Wellington Remembers as exhibition honours County veterans

Administrator | Nov 10, 2026 | Comments 0

Story and photos by Sharon Harrison
Local veterans are being remembered at the Wellington Heritage Museum until the end of the month where their stories, their lives and their contributions to County and country are being showcased in recognition of their service and contribution.

The free admission exhibition has been created in partnership with the Wellington Community Association where the small exhibit contains framed wall posters with a photograph of each veteran along with some detailed background information on how and where they served, together with some notable accomplishments. While some contain great detail, others are scant as information is often lost over the passage of time.

Several items of clothing, medals and paraphernalia are also being showcased.

Those featured were born or lived in Prince Edward County (mostly Wellington, Hillier and Picton) and served either in the First or Second World Wars, at least one served in both.

Ordinary everyday citizens of the County (many of them farmers, shop keepers, etc.), they were pilots and navigators, flight lieutenants, stokers, sharpshooters and bomber pilots, and more.

They served with the Royal Canadian Air Force, Home Guard, Royal Canadian Navy, Canadian Army, Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service, Canadian Siberian Expeditionary Force, and Royal Canadian Navy Volunteer Reserve, among them. Many served in countries such as Africa, England, China, Iceland, Gibraltar, Japan, Bermuda, United States and Russia.

Aaron Samuel Ruben
Picton resident Aaron Samuel Ruben born in May 1896 enlisted in the Army in August 1914 as soon as England declared war on Germany. He was just 18. He served with the Canadian Infantry, Eastern Ontario Regiment, 2nd Battalion (Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force).

“On February 5, 1915, the first Canadian Division left Salisbury Plains for France, the men of Prince Edward County being attached to the second Eastern Ontario battalion. The unit was one of those which took part in the battle of Ypres, where many local men, including Aaron, died or went missing in action.”

He was reported missing in action in April 1915, in or around Ypres, Belgium, his body was never found.

Melvin Tayler
Pilot Officer Melvin Elliott Tayler, born in April 1913 in West Lake, trained as a pilot and navigator with the Royal Canadian Air Force (95 Squadron). During deployment, he flew Short Sunderland flying boats on anti-submarine patrols off the west coast of Africa. His plane crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Sierra Leone in November 1942 where he died.

Vida May Dorland
While most of those showcased are men, many women are featured, including Wellington-born Vida ”May” Dorland (née Greer) who joined the Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service (WRCNS) –better know as the WREN’s- serving in the WREN sick bay aboard HMCS Cornwallis during the Second World War.

Other women were also acknowledged for their role during the Second World War, such as the Red Cross women, especially the Wellington Red Cross whose role would have included sewing socks and blankets, and assembling food parcels to be sent overseas.

Ainsworth sisters, Ruth and Shirley
There were the Ainsworth sisters, Shirley Mae and Ruth Isabelle, who joined the Canadian Women’s Army Corps during the Second World War. Ruth trained as a physical training instructor where she helped prepare recruits for military service. Also joining the CWAC, Shirley’s role involved supporting the care of Canadian servicemen.

Jeanne (Tayler) Hamel
Wellington’s Jeanne (Tayler) Hamel served with the Royal Canadian Air Force’s Women’s Division during the Second World War and was part of a touring precision marching squad selling War Bonds. She died in 2021 at age 101.

While many, but not all, were young in age when they joined the services, as young as 17 in some cases, one individual was just 14, another 13, something that was not unusual at the time to have lied about year of birth when applying (until they were found out).

James “Arnold” Post
Wellington’s James “Arnold” Post (born in Hillier) joined the Army in 1916 serving in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in the 155th Battalion in France and England, only to be sent home once his real age of 14 was revealed. He enlisted again in the Second World War, this time with the Royal Canadian Air Force.

While many survived war, many did not come home.

Wilson D. Burd joined the Royal Canadian Air Force in July 1940 training as a bomber pilot with 108th Squadron RAF. Having 21 operational flights, he was killed in Egypt in April 1942 while acting as a test pilot for Wellington bombers. He was 21.

Thomas Clifford Wilson
Born in Hallowell in 1894, Thomas Clifford Wilson enlisted with the 254th Battalion in December 1916 at age 22. He saw active duty at the Battle of Passchendaele where he was killed in action in November 1917.

John Henry Campbell
John Henry Campbell was 18 years old when he enlisted as a Private in the Infantry with 182nd O.S. Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Forces. He was killed in August 1918 in the Battle Bois-du-Sart, France, age 20.

Coinciding with the Wellington Remembers exhibit, the Memorial Banner Project was also recently launched in Wellington which sees a number of memorial banners placed along Main Street, each sponsored by a community member, family member or local organization.

The banners are intended to honour local veterans who served to help keep their stories visible within the community, along with ensuring the sacrifices they made continue to be recognized and shared for many generations to come. It is intended as a way of preserving local history as well as keeping the stories of these individuals alive.

Memorial banners can also be found along Main Street in Consecon in a similar effort, co-ordinated by the Consecon branch Legion.

Wellington Remembers runs until Nov. 29 (Wednesday-Sunday 1-4 p.m.) at the Wellington Heritage Museum (290 Wellington Main St.), including all day on Remembrance Day.