26 Normandy Blvd.
Jack Douglas Timleck
Jack's forefathers arrived in Canada from England in 1813. Jack himself was born May 16, 1917 in Saskatchewan, as a teen hailing from Toronto. Jack was one of six children: Laurie “Dilly”, Clifford “Duffy” Richard, Lawrence and Jean.
Jack joined up for the Second World War in 1943 along with all of his brothers and brothers-in-laws. A total of ten men from the Timleck family went overseas and were fortunate to come back. Jack enlisted in the Canadian Infantry Corp at Toronto on February 15,1943 and joined the Westminster Regiment on April 12,1943. The Westminster Regiment was employed as part of the 1st Canadian Corps which was given the role in the winter of 1944 of assaulting over the Montone River, capturing Ravenna and surrounding area. After a month of continuous combat, the unit was put under the command of the 11th Brigade and engaged in the battle for Villanova and lead elements successfully engaged a column of German tanks with small arms and PIATS. The regiment was next in the battles for Naviglio Canal and the River Senio, dealing with heavy German opposition. The regiment returned to action near the town of Villanova where the fighting was fierce against determined resistance, but the objective was captured and the enemy forced to withdraw.
Jack served a total of 26 ½ months overseas and was wounded twice. He was awarded the 1939-1945 Star, Italy Star, France/Germany Star, Defence Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal & Clasp and the War Medal 1939-1945. As Jack had fought in the battle of Delfzijl Pocket, in the Netherlands in the spring of 1945 he also received the Thank You Canada -1945 Commemorative Medal.
After the war ended Jack remained in Holland for additional seven months and was then transferred to the Irish Regiment of Canada for disembarkation. He arrived home to his family on January 16 and was discharged on the 4th of March 1946, having served a total of 1,1113 days.
As Jack’s wife and children had moved back to Glen Williams in early 1944, Jack joined his family here, moving into Georgetown in September 1950. The 1957 Urban Preliminary List of Electors show the family living in the “war time” houses at 26 Normandy Blvd., Georgetown.
Jack died on March 7,1984 and is buried at Glen Williams Cemetery, Georgetown, alongside his wife Annie.
Truly a Canadian Hero. His story lives on. *Information submitted to Homes of Heroes Halton Hills by Barry Timleck.
