Regan, John

John Regan was born March 22, 1950, in the Channel Islands.  His parents were both from there, and had experienced the Second World War firsthand.  John’s mother was a teenager, and she endured German occupation during those years; John’s father – a few years older – enlisted in the British military, first as a gunner on convoy duty, and later as a member of the Airborne and then the much-vaunted SAS.  John eventually made the decision to join up as a cadet because of that family tradition.  The family emigrated to Canada in the 1950s, and John grew up in Toronto and the northern suburbs.  John decided to join the cadets, and when he was 17 he enlisted in the regular forces.  He was initially assigned to the RCRs, but when an opportunity came up, John opted to join the Airborne Regiment.  He was still only 17, and Ottawa had to send a telegram alerting his CO that he was 18 – and able to jump.  John’s career in the Airborne thus began, and over a thirteen year career he was deployed a number of times.  He served alongside NATO forces in West Germany, where they were ready to face down the Soviet threat, and on return from that mission he was sent to Cyprus as part of the Canadian peacekeeping contingent that made up part of the United Nations forces.  John Regan was interviewed at the Sunnyb rook Veterans’ Wing in March 2023.