Doug Harvey (1924-1989),  NHL hockey player

An NDG native, Doug Harvey won six Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens (1952-53 and 1955-56 through 1959-60), seven NHL James Norris Trophies for Top Defenseman (1954-55 through 1957-58 and 1959-60 through 1961-62), and was the runner-up in 1953-54. He was a ten-time NHL First Team All-Star (1951-52 through 1957-58 and 1959-60 through 1961-62) and played in 13 NHL All-Star games, including 12 straight (1950-51 through 1961-62 & 1968-69). Doug attended WHHS from 1938 to 1943. Initially deemed to small for contact sports, he  was assigned to the soccer team and played senior at age 14. In 1939 he joined the first Bantam football team, before moving to the Senior B team.  Doug also played on the 1943 Senior football team that lost the city championship to Catholic High on a controversial call. He  played hockey for the school throughout his years at the school, although somehow was excluded from the 1941 Senior team. In 1942 he was moved from centre to defence by coach Jack Black, and in 1943 WHHS won the city championship.
 

Gerald LeDain (1924-), Supreme Court Justice
Gerald Eric Le Dain was born in Montreal, Quebec, on November 27, 1924. At West Hill Gerald was school president in 1941(and winner of the Hodgson Memorial Public Speaking Award) and class president from 1939-42. In 1942 he was the senior tennis champion as well as editor of the Anuual, and class valedictorian at the 1942 graduation.  In 1943 he went overseas with the army to serve in the Second World War. After returning to Canada in 1946, he enrolled at McGill University and obtained a B.C.L. degree in 1949. That year, he was called to the bar of Quebec. He pursued his studies in France, at the University of Lyon, and became a Docteur de l'Université in 1950. and later taught law at McGill University. He became dean of Osgoode Hall Law School in 1967 and was called to the bar of Ontario the following year. From 1969 to 1973, he chaired the Commission of Inquiry into the Non-Medical Use of Drugs. Two years later, he was appointed to the Federal Court of Appeal and the Court Martial Appeal Court. He was elevated to the Supreme Court of Canada in 1984 and retired on November 30, 1988.

Don Loney (1923-2004), "Father of Maritime Football"
A star in West Hill football, Don helped lead the school to the 1940 city championship. He later went on to play  with the CFL's Ottawa Roughriders for eight years and won the Jeff Russell Trophy for MVP in the Eastern Conference. He also played with the Toronto Argonauts and the Calgary Stampeders. He then turned to coaching, eventually taking the position of head coach at St. Francis Xavier University . Over 17 years, from 1957-1973, Loney's X-Men compiled a 133-31-2 record. This record included nine conference titles, four Atlantic Bowls and the 1966 College Bowl title. He didn't lose a conference game in over eight years. Don was inducted into the Nova Scotia Sports Hall of Fame in 1981

Hon. Leo Kolber (1929- ), Senator
Senator from Quebec, appointed 1983. Chair of the Banking Trade and Commerce Committee. Graduated from Westhill High 1945. 

Jim McKean (1946  -  ), Major League Umpire and  Supervisor
Jim McKean joined Major League Baseball in 2002 as an Umpire Supervisor after spending 28 seasons as a Major League umpire. I. During his tenure as a major league umpire, McKean worked three All-Star Games (1980, 82, 93) and three World Series (1979, 85, 95). A 1966 graduate of Concordia University  Jim also played in the Canadian Football League. At Monklands High he won the Principal's Award as the High School Athlete of the Year. .

Marvin Silver, Spitfire pilot, WWII

Marvin was born in Montreal, Canada, on 11th June 1923.  Marvin enlisted in the RCAF in October 1941 as an Air Gunner: this was the only aircrew position he could enlist for not having completed high school education...After shipping to England in 1942 and completing training he  joined No 66 Squadron (RAF) at Grimbergen outside Brussels. He found the experience exciting - and it wasn't all flying . Marvin flew Spits during the day and spent the nights in Brussels, the best of two worlds! He admits that his first operational flight with a Spitfire IX loaded with 1,000 pounds of bombs was a bit nerve racking especially when the flak started flying. Marvin's roles included flying a variety of Spitfire types in bomber escort and ground attack  He recorded one air "kill" of a ME-109 when his flight of four RCAF Spitfires jumped 15 German fighters. The unfortunate pilot in Marvin's sights tried to make it to a cloud , but was fordec to bail out. Marvin circled to make sure that the pilot parachuted safely from the plane, before circling back to his group. Later Marvin was detailed to deliver a Spitfire to Copenhagen for display in a depratment store before receiving his orders to return home.Back in Canada  Marvin went into the shoe business with his family and  operated a number of  high grade ladies shoe stores in Montreal.
Extracted from  TB752 Pilots and a conversation with Marvin, May 29, 2003.

Heath Matthews, Royal Canadian Regiment, Korean War
Heath Matthews was a West Hill grad who enlisted in the Canadian Army as a paratrooper in September 1950. On June 22 1952 he was wounded in Korea. This photo was shown across North America under the caption "The Face of War". For an enlargement of the picture and further details click here.