On The War Memorial Trail…..The WWII Soldier From O’Leary Who Lost His Life During Operation Churchill

April 18, 2024April 20, 2024 / On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / Leave a comment

April 18, 2024. In August 2019, Alice van Bekkum, Chair of the Faces To Graves Foundation Groesbeek, sent Pieter a list of soldiers from Prince Edward Island who are buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands.

One of the names for which a photo was missing was that of Ralph Kenneth SILLIKER, born October 16, 1917 in O’Leary, Prince Edward Island, the son of Watson and Ruth Silliker.

Pieter began his research and within a few weeks received a photo from Watson Silliker, Ralph’s nephew.

Ralph Kenneth Silliker. (Photo courtesy of Watson Silliker. Photo colourization by Pieter Valkenburg)

….Ralph’s working life began in childhood….

It soon became clear that Ralph’s working life began in childhood. His father Watson had began the first oil delivery business in 1922, according to ‘Threads of the past: a history of O’Leary, Prince Edward Island, 1837-1922’, published by the O’Leary Women’s Institute.

“…The Silliker family – Watson, Ruth, and their children Ralph, Iva, Lloyd, and Lorne – manually pumped the kerosene and gasoline from the railway tank cars, which held over 8,000 gallons each, into the storage tanks….”

This was not an easy business to be in! “….By truck in summer and sleigh in winter, sparse quantities of gasoline and liberal quantities of kerosene in 45 gallon drums were delivered to stores and homes around the countryside….”

The entry in the O’Leary history went on to note that “….when Ralph was eight years old, he drove a team of horses to places such as Portage, Glenwood, Campbelltown, and Bloomfield...”

….Ralph enlisted in 1943….

When he enlisted with the No. 6 District Depot in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island on May 13, 1943, Ralph was working as a truck driver in O’Leary, and was married. He and his wife Ada Blanche were the parents of two daughters, Sylvia Ruth and Opal Irene.

Ralph was sent for basic training at No. 62 Canadian Army Basic Training Centre (CABTC) in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. On August 14, 1943, he was seconded to the A27 Canadian Reconnaissance Training Centre – Camp Dundurn, in Dundurn, Saskatchewan. This was a major training centre and transit point for personnel going overseas.

However, not long after arriving at Camp Dundurn, he returned to Prince Edward Island after being granted ‘compassionate family leave’ on September 7, 1943 – without pay and allowance – until December 14, 1943. In October 1943 he had been transferred to ‘P’ Wing at the No. 6 District Depot in Halifax, Nova Scotia, but due to the compassionate family leave being extended twice he was not on duty in Halifax until his leave ended.

Ralph returned to A27 Canadian Reconnaissance Training Centre in Camp Dundurn on January 11, 1944, where his training resumed. On March 31, 1944 he qualified as a Driver Wheeled Class III. This meant he was qualified to drive heavy trucks and armoured cars.

….Ralph left Canada for overseas service….

In May 1944 Ralph was given embarkation leave, the last time he would see his family, as on June 27, 1944 he was on his way to the United Kingdom. Upon arrival on July 3, 1944, he was assigned to No. 1 Canadian Armoured Corps Reinforcement Unit (CACRU).

On August 12, 1944, Ralph was assigned to the Canadian Infantry Corps (CIC) as part of the Canadian Fusiliers and his position changed from trooper to fusilier. On September 17, 1944, Ralph embarked for France as part of X-4 Reinforcement list of the Canadian Infantry Corps.

….Ralph was assigned to the Lake Superior Regiment….

On October 7, 1944 he was transferred to the Lake Superior Regiment (Motor), part of the 21^st Army Group, joining them as the Regiment advanced through France, Belgium and the south of the Netherlands.

Ralph was in the Regiment at the same time as Harry DAVIS of Yukon Territory, whose story has previously been told. See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2023/09/30/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-only-yukon-territory-soldier-buried-in-holten/

Henk Vincent, one of the research volunteers at the Cemetery Information Centre in Holten, The Netherlands, explained that during the “… the winter of 44/45, the Lake Superior Regiment, together with other Canadian regiments, was tasked with guarding the northern front line, in this case the Maas River. ….”

Most of February saw the Regiment based in the ‘s-Hertogenbosch area as they continued their patrols in the surrounding area.

….The Battle of Hochwald Gap was a fierce tank battle….

Screenshot 2024-04-16 at 11-06-16 Google Maps

Map shows location of ‘s-Hertogenbosch, Kleve, Hochwald, Xanten, and Groesbeek. (Map source: https://www.google.ca)

On February 21, 1945, the Regiment began moving towards Germany for the upcoming Operation Blockbuster, which would begin at dawn on February 26, 1945. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Blockbuster)

The February 21, 1945 war diary entry noted that “…in the afternoon the men were told of our future role and intentions in Ops Blockbuster….”

On February 22, 1945, the war diary recorded that “…the companies spent the day making final preparations for the move into Germany tonight…” By 2:00 am in the early morning of February 23, 1945 the Regiment had arrived at their initial position in the Reichswald Forest, just over the border from The Netherlands. The next afternoon the Regiment moved to Kleve.

On March 1, 1945, the war diary for the Lake Superior Regiment recorded that instructions had been received for “…the assault on the Hochwald Forest Gap….” This attack was codenamed Operation Churchill.

Clearing the very narrow Hochwald Gap was a difficult task, given that the weather was anything but cooperative. An early thaw meant that the tanks got bogged down in mud, making them ‘sitting ducks’ for German troops who were positioned to pick them off, one by one. Troops had no choice but to press on, as the Battle of Hochwald Gap, part of Operation Blockbuster, was the final push towards the Rhine River. (See https://the-hochwald-gap.project44.ca/)

….A video shows how the Battle of Hochwald Gap was fought….

A 46 minute YouTube video on the Battle of Hochwald Gap explained the fierce battle that took place. Watching it made it clear to us that it was a miracle that anyone survived at all, a testament to the determination and courage of those who were in the midst of it.

….Ralph lost his life during Operation Churchill….

March 2, 1945 was a “…cold, blustery day with several snow flurries…” according to the war diary. The after-action report on Operation Churchill noted that the Regiment “…had been fighting already since the 26^th of February. Little sleep was had and the Motor Companies had been holding the general line for 24 hours without food….”

They’d last eaten on February 28 due to the ground being “…impassable to all vehicles…” and “…incessant shelling by the enemy….”

The men may have been tired, cold, and hungry, but there was still a battle to be fought. By the end of the day, “…the south of the Gap bore the signs of intense shellfire – the ground pitted, scarred, and torn by fire of all kinds. The trees in the gully were cut to ribbons. The houses were heaps of rubble….”

A burial party the following day went out onto the battlefield to look for casualties, and recorded how they were found. “…Further back where two Kangaroos had been knocked out as they lunged across an enemy trench, two more Lake Superior men lay dead. Pte Carriere, F. had been shot through the head as he was de-bussing. Another, Pte Silliker, R. K. was killed as he raced to take up the first position…..” Dutiful and responsible to the end, Ralph lost his life at the age of 27 during the March 2, 1945 battle.

Private Frank CARRIERE was the son of Emma Carriere of Elm Creek, Manitoba, and the brother of Rifleman William Joseph CARRIERE, who had lost his life on June 8, 1944 while serving with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles.

NOTE: Kangaroo is the nickname given to a Canadian armoured personnel carrier (APC) during the WWII, which was created by converting a tank chassis. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kangaroo_(armoured_personnel_carrier))

….Ralph is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek….

Ralph was temporarily buried on March 6, 1945 in Xanten, Germany before being reburied in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands.

CIMG9016 Sep 16 2017 Groesbeek Cemetery grave of RK Silliker by Daria

Grave of Ralph Kenneth Silliker in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Thank you to Watson Silliker for sharing a photo. Thank you also to Henk Vincent for additional information on the patrols made along the Maas River. Do you have photos or information to share? Email Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or tweet to @researchmemori1.

