At the turn of the century, an American homesteading family emigrated from Nebraska to Saskatchewan. It was here, in 1920, that Clement F. Gerwing was born. He grew up working on the family farm, attending school, enjoying a relatively peaceful life when war broke out in Europe.

As a member of the British Commonwealth, Canada was at war with Germany, and Clem Gerwing knew it was time to serve his country. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force, RCAF. He became a SPITFIRE pilot and flew tours of duty in Burma and Ceylon. He returned to Canada a hero in 1945, ready to start his next career.

Back in Saskatchewan, Clem married, commenced farming and started to raise a family. In 1963, he moved his wife and their six children to Calgary. In 1968 he purchased a wholesale footwear company and this is where his Western Boot career began.