Ormstown resident Edgar Thorne Stanger was not only a veteran, but played an essential role in establishing many of the organizations in Valleyfield today.
Every year on November 11th at 11 A.M. Remembrance Day honours the country’s war veterans. The day, which marks the date and time that soldiers ceased fighting in the first World War in 1918, is a time for both the young and old to remember those that risked their lives to protect the freedom of our country. Over 100,000 Canadian soldiers were lost in World War I and II, with almost a thousand more souls being lost in Korea, Afghanistan and to peacekeeping efforts. The surviving soldiers remember only too well the perils of war during a time that was very different than what we know today. One such veteran is local Edgar Thorne Stanger, affectionately known as “Peter”. The father of three was a naval officer in the Second World War.
The Montreal native, who relocated to Valleyfield following his return from service, joined the Navy in 1942, when he was only 17. At the young age of 18, he was sent down to Halifax for training, opting for service in the Navy due to his comfort with the water—his family frequented Lac Memphremagog when Stanger was boy. Serving on four different ships, Stanger worked his way from signal officer to gunnery officer to become the navigator of the HCMS Magog, which was torpedoed in the St. Lawrence River in the Battle of the St. Lawrence in 1944. He later went on to become the Navigator of HMCS Victoriaville. Stanger spent four years in the naval service, crossing the Atlantic Ocean a total of 22 times during the span of the war. “It was cold and incredibly bitter at times,” he said of the experience. Due to the inclement weather, the officers would find themselves chipping away at nearly six inches of ice. “Our job was to protect convoys going overseas, which was sometimes anywhere from 60-80 ships. We were either battling the Germans or the bitterly cold weather,” recounted Stanger.
Following his service, Stanger, who is 92 years old, moved from Montreal to Valleyfield to work for his grandfather’s company, Canadian Bronze Powder Works. Also an amateur figure skater, Stanger competed across Canada before enlisting in the Navy. Upon his arrival in Valleyfield, he helped launch the Valleyfield Figure Skating Club, which is now known as Le Club de Patinage Artistique du Valleyfield. A former competitor in the Canadian Figure Skating Championships, supporting the growth of the sport was close to Stanger’s heart. He also helped launch what is now known as the Club de Voile St-François, as well the golf club. If that wasn’t enough, Stanger was a member of the Valleyfield Rotary Club and a member of the Chateauguay Valley English Protestant School Board, which led to the establishment of Ormstown’s high school, Chateauguay Valley Regional High School.
Today, it may seem to the older generations that the youth of today tend to overlook the importance of Remembrance Day. Stanger understands this. “When I think back, I knew nothing about the Navy. I just wanted to help. I think it’s normal that they don’t acknowledge it the way we do. When we were younger, we didn’t either,” he said, presenting an interesting perspective.
This past Sunday, Stanger attended the Remembrance Day Ceremonies in Huntingdon in uniform.