© Daria Valkenburg

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If you are reading this posting, but aren’t following our research, you are welcome to do so. Our blog address: https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/

4 countries, 6 weeks, 7,000 km – an unforgettable war memorial journey in Europe…. Daria’s book ‘No Soldier Buried Overseas Should Ever Be Forgotten‘ is available in print and e-book formats. Net proceeds of book sales help support research costs and the cost of maintaining this blog. For more information see https://nosoldierforgotten.com/

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On The War Memorial Trail….. The WWII Soldier From Barney’s River Who Lost His Life During The Battle of Groningen

April 12, 2024 / On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / Leave a comment

April 12, 2024. One of the biases faced by many soldiers during the war was the perception that an excellent education would result in an intelligent and capable leader of those in battle. This was not always the case, unfortunately, and often an otherwise obvious candidate for promotion into an officer rank was not chosen, solely based on his early educational background.

In researching the story of Joseph Taylor MACLEOD of Barney’s River, Nova Scotia, Pieter encountered a well-respected, capable, and intelligent man, who was rightfully promoted several times. However, due to having left school after completing Grade 5, he did not rise as high in rank as he might have if he had been a high school graduate. What he did achieve during his military service is a testament to what can happen when promotions are based on merit.

….Joseph enlisted with The Pictou Highlanders….

Screenshot 2024-03-22 at 12-32-28 Avondale Station

Map shows Avondale Station, Nova Scotia, where Joseph Taylor MacLeod was born. (Map source: http://www.mapcarta.com)

Born November 11, 1914 in Avondale Station, Pictou County, Nova Scotia, Joseph Taylor MACLEOD was the son of Robert and Ella Margaret MacLeod. He was the youngest in his family and had 5 brothers and 1 sister. Two of his brothers also served during WWII.

When Joseph enlisted with The Pictou Highlanders in Mulgrave, Nova Scotia on August 5, 1940, he was married and living in Barney’s River, Nova Scotia. He had left school at age 13, after completing Grade 5, and was working as a tallyman in a sawmill for Robert Gillis. He’d also worked as a truck driver for his father, a butcher, for several years.

His Personnel Selection Record noted that Joseph enjoyed playing baseball, hockey, and softball, and liked to read about history.

….Joseph’s son Cyril provided a photo….

On September 10, 1935, Joseph had married Irene Elizabeth McGregor and they had 4 children. One son, Cyril Raymond, kindly provided a photo of his father when Pieter contacted him.

Joseph Taylor MacLeod van zoon Cyril MacLeod

Joseph Taylor MacLeod. (Photo courtesy of Cyril MacLeod)

….Joseph was in the Intelligence Section of The Pictou Highlanders….

After completing basic training, Joseph took advantage of training opportunities, such as a chemical warfare course in January 1941 in Long Branch, Nova Scotia. He qualified as a Motorcyclist Class III on May 5, 1941. On October 6, 1941, he was promoted to Lance Corporal, and was assigned to the Intelligence Section under Major Manning, Intelligence Officer for The Pictou Highlanders, in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia.

A month later, he was promoted to Lance Corporal, and then, in April 1942 to Corporal. On June 1, 1942 he was promoted again, to Lance Sergeant. All this time he worked in the Intelligence Section of The Pictou Highlanders.

….Joseph was temporarily assigned overseas….

On June 2, 1942, Joseph was sent overseas as a NCO (Non-Commissioned Officer), serving as Acting Platoon Sergeant with the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada until September 21, 1942. He was then posted to the NETC (Non-Effective Transit Depot) until October 7, 1942, when he was transferred back to Canada.

On November 1, 1942, he returned to The Pictou Highlanders and was sent to the No. 6 District Depot in Halifax, Nova Scotia, before being transferred to Sussex Camp in Sussex, New Brunswick.

On March 16, 1943, he was sent to Newfoundland as Acting Platoon Sergeant. He continued taking training, completing a Junior Leaders Course in Gander from May to June 1943.

Joseph’s lack of higher education, which was attributed to the distance he lived from school, would eventually hinder his chances at further promotion. While in Newfoundland he was recommended for a commission – which would mean he would become an officer – but his education level “…spoiled his chances…” according to his Personnel Selection Record.

On August 22, 1943, he returned from Newfoundland and was assigned to Debert, Nova Scotia. Upon his return, Joseph had been told that his rank as Acting Platoon Sergeant was to be confirmed, but then bad luck intervened when the 7^th Division was disbanded.

On October 1, 1943, Joseph was sent to No. 1 Transit Camp in Windsor, Nova Scotia, in preparation for overseas service.

….Joseph left Canada for overseas service….

On November 26, 1943, Joseph left Canada for the United Kingdom, arriving on December 1, 1943, and assigned to No. 7 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit (CIRU). He arrived in the United Kingdom as Lance Sergeant, but was then reduced to Corporal.

In a December 14, 1943 interview to update his Personnel Selection Record, the interviewer noted that Joseph felt “…somewhat let down by the non-confirming of his rank in Canada, in view of his long and varied service and qualifications, but has decided to take it philosophically…”

A listing of qualifications noted that Joseph qualified as a Driver I/C (Driver, internal combustion), and Motorcyclist Class III (MCIII), Assistant Quartermaster Instructor (AIQI), and Chemical Warfare Q2.

The Personnel Selection Record continued by recording that Joseph “…liked his work with Intelligence Section Pictou Highlanders, but could not carry rank of Lance Sergeant there, so was obliged to become Acting Platoon Sergeant…”

On March 22, 1944, with the rank of Corporal, Joseph was transferred to the North Nova Scotia Highlanders. In May 1944, he requested to revert to the rank of Private.

Joseph remained with the North Novies in the United Kingdom until July 24, 1944, when he was sent to France as part of the 21^st Army Group. Now a Private, he was transferred to the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (nicknamed The Rileys) on July 27, 1944.

….Joseph was wounded during the Battle for Clair Tizon….

Map with location of Clair Tizon. (Map source: http://www.canadiansoldiers.com)

On August 12, 1944, the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry was ordered to advance towards Clair Tizon, France. At a small crossroads near the abandoned hamlet of Barbery, they encountered fierce German resistance as they moved through wheat fields.

The German counterattacks were an attempt to hold the Falaise pocket, but by dusk the Germans withdrew. The Canadians had won, but at a cost of 20 soldiers killed and 100 wounded. (See http://canadiansoldiers.com/history/battlehonours/northwesteurope/clairtison.htm)

Among the wounded was Joseph. He was admitted to the 43^rd Battalion General Hospital, and then the 110^th Battalion General Hospital. He didn’t return to his Regiment until October 2, 1944.

On October 18, 1944, he was promoted to Lance Sergeant. On January 7, 1945, he received what would be his final promotion – to Acting Sergeant.

….As the Rileys travelled towards Groningen they were attacked by the Dutch SS guarding a concentration camp….

Screenshot 2024-03-20 at 11-47-11 Groningen - Westerbork route planner - journey distance time and costs – ViaMichelin

Map shows route taken by the RHLI as they moved from Westerbork towards Groningen. (Map source: http://www.viamichelin.co.uk)

An excerpt from Semper Paratus: The History of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment) 1862-1977 by Kingsley Brown, Sr, Kingsley Brown, Jr, and Brereton Greenhous, recorded that “…the RHLI crossed the Ijeselson Canal by a small foot bridge on April 10 and, moving quickly on tanks and Kangaroos, reached the outskirts of Groningen within two days. At this point the battalion again became the spearhead for 4^th Brigade and 2^nd Division…”

A description of the fight that followed noted that “…. ‘it took more than a day for the Battalion to fight its way into Groningen’ John Lisson recalled. ‘The Germans were not only firing light arms, but blasting us with four-barreled flak guns. They had developed a nasty technique of firing at the glazed tile roofs of the buildings and bringing them crashing down on top of us. The tiles would fly off in sharp fragments just like shrapnel’….”

As if this wasn’t enough to deal with, the Rileys had encountered members of the Dutch SS who had been guarding the Westerbork concentration camp, who “…were fighting desperately because they had nothing to expect but the firing squad if they were caught…” (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Westerbork_transit_camp)

….Joseph was killed by sniper fire during the Battle of Groningen….

