The Loewen-Perret Fund, a component of the Foundation’s For the Soldier Legacy Fund, was created by the children of John and Ada Loewen, and Charles and Zona Perret in order create a lasting tribute to the military service of their fathers and to provide assistance to soldiers in perpetuity. The lasting tribute is for:
• John Peter Loewen, who at 20 years of age, enlisted in the 144th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force at Winnipeg, Manitoba on 7 December 1915. He served in the 1st Battalion of the Canadian Machine Guns corps. John Loewen served with distinction during World War I, and was honourably discharged on 9 May 1919 in Toronto. He enlisted again on 25 September 1941, at the age of 50, in the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps of the Canadian Army (Active) and served in World War II in both Canada and the United Kingdom until he was honourably discharged on 24 November 1945 in Winnipeg.
• Charles Edouard Perret, who at 20 years of age, enlisted in the 28th Battalion (Infantry) of the Canadian Expeditionary Force at Invermay, Saskatchewan on 2 February 1916. He also served in the Canadian Forestry Corps. He served in Canada, Britain and France. Private Charles Perret served with distinction during World War I and was honourably discharged at Regina, Saskatchewan on 21 February 1919. He was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
• The gift also pays tribute to Henry Albert Perret, a farmer who, at 25 years of age, enlisted at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, on 3 February 1916. Born on 7 August 1890 in Geneva, Switzerland, he served in the 15th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Central Ontario Regiment). Private Henry Perret died in action on 15 August 1917, 10 days after his 27th birthday, at the Battle for Hill 70.
(See http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/Canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/1572984). Henry Albert Perret knows no known resting place and his name, along with those of more than 11,284 others, is inscribed on the Memorial at Vimy Ridge. He was the older brother of Charles Edouard Perret.
The Loewen-Perret Fund established initially with a gift of more than $30,000 in shares provides assistance to soldiers in perpetuity and other members of the family have indicated an interest in making a contribution to this Legacy Fund.