Marg & I at our Daughters wedding in Halifax, NS. 1976.! She passed on June 3rd 2020; we been married for 65yrs; she was 84.! I miss her dearly.!

My name is Mr. Meleme Joseph Nelson McGraw, CD. I was born on April 8, 1934 in Port Elgin, New Brunswick. Parents Sara and Frank McGraw. On May 14, 1955 I married Marguerite LeBlanc, from Moncton, NB. Parents Gilda’s & Theresa LeBlanc; we had eight children, Linda, Andrew, Clifford, Patricia, Karen, Kevin, Christopher, Paul. We have thirty nine Grandchildren. After Retirement, I attended the New Brunswick Community College in Miramichi where I qualified as an Instructor for Correctional Techniques Programs. I served over 35 years in the Canadian Armed Forces – Reserve Army 1949-1954, Regular Force 1954–1984, 1984 - 1996 with the Canadian Forces Ready Reserves. On April 8, 1949, I joined a Reserve unit of the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps; Transport Company and served as a Driver Operator. Five years later, 1954, I enlisted with the Regular Force Royal Canadian Engineers – I was then posted to Canadian Forces Base Chilliwack, in British Columbia. I successfully completed my Basic Recruit Training. I completed, Junior and Senior Non-Commissioned Officer's Courses. I then decided to switch trades and re-mustered to the Army Physical Training Cadre (1955 - 1958). In 1961, I qualified as a Group III Physical Training Instructor and was attached to the 1st Royal Canadian Horse Artillery at Canadian Forces Base Gagetown as a Physical Training Instructor with the rank of Sergeant. I completed the following training courses for my trade MOC 851: No-6 Assistant Instructor's Course, qualified as a Army Swimming Instructor, SCUBA Diving and Instructor, Army Soccer Coach, Boxing Officials, Wrestling Coach and Instructor and Army Gymnastic Judges Courses. I have also Qualified as a National Life Guard and in RLSS & Red Cross Safety Instructors Courses, I hold the Distinction Award in RLSS in Life Saving and Swimming Instructor, I am a Senior Lifeguard in Red Cross. Over a period of 35 years I was posted to various Bases: Canadian Forces Base Chilliwack, British Columbia (1954-1961); Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, New Brunswick (1961-1965), Collège Militaire Royal de Saint-Jean, Quebec (1965-1971) Canadian Forces Base Gagetown, New Brunswick (1971-1974), UN Emergency Force Middle East II, Cairo, Egypt (November 1973 to May 1974), Canadian Forces Base Halifax, Nova Scotia (1974-1978), Canadian Forces Station St. Margaret’s NB and Canadian Forces Base Chatham NB (1978-1984). I retired from the Canadian Armed Forces in October 1984 at Canadian Forces Base Chatham. I have received the following decorations, worn on left Brest: Canadian Forces Decoration (CD) two bars; Queen's Diamond Jubilee Medal, United Nations Emergency Force Middle East II Medal (UNEFMEII), Special Service Medal (SSM). On three separate occasions during my Career I served as a Physical Training Instructor for summer Camp Army Cadet training on Vancouver Island in the 1950ies and 1970ies as a Platoon Sgt for summer training with the Canadian Forces Officers Training schools in CFB Camp Borden, in Ontario and CFB Chilliwack British Columbia. After retirement from the Military, I attended the New Brunswick Community College in Miramichi where I qualified as an instructor in Correctional Techniques Programs. I worked as an Instructor from 1984 to 1996 as a Physical Education Instructor in Correctional Officers, Youth Care Workers, Industrial and Retail Security Officers Courses.

We now make our home here on the River after purchasing our house here in Miramichi NB in 1981. I finally retired in 1996.

I am a member and was the Secretary of the Canadian Peacekeeping Veterans

Association - CPVA Miramichi Chapter.

Mr. Meleme (Mel) JN McGraw, C.D. 2Bars

CPVA Miramichi Chapter Secretary

38 Leiff St Miramichi NB E1N 3G2

quickdmjm@bellaliant.net

506-773-3724