After travelling from Westerbork to Assen and then on towards Groningen, the War Diary for the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry for April 13, 1945 stated that by 4 pm they had arrived “…approximately one mile from Groningen, our final objective. Tactical Headquarters was set up in a farm house while the Companies continued to their objective in the town. The opposition in this sector was increasing, consisting mainly of medium machine gun and small arms fire…”

The Battle of Groningen would not be an easy victory. (See https://www.canadiansoldiers.com/history/battlehonours/northwesteurope/groningen.htm and https://library.mcmaster.ca/battle-groningen-april-1945)

Conditions had deteriorated by the evening of April 13. “…Word was received that the forward elements are meeting serious resistance in the form of small arms fire, road blocks, and mines….”

At the same time as over 100 prisoners of war began surrendering, sniper fire continued. By 8:30 pm, the War Diary entry stated that “…we have suffered several fatal casualties from snipers…” Among the casualties was Joseph.

….Joseph is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten….

Screenshot 2024-03-20 at 16-29-08 53.205625168048 6.5339885049894 156A Peizerweg Groningen GR - MapQuest

According to the GPS coordinates provided at the time, Joseph was initially buried beside what is today the Peizerweg in Groningen. The black circle marks the spot. (Map source: Mapquest)

On April 15, 1945, Joseph was initially buried beside a road in Groningen, before being reburied the following year in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands.

Grave of Joseph Taylor MacLeod in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands. (Photo courtesy of the Information Centre Canadian Cemetery Holten)

….Sam Matvichuk also died during the Battle of Groningen….

Sam MATVICHUK, whose story was previously told, also lost his life during the Battle of Groningen, while serving with the Royal Regiment of Canada. You can read his story here: https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2022/08/19/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-wwii-soldier-born-in-broadacres-who-died-during-the-battle-of-groningen/

Thank you to Cyril MacLeod for sharing a photo of his father, Henk Vincent for sharing the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry War Diary for April 1945, and to David Ryan for sharing an excerpt from Semper Paratus: The History of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (Wentworth Regiment) 1862-1977.

Do you have photos or information to share? Email Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or tweet to @researchmemori1.

© Daria Valkenburg

….Want to follow our research?….

If you are reading this posting, but aren’t following our research, you are welcome to do so. Our blog address: https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/

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On The War Memorial Trail….. The WWI Letters of Lawrence Ivy Marshall – Part 5: Returning Home With A War Bride

March 29, 2024April 18, 2024 / On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / Leave a comment

March 29, 2024. In Part 1 of the WWI letters of Lawrence Ivy MARSHALL, of Covehead, Prince Edward Island, which had been shared by his granddaughter, Connie Birt Paynter, Lawrence was among the first Canadians to volunteer for WWI in 1914. After his initial training in Valcartier, Quebec, he informed his family that he was about to go overseas. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2024/03/02/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-wwi-letters-of-lawrence-ivy-marshall-part-1-valcartier-camp/)

In Part 2, Lawrence described his experiences aboard one of the first troop ships to England. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2024/03/08/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-wwi-letters-of-lawrence-ivy-marshall-part-2-the-voyage-to-england/)

In Part 3, Lawrence was on the front lines in trenches in Belgium and France, when he dislocated his elbow and was sent back to England for treatment. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2024/03/15/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-wwi-letters-of-lawrence-ivy-marshall-part-3-in-the-trenches/)

In Part 4, Lawrence spent weeks in England recuperating before returning to active service at the front …. until he was wounded and sent back to England. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2024/03/21/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-wwi-letters-of-lawrence-ivy-marshall-part-4-back-at-the-front/)

Now, in Part 5, Lawrence’s story concludes as his wartime service in England ended, and he returned to Canada with a war bride….

…Lawrence worried that his brother Merrill would be sent to the front….

As 1916 turned into 1917, Lawrence remained in England, working at the Canadian Convalescent Hospital at Wood Cote Park in Epsom, Surrey. His younger brother Merrill was also in England.

On January 29, 1917 in a letter to his father, he explained that he had received “…a letter from Merrill yesterday. He is still at Shorncliffe and having a good time of it….”

After Lawrence’s experiences in France and Belgium, he worried that his brother might also be sent to the front. “… I hope and pray that he never sees the trenches, because you have a pretty slim chance of getting back alive out there, and by the talk of things there are going to be harder fighting out there this spring than there has been yet at all. They are putting every man that’s fit out there this spring and try to make one big drive for the last time, but I don’t think that there is much use of doing it. Germany ain’t beat yet nor won’t be for a while…”

Lawrence may have heard inklings of the preparations for what we would come to know as the Battle of Vimy Ridge. His worries continued as expressed in a February 11, 1917 letter to his father. “…Have you heard from Merrill since he went to France? I have been expecting a letter from him the last week, but did not receive any. He will find quite a difference over there to what he had in England, but still he will get a good job as he is a signaler. He may never have to go into the trenches at all….”

…Lawrence was devastated to learn his brother had died during the Battle of Vimy Ridge….

On April 16, 1917, Lawrence wrote his mother to let her know that he’d received “…a letter from Merrill. He was fine when he wrote. He said that it wasn’t too bad out there yet. I only hope that he will come through it all safe and sound….” Unfortunately, by the time Lawrence wrote this letter, Merrill was dead. He had died April 9, 1917 during the Battle of Vimy Ridge. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2023/06/14/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-wwi-signaller-from-covehead-killed-during-the-battle-of-vimy-ridge/)

By May 11, 1917, Lawrence had heard about Merrill and wrote to his parents. “…I suppose that you have heard by this time about poor Merrill being killed on Easter Monday…I know what a shock it will be to you all.…Something was telling me all the time that he was gone. But never mind….he was a hero and died for his country….”

…Lawrence fell in love….

On May 26, 1917, Lawrence wrote his mother from D Company, No. 1 Platoon Regiment, 1^st Canadian Command Depot, St Leonard’s on Sea, Sussex, England: “…I am not at Epsom now. Am down on the south coast of England at my command depot. It is a very nice place but they drill you pretty hard here….”

When he was sent to Epsom, Lawrence met Evelyn ‘Eve’ Martha Williams. At the time, he already had an English girlfriend named Ada, who his parents expected he would marry. But love takes its own path, and Lawrence had to inform his family that he and Ada had broken up. “...The one that I have now is a dear little girl …. I loved this girl near nine months and kept it to myself and tried to keep Ada but couldn’t love two girls when you love one more than the other….”

…Evelyn was a volunteer with the Women’s Legion….

20230530_100619 Evelyn Marshall from Connie

Evelyn ‘Eve’ Martha Williams. (Photo courtesy of Connie Birt Paynter. Photo colourization by Jim Paynter)

Evelyn was a member of the Women’s Legion, Royal Air Force. The Women’s Legion was a volunteer organization that began in 1915. Volunteers wore military style uniforms and took on various duties. (See https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/community/3891)

Members of the Women’s Legion, Royal Air Force, worked as drivers, despatch riders, clerks, or telephonists. They were billeted in women’s accommodations, usually near the places where they worked. (See http://www.rafhornchurch.thehumanjourney.net/History/women.htm)

Lawrence knew his parents were still grieving the loss of Merrill and hoped that his news would be welcome. “…She is still at Epsom yet. She is a girl doing her bit too….I know how you all feel at home….I feel bad enough myself…. The only comfort I had was Eve, my girl…”

The daughter of a soldier, William ‘Edwin’ Williams, Evelyn was born in India and would have known how to deal with wartime loss.

…Lawrence and Evelyn married in England….

1917 group photo with Lawrence Ivy Marshall, bottom centre. (Photo courtesy of Connie Birt Paynter)

A November 24, 1917 letter from Lawrence to his father, written from No. 1 Company 5^th Reserve Battery, West Sandling, Kent, indicated that war had taken it’s toll. “…about that photo I sent you of some of the boys, you were right, I am in the middle on my knees. It is hard to tell it’s me in that but it is me alright. I guess that I don’t look the same as I used to….”

On April 29, 1918, 26 year old Lawrence and 23 year old Evelyn were married at the parish church in Figheldean, Wiltshire.

…Lawrence and Evelyn travelled to Canada aboard HMS Melita….

