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Biography
John Richard Sebben
John Richard Sebben (A59589) was born April 11, 1920, to parents Lorne Case and Ruthella “Ella” Maud (Packham) Sebben. He was one of four boys, twin of James “Jim” Packham and older brother of Hamilton Lorne and Kenneth Sebben. The family lived on and operated a share crop farm on Lot 41 Concession 1, North Easthope Township, Perth County, Ontario.
John attended the Stratford Collegiate Institute, completing Grade 9 in 1935 at 15 years old. After Grade 9, he left school to work on his father’s farm for seven years.
From January 8 to February 10, 1942, John served in the No.1 NRMA Clearing Depot in London, Ontario. However, on February 11, 1942, he signed his attestation papers in Kitchener, Ontario, enlisting in the No.10 Canadian Army Basic Training Centre (CABTC) in Kitchener for all purposes as a Private of the Canadian Army. On March 6, 1942, he was reposted to the Canadian Armoured Corps (CAC).
About a month later, on April 8, Private Sebben was transferred from the No.10 CABTC in Kitchener to A8 Canadian Armoured Corps Training Centre (CACTC) at Camp Borden for advanced training. On June 26, 1942, he received his qualification as Driver Class III for both wheeled and tracked internal combustion vehicles.
In mid to late July 1942, John Sebben took on service overseas as a Trooper with the Canadian Armoured Corps. On July 30, 1942, he disembarked in the UK from the CAC OB ship and took on strength with the No.3 Canadian Armoured Corps Reinforcement Unit (3CACRU). He remained there until late February, being admitted briefly to the No.8 Canadian General Hospital in early January 1943.
On February 25, 1943, he was attached to the No.7 Canadian Reconnaissance Regiment (17th Duke of York’s Royal Canadian Hussars) of the Canadian Armoured Corps.
From April 7 to 20, 1943, Trooper Sebben was taken off active duty and received training in elementary gunnery care in Section 3 CAC School, passing with 70%. He returned to the No.7 Reconnaissance Regiment until May 15, when he was retransferred to No.3 CACRU. About a month later, on June 17, 1943, he was posted to the No.9 Armed Regiment, also known as the “British Columbia Dragoons”.
On October 8, 1943, Trooper Sebben was injured and admitted to the 7th Light Field Ambulance and removed to No.4 CCS. The next day, he was transferred to No.2 General Hospital and was stationed back with 3CACRU upon admission. A week later on October 15 he was discharged, returning to 3CACRU base.
On November 3, 1943, Trooper Sebben was transferred to the 7th Battalion No.2 Canadian Base Reinforcement Depot (2CBRD) in the UK, which was part of the Central Mediterranean Force. He was placed on the X-4 List, meaning he was temporarily off strength of the active unit awaiting transfer to an active unit.
A few days later, he sailed with the unit from the UK, disembarking in Italy on November 27. They were attached from Central Mediterranean Force to the Allied Armies in Italy upon arrival. Shortly after arrival in Italy, Trooper Sebben transferred to the X-4 List of the 5th Battalion.
On January 17, 1944, he was placed on X-3 List upon his admittance to the 3rd Canadian Field Dressing Station, a mobile medical unit. On January 29, 1944, he was discharged and reposted to X-4 List with the 5th Battalion.
On February 27, 1944, Trooper Sebben was posted to the 5th Battalion’s X-5 List, meaning he was off active duty due to attending a military training course. He returned to X-4 List on March 31. He bounced around to different unit’s X-4 lists, and, on August 18, 1944, Trooper Sebben qualified for Gunner Operator Class C.
It wasn’t until the first few days of September 1944 that he was removed from the Canadian Armoured Corps X-4 List and was returned to active duty, transferring back to the “British Columbia Dragoons”. On February 19, 1945, Trooper Sebben and the British Columbia Dragoons embarked at AAI and disembarked at France on February 21.
In late November 1945, Trooper Sebben left Italy and disembarked in the UK on December 3. The next day he was attached to the No.8 Canadian Repatriation Depot in Farmborough, Hampshire, UK, where he awaited transport home. He remained there just over a month until early January, returning home and being posted to the No.1 District Depot in London, Ontario. While there, on January 10, 1946, Trooper Sebben was struck off strength with the Canadian Army Overseas, transferring to Canadian Army Canadian 1st Hussars.
On March 4, 1946, Trooper Sebben was discharged from the No.1 District Depot in London, Ontario, upon demobilization to return to civil life. He served for a total of eight months in Canada and forty-two months overseas.
While in service, John had inherited his father’s farm, who passed away while he was overseas, and he returned to Stratford to carry out fulltime mixed farming. The farm was described as a “modern up-to-date farm with steel barns, modern home, electricity, and water system”.
John married Florence Muriel (Vivian) Sebben on June 3, 1950, and had five children, Dorothy (1952), Allan (1953), Ruth (1955), Stan (1957), and Joan (1969).
He passed away on April 10, 1969, at 48 years old within 24 hours before his 49th birthday, and was buried at Avondale Cemetery in Stratford.
Medals: 1939-1945 Star, Italy Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal, CVSM and Clasp