I I PageS The Community Local artisan tells harrowing tales of rescues BY AUDRA KENT Trenton - Steve Trent is a quietly funny man - one of those people that, unless you know him well, you're not quite sure how to read. Upon meeting him, if you venture to ask how he is, no doubt his response will be: "Good. Always good when I'm on this side of the grass!" His light-hearted attitude, his quick-witted sense of humour and his optimistic outlook seem to say a lot about the man he is and his life's accomplfshments. Trent is a widely-decorated officer of the RCAF, but today, at the age of 85, he enjoys a quieter life, and it's his handy- work that keeps him busy. Trent spends a great deal of his time designing and creating artistic pieces that relate heavily to the life he has led. In 1941, at the age of 20, Trent joined the Royal Canadian Air Force as an Air Frames Technician. Originally from Sas- katchewan, he left Halifax in December 1941 and arrived in Liverpool, England on Christmas Day. He spent three years in the United Kingdom and was posted "all over England - from Land's End to John O'Groats and everything in between." When he returned to North American soil, he arrived in New York Harbour Christmas Day, 1944. Upon his arrival to Canada in 1945. he retired from the Air Force but in 1946, he signed up again, taking the Para Rescue course in 1947. Stationed across Canada throughout his career, he saw much of the country and enjoyed some incredible adventures. In 1948, he was recognized for his quick thinking when the Canso aircraft he was traveling in crash landed at K i t t i g a / m t in the Northwest Territories. Tn a letter the detachment officer wrote to the Commanding Officer. Trent was recogm/ed for his actions, the officer writing: "It is believed that had it run been for LAC Trent's actions, this accident probabh would have taken more lives..." In 1950, Trent was posted to Torbax. Newfoundland and in March of'the f o l l o w i n g year, found himself on another Canso. th is time a place of b i r th when a \ \ee babe was born in the skies oxer St. \l- bans. Newfoundland. It was also in Newfoundland Trent met his future wife. Vli l l icent ( M i l l y ) . origi- nally from the tiny community of Burin. They were wed in 1952 and were mar- ried for 48 years until six years ago when she died as a result of diabetes. Continued on page 9