HMS Melita. (Photo source: wwiwarbrides.blogspot.com)

Just over a year after their marriage, Lawrence and Evelyn left the United Kingdom for Canada on May 5, 1919, aboard HMS Melita. The ship, with soldiers and military dependents, departed from Liverpool and arrived in Quebec City, Quebec on May 12, 1919. Two days later, Lawrence was officially discharged from military service in Quebec City.

…Lawrence and Evelyn lived in Covehead…

20230530_102548 Pieter and Connie with photo of Evie

Pieter with Connie Paynter, who is holding a photo of her grandmother, Evelyn Marshall. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Lawrence returned to Covehead, with Evelyn, and they raised three children. Their granddaughter Connie recalled that Evelyn was known as “…Little Eve. She became a midwife on Prince Edward Island and worked with Dr. Wendell MacDonald…”

Lawrence “…farmed in West Covehead and Marshall’s Dam is named after him. He was a carpenter and a fantastic gardener….”

improved_photo Jul 4 2023 Lawrence drying fish from Connie Paynter colourization by Pieter

Lawrence Ivy Marshall drying fish on Prince Edward Island. (Photo courtesy of Connie Birt Paynter. Photo colourization by Pieter Valkenburg)

Grave of Lawrence Ivy Marshall at West Covehead United Church Cemetery in West Covehead, Prince Edward Island. (Photo source: http://www.findagrave.com)

Lawrence died on November 2, 1959 and is buried at West Covehead United Church Cemetery, which is also known as St. James United Presbyterian Cemetery. Evelyn died on February 26, 1982 and is buried in the same cemetery.

This concludes the 5 part series on the WWI letters of Lawrence Ivy Marshall. Thank you to Connie Paynter for providing photos and sharing letters written by her grandfather. If you can identify any of the other soldiers in the 1917 group photo, please let us know.

Do you have photos or information to share? Email Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or tweet to @researchmemori1.

© Daria Valkenburg

….Want to follow our research?….

If you are reading this posting, but aren’t following our research, you are welcome to do so. Our blog address: https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/

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On The War Memorial Trail….. The WWI Letters of Lawrence Ivy Marshall – Part 4: Back At The Front

March 21, 2024April 7, 2024 / On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / 2 Comments

March 21, 2024. In Part 1 of the WWI letters of Lawrence Ivy MARSHALL, of Covehead, Prince Edward Island, which had been shared by his granddaughter, Connie Birt Paynter, Lawrence was among the first Canadians to volunteer for WWI in 1914. After his initial training in Valcartier, Quebec, he informed his family that he was about to go overseas. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2024/03/02/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-wwi-letters-of-lawrence-ivy-marshall-part-1-valcartier-camp/)

Now, in Part 4, Lawrence spent weeks in England recuperating before returning to active service at the front.

….Lawrence was operated on to straighten his elbow….

f11d6ed5bab613c66a4153246aab798d--leicester-hospitals

Postcard of the operating theatre at North Evington War Hospital. Masks were not mandatory.

Lawrence remained at North Evington War Hospital in Leicester for 7 weeks. On September 26, 1915, he gave an update to his father. “…I am still in the hospital … and will be for a while, I think. My arm is not any straighter yet. I have to go to the operating room this morning. They are going to try and straighten it. I have been under ether three times now. I am getting tired of it too. If they can’t straighten it this time I will not go back to the front any more. It doesn’t bother me. I can use it as good as ever before and I can bend it….”

The Canadian Convalescent Hospital in Bear Wood. (Photo source: http://www.arborfieldhistory.org.uk)

On October 23, 1915, Lawrence was transferred to the Canadian Convalescent Hospital in Monks Horton, then 3 days later to the Canadian Convalescent Hospital in Bear Wood, Wokingham, Berkshire, England. The hospital, which housed 900 Canadian soldiers, had been a private home with 90 bedrooms, belonging to Mrs. Walter, the widow of the Times newspaper owner.

From Bear Wood, Lawrence wrote his mother on October 30, 1915. “…I am in a convalescent hospital in Berkshire. It is a very good place but awful lonesome. We are away in the country here on a large estate…..About my arm. It is doing fine now. It is almost as straight as ever but I cannot do any work with it yet. There is no strength in it...”

….Lawrence returned to duty….

On November 15, 1915, Lawrence was released from hospital and given a short furlough before being assigned to the 48^th Highlanders Canada, 43^rd Reserve Battalion.

On November 27, 1915, in a letter to his father, written from East Sandling Kent, he noted that he was “…back with my battalion again… I guess I have to go back to France after Xmas, if not before, but I hope not. There are a lot of our boys going back there Monday. I very near got sent too only my arm is not quite right yet. It still gets sore and stiff… in cold weather...”

On January 16, 1916, Lawrence left for France, and assigned to the 15^th Battalion before rejoining his unit on February 4, 1916. On February 8, 1916, in a letter to his mother, Lawrence explained that he had taken a photo of himself in a kilt. “…So you got the photo I had taken in kilts down in Salisbury, some Scotchman, eh….” This is the photo of him that has survived for the past century.

20230530_100207 Laurie Marshall from Connie taken in 1916

Lawrence Ivy Marshall. (Photo courtesy of Connie Birt Paynter)

Lawrence kept in contact, explaining in a March 6, 1916 letter to his father, written from ‘somewhere in France’ that “… This is my second trip to the trenches since I came across this time, but am getting used of it again…” According to the War Diary for the 15^th Battalion, ‘somewhere in France’ was on the road between Messines and Wytschaete, along the border with Belgium.

Map showing the location of the road Messines to Wytschaete. (Map source: http://www.ww1battlefields.co.uk/flanders/messines/)

In an April 2, 1916 letter from Lawrence to his father, written from ‘somewhere in Belgium’ Lawrence described a near miss. “…I have been more lonesome this last week than I ever have been since I left home…Perhaps it is because I have had two close shaves lately. I got a bullet right through my hat and stung by a shell bursting over me but am alright again now….”

‘Somewhere in Belgium’ was near Poperinge, 12.5 km (8 miles) from Ypres, right in the line of fire, as Lawrence briefly mentions. “…And where we are now is awful, the last place was bad enough but this is real hell here…. The Germans tried an attack here the other night but we stopped them. They were lying on the ground and in the barbed wire as thick as peas… I certainly made my old gun shoot for a while …”

….Lawrence was injured in action….

In a June 2, 1916 letter from Lawrence to his father, written from Belgium: “…We are out of the trenches for twelve days rest, have been out for seven now, so expect to go back in again in five days. Am glad that we are out just now as the Germans are pulling off something up the line this evening. There are a big bombardment on just where we came out of. We are all standing to here waiting orders to go up if needed. But none of us are very anxious to go up if we can get out of it. We are having it pretty hot this summer. We have a scrap with Fritz every time we are in. We are only eighteen yards apart where we go in so you can guess what a time we have with each other…”

The rest ended the same day that Lawrence wrote his letter, as the June 2, 1916 war diary noted that following an afternoon baseball game, the Battalion had left after 7:30 pm, arriving at “…a position at Zillebeke … at 2 am on June 3…”

By 2:30 am they were attacked and among the casualties was Lawrence. He was admitted to a Casualty Clearing Station, where his medical record noted that he had a gunshot wound in his right arm. He was sent to No. 4 General Hospital in Camiers, France.

….Lawrence was sent to England for treatment….

On June 12, 1916, Lawrence was transferred to the 3^rd Northern Hospital in Sheffield, Yorkshire, England, from where he wrote to his father 4 days later. “…I have got across to England again. I think I am pretty lucky in this war, don’t you? I went through some pretty tight places this trip in the trenches and came back safe only for the wound I got. It is doing fine now…. It was an explosive bullet that I got hit with. They make a nasty hole where they come out of…”

Lawrence explained why he felt lucky. “…We lost all our battalion but two hundred men. We had nine hundred and seventy men so you can see we had a few casualties. Most of all my pals are gone under in the battle….”

