Forældre: Metodistpræst David Balfour og Phoebe Elizabeth Jackson."Harry Balfour was born in Gore's
Landing, Ontario, and the only son of a Methodist minister. His schooling occurred in several
small towns in southern Ontario. Harry completed Grade 12 at Albert College in Belleville, Ontario
at age 16. He came west on a "harvesters special" train and worked that summer at Walsh near
Medicine Hat, and stayed on to teach school. After Normal school in Calgary, Mr. Balfour taught in
the Highlands School in Edmonton. He gained his M.A. fro
m the University of Alberta while teaching at the Highlands School.In June 1915 he enlisted in the
Canadian Army and served in France as in infantry Captain with the 49th. Battalion. (now the Loyal
Edmonton Regiment) Mr. Balfour served during World War I. He was wounded twice, quite severely
the last time, and taken prisoner. During three years in prison camp, he was allowed to take his
B. A. from Cambridge University by correspondence.At the end of the war, he was released to
Denmark, where he ran a Red Cross repatriation camp in that ne
utral country, and met and married his wife, Gerda.After a six-month stay in Cambridge to satisfy
the laboratory requirements, he was granted his B.A., and they returned to Canada.He then taught at
Victoria. Mr. Balfour taught high school until about 1928 when he was appointed School Inspector in
Grande Prairie. After one year, he was transferred by the Department of Education to Edmonton
Normal School, when the school was closed he was re-appointed to Grande Prairie. After another 1 to
1-1/2 years in Grande Prairie he becam
e High School Inspector in the southern half of the province with an office in Calgary.Upon the
outbreak of the Second World War, he re-enlisted in the Canadian Army and served as a Staff Officer
at military headquarters in Calgary, Ottawa and London, England. He was discharged at the end of
the war with the rank of Lt. Colo
nel, and rejoined the Department of Education. He served again as a High School Inspector and then
as Administrator of Schools until his retirement in 1958.
Mr. Balfour retired to live in Lethbridge where he died in 1965."