‘Lots of memories’: Alberta WWII veteran’s 100th birthday party

Calgary’s centennial celebration honors a World War II veteran.

Bill Wilson looks back fondly, but shows no signs of stopping as he concludes a century.

“A hundred is a long time. A lot of memories,” says Wilson, who was a gunner on HMCS Ottawa.

Born in 1924 in Winnipeg, Wilson joined the Navy at the age of 13.

When he was 19, he was a gunner on D-Day.

“All those kids died. They were kids,” he says from his home in High River.

Wilson says his biggest influences have been his parents, his love of reading and the Navy.

“Either they worked together or, if everything ended badly, they would end up swimming together,” he says.

That ability to work with others led him to serve in various roles.

“I’ve worked in every city in Canada. I’ve lived in four provinces,” he says.

Wilson was a long-time CPR employee, transportation manager for the 1988 Olympics and a leader in the creation of the Alberta Naval Museum.

“He was one in a million. A million people served from Canada (in World War II), but since then, he’s one in a million. He’s unique in what he’s been able to accomplish,” Scott Hausberg said. president of the Canadian Naval Association – Calgary.

Wilson’s family and friends describe him as humble, dedicated to the Navy and say he always has a project going.

“He just finds things to do. He’s never convinced, he just does things for the good of Canada and the Navy,” says his wife, Phyllis Wilson.

Wilson’s first wife died, but he will celebrate his 50th wedding anniversary with Phyllis in January.

He had a son with his first wife and Phyllis had three children when they married.

The two also have eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Wilson says turning 100 is just another day.

He says that what matters most is the people.

“The only time I think about age is the people I’ve had the pleasure of knowing over the years,” he says.

Wilson says the world is completely different now, and in some ways it’s scary.

But he does appreciate that there is greater awareness of the differences.

Not like when he started in the Navy.

“You can’t be agnostic; you’re Protestant or Catholic. Nowadays, there’s no difference, you recognize there are probably 50 different religions and you accept it,” he says.

“That’s an important difference. You don’t always understand them, but you know they exist, if you respect them, that depends on how you were raised.”

His hope for future generations is that they will learn about Canada’s history and not forget the sacrifices people made for the country.

Although his actual birthday is November 5, Wilson will be out of the country at that time, so a private party was arranged for October 25 at HMCS Tecumseh.

The mayor of Calgary and the premier are expected to speak.