He then described how he was injured. “…When I got wounded I had to lay for over two hours before I could get a bandage on my arm… It was awful laying on the field right in front of the Germans in daylight and not able to help yourself at all and if you moved the least bit they opened a machine gun on you. There were dead everywhere that you could see and mostly our boys with the kilts on…”

Next he briefly mentioned the battle. “… We made two charges at the Germans between nine and eleven o’clock in the morning but they drove us back both times. Then I got hit halfway back the second time … My rifle flew out of my hand…”

In the letter’s conclusion, Lawrence wrote that he was “…marked for a convalescent hospital so expect to leave here. It will be a month or more before I will be fit to go back to my base again …” He was correct as not long afterwards he was sent to Arnold Hospital, Doncaster, Yorkshire, England.

….Lawrence did not return to the front….

Lawrence did not go back to the front. Instead, he spent the remainder of his service working at the Canadian Convalescent Hospital, Wood Cote Park, Epsom, Surrey, England.

On November 6, 1916, in a letter to his mother, Lawrence explained that he was “…taking the Corporal’s place in the office while he is away on his sick furlough. …I suppose you have heard about poor Parker Crockett being killed.… Poor Parker, him and I came to the dressing station together, he shook hands with me and said that he hoped that I would get to England. He was not wounded enough to make England, so he had to go back and get killed…..”

Parker Hooper CROCKETT died September 7, 1916 during the Battle of the Somme and is buried in Regina Trench Cemetery, Somme, France. Lawrence knew that had he not been sent to England for treatment, this could have been his fate.

While Lawrence recuperated, the war went on. In Part 5, Lawrence’s story concludes as he meets with both happiness and tragedy before being one of the lucky Canadian soldiers who returned home after the war ended.

Thank you to Connie Paynter for providing photos and sharing letters written by her grandfather. Do you have photos or information to share? Email Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or tweet to @researchmemori1.

© Daria Valkenburg

….Want to follow our research?….

If you are reading this posting, but aren’t following our research, you are welcome to do so. Our blog address: https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/

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On The War Memorial Trail….. The WWI Letters of Lawrence Ivy Marshall – Part 3: In The Trenches

March 15, 2024March 16, 2024 / On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / Leave a comment

Lawrence Ivy Marshall. (Photo courtesy of Connie Birt Paynter)

March 15, 2024. In Part 1 of the WWI letters of Lawrence Ivy MARSHALL, of Covehead, Prince Edward Island, which had been shared by his granddaughter, Connie Birt Paynter, Lawrence was among the first Canadians to volunteer for WWI in 1914. After his initial training in Valcartier, Quebec, he informed his family that he was about to go overseas. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2024/03/02/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-wwi-letters-of-lawrence-ivy-marshall-part-1-valcartier-camp/)

Now, in Part 3, Lawrence spent a cold and wet winter on the Salisbury Plain before being sent into battle in France and Belgium in the spring of 1915.

….A cold and wet winter on the Salisbury Plain….

After arriving in England in late October 1914, the first contingent of Canadian troops received basic training on the Salisbury Plain for the next months – during a cold and wet winter. Much of the time the soldiers were mired in mud as England experienced one of its wettest winters in decades.

In the article ‘Evolution of Canada’s Shock Troops’, Tim Cook wrote that they “…marched, fired their Canadian-manufactured Ross rifles at targets, and practiced bayonet fighting against straw-filled dummies. And they did it during one of the most miserable winters in British history, when it rained 89 out of 120 days. The parade grounds were reduced to a muddy bog, but the Canadians kept up their spirits with beer, song, and camaraderie…” (See www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/evolution-of-canadas-shock-troops)

…. “The Germans call us the ‘Women From Hell’…”….

The first Canadians went to France in February 1915, but Lawrence was still in England, waiting to be sent over. In an April 27, 1915 letter to his father, he writes that “…things have taken a quick change around here in a few days. They are sending us boys all off to the front in drafts now. There were two lots went last night. We are all on the next one. That is all of the Island boys, but four or five. We expect to leave any minute now. We have all our ammunition ready, one hundred and fifty rounds per man. Jim is going on the same draft as I am and Parker Crockett too….” Jim referred to James Lawrence MARSHALL. Neither he nor Parker Hooper CROCKETT would return home.

“… We are all in great cheer at going away. You would think we are all going on a picnic to hear us when we got word of it. We are good and tired of hanging around here now…”

Screenshot 2024-02-28 at 16-21-40 Bailleul at DuckDuckGo

Lawrence joined the 15th Battery in Bailleul, France, just over the border with Belgium. (Map source: Wikipedia)

A few days later, Lawrence arrived in France, assigned to No. 3 Canadian 15 Battery 3^rd Brigade, First Canadian Expeditionary Force. The Battery had just been moved near Bailleul, France after fighting in the Second Battle of Ypres in Belgium. (See https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/battle-of-ypres)

The War Diary for May 4, 1915 noted that at 6:30 pm the Battalion “…paraded in full marching order and went into billets near Bailleul….” They experienced heavy rain over the next several days.

On May 15, 1915 the Battalion moved further south to Robecq, France. Two days later, they moved even further south, this time into trenches near Richebourg, France, in preparation for battle.

Lawrence missed this as he succumbed to dysentery and ended up in a field hospital, as he explained in a May 23, 1915 letter to his father.

“…I have been in the hospital for over a week now. It was from the effects of drinking bad water. The water is awful here….. I expect to go back out of here any day now. I have had a great rest while I have been in here and have been fed well. The sisters are awful good to us here too…. The Germans did not get me yet. I am going back to have another crack at the beggars soon…”

After being discharged, Lawrence gave an update in a May 28, 1915 letter to his father. “…Our Battery has been in action again since I left them, so I missed that.…” Lawrence missed a trench battle in Festubert, France. “…They will be about coming out of the trenches when I get back to them so I will be in with them the next time alright. The Germans call us ‘The Women From Hell’ – some name ain’t it? …”

…. Lawrence was on the front line in the trenches….

By July 1915, Lawrence was in Belgium, with the Battalion settled in a temporary camp called Camp Aldershot. On July 13, 1915 Lawrence wrote to his mother that he was on guard duty. “…Here I am in the second line of trenches and having a good time too. Nothing to do but four hours guard out of twelve. We were in the firing line four days and in here four days more so I think we are going out today for a while. Everything is pretty quiet, only for a few shells and bullets that the Germans send over once in a while, but they don’t land very handy to us, and I am glad that they don’t either….”

Lawrence gave a lighthearted account of what was happening for his mother’s peace of mind. “… We had a very good time in the front line of trenches. We could not see the German trenches because there was a field of rye and clover between us but they were only two hundred yards away. We used to send an odd rifle shot over at them for fun to let them know we were there. They used to send a few over at us too but did not hit any of us. …”

July 22, 1915 letter from Lawrence to his mother, written from France: “…We just came out of the trenches last night. We were in sixteen days. This time we had quite a spell of it too. We did not lose many men this time. We were pretty lucky. We had it pretty wet and muddy for awhile. …. I was out one night putting up barbed wire in front of the firing line. It rained all of the time we were out. I had my overcoat on. You could not tell what it was in the morning, an overcoat or mud …”

…. Lawrence was injured playing football….

While with his unit in Messines, France, Lawrence was admitted to a field hospital in Etaples, France on August 24, 1915, with a dislocated elbow received while playing football. On August 31, 1915, he was admitted to No. 3 General Hospital in Camiers, France, where it was decided to send him to England for further treatment. On September 6, 1915, he was admitted to North Evington War Hospital in Leicester.

North Evington War Hospital in Leicester, England. (Photo source: leicestermercury.co.uk)

Lawrence believed he was sent to England thanks to a nurse from Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, as he explained in a September 7, 1915 letter to his father. “…I am in the hospital in England and am doing well. I can’t straighten my arm yet, but I hope to soon now. It is pretty painful at times. I dislocated and fractured the bone of my left elbow. I never expected to get over to England with it, but I guess it was Miss McLeod the nurse who was in the hospital I was in, in France. She must have put a good word in for me…. She belongs to Charlottetown…”

…. Lawrence had a ‘close shave’ at the front….

