Born 29/08/1920 in Orford Twsp. The son of Lloyd and Mary (nee Edwards) Gosnell of Highgate, Howard Twsp., Kent Co., ON. Max was the eldest son.  

In November of 1943 Max received his draft, a bad cold was causing the doctor some concern and refused to pass him for overseas duty. He was stationed At Fingal training station as a Corporal making $2.45 a day. By then he was married to Jean (nee McIntyre) and she received a allowance of $20.00 per month, Max was then a married man needing their own room close to the station.

Fingal saw 1,200 students, men and women who went through training from electrical to radio. It was also a dangerous for the men going through bomber and gunnery training and students died during exercises. By wars end roughly 680 died on home soil not all at Fengal.

 As it turned out Max never received another ‘draft’ and was discharged from the RCAF 1/01/1945 in anticipation that the school would soon close.

After his discharge from the RCAF Max married Jean (nee McIntyre) and they lived and worked on their farm in Orford Twsp. until they moved to Ridgetown, living on Head Street. They had three children,  Linda (Moore), Brenda (Gosnell-Gordon) and Dr. Robert. RIN-Obit(wife) 28/01/15.

Max formed the Ridgetown Flying Club consisting of his war buddies, Earle Brien, Ralph Lenentine, Bob Spence and Carl Watson. And named the Tamarack Flying Club. They all “owned” shares. Max maintained and interest in flying a member of the Canadian Airforce Association, the war Plane Heritage Museum Hamilton and a former member of the International Flying Farmers.

Max passed away 25 June, 2017 at Ridgetown, ON. and is buried in the Gosnell Cemetery at Highfate, ON. His wife Jean predeceased him in 2015.

Afa: , 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Sources

OS-RH, RIN (Obit wife Jean) (28/01/15), RIN (30/11/11), RCL Anniv. (1/01/45), Anniv. (4/05/13), RIN 17/08/16 – J. Wickwire article “We were just like brothers”.

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