We regret to advise of the death of Lieutenant Neville Whitney Davis Mann, MC (Ret'd) of Farmington ME on 28 November 2000 at the age of 87 years. Neville was living at the Sandy River Center for Rehabilitation in Farmington Maine, where he had been a resident for many years.
Neville was born in North Esk NB, the son of Jack and Mary Mann. When he was 13 years old, his family with his two brothers and two sisters, moved from New Brunswick to Howland ME where another sister was born. He continued his schooling in Howland and later received a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering degree from the University of New Brunswick.
Neville enlisted in the Royal Canadian Engineers during the Second World War and served in Northwest Europe. He joined the 6th Field Company as a replacement officer on 12 January 1945.
In April 1945, he was awarded the Military Cross for supervising the construction of an improvised footbridge across the Schipbeek Canal in Holland in clear sight of the enemy, encouraging troops of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles to press on and seize their objective on the far side. Lt Mann was wounded twice as a platoon commander during the war – once during the Battle of the Bulge and again less than two weeks after this action during a minefield clearing operation. He was evacuated to hospital and did not return to duty.
After the war, he returned to Canada and lived in Ottawa for a few years before moving back to Maine to settle in Bangor. He and his wife, as U.S. citizens, became long term residents of that city. Neville worked most of his life as a resident engineer for design firms Metcalf & Eddy, and Stone & Webster. He supervised the building of runways at Gander Air Base in Labrador, the McKay Station at Ripogenous Dam, power-generating facilities at Great Northern Paper Co., Millinocket, as well as Bangor¹s Kenduskeag Stream Parking Plaza and interceptor sewer system. He was an avid outdoorsman. He loved to hunt and fish.
At the request of the family, there will be no visitation. A private memorial service will be held later with interment in the Mount Pleasant Catholic Cemetery in Bangor. Donations may be made in his name to the Maine Alzeimer¹s Association in Portland, ME.