In his letter, Lawrence briefly wrote about his experiences at the front, since his letters were not censored while in England. “…The letters don’t have to be censored over here so I suppose you would like to hear a little of what I have seen of this war….Them Germans are sure good shots and about them having no ammunition, that is all lies. They certainly have lots of it…You should see them send over their big shells when they start. You should see some of the holes that they make when they explode. Some of the holes are forty feet across and ten feet deep….”

He acknowledged his luck up to this point. “… I have lived a charmed life through it so far but I have had some close shaves…. I remember one day …. some of us got out of the trenches to get some platforms for the trenches. We were no sooner out than … they sent their shells over. I was just in the act of putting one of the platforms on my back when six shells burst right over my head. The knocked me and the old platform down …. I was just in the act of crawling away when I heard one of the boys shout God’s sake lay flat and keep still. He had no sooner said it when the bugger opened their machine guns on us … We laid there for half an hour with them going about six inches over our heads, some of them hitting the ground alongside of us.… The six of us that went out all managed to get back again.…”

…. Lawrence was grateful to be out of the trenches….

In a September 10, 1915 letter to his mother, written while still in hospital, Lawrence shared more observations. “…It is a treat to get away from the trenches and France. I have seen all I want to of France. The trenches are getting pretty bad now. The last time we went in the water was above my knees. When you get wet you have to stay wet until you dry and that is a good while….”

Lawrence’s letter continued. “… We don’t get all we want to eat either of course, when we are there we can’t write anything but that we get plenty to eat or they would not let the letters go home…..The officers don’t care how you do as long as they have plenty for themselves to eat…”

Like many soldiers, Lawrence felt that officers were not concerned about the safety of the men they were responsible for. “…We are like a lot of prisoners more than soldiers. It ain’t like a real war, it is more like murder. Our officers will put us right into danger instead of keeping out of it. I remember one night our officers lined up fifty of us to take an orchard with about five hundred Germans in it. We started across on the run with bayonets fixed but never got there. The Germans turned their machine guns on us. There was only twenty got back alive. I thought my time had come but I got back alive. The air was full of bullets…”

Lawrence was safe in England, but faced a long recovery period before returning back to the front line. In Part 4, Lawrence’s story continues as he found himself again on the front line and is wounded.

© Daria Valkenburg

….Want to follow our research?….

If you are reading this posting, but aren’t following our research, you are welcome to do so. Our blog address: https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/

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On The War Memorial Trail….. The WWI Letters of Lawrence Ivy Marshall – Part 2: The Voyage To England

March 8, 2024March 15, 2024 / On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / Leave a comment

Pieter with Connie Paynter. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

March 8, 2024. In Part 1 of the WWI letters of Lawrence Ivy MARSHALL, of Covehead, Prince Edward Island, which had been shared by his granddaughter, Connie Birt Paynter, Lawrence was among the first Canadians to volunteer for WWI in 1914. After his initial training in Valcartier, Quebec, he informed his family that he was about to go overseas. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2024/03/02/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-wwi-letters-of-lawrence-ivy-marshall-part-1-valcartier-camp/)

Now, in Part 2, Lawrence described his experiences aboard one of the first troop ships that went to England.

Lawrence Ivy Marshall. (Photo courtesy of Connie Birt Paynter)

….Troops marched from Valcartier to Quebec City….

On September 26, 1914, Lawrence and the first contingent of around 30,000 Canadian troops began their journey to the United Kingdom. The trip began by marching to Quebec City from Valcartier, where they then waited to board one of 30 ships – former luxury liners that had been painted grey.

On September 29, 1914, while still in Quebec City, Quebec, Lawrence wrote to his father. “…We are having not too bad a time at all, but we are not allowed to go into Quebec. We have to stay here in this building. They put us here until we go on board the steamer this afternoon. I will be glad when we do. There are good accommodations on board… nice bed to sleep in, quite a difference from sleeping on the ground for 6 weeks….” In Valcartier, Lawrence had slept in a tent.

….Lawrence sailed to England aboard HMT Scotian….

Lawrence travelled to the UK aboard the HMT Scotian. (Photo source: https://birtwistlewiki.com.au/wiki/HMT_Scotian#Remarks)

Lawrence travelled aboard the HMT Scotian, which had begun as the Holland American Line‘s Statendam, and used for its Rotterdam – New York route. When the Allen Line in 1911 bought the ship in 1911, it was renamed Scotian. In 1914, it became a troop ship.

It wasn’t until October 3, 1914 that the ships left the port in Quebec City for England. They added a ship of 537 Newfoundlanders to their convoy, and then crossed the Atlantic with a Royal Navy escort that watched for German U-boats.

By the time the Atlantic had been crossed, troops just wanted to get back on land, as Lawrence wrote to his father, while still aboard HMT Scotian: “…Well, we are still on board of this old ship….I am getting pretty tired of it by this time. This is 18 days on her…We are anchored in an awful pretty place. The grass and trees are as green as summer yet. They stay that way all winter, so they say. When we land we are going to camp outside of London…” The place ‘outside of London’ was the Salisbury Plain, where training would continue.

….Lawrence counted himself lucky not to get seasick….

On October 13, 1914, Lawrence wrote to his mother. “…We are still on board the boat but expect to land tomorrow night some time. I tell you we had some trip alright. We are going to land at Southampton, England….. I am good and tired of it by this time…We had a very good trip. Not so awful rough at all for the time of year. It is very rough tonight though, the sea is going right over the deck tonight and the wind is blowing a hurricane. You go out on deck and you would get blown overboard for sure. Some of the boys were pretty sea sick some times when the old boat began to roll. I was lucky. I was never a bit sick, only had a headache one day. All of the boys are writing home tonight. We just got word that we can mail them in the morning, that there is going to be a mail steamer come up to us and get the mail for us…”

On October 17, 1914, while still aboard HMT Scotian, Lawrence wrote to his brother Merrill. “…We are still on board of this old ship yet. I can tell you that I am getting good and tired of it. ….It is no fun, I tell you, to stay on this old ship, day after day, with land only a few yards away, and can’t get to it. We expect to be on board of her until the last of next week. That is nearly a week yet…”

….Troops marched from the train station to the Salisbury Plain….

Lawrence wrote from Pond Farm Camp on Salisbury Plain. (Map source: https://www.parl.ns.ca)

After finally docking, Lawrence and his fellow soldiers disembarked and boarded trains for Salisbury Plain. Shortly after arrival, Lawrence wrote to his mother, giving his address as 12 Battery, 82 Regiment, E Company 3^rd Brigade, Pond Farm Camp, Salisbury Plain, England: “…. Just three weeks on board of that old ship. I tell you it was great to get on land once more. We arrived at camp last night or this morning rather. It was twelve o’clock when we got off the train. Then we had to walk about six miles. It seemed more like sixty to me and it was as dark as pitch…”

Salisbury was quite different from Covehead, Prince Edward Island “… Well, this is some old fashioned place alright. The houses are all made of brick and stone. Little narrow streets with a Public Inn every here and there…”

Lawrence noted that lice had been an unwelcome infestation aboard ship. “…We had a great time every night on board of the ship, picking lice out of our clothes. We got good and lousy on board that old ship. She was great and buggy…” Lice would turn out to be a challenge faced by troops throughout the war.

Lawrence was on land, and no longer aboard a ship, but he soon would find himself living in cold and wet conditions on the Salisbury Plain as winter set in.

In Part 3, Lawrence’s story continues as training in England is cut short and he finds himself on the front line in France and Belgium.

Thank you to Connie Paynter for providing photos and sharing letters written by her great-uncle and grandfather. Do you have photos or information to share? Email Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or tweet to @researchmemori1.

© Daria Valkenburg

….Want to follow our research?….

If you are reading this posting, but aren’t following our research, you are welcome to do so. Our blog address: https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/

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On The War Memorial Trail….. The WWI Letters of Lawrence Ivy Marshall – Part 1: Valcartier Camp

March 2, 2024 / On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / Leave a comment

Pieter with Connie Paynter. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

March 2, 2024. One of the joys of meeting family members of soldiers who have served is that often we come away with more information than we first expected. Sometimes it’s more personal information about the soldier, other times we learn that more than one family member in the family served at the same time.

