Herbert Conrad Liesemer (b.1896 - d.1970)

Herbert Liesemer was my grand-father. His war experience was remarkable in that he served in both world wars. He was born in Mildmay, Ontario in 1896 and moved to Didsbury, Alberta in 1906 with his parents.

Herbert Liesemer

While still a dental student at the Univ.of Toronto, he joined the Canadian Officer Training Corps in Oct 1917. In May 1918, he was transferred to the 1st Battalion, Canadian Tank Corps, CEF and arrived in England in June 1918. He remained with his unit until he was discharged in May 1919.

Not much is known about his WW1 record since the war diaries for the 1st Cdn Tank Bn have not yet been published (2006). Canada mobilized three tank battalions, two of which served overseas with the Canadian Machine Gun Corps in 1918. After the war he returned to his dental studies at the University of Toronto, where he graduated in 1922. He returned to Didsbury where he practiced dentistry until 1940.

After the outbreak of WWII, Herbert enlisted in April 1940 as a dental surgeon with the 13th Company of the Canadian Dental Corps. He went overseas in April 1941 where he was stationed at army clinics in London and Bramsholt. He returned to Canada in Dec 1943 where he was attached to various regimental dental clinics. He was made Lieutenant on Jan 2, 1940, Captain on July 27, 1940 and Acting Major on Dec 1, 1943 (Royal Canadian Dental Corps).

He was made Full Major in Feb 1945. After the war, he moved his family to Calgary where he continued his dental practice until his retirement in 1969.

Ian Watson - grandson