Brock Johnson Harley

Born in the same house his father and brothers (Ray WW2, John Douglas and Gordon WW2) at 37 John St, now Mill St.), Brock was the son Dean Stanley Harley (Veteran of the Spanish American War) and Mary Osmond. Tragically, Mary died in 1917, one day after giving birth to her fifth child they named Ralph, who lived briefly. As was fairly common for a man left with four young children under the age of 11, Brock’s father remarried in 1919 to Bertha Follet and Brock later became big brother to Bruce (WW2) Jean, Bessie and Terrence.

Brock married Diane Perrott in 1941, residing in Lindsay, prior to enlisting with the 56th Battery, 6 AF Regiment and he arrived overseas in September 1943. He was in charge of an anti-tank battery and was wounded in France during the invasion of Normandy in July 1944. He was invalided to England and once recovered, returned to duty.

Corporal Brock Harley arrived safely home to Canada in November of 1945, first living on Sussex St. in Lindsay before moving to Brampton, where he is living in 1962, working as a machinist at Avro Arrow. Following Diane’s death in 1963, Brock married Martha.

The Canadian Phone and Address Directory places Brock living at 3 Margaret St. in Georgetown between the years 1995-2001, with him later moving to Allendale long term care facility in Milton.

Brock passed peacefully in his sleep on March 9, 2003 and is buried in Brampton.

Brock’s nephew related that Brock was a proud member of the Georgetown Legion and never missed marching in the Georgetown Remembrance Day service.

Truly a Canadian Hero. His story lives on.
*Information provided by Mike Harley and taken from Ancestry.ca and Findagrave.com