Armitage was born on February 8, 1925, on a homestead on March Road in
South March, Ontario to parents Godfrey and Joan Armitage ( Foote). In 1942, while attending
Ottawa Technical High School, he and a friend enlisted to join the Canadian Army to fight in
World War II. He lied about his age, as he was only 17 at the time. He joined the
1st Canadian Parachute Battalion to train in
Fort Benning, Georgia, but was sent home to mature. He then went to
Camp Petawawa to train as a motorcycle dispatch rider, and was sent to England. While recovering from an injury, he was asked to join the 5th Battery
3rd Medium Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery due to his "keen night vision". As a member of the 3rd Medium Regiment, he took part in the
Normandy invasion and the liberation of France, and was part of the second wave to land on
Juno Beach. Following the invasion, he was promoted to Sergeant. After the war, Armitage attended the
Ontario Veterinary College at the
University of Guelph, graduating in 1951. After graduating, he lived in
Shawville, Quebec for 20 years before moving to
Dunrobin, Ontario. He bred and raced horses, and was track veterinarian at
Connaught Park in
Aylmer, Quebec. Armitage served as the president of the Canadian
Standardbred Horse Society from 1972 to 1974 and the Canadian Trotting Association from 1976 to 1981. He was general manager of
Rideau Carleton Raceway for nine years. He was named Canadian veterinarian of the year in 1982. ==Politics==