Herman Larke

Canadian Volunteer Service Medal, 1939-45 War Medal, Special Service Medal (SSM), Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal (CPSM), United Nations Korea Medal (International Military Decoration), Canadian Forces Decoration (CD)

Canadian Provost Corps

Royal Canadian Army Service Corps

WW II and Korea

08 July 1914 – 21 November 2017

Herman Larke was born 08 July 1914 in Winnipeg to Louis and Louise Larke. The Larke Family moved to Morden in 1915.

Herman married Marea Kristjansson from Brown on 18 February 1943 and they had two children, David and Brenda.

Herman enlisted with the Canadian Provost Corps in Winnipeg, 29 July 1943. While stationed in Winnipeg, he was on guard duty, street patrol and travelled to Halifax and New York to transport German Prisoners of War to a POW camp in Calgary and later that year was posted to Camp Borden with the Canadian Provost Corps.

In 1944 he was posted to the 40th Canadian Provost Corps Company in Winnipeg at Fort Osborne and promoted to Corporal. In 1946 he was promoted to Sergeant at Carpiquet Barracks (southeast corner of St. James Street and Notre Dame Avenue) in Winnipeg.

In 1947 he left the Active Army and joined the Permanent Force as a Private in the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps (RCASC). Reduction in rank was not uncommon for those that elected to stay in the Forces after the war years, particularly those that changed their military occupation. In July 1948 he was promoted to Corporal in the Quartermaster Stores.

In March 1952 he was promoted to Sergeant in the Quartermaster Stores. In March 1953 he went to the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps School in Montreal and returned to Carpiquet Barracks later that year.

In December 1953 he was posted to 3 Transport Company, RCASC, and promoted to Staff Sergeant. He left for Korea in March 1954, serving there until December 1954 and returned to Winnipeg on Christmas Eve.

From 1955 to 1958 he was posted to 3 Transport Company, RCASC, serving as their Quartermaster (senior soldier who supervises stores or barracks and distributes supplies and provisions). In 1958 he was posted to Shilo serving as the Quartermaster for the Canadian Provost Corps School

In 1960 he was posted to Hemer, West Germany serving in the office of the Station Staff Officer.

In August 1963 he was posted to Winnipeg to 16 Regional Ordnance Depot for 1 year. During that time he went to Churchill, Manitoba as part of the team responsible for closing that base. In 1964 he retired and moved to Morden

In Morden, Herman worked as a Bar Steward at the Morden Legion until 1965, then began work at Livingston’s Furniture where he worked for 15 years. In September of 1979 Livingston’s was sold to Andy McCaughan and Herman remained there until January 1983.

During retirement Herman was active with Morden Hospital Auxiliary and served as Treasurer for 8 years. Herman and Marea built a home on 13th Street on his Dad’s property. At one point, Herman’s mother Louise, Emily Blair (Herman’s sister) and Herman and Marea lived beside each other. After Marea’s death in 2014, Herman remained in their home until June 2017 when he moved to Homestead South. Herman passed away 21 November 2017 at the age of 103 years.

The Larke family had lived on 13th Street for over 100 years. The Morden City Council has granted the honorary name of Larke Lane to 13th Street.

Information supplied by daughter Brenda Perkins, Canadian Provost Corps records, RCASC records and Wikipedia.