| Rank | Trooper |
| Service # | A116369 |
Born in Chatham, ON. 30/03/1921 in Chatham, ON. The son of Robert Allen and Caroline (nee Antaya), the brother of Gilbert, Henry and Francis. He grew up in the village of Prairie Siding, which was 8 miles west of Chatham. The husband of Julia (nee Breynaert). The father of Robert and Gerard. Arthur had three brothers but none served in the military.
Arthur enlisted in Windsor, ON. the Army in November of 1942. CDN10/11/42. Arthur did his basic training at Dundurn, SK. and his advanced training before joining the 30th Recce Regt. with the rank of Trooper. They trained with Bren gun carriers and trained at Camp Borden, ON. They were later moved to Debert, NS. awaiting for an overseas transport. He served in WWII and served with the United Nations forces 1950-51.
They sailed aboard the Queen Elizabeth in 1943 and disembarked in England for additional training. After the D-Day 30th Recce was used as reinforcements to replace casualties. Pte. Colebrook was assigned to the 7thDuke of York Hussars, in the 3rd Canadian Division, then involved in the capture of Caen, France
He would serve the war in a Bren carrier after serving in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany until the end of the war in Europe. After the war he was stationed at Utrecht, Holland awaiting transport to Canada, which arrived late in 1945. Arthur was discharged 26 January, 1946 and he moved to Chatham, ON.
He was working for the Canadian National Railway in March of 1946 and stayed with the CNR until August 1947.He was married Julie in 1950, they lost their first child a baby boy. After the war Arthur was a drilling supervisor for Imperial Oil Co.
He was given a leave of absence to rejoin the Army in the spring of 1951. He served in Germany and joined the NATO forces during the “cold war” with Russia. He served with the RCA, service number SA116339 He served a total of 19 months until late 1952. Arthur had bought a house in Chatham in 1956 for his wife Julia and their second son who sadly also died. He went back to work with Imperial Oil until August of 1971 when the company moved to the western oil fields.
A member of St. Joseph’s church and Branch 642 Royal Canadian Legion.
After the war Arthur was a drilling supervisor for Imperial Oil Co.
Arthur passed away 25 November, 2016 at the Hospice, Chatham, ON. with burial in St. Anthony’s Cemetery, Chatham-Kent, ON. CDN-obit 28/11/16(P). Julia passed away 15/6/2002
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
| Sources | CFF-FD44, Chris Thibeault (nephew) email 15/06/17 |
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