Russell Hollefeur was born September 1, 1925 in Montreal. He grew up an only child in the city’s downtown neighbourhood, attending school and following the Montreal Maroons. His teenage years unfolded against the backdrop of wartime, and he recalls the rationing and other realities of the war. Russell reported for duty when he was called up, and he went into the Royal Canadian Artillery. Part of his training took place at Camp Shilo in Manitoba, where he learned his way around an antiaircraft gun. Russell went into the army late in the war, serving for just about a year. Given his age, he did not get the opportunity to go overseas. He was sent back to Montreal, where he was able to join in the VE Day celebrations. Demobilization took place quickly, and Russell went to McGill University, and he later went to work for Air Canada and married, finding his place in wartime Canada. Russell Hollefeur was interviewed by Scott Masters at his home in Ste-Anne-de-Bellevue, Quebec in October 2025.
