Dewey Barwis - Able Seaman
Dewey Ira Charles Barwis was born on April 13, 1924 in Saskatchewan, specifically at S.W 22-2-23-3, according to his birth certificate. He was educated in Alberta, in the Drumheller Valley area. Dewey applied for admission to the RCNRF as a boy seaman 1st class in 1940, and was accepted July 15, 1941. He trained at Esquimalt and qualified as LR3. He was aboard HMCS Timmins in February, 1942, when it was commissioned, and in Oct. 1942, Dewey served aboard the Timmins, on the triangle run, until June 1943. Drafted to the bangor sweeper Drummondville, he served there until June 1944, and then the Nene. Dewey and Helene Halladay were married July 16,1945 in Medicine Hat, Alberta. They have three children, sons Richard, Terry and daughter Lee. They have four grandchildren. Dewey remained in the RCN, serving in HMCS New Liskeard, Crescent from Dec. 1947 to Jan. 1949. He qualified as a P&RT instructor May 1950, and was aboard HMCS Athabaskan, in the Korean conflict from Sept. 1952 to July 1953. He served at the Churchill Naval Radio station 1956-58, and was posted to Cornwallis in 1962-1964 as Divisional Officer for new entry training. He retired as CPO 1st class at Naden in 1966. Dewey worked for Department of Veterans Affairs, retiring from there in 1986 as a Veterans Counsellor. The family moved to Sooke, B.C. a small rural community 25 miles west of Victoria.