Charles Henry Byce was born in Ontario in 1916. He was educated at the Saint John’s Residential School in Chapleau, Ontario.
In 1940, Charles Byce joined the Lake Superior Regiment which was later attached to the 4th Armoured Brigade in the 4th Canadian Armoured Division. The unit left for Britain in 1942 and more training. The unit landed on the beaches of Normandy in July 1944 and advanced across France and Belgium towards Germany.
Acting Corporal Byce was awarded the Military Medal for his actions while deployed in the Netherlands in January, 1945. He was charged with protecting a group of soldiers who were to go behind enemy lines to capture prisoners for interrogation. When the patrol came under fire, Byce moved forward alone and ended the attack with grenades, ensuring the success of the mission.
Acting Sergeant Byce was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his actions in March 1945 south of the Hochwald Forest. As the few remaining men from his Company were attempting to retreat, Byce remained behind, shooting at the German tanks to give the men time to reach safer ground.
In July, 1945, Acting Sergeant Charles Byce was presented with both the Military Medal and The Distinguished Conduct Medal by King George VI at Buckingham Palace in London, England. He is one of only nine Canadian soldiers to be awarded both these medals.
At the end of the war, Byce returned to Canada and settled in Espanola, Ontario where he worked at a pulp and paper mill.
Charles Byce died in 1994 in Newmarket, Ontario.