Persoon

Letson, David Moore

July 28, 1929 - March 14, 2022

David Moore Letson was a BC Rail worker and long-time Royal Canadian Armed Forces serviceman from Vancouver. He was born in Vancouver on July 28, 1929, and eventually went to work with BC Rail, meanwhile mountaineering and camping often in the mountains of BC with his wife, and later, children. He joined the Royal Canadian Armed Forces regiment Lord Strathcona's Horse, the only tank regiment of the army at the time, in 1951. In 1965, he moved on to serve with the Fort Garry Horse regiment, where he remained until retirement in 1984. During the 1960s there, David commanded a tank squadron and was tasked by the regimental commanding officer to restore and repair Canada Park in Doetinchem, the Netherlands. This was the city which was liberated by The Fort Garry Horse in April 1945 as the regiment made its way into Nazi Germany during World War II. David created and published a large book of photographs that recorded the restoration and repair of Canada Park in 1965. On June 2, 2014, a friend and fellow-serviceman presented the book to the mayor of Doetinchem. After retiring, David continued to organize biannual social events for his regiments, hosting more than fifty 'black-hatters' at the Sidney Yacht Club twice annually. In 2016, he was presented with the Colonel Commandant's Commendation for long distinguished service to the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps, over a period of seven decades. He enjoyed mountaineering, camping, and sailing in his spare time. David died peacefully at home in Sidney, BC on March 14, 2022.

Vancouver
Doetinchem, Netherlands
Sidney, BC

Army member
Tank driver
Railway worker
Mountaineering
Camping
Sailing

RAD, July 2008 version. Canadian Council of Archives.

Catalogued April 2023.

1) Archival material
2) https://www.legacy.com/ca/obituaries/timescolonist/name/david-letson-obituary?id=40082933
3) https://fortgarryhorse.ca/wp/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/Blue-and-Gold-Spring-2022.pdf
4) http://strathconas.ca/uploads/files/newsletters/Fall%202016.pdf
5) https://www.kimletson.ca/post/rip-david-letson-dad