Sgt Larry William Baillie, CD (Ret’d)

We regret to advise of the death of Sergeant Larry William Baillie, CD (Ret’d) in Bonaire (the Caribbean Netherlands) on 23 March 2022 at the age of 71 years. Larry was a well-known Combat Engineer, Combat Diver and Airborne Sapper.

Larry’s career with the Canadian Military Engineers included postings to our field units and the Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering. He was a member of 1 Airborne Field Squadron in Edmonton AB during which time he deployed to Cyprus on United Nations peacekeeping duties. Larry also served in 1 Field Squadron in Petawawa ON in the early 1970s. He entered his Combat Diving specialty when he took the Shallow Water Diver Land Forces course in 1976 and later received Diver Supervisor qualification in 1984. He was the Field Engineer Instructor on several combat diver courses and attended several Exercise ROGUISH BUOYs.  Larry was an instructor at the Canadian Forces School of Military Engineering in the 1980s, followed by a tour with 1 Combat Engineer Regiment Chilliwack where he led the Diving Section.

On retirement, Larry set up a dive charter business in Port Moody BC.  After five years, he moved the business to Bonaire in 1999 where he became known as “Captain” by the local fishermen. Larry initially worked for Bruce Bowker at the Carib Inn until he started his own business, Larry’s Wildside Diving, and opened up the diving on the east coast of Bonaire.  After his years of Combat Diving and his Port Moody venture, Larry had found his place and proceeded to log many more thousands of dives in very pleasant surroundings.  Larry was also the Managing Director for his wife’s JanArt Gallery for the past ten years.

Funeral arrangements will be notified when advised.