Another Home Town Hero

JOHN TEEFY

ROYAL CANADIAN ENGINEERS

WORLD WAR 2

John graduated from Cherrywood Public School in 1931. While at school he was gifted student in History and Geography and loved to play and watch Soccer. At that time Cherrywood had a good Soccer team and John was always an avid fan .
He worked on his Father`s farm until 1940 when he joined the army with Bridge detachment 85 of the Royal Canadian Engineers. John trained in Canada until 1942 and went to England for more training . This gave him an opportunity to spend some time in Ireland a country that he loved .
John took part in the invasion of Normandy in 1942 and he and Bridge Attachment 85 played a significant role in pushing the German Army back through France Belgium and Germany. While in Europe John`s regiment was often strafed by German fighter planes. On one occasion his sleeping bag was hit by enemy bullets but none of them touched John. He was with Bridge Detachment 85 until the German surrender on June 6th 1945.
John returned to Canada after the war ended and worked in Calgary and Ottawa. It was during this time that he met and eventually married Helene Bull. Helene was a widow and she and her late husband had six children. Helene and John have one son Pat who has become a Heart Surgeon of note. One of his patients was a Russian school girl who was unable to receive the required surgery in Russia. Pat went over to Russia and picked up the girl and her Mother and brought them back to London Ontario where he operated successfully on the girl . After she fully recovered she and her Mother returned to Russia.
John was, always very positive , and an inspiration to be with. He would give you an opinion on almost anything. He and his lovely wife Helene lived in Calgary for a number of years prior to his death in December 2004.

Written by Bob Morrish

Read more on how the Royal Canadian Engineers took part in WWII.