John Ballingal Wilkes (1922-2015) was born in 1922 in Galt, Ontario, the son of Major Gerald Wilkes, a mechanical engineer for a machinery manufacturer in the same town. John attended schools in Galt until he was fourteen, when he transferred to his father's old school, Lakefield College School near Peterborough.

Military Service

In 1942, while still in his first year of Civil Engineering at the University of Toronto, John joined the 23rd Field Regiment (SP) Royal Canadian Artillery, 4th Cnd. Armoured Division. The regiment was transferred to Britain in July of 1943 and, after a year's intensive training, landed in Normandy in July, 1944. John and his regiment – equipped with the Sexton self-propelled 25-pdr gun – fought throughout the campaigns in France, Belgium, Holland and Germany. However, on March 10, 1945, on the west bank of the Rhine, his luck ran out and he was wounded by shellfire. His war was over.

Civil Engineering

Once recovered from his wound, John returned to U of T, completing his engineering degree in 1949. He then started a remarkable 36-year career with the Ontario Department of Highways – later known as the Ministry of Transportation. His first appointment was supervising the last paving contract which used steam-rollers on the Queen Elizabeth Way near Fort Erie. His career took him to a number of locations, including Ottawa, Cochrane and Toronto. As Ministry Planning Engineer, he introduced the idea of constructing the twelve lanes on Highway 401 through Toronto. He retired in 1985 as Executive Director of the Ministry's Municipal Transportation Division, responsible for the Provincial subsidies for all municipal roads and transit.

Heraldic Interest

John's father, Gerald Wilkes, had a great interest in heraldry as a hobby, as well as considerable talent as an heraldic artist. In the 1950's, he had given an heraldic flavour to his church, St. Philip's Anglican in Etobicoke, by painting twelve church and state shields for the roof trusses, carvings for the bishop's chair and heraldic designs to illustrate the church's history. He joined the Heraldry Society of Canada in 1968, just two years after it was founded in 1966. John shared his father's enthusiasm for the subject and joined the Society himself after his father's death in 1971.

Toronto Branch

In 1991, not long after his retirement, John became active in a part of the Society that still claims his regular attention. He became Secretary Treasurer of the Toronto Branch – still holding the position of Treasurer to this day. Through a number of Branch Presidents – and a number of ups and downs – John has always been there to ensure the Branch's survival and financial stability.

The National Board

John became a Director on the Society's National Board of Directors in 1995 and was named Honorary Secretary at the same time. That year, under Jean Matheson's presidency, the Society had hired an administrator. While that had reduced the Board's work-load, it had made the Society seem a bit impersonal and created a need for closer contact with members by a well-known person on the Executive. John volunteered for this job – known as Membership Chairman – and, as he says, he has not yet been fired! In 1998, he was the Director who suggested the production of a book that would explain heraldry to beginners. The result was A Canadian Heraldic Primer, for whose publication John was largely responsible.

The Present

John Wilkes remains Treasurer of the Toronto Branch. He continues as a Director on the national Board, after all these years as Membership Chair. He keeps his eagle eye on our membership figures; he reminds slowpokes when their renewals are overdue; and, most of all, he welcomes all new members with a personal letter. To every new member, he is the welcoming voice of the Society.

Honours and Awards

• 2012 Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal
• 2007 Society's Certificate of Meritorious Service
• 2004 Honorary Membership in the Toronto Branch
• 2003 Honorary Grant of Arms, Canadian Heraldic Authority, Ottawa
• 2002 Honorary Fellowship in the Society
• 2002 Queen Elizabeth II Golden Jubiliee Medal