Wiliam Charles Chaplin

William was born on December 2, 1913 in Snelgrove, Ontario. He was the youngest child of William Rufus Chaplin and Florence Maude Wright. The other children were Percy Henry 1905, Violet Elizabeth 1908 and George Charles 1913. William, always known as Bill, grew up and schooled in the Snelgrove and Georgetown areas and attended Georgetown High School for two years.

In his younger years, Bill worked at the Dominion Seed House in Georgetown for nine years in Shipping and Receiving and as a Nurseryman and at the Georgetown Woolen Mill as a Carder.

Bill became a member of the Lorne Scots in 1930 and in 1940 was with the 2nd Division Ammunition Co. RCASC. In June 1940, Bill enlisted in the RCASC and went to Camp Borden for training. He then became known as Pte. William Chaplin Regimental Number B86670 and embarked on August 8, 1940 for overseas where he began serving as a Supply Driver in the United Kingdom.

Before Bill left Canada, he was introduced to Mr. Horace Blyth of Glen Williams, who connected him with Mr. and Mrs. Victor Vardigans of Ilford, Essex, England. Mrs. Vardigans was Horace Blyth’s cousin. Whenever Bill had time off, he spent it with the Vardigans family—especially their only daughter, Kathleen Mary. Bill and Kathleen were married at the end of the war, on February 28, 1945 at the home of her parents.

However, prior to marrying Kathleen, Bill was shipped off to France, serving in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. He received a Service Medal Star for serving from 1939-1945 and the France/Germany Defence Medal.

On July 2, 1945 he was granted a 30 day leave to return to England and was given his Discharge Certificate on August 14, 1945, returning to Canada with his bride to begin their new life.

Upon arriving back in Canada, Bill and Kathleen were welcomed into the home of his sister Violet and her husband Bruce Brigden on their farm on Trafalgar Rd, Ashgrove, Ont. They lived there one year, and Bill helped with the crops and maintenance of the property.

In 1946 Bill and Kathleen were able to acquire the property known as 8 College St. Georgetown where they raised 3 children: Janis Ferne 1946-2024, William Richard (Rick) 1952-2022 and Andrea Mary 1951-present.

Bill and Kay were very active in the community…they were members of the Royal Canadian Legion; they sang in local groups and were very involved members of St. George’s Anglican Church. Bill worked at the Provincial Paper Mill until his retirement in December of 1978.

He died suddenly in July of 1979 and was predeceased by Kathleen who passed away in 1969 at the age of 45. Two years later the family home at 8 College St was sold out of the family. Bill is buried at Greenwood Cemetery in Georgetown.

Truly a Canadian Hero. His story lives on. *Submitted to Homes of Heroes Halton Hills by Andrea Chaplin Van De Valk.

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