Remembering those who served

On Memorial Day, we remember those in military service who have died for their country. In the Corporate Archives, we preserve their stories in records from the various entities that have joined our organization over the years.

In 1941, a young Harris Bank employee, Jim Hoel, was two years out of high school with only one year under his belt at the bank when he signed up for the Army Air Corps. He made his decision to enlist as soon as the United States joined the war, following the attack on Pearl Harbor. As a parting gift and a token of good luck, his colleagues at the bank purchased and engraved a Gallet watch for Jim. The engraving listed his name, as well as his parents’ address in Evanston, Illinois, serving as a reminder of Jim’s home and who he was fighting for.

In 1943, Jim was captured and sent to a prisoner of war camp, where he remained for two years. During this time, he received letters from his friends at Harris Bank, as well as books to occupy his time. His colleague, Helen Hamilton, also took to writing letters to Jim’s family to encourage and support them throughout this trying period. In January 1945, Jim was liberated and sent home at last – but without his treasured watch, which he had lost at some point between his capture and imprisonment.

In a remarkable turn of events, the watch was found in England and, after using the engraving to track down his whereabouts, reunited with Jim 60 years later. Naturally, Jim Hoel was met with a flood of mixed emotions at their reunion as it reminded him of some of his most challenging moments. But the watch also reminded him of the generosity and support he received from his friends at Harris Bank – support that we continue to offer to BMO employees in active and retired service.