Pease, Edson Loy

In the spring of 1940, with the Second Great War but a few months advanced and when he was 19 years of age, Edson Loy Pease joined the 2/10 Dragoons and was commissioned a lieutenant. At that time, he was considered too young to go overseas as an officer, so, rather than wait; he gave up his commission and joined the 1st Hussars, 6th Armoured Regiment, as a trooper. After training at Camp Borden for six months, he was sent to Brockville, where he took the officers' course, and at its completion, regained his lieutenancy. In 1941 he proceeded overseas, and three years later, on D-Day, June 6, 1944, he was killed near Caen, Normandy, and was buried there beside his men who had fought and died with him. Born in Montreal in 1921, Lieut. Pease moved to Brantford at an early age. He attended Central School and The Grove, Lakefield, Ont., where he became Head Boy and was awarded the school's most coveted prize for Scholarship, Sportsmanship and Leadership. He was captain of the rugby team and also on the hockey, cricket and tennis teams. But all outdoor activities attracted him and he loved fishing and shooting. He was much interested in Parringdon Church and the Laycock School. After his education was completed, he spent a year with the Slingsby Manufacturing Company, Ltd., working through the various departments. At the time of his death he was a director of the Company. The same qualities that had made him popular with his comrades and his natural gift of leadership, evidenced when he was still a schoolboy, were seen in his successful army career. On December 24, 1943, he was married in London, England, to Miss Eleanor Lawlor, Toronto, who was serving with the Canadian Red Cross overseas. They have a son, Edson David. Besides his widow and son, Lieut. Pease is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. C. Gordon Cockshutt.

Back to Search Results