Private Vernon English

Vernon Watson English was born in Paris on December 9, 1919, the son of the late Edward English and Louise English. The family lived at 7 Spencer Street. Vern received his education in Paris schools and was active in hockey and lacrosse. He was one of the first men from Paris to enlist. He joined the Perth Regiment in September, 1939 and went overseas in September, 1941. In that time, he married the former Isabel Foster, from Utopia, a small village near Barrie, Ontario. They had a young son who Vernon was never to see.

At some point in his military service overseas, Vernon transferred to the Princess Louise Fusiliers, a Canadian Army Reserve infantry regiment based in Halifax, Nova Scotia, that served during the Italian Campaign of the Second World War. The 1st Battalion, The Princess Louise Fusiliers, was mobilized for active service in the Second World War. The unit's 11th Independent Machine Gun Company landed in Italy in November 1943 as part of the 5th Canadian Armoured Division. They played an important role in breaking the Gothic Line, one of the key German defences as they retreated north through Italy in the face of advancing Allied forces.

Vernon died on 5 September, 1944 of wounds he received in action. His remains were first buried near Loreto, but were later disinterred and transferred to the Ancona War Cemetery, which contains 1019 Commonwealth burials from the Second World War.