In one family from Covehead, Prince Edward Island, two brothers served in WWI, and the family not only had photos, but also letters that the brothers had written.

…Two brothers from Covehead enlisted …

But it wasn’t until after Connie Paynter of Summerside, Prince Edward Island, contacted us about her 20 year old great-uncle, who was killed in action at Vimy, that we learned that her grandfather also served in WWI. “…My grandfather and my great-uncle, who lived in Covehead, both served in WWI. Only my grandfather, Lawrence Ivy Marshall, returned home…” she said.

Connie’s great-uncle, Merrill Augustus MARSHALL, lost his life on Easter Monday, April 9, 1917, during the Battle of Vimy Ridge, killed during the advance on the Ridge. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2023/06/14/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-wwi-signaller-from-covehead-killed-during-the-battle-of-vimy-ridge/)

Merrill’s older brother, Lawrence Ivy MARSHALL, was born December 22, 1892 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, the son of James Lawrence and Hattie Lillian (nee Carr) Marshall.

…Lawrence was among the first recruits at Valcartier in 1914 …

Map shows location of Valcartier, Quebec. (Map source: http://www.weather-forecast.com)

After completing his initial training, Lawrence officially enlisted in the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force on September 23, 1914 at Valcartier Camp, Quebec. He had arrived in Valcartier as part of the 82^nd Regiment Abegweit Light Infantry, and had been a carpenter in his civilian life. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Prince_Edward_Island_Highlanders)

… Valcartier was the only training camp in 1914 …

A military training camp in Valcartier, not far from Quebec City, began in August 1914 to prepare recruits for the mobilization of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, shortly after World War I was declared. As men, including Lawrence, enlisted across the country, they arrived at the camp in Valcartier for equipment, training, and preparation for war. In 1914, Valcartier was the ONLY training camp for Canada’s Overseas Expeditionary Force.

Postcard shows tents at Valcartier for recruits in training. (Photo source: Wikipedia)

Men had to live in tents and conditions were basic. In a September 16, 1914 letter that Lawrence wrote to his mother, he confirmed he was in 12 Battalion E Company, 82 Regiment, Valcartier, Quebec: “…We are having very good weather up here now. Nice and warm in the day, but awful cold in the evening and mornings. I don’t know when we will leave here….We cannot stay here much longer or we will freeze to death in bed some night….”

… A short video on Valcartier camp in 1914 …

A short video, ‘Valcartier – First World War Soldier Factory’, gives an overview of this period. The video is in French, with English subtitles, and runs 6:35 minutes…..

… Lawrence was soon to go overseas …

Lawrence Ivy Marshall. (Photo courtesy of Connie Birt Paynter)

Lawrence knew that he would be leaving soon to travel overseas as his September 16, 1914 letter went on to explain that “…We got our new suits last night and boots. We are some soldiers now. I am glad that we are clear of red coats anyway. I got my hair all clipped off short all over. I look pretty funny now…”

Lawrence’s reference to ‘red coats’ refers to the scarlet tunics worn by infantry prior to 1903, when a Canadian uniform of khaki serge tunics and trousers, and peaked caps with maple-leaf badges, replaced the brightly coloured full dress uniforms previously worn.

On September 23, 1914, Lawrence officially enlisted, and then wrote to his brother Merrill on September 25, 1914. “…This will be my last letter to you for a good while because we leave in the morning. Have to be up at 3 o’clock in the morning to leave for England…”

Lawrence and the first Canadian troops were on their way to the United Kingdom on a three week voyage aboard the HMT Scotian. In Part 2, Lawrence’s story continues with his observations about the voyage.

© Daria Valkenburg

….Want to follow our research?….

If you are reading this posting, but aren’t following our research, you are welcome to do so. Our blog address: https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/

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On The War Memorial Trail….. The WWII Soldier From Manitoba Who Died Shortly After Being Liberated From Stalag VII-A

February 18, 2024February 21, 2024 / On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / 4 Comments

February 18, 2024. A few years ago, we translated ‘Holtense Canadezen’, Jan Braakman’s book about some of the soldiers buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands, which was published in English in October 2023 as ‘Holten Heroes: Stories from a Canadian Field of Honour’. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2023/11/01/new-book-about-soldiers-buried-in-the-canadian-war-cemetery-in-holten-the-netherlands/)

One very sad story related how 6 newly liberated prisoners of war – 5 Canadians, 1 Australian – died after accepting what turned out to be alcohol containing methanol from liberated Soviet prisoners of war.

The story resonated as my father, who had been in a displaced persons camp in Post-WWII Germany, had told me of similar stories. Refugees who had survived the war, many under brutal conditions, died or became blind after drinking alcohol that contained methanol (methyl alcohol) or alcohol made in containers that had once held gasoline, oil, and other substances. Only a few sips could result in death or permanent disability.

One of the six soldiers, whose story was not told in ‘Holtense Canadezen’, was on the photo wish list from Holten – James ‘Jimmy’ Oliver THOMAS, born July 4, 1912 in St. Peters, Manitoba, the son of Henry ‘Harry’ Curtis James and Margaret Thomas.

Screenshot 2024-02-15 at 12-28-03 St. Peters

Map shows location of St. Peters and Hodgson in Manitoba. (Map source: http://www.mapcarta.com)

St. Peters was an area familiar to me as childhood summers were spent in Grand Beach on Lake Winnipeg and we travelled often in that direction from Winnipeg, which was just a bit further south.

Jimmy’s parents left St. Peters in the fall of 1912 and moved to Hodgson, where Jimmy grew up with his siblings – 7 brothers and 1 sister.

The Peguis First Nation, whose members are of Ojibway (Saulteaux) and Swampy Cree (Maškēkowak) descent, is nearby, and the Thomas family has its roots here. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peguis_First_Nation)

….Jimmy’s niece provided a photo….

James ‘Jimmy’ Oliver Thomas. (Photo courtesy of the Thomas Family)

In the search for a photo, Pieter was in contact with Theresa Cooper, daughter of Jimmy’s brother, Rodney Thomas, one of two brothers who also served in the Canadian Army during WWII in addition to Jimmy. The photo was emailed to us by Theresa’s son, Rodd Cooper. “…Thank you for your work and recognition in honouring him and the other Canadian soldiers….” Rodd wrote.

….Jimmy was hard-working and versatile….

After his father died in 1925, Jimmy left school at the age of thirteen to help out at home. He spent 6 years working on the family farm, 2 years as a mechanic in a garage in Virden, Manitoba, 6 years in a hard rock quarry in Ontario and Manitoba, plus casual labour wherever he could find work. In his Estate Form, his mother noted that he “…would look for a job anywhere he could make good money…”

By the time Jimmy enlisted at the No. XI District Depot in Vancouver, British Columbia on May 21, 1943, he was working as a plumber’s helper for a plumbing and heating company based in Prince Rupert, British Columbia, in a wartime housing project.

The interviewer for Jimmy’s Personnel Selection Record noted that he had “…above average learning ability….” and that his “…occupational background indicates versatility and adaptability. Has been farmer, garage mechanic, fisherman, and latterly miner…”

The Record went on to describe Jimmy as having a “….robust appearance…” and that he was “…of quiet nature but self-confident and unhurried…”

Among his hobbies and interests, Jimmy “…played hockey. Enjoys hunting and fishing. Can swim. Doesn’t dance. Reads true detective stories. Attends movies…”

….Jimmy’s military career began in British Columbia….

On June 3, 1943, Jimmy was sent for basic training at No. 110 Canadian Army Basic Training Camp (CABTC) in Vernon, British Columbia. After completing basic training, he was transferred to A16 Canadian Infantry Training Camp (CITC) in Calgary, Alberta on August 4, 1943.

At the beginning of October 1943, Jimmy was given a week’s embarkation leave, the last chance he had to visit his family before being sent overseas.

On November 3, 1943, he left Calgary when he was transferred to No. 1 Training Brigade in Debert, Nova Scotia.

