1921-1979
Bert Coulson
Robert (Bert) L. Coulson was born in 1921 in Ontario and enlisted with the Canadian Army in 1942. He served overseas in the Aleutian Islands in 1943, as well as in France and Germany from June 1944 to March 1945. He lost both of his legs below the knee in March 1945 due to injuries sustained while serving in Emmerich, Germany.
When he returned to Canada, he became a Department Manager with the London Life Insurance Company. Mr. Coulson was heavily involved with The War Amps, holding the positions of:
- Member, Vice-President and National President, War Amps National Council
- Branch Representative, Western Ontario Branch
- Member, War Amps Key Tag Service Advisory Committee
- Member, War Amps Key Tag Service Distribution and Benevolent Fund Committee
- Member, The Fragment (War Amps publication) Committee
When Mr. Coulson was elected National President, he said, “Being chosen President of The War Amputations of Canada is the greatest compliment I have ever been paid. To be recognized by people whose only dedication is the desire to help people is a feeling of honour, a humbling feeling.”
He was active in other aspects of the Association, such as helping with Service Bureau cases and the Civilian Liaison Program. Through his 30 years of outreach work and counselling with civilian amputees, he said the best way to help was to “roll up my pant leg and show them we can dance, bowl, hold down a normal job. It’s what you have left that counts.”
Mr. Coulson shared his passion for golf in a War Amps video entitled What’s Your Handicap?
He passed away on July 4, 1979.
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