada and eventually in Germany.
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After the war she went home for a few years, but soon felt the call to serve again. Enlisting for a second time in 1951, where she served at RCAF Centralia before embarking on an adventure at #4 Fighter Wing in Germany.
Corporal Armstrong says that enlisting provided every opportunity to see as much of the world as possible – in a period where few people had the means to fly across the Atlantic Ocean for recreation, she says that she was bit by the travelling bug.
Following her second service, Corporal Armstrong transitioned to civilian life, and ended up moving to Ontario for work.
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She lived with her sister for a few years, before permanently locating to the Exeter area to live with her partner.
Throughout her military service, Corporal Armstrong’s love for baseball remained unwavering. From her hometown team to RCAF and Legion teams, her passion for the sport endured, echoing in her continued support for the Toronto Blue Jays to this day.
Written by: B. Shakyaver
