Last Post - Obituaries

Chief Warrant Officer Frank Krewski (Retired) 213 Comm Op

On Monday, June 11, 2012, peacefully, in hospital, in his 91st year, with family present. Frank was born in Oyen, Alberta, and spent his career first in the Canadian Armed Forces and later as a civilian in the Department of National Defence.

In 2003, he received an award from Princess Ann during her visit to Ottawa for 50 years of dedicated service to his country.

A private interment will be held at Pinecrest Cemetery. Friends are invited to attend a Celebration of Life Ceremony in his honour at the Royal Canadian Legion, 4026 Richmond Road, on Saturday, June 16 at 1 pm.

Frank was predeceased by his wife, Lorene (nee Stribbell), and is survived by his two sons, Daniel (Penny) and Michael (Lori), his grandchildren, Julie, Darren (Joanna), and Ren, his sister, Pauline, and his brother, Bernie. Frank will be remembered by his friends for his sense of humour, and for hosting many social gatherings at his home in Ottawa, especially the Wednesday 'lunch bunch', that got together regularly for 17 years. In lieu of flowers, donations to the Royal Canadian Legion Bells Corners Branch 593 would be appreciated. (legion593.ca@rogers.com)

CANADIAN ARMY - ROYAL CANADIAN CORPS OF SIGNALS (RCCS)
Frank enrolled on 31 July 1942 and received basic and trades training at the Royal Canadian School of Signals (RCS of S) Vimy Barracks Kingston, ON in the first class to receive morse code training. In order to pass with a speed of twenty-five words per minute, the class studied morse code nine hours per day, six days per week.

In 1943 Frank was shipped overseas on RMS Queen Elizabeth sailing from Halifax to Greenock, Scotland. The trip took three and a half days and was completed without a naval escort.

Frank then went to Cove England, home of the British Army Communications School. From Cove he went to Oxshott and participated in the formation of a Line of Communications Signal Unit that followed behind the allied D-Day invasion forces into Caen and several other villages in France as well as Holland and Belgium. Frank was in Brussels on VE Day and remained in Europe until 1946 when he departed from Brussels for his return trip to Canada. Frank was discharged from the RCCS as a Corporal in 1946.

ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE (RCAF) - TELECOMMUNICATIONS BRANCH
In 1948, Frank re-enlisted into the RCAF as a Leading Aircraftman (LAC paid). He spent his first two and a half years in Summerside and was then posted to Whitehorse in 1951. He was in Whitehorse for four years where his main job was to copy Russian morse code and prepare reports for transmission to headquarters in Ottawa.

In 1955 Frank was posted to Clinton where he looked after the Comm Cen and became an instructor responsible for the first RCAF crypto course.

In 1957 Frank was posted to Metz France where he served until 1959 when he was posted to 2 Communication Unit (2CU) in Edmonton.

In 1963 Frank was posted to Ottawa where he served with 4 CU at RCAF Station Rockcliffe. He was later posted to CFCCHQ where he served until 1972 when he retired from the C&E Branch in the rank of CWO.

PUBLIC SERVICE OF CANADA
Following his retirement from the CF in 1972, Frank commenced a seventeen year DND public service career until his final retirement in 1989.

SPECIAL C&E BRANCH PRESENTATION AND MEDAL AWARD
During the October 24th 2003 C&E Branch Centennial Celebrations, Her Royal Highness The Princess Royal, Princess Anne, Colonel-in-Chief of the C&EBranch presented Frank with a Certificate of Achievement for his contributions and almost fifty years service to the Branch. On May 10th 2012 at a NATO Veterans Organization of Canada awards ceremony held in the Canadian War Museum, Frank was presented a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal the citation stating, "WWII veteran Chief Warrant Officer Frank Krewski honourably served 45-years in the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals, RCAF Telecommunications Branch, Communications & Electronics Branch and as a long-time DND public servant. Frank's unstinting professionalism inspired all those with whom he served".