Maj Harold William Ball, MBE, CD (Ret'd)

We regret to advise of the death of Major Harold William Ball, MBE, CD (Ret'd) of Santa Barbara CA on 17 December 2001 at the age of 82 years.

Harold was born in Consort, AB to an American father and an English mother. In 1927, the family moved to Monterey CA  where Harold completed high school and junior college. He returned to Canada in 1938 and in 1941 entered the University of British Columbia to study engineering. He served in the Canadian Officers Training Corps at UBC and on graduating in 1944, was commissioned as a lieutenant into the Royal Canadian Engineers. He was sent to Northwest Europe and received a Mention in Dispatches recognising gallant and courageous service. 

He stayed in the Army after the war and in  October 1951, then-Major Ball took command of the 57^th Field Squadron in Korea. The Squadron completed its Korean service in May 1952 and returned to Canada. Even in that short period, Harold made a considerable contribution, leading the Squadron through a particularly arduous winter and bringing them safely home to Canada in May 1952. May Ball received his Canadian Forces Decoration in 1954.  After serving in the Canadian Army, he returned to California and worked as an engineer.

Harold William Ball is buried in the Santa Barbara Cemetery.