William H.A. “Billy” Willbond MSM, CD

The Willbond Family: Christmas Day, 2005Born 1941 in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, Billy joined the Canadian Army at age 17. In 1960, at the height of the Cold War, he was posted overseas and was on active service during the building of the Berlin Wall and during the Cuban Crisis. He also served with the United Nations on Cyprus in 1965.
After 3 years as Operations Sergeant in Canadian Airborne Regiment, Billy studied Chinese for 3 years before being posted to the Special Service Force in 1977 as Operations Sergeant. He retired from the Army in November 1979.
Billy is married and with his wife Lynn, has four children and five grand-children. He is a life member of the Canadian Airborne Forces Association, a Life Member of the British Columbian Federation of Peace Officers, a member of the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada Association, a member of the Royal Canadian Legion, and a member of the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) WO’s & Senior NCO’s Club (Retired). He is the Secretary of the Mark Isfeld Memorial Chapter of the Canadian Association of Veterans in United Nations Peacekeeping (CAVUNP), the National Chairman of the CAVUNP Honours and Awards Committee, the National President of the International Community for the Relief of Starvation and Suffering (ICROSS CANADA) and an active contributor to the International War Veterans Poetry Archives.
In recognition of his selfless service to his country, Billy is the recipient of the Meritorious Service Medal, Special Service Medal with NATO Bar, Canadian Peacekeeping Service Medal, United Nations Forces in Cyprus Medal, and the Canadian Forces Decoration.
Index of Club Writings
- A Bridge Too Far
- A Christmas Ode to a Herky Jerky Man
- A Clip and a Pun from the Ottawa Sun
- A Farewell to Frosty
- A Farewell to Janie
- A Farewell to the Chief
- A Field in Saanichton
- A Freshly Stolen Loaf of Bread
- A Happy Birthday Poem For December
- A Meeting With Mother Africa
- A Miracle In The Loving Arms Of Mother T
- A Politically Correct Merry Festive Season
- A Satirical Canadian Ode to a Conman Blackheart
- A Stich In Time
- A Valentine Poem for My Wife, Lynne
- A Wee Pome Pours Mon Petit Frere, Barree
- Above the Stairs
- Aches and Pains and Ankle Sprains
- Addicted or Afflicted?
- Advice to My Grandchildren
- Affectation
- After-Vacation Thoughts
- Alberta’s Stolen Cars
- An Aging Mind is Not Too Kind
- An American Obscenity
- An Explanation to Mikie Comeau
- An Extended Care Geriatric Moment
- An Ode to a Poet Photographer
- An Ode to Cousin Rusty
- An Ode to John-Ward Leighton, Canadian Poet
- An Ode to My Li’l Brudder Brian
- An Ode to Saanichton Intellectuals
- Anita’s Terrible Loss
- Anthropomorphic
- Approaching Winter
- Army Pension Dissention and Vitriolic Venom
- ARVs to STDs (Anti Retro Virus Medicines for Sexually Transmitted Diseases)
- Australian Example
- Backyard Rink
- BC
- Beauty on the Street
- Being a Yes Man Pays
- Better Safe than Sorry
- Billy Shot Dad’s Bullets
- Billy With the Bed Pans
- Billy’s Back
- Biographical Sketch of William H.A. Willbond MSM, CD
- Blandishment
- Blossum and the Durham Bull
- BMW Watercone
- Bob’s Deer – Gun Control – And Poverty
- Bob’s Job in Retirement
- Bone Fish
- Boredom
- Break the News Gently
- Broom Blossom Time
- Bud Man Mike
- Calgary Spring
- Can-age-jin… Eh? (A Language of Our Own)
- Canada Supports the World Food Programme
- Canada Too, Aye?
- Canada’s Izzy African Comfort Dolls of Joy
- Canadian Children of the Street
- Canadian Polar Bears
- Canadian Rhymes
- Canadian Welcome
- Catch Twenty Two – And What Do We Do?
- Changes in Comcen Routines
- Childhood Thoughts (En Patois Hinglish)
- Children on the Street
- Chinese
- Christmas Eve, 1946
- Cliffhanger
- Coffee Shop
- Comfort Dolls
- Compassionate Milestone
- Continent of Sadness
- Cop Shop Thoughts
- Corruption
- Dalton and Giles – At the End of September
- Dat’s Hokay – Dey’ll Make My Day
- De Anavets Stomp an De Carlton Place Romp
- De Duck Huntin’ Weenie Wagger
- De Good Ol’ ‘Ockey Game
- De New Laureate, She’s In De Budget
- De Paddy Whack!
- Dermod Owen-Flood
- Death Of A Giant
- Defrocked By the Flock Because Of His Cock
- Des Weebone Freres
- Desmond Went to Show and Tell
- Disestablishmentarianism
- Dithering With Dither
- Dither’s Dilemma
- Dither’s Leadership Choice – Un-researched?
