The Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders of Canada Princess Louise's
200 James St North L8R 2L1 Hamilton, ON, Canada

The Argylls Remember Pte Alex Eli Laba (B 45930) (192144) Introduction The project to write Argyll poppy texts remembering the Argyll Fallen in 1944 and 1945 has preoccupied me over 2019 and 2020. Many of them come to mind from the time spent on Black yesterdays. Alex Laba caught my attention again last year. Capt Sam Chapman’s comment about him in a letter home to his wife was etched in my memory. Moreover, Pte Laba died during, by comparison to what came before, a peaceful... period. He was the last Argyll to die in 1944, and Cpl Harry Ruch’s observant diary entry about the dirtiness and the stickiness of small actions came again to my mind. As with the other Argyll KIAs, I tried to find his family. Here, my first impulse was a Canada 411 search (for folks still with land lines) for Laba and Grimsby and there was A. Laba. I called immediately and as soon as I mentioned Argyll I had a warm response from Alex Laba, Pte Laba’s nephew, who was named in honour of his fallen uncle. Alex has been enthusiastically supportive; he enlisted the aid of other members of the extended Laba family and put together a package of images, letters, postcards, and artefacts. I have met with Alex several times now, and I extend my thanks to him and the Laba family. He provided additional photographs for scanning (before the COVID-related shutdown). In due course, I shall have them scanned and they will be added to this poppy text. Robert L. Fraser Regimental Historian The full text of the memorial may be found at the link below: http://argylls.ca/history/laba.html

75 Years Later: Argylls Remember Our Fallen Capt John Jack Shirley Prugh (191644) KIA 4 November 1944... Introduction I knew about Jack Prugh through Maj Gord Armstrong, DSO, one of B Coy’s company commanders in battle. It was within the context of his scathing denunciation of Maj Bill Stockloser’s grievous faults as second-in-command of the battalion during Lt-Col Dave Stewart’s absence. Prugh was an obvious choice for a poppy. As luck would have it, I made contact with Capt Jack Prugh’s son Eric, daughter Nina (Prugh) Buchanan, and grandson Dan Choate. They have made a significant contribution to the text honouring Jack Prugh's sacrifice and, in no small measure, theirs. I thank them for it. Robert L. Fraser Regimental Historian The full memorial may be found at the following link: http://argylls.ca/history/prugh.html

75 Years Later: Argylls Remember Our Fallen Cfn Albert Hayton Hunt & LCpl John Neill Marshall Jr Introduction...Continue reading

Wishing His Royal Highness, The Prince of Wales, a very happy birthday!

Maj Alexander Chisholm Logie, OC (190644) Introduction After the action at Watervliet on 15 Oct. 1944, the Battalion left for its new concentration area north-east of Antwerp. We found quarters in a Hospital for Crippled Children that provided the hitherto unknown luxuries of running water and electric lights. In the following days, LCol Dave Stewart sketched out 4th Division’s new plans in the drive for Antwerp. The first general objective was Esschen [Essen], and the A...Continue reading