Winnipeg news: Richard Earl, 102, and Stephen Andrushko, 101, are two Winnipeg Second World War Veterans who still remember the war they fought as teenagers like it happened last week, not 80 years ago.
The Winnipeg Second World War Veterans at the centre of a new CTV report are Richard Earl, 102, and Stephen Andrushko, 101, both residents of Deer Lodge Centre in Winnipeg. Both enlisted at 18 and both served as radio operators in the Second World War, Earl in the air force over Burma and Andrushko with the Canadian Army in Europe.
By Maplestime News Desk | Winnipeg, Manitoba | November 12, 2026
Sources: CTV News Winnipeg, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority | Last updated: November 12, 2026
Key Takeaways
- Richard Earl, 102, and Stephen Andrushko, 101, both live at Deer Lodge Centre in Winnipeg and both arrived within the past year.
- Both enlisted at 18 and both served as radio operators in the Second World War.
- Earl flew with the Royal Canadian Air Force between India and Burma, carrying supplies to British troops of the 14th Army, as an original member of No. 435 Squadron.
- Andrushko trained in Kingston, then served in England, Belgium, Germany and Holland with the Canadian Army.
- Just over 4,300 Canadian veterans of the Second World War and the Korean War are still living, down from 5,649 at last Remembrance Day.
Who are the Winnipeg Second World War Veterans at Deer Lodge?
Earl and Andrushko are two of the last living links to the war in this city, and they now live under the same roof. CTV News Winnipeg reported their story on November 12, 2026, with photos taken on November 6, and the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority shared a video reel interviewing three Deer Lodge veterans, including Earl.
Both men arrived at Deer Lodge Centre within the past year. Both enlisted at 18. Both became radio operators, the men who kept the messages moving while everyone else fought, flew or marched. That shared job is what makes their stories rhyme, even though one served in the air over Asia and the other on the ground in Europe.
Related: Winnipeg Remembrance Day 2026: Manitoba’s Largest Ceremony at RBC Convention Centre
What did Earl do in the war?
Earl is a born and raised Winnipegger, the youngest of his siblings, and all five brothers enlisted. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force as a radio operator on transport aircraft flying between India and Burma, now Myanmar, carrying supplies to British troops of the 14th Army. He was an original member of No. 435 Squadron when it formed in 1944.
He credits his long life to genes from his mother, who lived to 97. Asked why he enlisted, he said: “I was only young in those days, and I was venturous, so (enlisting) sat very well with me at the time. I just thought, I wanted to fly.”
After the war, Earl returned to an apprenticeship with Canadian National Railway, worked on steam locomotives and raised his family in St. James.
A Douglas C-47 Dakota transport aircraft on display. Photo: Wikimedia Commons, photographer and licence unverified
What did Andrushko do in the war?
Andrushko was born on July 11, 1925, in Transcona. He trained as a radio operator in Kingston, then served in England, Belgium, Germany and Holland with the Canadian Army.
After the war, he worked for Canadian National Railway and attended college. He has been a member of the Transcona Legion for more than 79 years, and he is the last living Second World War veteran in Transcona.
Asked what drove him to serve, he said: “Being a Canadian, you had the duty, the responsibility to do your share as an adult.”
What does the Deer Lodge reel show?
The Winnipeg Regional Health Authority reel gives viewers a few minutes with the veterans in their own words, including Earl. It is a rare chance to hear the war described by the men who lived it, rather than read about it in a history book.
How many Second World War veterans are left in Canada?
Veterans Affairs Canada says just over 4,300 Canadian veterans of the Second World War and the Korean War are still living, down from 5,649 at last Remembrance Day. Last year’s estimate was 3,691 Second World War veterans still living.
Those numbers are why a story like this matters now. Every year, the count falls, and with it goes the chance to sit across from someone who was there. Earl and Andrushko are still here, still sharp, and still willing to talk. Winnipeg should be listening while it can.
Frequently Asked Questions
How old are Richard Earl and Stephen Andrushko?
Earl is 102 and Andrushko is 101. Both live at Deer Lodge Centre in Winnipeg.
What did Earl and Andrushko do in the Second World War?
Both served as radio operators. Earl flew with the Royal Canadian Air Force between India and Burma, and Andrushko served with the Canadian Army in England, Belgium, Germany and Holland.
How many Canadian Second World War veterans are still living?
Veterans Affairs Canada says just over 4,300 Canadian veterans of the Second World War and the Korean War are still living. Last year’s estimate was 3,691 Second World War veterans.
Wireless operators at work in the Wireless Room of HMS Bulolo during the Second World War. Photo: Lt S J Beadell, Royal Navy official photographer, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons
Maplestime will provide updates from Deer Lodge Centre as announcements are made.
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Should every Canadian schoolchild hear a veteran like Earl or Andrushko tell their story in person before that living link is gone? Tell us in the comments. And share this with every Winnipegger who still wears a poppy with pride.
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