In Memoriam – Air Cadet League of PEI

The ACL PEI wishes to acknowledge past air cadets, staff and volunteers who have served our communities and country.

Murphy, Gilbert Leo

Gilbert was born on the 25th of November 1970 in New Westminster, BC. Gilbert is the son of Lowell Murphy (deceased) and Constance Murphy (nee Rogers). Gilbert is the youngest sibling of four children. Kimberly is the eldest sister followed by Tracey and then his older brother Michael.

The Murphy family moved from British Columbia to Prince Edward Island in 1973. Gilbert grew up with his mother, two sisters, his bother and his maternal Grand parents in Souris, PEI. He attended the local schools completing grade 10 prior to moving to Montague and completing his high school education, graduating in 1988.

Gilbert started work at Shoppers Drug Mart in November 1988. He continued to work at Shoppers full time full time as the Shipper/Receiver until June of 2010.

Gilbert was an air cadet for seven years. He joined 891 Squadron in Souris in 1982 and transferred to 327 Montague in 1986. He continued ass an air cadet achieving the cadet rank of Warrant Officer 1^st class until he aged out in November 1989. During his time as a cadet, he completed the Aircrew Survival course, Senior Leaders course, Ground Search and Survival course and two summers as a staff cadet in Greenwood Nova Scotia.

On January 23^rd 1990, he enrolled in the Cadet Instructors List as an Officer Cadet. He worked with the 327 Southern Kings RCACS in Montague as a CIC officer attaining a substantive rank of Captain until his transfer to the regular force of the CF in October 2012. During his time as a CIC officer, he was employed at various CSTC’s for 14 years. He completed the BOQ, LTQ, CQ and CO courses as well as RSO air, RSO small bore, Basic Canoe Instructor, Unit Environmental Officer, Unit Human Rights Advisor, Marksmanship Coach and the General Safety Officers course.

Gilbert was a member of the PEIGSAR team from 2002 until October 2012. He has held apposition of Deputy Commander and has participated in various searches in PEI and NS. He is a Life Member of the legion and has held a position on the Executive committee as a member, 1^st Vice President, Past President and branch president since he began his membership.

Gilbert enjoys marksmanship, reading and playing guitar in his leisure time. He is an ordinary member of Branch 8 Royal Canadian Legion since 1989.

Gilbert enrolled in the CF as an ATIS tech in October 2012. He completed his BMQ on 28^th February 2013. He was posted to CFB Kingston, CFSCE where he completed his POET course in October 2013. He was attach posted to 14 Wing Greenwood for OJE where he worked in IT Maintenance and IFRCC until his return to CFSCE in January 2014.

Warrant Officer Frank Robert Mellish, a member of 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment, based in Petawawa, Ontario was killed on September 3, 2006 fighting against Taliban insurgents approximately 15 km west of Kandahar City. Warrant Officer Mellish’s unit was part of Operation MEDUSA, a significant combined effort between the Afghan National Security Forces, Canada and our other NATO partners in the International Security Assistance Force aimed at removing armed militants from the Panjwayi and Zhari district region so that displaced villagers can return to their homes and re-establish their livelihoods without living in constant fear of the Taliban.
Le 3 septembre 2006, l’adjudant Frank Robert Mellish, membre du 1st Bataillon du Royal Canadian Regiment basé à Petawa en Ontario, a perdu la vie dans les combats contre les insurgés talibans qui se sont déroulés à environ 15 km à l’ouest de la ville de Kandahar. L’unité de l’adjudant Mellish participait à l’opération MEDUSA, une opération d’envergure entre les forces afghanes de sécurité nationale, le Canada et autres partenaires de l’OTAN qui font partie de la Force internationale d’assistance à la sécurité, qui visait à chasser les militants armés de la région des districts de Panjwayi et Zhari, afin que les villageois déplacés retournent chez eux et refassent leurs vies sans avoir constamment peur des Talibans.

07 Dec 2008 Kandahar, Afghanistan MWO Steve Dornan from Crapaud, PEI. He passed away in 2018. Doran was a 53 Air Cadet and a MWO Reg F. He flew drones, his flight suit hangs in Kingston Museum. https://www.saltwire.com/obituaries/steven-dornan-14809/?location=annapolis-valley

WO Frank Mellish x cadet 53
MWO Steven Doran x cadet 53
Brain Inglis X ci band master 53
Don Inglis x Capt CO 53
Charlie Monty x SSC 53
Keir Costain x lcol 60 sqn