Obituary of Percy Wilson

Veteran Percy "Dwight" Wilson died this morning at the age of 106, leaving only one known surviving veteran of the First World War. Wilson passed "peacefully" at Toronto's Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Canada's largest veterans' care facility, where flags were lowered to half-mast in honour of the veteran. His death leaves John Babcock, who lives in Spokane, Wash., as the only surviving Canadian First World War veteran. In a statement, Prime Minister Stephen Harper said he was "deeply saddened" to learn of Wilson's death. "On behalf of all Canadians, I would like to extend my sincere condolences to Mr. Wilson's family and friends. As a nation, we honour his service and mourn his passing," said Harper. In 1915, as a young Cadet, Wilson trained as a mounted bugler in the militia. And in July of the following year, at age 15 -- three years shy of the legal minimum -- he enlisted and joined the 69th Artillery Battery in Toronto. After completing basic training in Camp Niagara and Camp Petawawa, Ont., Dwight ventured overseas as part of the Artillery Battery. "On the two-week voyage crossing the North Atlantic to England, he entertained the other troops on the R.M.S. Grampian liner with his wonderful singing voice," the centre said in a press release. "He was one of over 600,000 Canadians who fulfilled their sense of duty and volunteered to serve in the Great War." But upon arrival in England, his superiors realized Wilson was too young, and held him back from the front lines. Wilson was eventually sent back to Canada and discharged as a minor. But war broke out again in 1939, and Wilson, who was working with Bell Telephone, became a Captain in Stratford's 7th Perth Regiment Reserves. He tried to serve once again, only this time he was too old for active duty. Wilson worked for Bell Canada from 1919 until his retirement in 1966. He held numerous positions in several Ontario communities, and was promoted to manager of the phone company's Stratford operation. He also sang in the Bell vocal group, and enjoyed a career in music which included studying at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto, where he met his wife -- singer and pianist Eleanor Dean. He and Eleanor were married in 1927 and stayed together until she died at the age of 94. They had two sons, Dean and Paul. There will be a funeral service with military honour for family members and invited guests only. "In memory of Wilson and all those who served in the Great War, the family has requested that donations be directed to the Veterans' Comfort Fund at Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, Room KGE39," said the Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.