Robert James Loutet

Bob was born in Acton on May 10, 1922, to Margaret Heatley and James Louttit. Bob quit school at a young age to support his family, as his father James had been gassed serving in WW1 and was unable to work. Bob registered for the Canadian Army in Toronto on April 17, 1942, just prior to his 20th birthday. Bob’s brother Albert and his sister Kay enlisted as well. When Bob and Albert were in the Army they were called to the main office…the man in charge enquired as to whether the two men were brothers and questioned why their last names were spelled differently. Ab had signed up as “Louttet”, and Bob as “Loutet”. Bob decided to go along with Ab and so history changed the spelling of the family name. (Interestingly, when their father James enlisted in WW1, he spelled the family name Louttit).

Private RJ Loutet enrolled with the Lorne Scots Regiment and was stationed in Manitoba with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles Unit. He served in Canada, the United Kingdom and Continental Europe. During his service he earned the 1939-45 Star Medal, the France and Germany Star and CVSM Clasp. Bob had a total of 1391 qualifying days of service for which he was paid $345 and a further 561 days of overseas service with pay of $140.25, for a total of $544.25. Deductions brought the grand total to $481.86, paid out in monthly installments of $80.31.

Upon his safe arrival back in Acton, Bob returned to live with his parents in the “wartime housing” at 196 McDonald Blvd (his great-great nephew resides in the family home today). When Bob married Marj Norton he got his own “wartime house” at 227 McDonald Blvd. After the war, Bob worked at the Tannery then started his own taxi service and from there he went to work at the Ford Plant in Oakville in 1953, retiring in 1982.

Like most soldiers, Bob never talked about the war and told others that he didn’t want to have children, because he didn’t want then to go through what he did. Despite this, Bob and Marj had one son Ronald John, who because of the bravery of his father and other soldiers, was blessed to not ever have to go to war.

Bob passed November 12, 1991, the day after Remembrance Day, at the age of 69. Bob is laid to rest at Fairview Cemetery in Acton.

Truly a Canadian Hero. *Submitted to Homes of Heroes Halton Hills by Trevolyn Louttett

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