Carbon Mayor Bryan Peever served his country for more than 35 years in the Canadian Forces and has served his community in the capacity of both Deputy Mayor and Mayor since he was elected to council in 2017.
His career in the military started at the age of 18.
“I grew up in a small town in Northern Ontario, population about 50,” Mayor Peever told the Mail. “My options in the late 70s were mining or forestry. Being a young lad, I packed my bags and thought the military might be fun. The rest is history.”
After enrollment, he was sent for basic training in Cornwallis, Nova Scotia followed by a posting to Kingston, Ontario for his trades training.
During his military career, Mayor Peever was posted in communities across Canada including several bases in Ontario, Inuvik in the Northwest Territories, and he even spent time in Comox and Haida Gwaii on the west coast of British Columbia.
“I always said when I got out of the military I would get involved,” he said. “In the military you’re not allowed to get involved in communities; you can’t run for council and, as a rule, I never voted in community, council, or municipal elections because I was never going to be there long enough.”
Although he never got involved with local politics, Mayor Peever noted he always voted in federal elections.
The majority of his military career was spent during the Cold War with Russia, though Mayor Peever never served overseas.
“When the Afghan War started (in 2001), I was a Warrant Officer at Kingston at the regiment,” Mayor Peever said. He noted there were many at the same rank lining up for deployment and, later on in the war the availability of positions overseas for his rank were “slim” and there were “people lined up for years.”
His last post, prior to his retirement, was at the National Defense Headquarters in Ottawa as Chief Warrant Officer where he oversaw more than 1,000 individuals.
Now retired from the military, Mayor Peever settled in the quiet village in the valley. Most residents in Carbon are unaware of Mayor Peever’s service to his country; he says, “I’m not one to wave my flag.”
In 2017 he ran for a seat on council and was elected as Deputy Mayor.
Since then, he has moved to the role of Mayor during an organizational meeting, and he now oversees a council of five and some 500 residents. He says the leadership skills instilled from his time in the military have benefited him daily, both as a member of council and in dealing with people.
Mayor Peever was the first in his family to join the military, though he is not the last. His daughter followed in her father’s footsteps and served for a total of five years.

A volunteer WW2 combat researcher in the Netherlands is on a quest to learn more about a Carbon man who was missing in action over the coastal area of the Netherlands sometime during WW2.
Willem de Jong has reached out to the Mail and to the Drumheller Legion to learn more about RCAF Sergeant (Gunner) William Douglas Cameron, who was a member of the 419 Moose Squadron.
The 419 RCAF ‘Moose’ Squadron, was stationed at RAF air station Middleton St. George (in County Durham, UK). de Jong recounted a mission of an HP Halifax Bomber W7857. On January 9, 1943 during a mine laying operation over the North Sea, near the island called Schiermonnikoog in the Netherlands, the mission encountered trouble.
“What really happened is not known, however - maybe engine problems (in cold weather), perhaps hit by anti-aircraft fire, or attacked by a German night-fighter ? - whatever, they ditched/crashed into the sea waters NW of the nearby Vlieland island, in Friesland / NL,” recounts de Jong.
All the aircrew were killed, including Sgt Bill Cameron, and he was listed as missing in action. What is known is two members of the crew, F/Sgt (Air Observer) Vincent Armand Hugli and RCAF F/Sgt. (Navigator) Harvey Adam Dunn were recovered. A third member, RCAF Warrant Officer II (WAG) Donald Alexander Watson was found washed up many miles away.
He notes there is a possibility other remains were picked up from the sea by German naval soldiers.
“And overlooking those new details now, it isn’t logical at all to expect, that Sgt. ‘Bill’ Cameron is buried perhaps at Vlieland island, in Friesland / the Netherlands, and as an ‘Unknown Airman’ (and washed up at the island beach before, as was thought earlier). If he found a decent war grave indeed - and not under a tombstone with his own name because he’s still Missing In Action since then! - then it must be more Eastwards, along the German coast also, or somewhere in Denmark perhaps,” said de Jong.
de Jong’s goal was to learn whether Sgt. Cameron appears on a memorial in his home community.
The Mail learned that William Cameron resided in Carbon. He was born in 1921. In 1941 he joined the RCAF in July and left for Gimli, Manitoba in September. He arrived in England in late 1941 and turned 21 on the ship.
A search of The Drumheller Mail archives shows he was the best man for his brother Hugh Cameron in August 1941, shortly before he shipped out.
The next mention was in the September 30, 1943 edition, where it was noted the next of kin had received confirmation that Sgt William Cameron was deceased.
Reg Bennett of Drumheller, who has done extensive research on local veterans and has created honour roll books for many communities, tells the Mail Sgt Cameron’s name appears on both the Carbon honour roll and the Strathmore cenotaph.