Black Watch Friends:

Regret to report the death of Ken Byron last week in BC.
Ken was well known to everyone who served with 2nd Battalion during the 1950s and 1960s in Aldershot, Gagetown and Germany. I believe that everyone who served with him would agree that he was an unforgettable character and a great soldier.

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Ken Byron, aged 93, passed away at his home on Saltspring Island BC on July 2, 2014 after a long period of ill health. Ken had a long and distinguished military career beginning with his enlistment in the Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary’s) during WW II and ending with his retirement in 1975 as BCWO of CFB Detachment Wainwright AB. Wounded shortly after landing on Juno Beach as a platoon sergeant with the C Scot R on June 6, 1944 he was evacuated to hospital in England. After a period of recuperation he returned to the regiment only to be wounded a second time, this time at Tourville, France in August. True to form, Ken returned to the unit, and served until the end of the war, reaching the rank of WO 2 as CSM Support Company.

Ken re-enlisted in 1946, serving in several regiments before joining 2 RHC in 1955. His regimental service included service with 2 RHC in Camp Aldershot, Fort St. Louis in Germany and CFB Gagetown. His last regimental posting was as Training Sergeant Major of the Black Watch Depot, an appointment he described as being the most enjoyable and fulfilling of his long career. Following his retirement, Ken returned to Woodderuffee farm on Saltspring Island, a farm that the Byron family had purchased in 1934 following their move from a drought-plagued homestead near Esterhazy, SK.

Ken was a member of the Atlantic Branch and the Pacific Coast Branch of the Black Watch Association and a life member of the Canadian Scottish Association. He was a loyal comrade who was especially proud of his service in the regiment and his appointment as sergeant major of the 2 RHC colour party at the presentation of colours in Montreal on June 10, 1962. A service in memory of Ken will be held at All Saints’ by-the-Sea Anglican Church, 110 Park Drive, Ganges, Saltspring Island at 2 PM on Saturday July 19.

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With thanks to Dave Leslie for the foregoing.



R. I. P.
NEMO ME IMPUNE LACESSIT

Rest in peace Ken you were the most colorful CSM I ever Had

Rest in Peace Sargent Major. Color full is not quite the right word but will do in a pinch.

R.I.P. Ken, you served your Country well.
Bob Woodward

Having just found this site it was sad to see this posting informing members of the death of Ken Byron. I served with Ken both at Camp Gagetown and at Ft St Louis in Werl in Germany. He was the CSM and I remember him as a person who you could always speak to as a young member of the Company. May he rest in peace.

I also served under CSM Byron. I had a conversation with him about a year or so before he passed.
The man had an amazing memory. He remembered everyone who served with him. We talked about trip to German in 62 and the ship we were on etc. He amazed me with the details.