WELLINGTON NORTH – Three streets in an Arthur subdivision, located south of Domville Street and east of Preston Street North, will be named after area veterans.
This is in keeping with Wellington North’s road naming policy, which states that whenever possible township roads will be named after local servicemen.
There are five streets to be named in the Cachet Developments subdivision and three of them will be of historical significance: Day, Dingman and Raftis streets.
Information provided to the township by the Arthur Historical Society noted all three families had multiple members serve in either the First or Second Word War, or both.
“From this brief listing it is obvious why the Village of Arthur is known as the most patriotic village in Canada,” states the report from development clerk Tammy Pringle.
The other two streets in the subdivision will be named Waters Way and Adelaide Street. Waters Way was initially intended to be named Colwill Street, after another local family that had several members serve in WWII and the Korean War.
However, it was determined another subdivision is using the name Colwill, “so staff are proposing [Waters Way] in lieu of Colwill Street.
“And we consulted with the developer on that today,” said Darren Jones, interim CAO and chief building official at the July 25 council meeting.
Day family
The Day family – parents John and Maud Day – was one of two families in the Arthur Area with at least five children serving in World War II by 1944.
Their three sons Edward Day, Borden Day and Clarke Day were in England in 1944 with the Army of Invasion poised to storm Europe on D-Day.
The fourth son, William, was in Italy and Pearl was stationed in Toronto.
Dingman family
Members of the Dingman family who served include:
- Elgin Dingman, served in WWII with the Royal Canadian Regiment of Canada in Sicily and Italy;
- Jacob Ezra (Jake) Dingman, served during WWII in France, Holland and Germany;
- Lawrence Isaac (Lorne) Dingman, served during WWII with the Kent Regiment in the United Kingdom and northwest Europe; and
- William John Dingman, served during WWII.
Raftis family
Members of the Raftis family who served include:
- Patrick John Raftis, served during WWI in the 152nd Battalion in England and France;
- Daniel Wilfred Raftis, served in WWII in the Canadian Navy on the HMCS Haida;
- Genevieve Marie and Mary Marcella Raftis, enlisted in World War II in the Wrens (Women’s Royal Canadian Naval Service) and were posted to HMCS Stadacona in Halifax;
- John Raftis, served in the Canadian Navy at HMCS York and served on a Canadian destroyer in the Halifax area;
- John Francis (Frank) Raftis, served during WWII;
- Joseph Raftis, served in WWII in England and France;
- Leo Joseph Raftis, served with the Navy during WWII;
- Patrick John Raftis, served during WWII in the Canadian Merchant Navy (Merchant Marine); and
- Thomas (Tom) Raftis, served in WWII and survived the disastrous raid on Dieppe in 1942.