- Dog Piss Stroll
- Doze Ol’ Guys Dere (Memories of a Canadian Childhood)
- Dr. Henry Morgentaler, MD, CM
- Early Morning Thoughts
- Early Morning Thoughts
- Early Religious Experiences
- Editorial – Peninsula News
- Election Thoughts
- Empty Nest
- English
- Errors
- Ethics Commissioner’s Ethics?
- Fame
- Family Heroes
- Family Memories
- Farewell to Fawleesh
- Fishing with Grandpa
- Five Fried Flies – Some Small Irritations
- Flight of Aid
- For Sale Soon (Racoon Dog and Pups)
- Four Feet For…?
- Four Up and Three Down
- Free Rent
- Garage Sale Sunday
- Gatineau Hill Christmas Throughts
- Go Sens Go
- Government Adopts New Environmental Recycle Idea from Newfoundland
- Grandmothers of Africa
- Grizzly Attack
- Hagar the Bold
- Halloween
- Happy Birthday Mother Superior
- Happy Canada Day
- Happy Canada Day and RIP Aqsa Parvez
- Happy Holidays, Canada
- Hard Times Blues Rhymes
- Has Somebody Got Your Goat?
- Heartbreak and Pain at Hastings and Main
- His Honour Lt Governor John Crosbie
- Holy Orders
- House Cats Still Hunt
- How Little Bo Peep Lost Her Sheep
- How the White Man Saved the World?
- Huntin’ and Stuff…
- Hymens Repaired – Virginity Declared
- I Get a Lot of Spam
- I Had a Dream
- ICROSS Canada Works
- ICROSS Canada’s Loss
- ICROSS Morning Thoughts
- If Wishes Were Horses
- Inadvertent
- Inspiration
- Iranian Leader – A Mystical Nutbar?
- Is There A Cross Harbour Bending Pending?
- Jamal Gets Paid – Canadian Taxpayers get Laid?
- Jane’s Farewell
- Job Security – Is There Really Any?
- John’s Alley
- John’s Art
- John’s Colours
- John’s Insight
- John’s Musings
- John’s Photograph – Beyond Any Words
- John’s Routine
- John’s Seven Hours
- Jones and Pahl – The Best of Us All
- Juicy Cool Yee Hard an Maxie Barnyard
- Laird Jaysus Garge
- Like A Cap Badge or Belt Buckle Dipped
- Lilac Time in Saanichton
- Loss of Joy
- Love in Chinese
- Maasai – A Vanishing Culture
- Making Maple Syrup
- Male Subject Down
- Memories
- Memories of a Canadian Childhood
- Merv and Lois
- Michael – The Name
- Mikie and Carol’s Vacation
- Mikie’s Poem Hanswered
- Monica’s New Two-Holer
- Moose Mount
- Morning Glory amidst the Thorns
- Moslem Female Head-Dress (A Great To-Do About Nothing)
- Muriel and the Junior NCO
- My Grandpa McCaffrey Once Lived in Dunrobin
- My Grandson, Reg
- My Home – Quebec
- My Job
- My People
- Needle Exchange – Side Effects That Are Strange
- Nelson and Granville
- New Computer
- New Year’s Resolution, 2005
- Not Much of a Choice, But I’ll Give My Voice
- Now Out Of His Cold Dead Hands
- Nucks and Sens – It All Depends?
- Observing the Passing of a Culture
- Ode to a Canadian Poet
- Ode to a Mended Heart
- Ode to and Prayer for a Career Criminal
- Ode to the Angel of Rural Bondo
- Oh Canada We Must Stand On Guard for Thee
- Ol’ Black Robed Nun
- Old Soldiers – Ya Don’t Try To Rob ‘Em
- Olympic Gold
- On a February Day in Brentwood Bay
- Only In Canada You Say? – Pity
- Only In Victoria You Say? – Pity
- Ottawa Boosts Food Aid Funding
- Our Con Air Is a Plan That Is Fair
- Park Staff Park Staff Spare Dat Tree!
- Paul Ose Lasois (Maasai Elder)
- Pending the Final Truth
- Perseverative Geriatric Patients
- Perseverative Meetings
- Pest Mess Control
- Pictures and Thoughts
- Pig Boy Bob’s Going On Trial
- Poem By Anonymous
- Poem Things
- Poetry Thoughts
- Poets
- Police Amalgamation (A Discussion)
- Police Department Thoughts
- Political Discussion
- Political Poetry
- Politics, Current Affairs, Family, And Hockey
- Pooh Bear
- Promise to Clean the PC Station
- Quebec Wants and Dingwell Taunts
- Question of the Kilt
- Questions
- Quiet Vancouver Easter Street
- Quintessence of Man
- Quote of the Day (Monday October 31, 2005)
- Quote of the Day (Saturday November 5, 2005)
- Rants for Grants
- Ratting Out Your Neighbour
- Regret(s)
- Remember Me
- Remember What Mom Said?
