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Introduction

Ernest "Ernie" Wiles was born on 1 April 1926, in Omemee, Ontario. His story is one of courage, adventure, service and an insatiable curiosity for the world around him.

Growing up in Omemee, the fourth of seven children, Ernie’s early years were filled with the simplicity of small-town life, but his future would soon take him on a new path. While attending high school in Toronto, the world was at war, and Ernie decided to enlist in the Canadian Army.

Training

"When you get up there, you got to go down!"

Ernie’s short but impactful military career began with basic training in Brantford, Ontario, followed by parachute training in Shilo, Manitoba. "I loved it,” he says, remembering the first jumps. "When you get up there, you got to go down!"

That enthusiasm was met with the weight of reality when Ernie was deployed overseas. After a brief stop in Halifax to board the Queen Elizabeth, the young paratrooper and his comrades crossed the Atlantic to continue training in England in preparation for one of the most ambitious Allied operations of the Second World War.

Serving overseas

When Operation Market Garden was carried out, beginning on 17 September 1944, Ernie parachuted into the flat, open fields of Holland. What remains vivid in his memory is the moment he jumped—an instant filled with both fear and adrenaline as he plummeted toward unfamiliar territory—not knowing what awaited him on the ground.

He served with distinction during this pivotal operation that sought to secure key bridges and advance into Nazi-occupied Germany. And, while the mission did not unfold as planned, Ernie’s daring descent behind enemy lines exemplified his courage and dedication to this campaign.

“If you were Canadian, man, you were something – and still are."

The Dutch, deeply appreciative of the Canadians’ efforts during the war, made Ernie and his comrades feel like royalty. "We were kings,” he remembers fondly. “If you were Canadian, man, you were something – and still are."

While his time in the miliary had taught him how to fight, it also taught him how to thrive. During his time there, Ernie took the opportunity to explore whenever he could. "You’d get two weeks, and they’d let you take off to roam around," he explains. These were the in-between moments, where he could experience the world beyond the barracks—a respite from the "hurry up and wait" routine. The balance of discipline and leisure became a theme that would follow Ernie into the rest of his life.

Seeking adventure

After the war ended, Ernie didn’t rush back home like many others who had spouses and children waiting for them in Canada. He remained in Europe to help rebuild and continue visiting nearby countries. Travel wasn’t just a means of exploration for Ernie—it became a way of life.

After returning home, Ernie finished high school and went on to work at a printing company for two decades. But never one to sit still, Ernie chased new thrills outside of work with the same passion he once brought to parachuting. He played hockey, baseball, and skied whenever he could. But it was the underwater world that captivated him most.

After moving on from his career in printing, Ernie opened a scuba diving school in Toronto and travelled to diving destinations throughout the Caribbean to explore under the sea. It was during these years that Ernie felt truly alive. “That was living.” he reminisces.

Ernie Wiles’ lifetime of adventure is a testament to what it means to live fully—to serve with courage, to work with dedication, and to explore with an open heart. Whether falling from the sky over enemy territory, swimming over coral reefs, or just peeling potatoes in the field kitchen, he met life head-on with joy and purpose.

Now, at 99 years of age, Ernie’s adventure continues as he prepares to return to the Netherlands for the 80th anniversary of the liberation—a poignant and moving trip to a place that made a lasting impression and helped shape his life.

With courage, integrity and loyalty, Ernest Wiles is leaving his mark. He is a Canadian Armed Forces Veteran. Discover more stories.