He died in 1966 at age 56, before his grandchildren were born. They were told little about him except that he had been severely wounded, and that he came home and worked at the jail in Georgetown, P.E.I., for years. 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-family-world-war-two-grandfather-batchilder-1.5352205

"Most significantly, we knew he was a bit of a tyrant, we knew he was a drinker," Melissa Batchilder, Andy's sister, told CBC Radio: Mainstreet P.E.I.'s Matt Rainnie.

CBC Article on Discovering the War Trauma Story Behind Father's Nature

"So we didn't really talk about him much." 

But last year Andy began delving into their grandfather's military service records, and believed there was more to Sgt. Batchilder's wartime past than just "a couple of weeks in France." 

What they discovered on the trip was that during the Battle of Normandy, Sgt. Batchilder had been much more than the ill-tempered, hard-drinking man he was when he returned — he was a hero. 

"He was able to alert them that if they were to continue on, there were German tanks hiding out in wait for them," she said. Perhaps doubting the Germans were still there, a few troops did test the information by proceeding along the route and were killed, she said.

Lawrence Sylvester Batchilder

July 8, 1943 – October 16, 2020

A long-time resident of Bath, Ontario, Lawrence succumbed to injuries from a motor vehicle accident. He was a proud Prince Edward Islander, transplanted to Ontario in the early 60's. His determination was palpable - In the last several years he stoically dealt with health challenges and never gave up.

Lawrence and wife, Paulette (Dufresne) celebrated their 55th wedding anniversary on October 2nd.  Lawrence leaves behind son Rory (Alison Rose), daughters Deborah (Lance Brown), Dawn (Paul Daley), and Tara (Shawn Baldwin). Loving grandfather to Ryan O'Neill (Julia Murphy), Sarah O'Neill (Milan Verrelli), Alex Brown, Clay Hayes, and Tyrell and Dyrrin Daley. Great grand father to Sophia (Ryan O'Neill). Brother to Joan Englehart (Maurice), and Ken (Doreen), predeceased by brothers Paul (Rosemary ), and Eldon.

Contributions of stories, photos, and videos are highly encouraged to be shared in this interactive web memorial created in Lawrence's memory.

Lawrence was a retired member of the UA Local 221 Plumbers and Pipe-fitters Union. He was a jack of all trades and liked to tinker, always taking things apart and fixing them. He challenged himself by building two homes for himself and his family – doing as much as possible with his own two hands. The most important thing for Lawrence was his family - he was and proud of them all and never tired of talking to them about their adventures and accomplishments. His idea of a vacation was to just be with his family.

 A Celebration of Life will take place at a later time when people can gather safely. We are really hoping that people don't just read this and pass by without leaving something.  Maybe not immediately, but after they thought about it for a day or two, come back and leave a little story or a couple of pictures in a tribute post.

   The last several years of Dad's life were quieter, more contemplative, and much slower-paced than his early years.  His manner changed, his strength faded, his voice more measured and kind. I deliberately came visiting often, as I thought our time together was drawing short - but the gods gave Dad a few extra years - maybe there was plan for him?

    I think many who knew Dad in the 60's - 2000's would agree that there was a certain Fred Flintstone flare - (I think Fred was a union guy).  Or maybe for some, Archie Bunker shared likeness as they were similarly "of few words" and hard work'n men.

    We kids occasionally teased Dad about being like Archie and/or Fred back in the day.  I always saw it in him - booming voice, gruff comments and no sense of political correctness to be found.  The young people reading might need to Google these characters to get the joke.

     Dad underwent a real and deep transformation in the last 10 years and it was immensely healing personally, for me, to witness this and interact with Dad (after being away almost 30 years).  It was fulfilling to spend time together working on my many projects which I often saved up so we had something TO DO together.

   Slowly at first, then more rapidly over the last few year's, this giant of a man morphed into something quite different. From that Archie Bunker / Fred Flintstone character into a bird watching, Sheltie dog-loving, "special plants" gardening, driveway sitting, CBC listening, baby-holding, non-smoking, non-drinking, mellowed out grandfather with a ready and welcoming smile.

   Now the transformation is complete; Dad is gone from this earthly world and his spirit is somewhere else.  He will always be in our hearts and memories.  His legacy will continue through his family and personal connections.   And he will live on as the wisdom in our hearts which grew from knowing him - and being challenged by him.

Rest in Peace Lawrence,
                  Your Loving Son,
                                        Rory

Letter from Lawrence Sr. during the WWII to the family. Dad is the "little baby" mentioned in the letter. Explaining why he was away in Europe. Addressed, obstensibly, to Dad's older brother Paul.

Dad was born during the war and his dad was away for most of the war only back very briefly. His dad was very much in the action of World War II and was never the same after he returned.  Dad has an older brother Paul, a sister named Joan in Fredericton, I younger brother named Kenny in hometown Georgetown and the youngest brother Eldon who moved out West, but sadly died early at the age of 33.

Life was not easy living in a small town on the far edge of Prince Edward Island.  But it was actually a bit of an industrial hub.  Georgetown had a large pier and a large fishing community and boat building was something very big and had been going on for generations in that town.

My dad's dad, Lawrence Sr. was the jailer in town actually.  And they had a nice big house in the centre of town, they work hard, but they enjoyed a pretty decent living when compared to the standards of the day.

Side note: Claim to local fame: Dad's grandfather was a celebrated woodworker. The story goes that there is a type of a chair called the "Batchilder" chair that he created. See Gallery for photo.

Dad tells the story that he decided to go to trade school in Halifax after Grade 10.   He did not finish high school, and once he got into trade school he excelled there.  he realized he was right to go into the trade and he loved all the math and planning and everything else that went with it. He had very little money during this time, I think he borrowed some money from an uncle to complete college.  After he graduated he was working "sh** jobs" and that's why he joined the military, the Air Force to be specific (should find an Air Force picture to insert here, :-)  ).

 The Air Force as a plumber was a little better, as it was exciting to do the training and do the travelling, and he did meet Mom while stationed in Toronto.  During that time he enjoyed the city life and courted my mom. He travelled all the way to northern Alberta to ask her one last time to be with him after (she had left the Toronto area and gone back to her home area).  She decided to follow him back to Toronto, quit her nursing school program, and they started a life in Toronto. Dad realized he wasn't really doing challenging plumbing work in the Air Force and released in order to follow the dream of REALLY pursuing the plumbing field.

After a short time I was conceived and not long after they decided to move down to the Kingston area to a small town called Bath and they lived in a cottage by the water. ( insert picture of cottage by the water, :-) or maybe somebody could send me a picture of that time or just posted please?

Dad was a proud Union member with the and probably everybody who reads this can remember him extolling the virtues of unions. Sometimes vehemently, :-).

He started as a non-union private plumber pipe-fitter in the air force, then came to Toronto and worked there for several companies and went up the ranks quite quickly.

When he accepted the offer to come to the Kingston area to supervise for his company's Kingston operation Mom and Dad bought the small cottage by Lake Ontario in Bath. Dad is proud to say that he worked on the original construction of the Kingston Shopping Center and many other large projects in the area.

Later, after he joined the union and got on to large Ontario Hydro projects such as power plants - helped build the Darlington Nuclear station!   . . . . Also, uranium mining operations in Elliot Lake as a supervisor with an office, ooh-la-la, LOL.  Near the end of his career he worked on the huge new library at Queens University. I remember him pointing to that building one time when we took a tour through the university grounds several years back.