John Squarok and Edna Squarok

Alumni Type: War Bride
Country of Origin: England
Ship Name: Aquitania
Port of Entry: Pier 21, Halifax
Date of Arrival: March 23, 1946
Age on Arrival: 23

John Squarok born of Ukrainian parents William & Margaret. They farmed in the Minburn area near Manville, Alberta. John joined the Loyal Edmonton Regiment in February 1940. In June of that year, they sailed for England. World War II was well under way and the British needed all the military help they could get. They first went to Spitzbergen to destroy a weather station. Later when they finished training in England they went to North Africa, from there they went and fought in Sicily and Italy and later in the liberation of Holland.

In 1942, John met Edna Hayes while on leave in Loughbrough, Leicestershire. They were married in St. Peters Church in May 1943.

When John was discharged from the army, he returned to Canada through Pier 21. John went to Edmonton and worked as a carpenter building houses until Edna came to Canada in March 1946 with the first group of Warbrides and their children. In May 1946, they bought a farm south of Minburn, Alberta where they lived until 1959. They had four daughters and one son. In July of that year, they moved to Calgary for two years and had one more son. In 1961, they moved to Edmonton, Alberta where they settled down and had two more sons. John Squarok passed away in 1993.