L12446 Private Arne Byklum was born on the 9th of May 1915 at the Saskatchewan Landing to Torger Knutson and Julia Byklum. His parents, Torger and Julia settled near the Saskatchewan Landing in 1912, after having immigrated to Canada from the United States. Arne was one of ten Byklum children. His brothers were Elmer, Paul, and Daniel and his sisters were Mary, Annie, Agnes, Evylin, Mrs. Robert W. Jorand, and Artena. His sister Artena had died in 1917 when he was two years old and his father Torger died in 1928. Arne and his mother lived together in Swift Current as he was her sole support (she was an elderly widow age 70). Before the war Arne worked as a labourer and for a time lived and worked in the Morse, Saskatchewan area (The family had moved to Morse after the death of Torger. Julia would later move to Swift Current). Arne would enlist in the Canadian Army not long after the outbreak of the Second World War. He enlisted with the South Saskatchewan Regiment in Weyburn on the 12th of October 1939. As Arne was unmarried, he listed his mother Julia as his next of Kin.
Upon enlistment Arne was described as being twenty-four years of age, five foot ten inches tall, weighing 153 pounds, with a dark complexion, blue eyes, and brown hair. He was known to speak and understand both English and Norwegian. The day he enlisted; he was taken on strength of the South Saskatchewan Regiment in Weyburn. From there he would move to Camp Shilo, now called C.F.B Shilo, located near Shilo, Manitoba for further training. It was while at Camp Shilo he would find himself in trouble for the first time, as he was listed as being Absent without Leave on the 15th of April 1940. As punishment for this indiscretion, Arne had to forfeit two days pay. Approximately four months later on the 21st of August 1940, he was selected to be part of the Advance Party that would go to the United Kingdom ahead of the rest of his unit. Arne sailed with his comrades in the Advance Party from Halifax, Nova Scotia to Greenock, Scotland on the 24th of August. He would arrive in the U.K. on the 4th of September that year and would meet up with the rest of the South Saskatchewan Regiment on the 26th of December. While in the U.K., he would participate in further training. On the 14th of November 1941, Arne got himself into trouble once again, this time he was charged under Section 19 of the Army Act and was “Awarded” 168 hours of detention, fined five dollars, and had to forfeit seven days pay. From the 22nd to the 28th of March 1942, Arne went on a special course for Assault Landing Craft training. On this course Arne and the men of the South Saskatchewan Regiment trained in amphibious landing tactics, skills they would need for the upcoming operation. On the 18th of August 1942, Arne and his comrades in the South Saskatchewan Regiment left the U.K, for France to take part in Operation Jubilee, aka the Dieppe Raid. It was while taking part in the disastrous Dieppe Raid on the 19th of August 1942 that Arne would sadly be killed in action at the age of twenty-seven. He was originally buried in Grave 686 at Des Vertus, Hautot-sur-Mer, France. He later would be reburied in Row C, Grave 46 at the Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery, Hautot-sur-Mer, Seine-Maritime, France. His military marker is inscribed “Father in thy gracious keeping, leave we now thy servant sleeping”. Loving words chosen by his mother. In addition to being commemorated in perpetuity at the Dieppe Canadian War Cemetery in France, Arne is commemorated on an Honour in Morse and on page 62 of the Second World War Book of Remembrance that is displayed on the 12th of February each year in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa. Byklum Lake located south of Creighton, Saskatchewan is named in his honour. For his service and sacrifice to Canada, Arne was awarded the 39-45 Star, the Defense Medal, the War Medal (39-45), and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with Overseas Clasp. In addition, for the loss of her son and as a memento of his service, Arne’s mother Julia was awarded the Memorial Cross (aka Silver Cross) and Bar. We remember the sacrifice Private Arne Byklum so valiantly made eighty-one years ago. Lest We Forget http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.redirect?app=kia&id=4971&lang=eng https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2316912/arne-byklum/ https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2316912/arne-byklum/#&gid=1&pid=1 https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2316912/arne-byklum/#&gid=1&pid=2 https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2316912/arne-byklum/#&gid=2&pid=1 https://svwm.ca/casualty-display/?ID=A000007017 https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/2316912?Arne%20Byklum https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/books/page?page=62&book=2&sort=pageAsc https://library-archives.canada.ca/eng/collection/research-help/military-heritage/Pages/military-abbreviations.aspx#alpha-A
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