Victory Pin presented virtually to last Second World War vet of Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte

Fuller was assisted by Larry Shoebridge, of the Hastings Prince Edward County Regimental Association, to join an internet call with Prime Minster Justin Trudeau, the Minister of Veteran Affairs, Lawrence MacAulay, and Neil Ellis, MP for the Bay of Quinte

Austin Fuller

Local Veteran Recognized for Service by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Minister of Veterans Affairs Lawrence MacAulay, and MP for Bay of Quinte Neil Ellis

With a little help from his friends, Austin Fuller, 99, the last surviving Second World War veteran of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte was thanked by the Prime Minister for his years of service.

Friday, Fuller was assisted by Larry Shoebridge, of the Hastings Prince Edward County Regimental Association, to join an internet call with Prime Minster Justin Trudeau, the Minister of Veteran Affairs, Lawrence MacAulay, and Neil Ellis, MP for the Bay of Quinte and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food.

He was virtually presented with the Victory Pin and certificates signed by MacAulay and Ellis.

“It was truly an honour that the Prime Minister and Minister MacAulay took the time to meet with Austin to hear his stories about his life and his service to his country,” said Ellis.

The prime minister, on his social media, called Fuller a Canadian hero.

“He’s a Canadian hero. It’s because of his bravery that we are all able to live in peace,” said Trudeau. “Recently, he received his Second World War Tribute, a pin commemorating the 75th anniversary – and yesterday, I was honoured to celebrate that recognition with him, Minister Lawrence MacAulay, and MP Neil Ellis. We spoke about his years of service and offered our thanks for all that he’s done.”

Fuller was born in Shannonville in 1921 and enlisted in the Canadian Army on April 3, 1940. After basic training at Camp Borden he was shipped overseas (UK).

Following a brief time in a holding unit he was posted The Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment in August 1940. He landed with The Regiment on Pachino Beach on July 10, 1943 and fought through Sicily, the Italian mainland and into Holland. Austin’s war ended on the 7th of May 1945 when the Commanding Officer of The Hastings and Prince Edward took the surrender of the German garrison in Amersfoort Holland. At Ortona, he served in the anti-tank platoon of Combat Support Company. He took his discharge from the permanent force on September 13, 1945 after serving overseas for over five years and constantly in the fight from July 1943 to May 1945.