Event Date : Thursday, March 17, 1955
Event Type : Death

"Late last Friday evening, March 18, a telephone call to the home of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Brown of Bradford, relayed the telegram from military authorities to Mrs. M. C. Vipond, conveying the sad message that her husband, Lt. Milton C. Vipond, 30 had died in Korea. Mrs. Vipond had been at the home of her parents since her husband left for Korea on March 1 of last year. In conversation with a member of the family yesterday morning The Witness learned that while Mrs. Vipond had had no further word from military authorities, according to radio and daily press reports, her husband lost his life in a building fire in the Canadian sector in Korea on Thursday night. The fire levelled a hut in the officers' lines in the matter of minutes. Seven other officers escaped unhurt from the blaze.Lt. Vipond, a graduate of Bishop's College, began his military career during the Second World War with R.C.N.V.R. He attended Bishop's College following demobilization and went on to take his Bachelor of Arts degree and entered first year medicine studies.He was commissioned in the Reserve Force while serving with the Stormont, Dundas, Glenngary Highlanders, of Cornwall, Ont. He was appointed to the Regular Army some time later and has served with the 27th Canadian Infantry Brigade in Germany, as well as on the staff of the Royal Canadian School of Infantry. Before joining the 2nd Battalion, Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, he served with the 1st Battalion, The Royal Canadian Regiment.Late last summer Lt. Vipond was appointed Education Officer of the 25th Canadian Infantry Brigade.Lt. Vipond was married in Bradford on November 17, 1951, to Helen Brown, R.N., only daughter of Deputy-Reeve Thomas Brown of West Gwillimbury and Mrs. Brown. During Lt. Vipond's time in Germany his wife visited him there. He returned to Canada and was stationed at Grand Bend until March 1 of last year when he was sent to Korea for a year. At that time Mrs. Vipond returned to the home of her parents and at the time the message arrived notifying of his death preparations were being made here to welcome him home early next month.On September 20 of last year a daughter was born to Lt. and Mrs. Vipond, but the father was not spared to see little six-month-old Helen Lorraine.As well as his young wife and infant daughter, his widowed mother, Mrs. Laura M. Vipond, of Wales, near Cornwall, survives him.Many of his wife's friends here have met Lt. Vipond and regarded him very highly. His tragic and untimely death has aroused sincerest sympathy for his wife, who has always been one of the community's best loved daughters, his wee daughter and his mother."