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Alfred Harper in a World War I uniform, standing at the train station.
Alfred E. Harper was born in Oil Springs on January 25th, 1895. Harper, given the ironic name “Slim” by his friends, was a big man who never backed away from a challenge.
At the age of 19, he left for Peru to try his hand at international drilling. Shortly after setting foot in Peru, war broke out in Europe. Harper immediately returned home and volunteered to join the Canadian military, joining the 70th Battalion. He’d go on to spend the next three years fighting overseas, surviving the second battle of Ypres while many of his comrades did not. During his service, Harper received a military medal from the King of England for his bravery.
Upon returning to Canada from the war, Harper picked up where he had left off and returned drilling in Peru. In a few short years Harper had worked in Peru, Ecuador, and Columbia.
After contracting yellow fever in Colombia, Harper returned to Canada, but he still thirsted for oil work. Having not seen snow in nearly seven years, Harper took a contract in Alberta in the dead of winter. Harper spent the proceeding years working oil contracts across Canada.
When the Second World War began Harper lied about his age so that he would be eligible once again to serve his country. He joined the 162nd Saskatchewan Light Horsemen, eventually attaining the rank of sergeant-major.
Harper returned from the war and worked in the commercial oil industry until failing eyesight led to his retirement. For a man like Harper, even retirement didn’t mean rest - he spent his remaining years producing oil on his own property in his hometown of Oil Springs.