- Reorganising
- Roses and Grain
- Sadness and Joy
- Saints in Our Midst
- Salary Listing for CEOs
- Sea of Red Serge
- School and Summer Memories
- Security – 2010 Olympics
- Selectively Selecting the New DND Ombudsman
- Separatist Poet Gets $33K
- Sicko
- Snow
- Snowy Thoughts about Connie’s Winter Wood
- Some Celts Wore Kilts (In Our Family Tree)
- Some Do-Gooder Thoughts
- Some Honourable Members Aren’t?
- Some Places Must Always Remain Free
- Sperm Retrieval Activities for Artificial Insemination
- Spring Beauty Thoughts
- St Louie’s Bicycle Shop
- Sudden Death Report
- Suffer The Little Children To Come To Me
- Sunday Morning Newspaper Articles
- Sunday Thoughts on Seeing a John Ward Leighton Work of Art
- Swa Cente Quarante Neuf (Six Hundred and Forty Nine)
- Sycophant
- Taciturnity and Silence
- Tahsis by the Sea
- Teresa of Calcutta
- The 2010 Olympic Gains
- The 2010 Winter Olympics Money Making Dolls
- The African Child
- The Americans
- The Artists
- The Backstabber
- The Best Little Cat in the World
- The Birthday Party
- The Bum with the Knife
- The Canadian Healer of Ngodzi
- The Canadian Irishman
- The Chair
- The Chalk River Rapp
- The Changing Times
- The Cover Up Vote
- The Cynical Poet
- The Dollar
- The Family Doctor – Stephanie Willbond
- The Family Picture
- The Family’s Pride
- The First Forty Years
- The Four Seasons in Canada
- The Gang of Four – They Are No More
- The Ghan’s Fist Up-Country Journey
- The Gin and the Rat
- The Golden Curl for a Little Girl
- The Good Samaritan
- The Idea of Miscommunication
- The Irish
- The Izzy Doll and Boomer Cap Charity
- The Izzy Doll Berets
- The Jungle
- The Ladies at Starbucks
- The Legend and Life of Paddy Mitchell
- The Liberals (Or is it Fiberals?)
- The Librano Way
- The Libranos Are Innocent?
- The Lismore Door
- The Maelstrom
- The Meaning of Life
- The Mount Newton Centre – Awards Won
- The Musical Historian at the Yale
- The Need for a Water Well
- The Outlaw, Murray Nolan
- The Passport Office Rant
- The Poet on the Bike
- The Politicians – Ya Gotta Love ‘Em
- The Price Of Food Rises As Global Famine Rages
- The Rhymester
- The Right Honourable, The Lord Black Of Crossharbour, PC, OC, KCSG
- The Ruins
- The Shadow of Hunger
- The Shadow Of Hunger Is Spreading
- The Sleeper Cell
- The Snake Man
- The Sod Buster and the Cattleman
- The Speeding Ticket
- The Stairs And Stares And Cares
- The Story of a Wheelchair and a Wooden Crutch
- The Thrill
- The Truth
- The Up Island Tour
- The Use and Abuse of Corn
- The Window to the Street
- The Yawner Picks His Budman
- Thoughts About Islam
- Thoughts and Questions about Oil
- Thoughts of Our Imminent Demise
- Three Blind Mice and a Rat
- Tiger’s Farewell
- To My Grandsons, Dez and Reg
- To My Lover at 60
- Tony and Maria’s Garden
- Trumped at the Pump
- Tuesday Morning Thoughts
- Two Mothers Passing
- Undueness
- Unframed (John’s New Word)
- Unhappy in Victoria?
- Union Meeting
- Unwanted Junk Mail
- Up The Down Stair Case
- Vacation, 2008
- Vancouver Street Shadows at Sunset
- Vancouver’s First Day of Spring
- Vancouver’s Olympic Committee at Work in the City
- Vee Ha Vee Ha! – Zippity Doo Da Vee Ha Ha!
- Victoria in Winter
- Victoria’s Finest Fined
- Vote
- Whacko Jacko Walks
- What IWVPA Means to Me
- What Poets Need
- When I Was God
- Where Have All the Tourists Gone?
- Where Have All the Tourists Gone?
- Which Reminds Me…
- Who Protects Canada’s Ownership of the Arctic?
- Why Can’t Canada Build Electric Cars?
- Why It Doesn’t Pay To Work Too Hard
- Writing About What We Know
“It is not the critic who counts, not the man who points out how the strong man stumbled, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs and comes short again and again; who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, at the best, knows in the end the triumph of high achievement; and who, at worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.”
Teddy Roosevelt