Private James “Jimmy” Moar was born in Crane River in 1915, and was one of fifteen children. He moved to Swan River after completing grade five, to work, and then back to Crane River.
In 1941, James and his brother, John, walked over 160 kilometers to Swan River to enlist in the Canadian Army. The brothers walked for a week, stopping at farms to work for food and sleeping outdoors along the way.
Once the brothers were enlisted, they joined the Royal Rifles and did their basic training out of Portage la Prairie. John was assigned to serve in England, where he trained and fought on Juno Beach in Normandy, France.