On December 15, 1943, Jimmy left Canada for the United Kingdom, arriving on December 21, 1943. He most likely had been on the same ship as Eli Ambrose SNAKE. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/12/13/on-the-war-memorial-trail-remembering-ww2-soldier-eli-ambrose-snake/) While Jimmy was assigned to No. 1 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit (CIRU), Eli was sent to No. 3 CIRU.

…Jimmy joined the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada in Italy….

On February 19, 1943, Jimmy was sent to Italy as part of the Allied Armies In Italy (AAI) and assigned to the 2 Battalion X-4 Reinforcement. Then, on May 5, 1944, he was transferred to the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada.

The Regiment had finished in Ortona and continued to move north, fighting through the Liri Valley. Next, the Regiment received orders to work with other Regiments to break through the Hitler Line, the Germans’ second defensive line. (See https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hitler_Line and https://liri-valley.project44.ca/)

Screenshot 2024-02-18 at 09-56-04 Liri Valley

Placement of troops for breaching the Hitler Line on May 23, 1944. (Map source: https://liri-valley.project44.ca/)

On May 22, 1943, the War Diary for the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada recorded that at 4 pm, “…the Commanding Officer received orders from 2 Canadian Infantry Brigade that Seaforth Highlanders of Canada would attack the Adolph Hitler Line… The attack was ordered for 0600 hours 23 May 1944. The PPCLI to attack on right, Seaforths on left, Edmonton Regiment reserve to exploit through PPCLI….” (PPCLI refers to Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry.)

A fierce battle occurred the following day. The War Diary recorded that by 7:30 pm “…it was now apparent that the Adolph Hitler Line had been broken. The enemy were in full retreat, jamming the roads with his transport, which provided a good target for our Air Force…”

…Jimmy became a POW during the breaking of the Hitler Line….

The war diary noted that there were many casualties: 51 killed, 110 wounded, and 72 missing. Among the missing was Jimmy Thomas, who became a prisoner of war and taken to Stalag VII-A in Moosburg, Germany, where he was recorded as POW number 131885. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stalag_VII-A and https://www.pegasusarchive.org/pow/S7A/cSt_7A_Description.htm)

32898f4eaba6b4904152e84b63f6f18e--bavaria-vii

Entrance to Stalag VII-A. (Photo source: Moosburg Online)

Stalag VII-A was captured on April 29, 1945 by Combat Command A of the 14th Armored Division of the US Army. (See https://www.moosburg.org/info/stalag/14theng.html) Jimmy and his fellow POWs couldn’t believe how lucky they were, after all the hardships they had experienced. Reports stated that 110,000 Allied POWs were freed from that camp alone.

The POWs were now free, but with the war still ongoing, it was impossible to evacuate all of them immediately. They were instead moved west in large groups and placed in temporary transit camps while they waited impatiently to be transported out of Germany.

Unfortunately, there were not enough planes to quickly transport them to Reims, France, and from there to England. So they waited for their turn.

…A drink containing methanol proved fatal….

On May 1, 1945, Jimmy was in a temporary camp in Ettringen, Bavaria, Germany, along with other former prisoners of war. A translated excerpt from Jan Braakman’s ‘Holtense Canadezen’ related what happened that day. “…Canadians John Decoine, Robert Consterdine, Joe Giguire, Steven Motkaluk, James Thomas, and Australian Joe Brydon could not believe their luck when they were liberated by the Americans ….. The six met a group of Russian prisoners of war near Ettringen (Bavaria), who apparently had a large amount of liquor at their disposal….”

The men were unaware that they were being offered liquor that contained methanol, which was fatal for all six. “…Captain C.T. Sutherland wrote a report for the Department of National Defence about the incident …. According to him, on May 1, on the street in Ettringen, the Canadians had been given alcohol by members of a Russian labour command. (The prisoner of war camp had numerous labour commands, consisting of prisoners of war of different nationalities)….”

Most likely, the Russians were not aware that the alcohol had been poisoned. “…British prisoner of war Tom Tate, who was captured in Germany in early 1945 after his Royal Air Force bomber was downed, said that Russian prisoners of war had found and binged on methylated spirits on the estate (Ost-Ettringen). He recalled two Russian prisoners of war who died of it and more who had severe symptoms of poisoning….”

…Jimmy died on May 2, 1945….

Captain Sutherland’s report did not include the names of Steve Motkaluk and James ‘Jimmy’ Oliver Thomas, who had both been in Stalag VII-A in Moosburg. They had been taken to the US Hospital in Thannhausen, Germany. Both men died on May 2, 1945.

A medical report for Steven Motkaluk stated that the amount of alcohol he’d drunk was only 1 pint (2 cups). Likely Jimmy had drunk the same amount or less.

The other 4 men had been under the care of British physician John “Sandy” Rutherford, a former prisoner of war himself.

It was a sad ending to soldiers who had endured so much during the war and their time in a POW camp. During the investigation into this incident and others involving the poisoning of Allied soldiers, the Canadian Intelligence Service “…managed to obtain an October 1944 document from the Kriminaltechnisches Institut der Sicherheitspolizei (Forensic Institute of the Security Police), describing the various possibilities of deliberate poisoning. One of these was the addition of methyl alcohol (methanol) to bottled drinks. It is conceivable that the prisoners of war were victims of this practice….”

…The other 5 victims of methanol poisoning….

In addition to Jimmy, the other 5 victims of methanol poisoning were:

· Robert James CONSTERDINE of Vancouver, British Columbia, died May 2, 1945

· John DECOINE of Wabaska, Alberta, died May 1, 1945

· Joseph ‘Joe’ August GIGUIRE of Conklin, Alberta, died May 3, 1945

· Steven MOTKALUK, of Toronto, Ontario, but born in Lviv, Ukraine, died May 2, 1945

· Joseph ‘Joe’ William BRYDON of Tenterfield, New South Wales, Australia, died May 2, 1945

….Jimmy is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten….

Along with Steven Motkaluk, Jimmy was initially buried in the US Military Cemetery in Reutti, Germany, before being reburied in the British Military Cemetery in Durnbach, Germany. Then, on June 4, 1948, they were reburied in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands.

Grave of James ‘Jimmy’ Oliver Thomas in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands. (Photo source: Canadian Virtual War Memorial)

…..Jimmy is listed on the National Métis Veterans Memorial Monument….

Jimmy is listed on the National Métis Veterans Memorial Monument just outside of Batoche, Saskatchewan. (See https://www.metismuseum.ca/metisveteransmonument/)

His name can be found on Column 8 on the outside, Row 67. (https://www.metismuseum.ca/metisveteransmonument/column.php?v=XCHRVC)

….Thomas Esker in northern Manitoba is named in Jimmy’s honour…..

Screenshot 2024-02-21 at 08-38-47 Thomas Esker

Thomas Esker is named in honour of James ‘Jimmy Oliver Thomas. (Map source: http://www.mapcarta.com)

Thomas Esker in northern Manitoba, east of Tadoule Lake, was named after Jimmy in 1995. This mountain has an elevation of 246 metres (807 feet). (See https://mapcarta.com/24676318)

Thank you to Theresa and Rodd Cooper for providing a photo of James ‘Jimmy’ Oliver Thomas, to Shawn Rainville for helping with the initial newspaper search for family and information, to Judie Klassen for finding the geographic commemoration in ‘A Place Of Honour’, and to Jan Braakman for researching the May 1, 1945 incident in which 6 men lost their lives.

Do you have photos or information to share? Email Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or tweet to @researchmemori1.

….Want to follow our research?….

If you are reading this posting, but aren’t following our research, you are welcome to do so. Our blog address: https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/

You are also invited to subscribe to our YouTube Channel: On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter Valkenburg: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ591TyjSheOR-Cb_Gs_5Kw.

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On The War Memorial Trail…..The WWII Trooper From Rexton Who Lost His Life Three Days Before His Birthday

February 3, 2024February 24, 2024 / On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / Leave a comment

20230918_094802 Sep 18 2023 Rexton village sign

Stanley McBeath’s family lives in Rexton, New Brunswick. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

February 3, 2024. When Pieter looks for family of a soldier whose name is on a photo wish list for one of the Canadian War Cemeteries in The Netherlands, he never knows what to expect. After he decided to research Stanley Leigh MCBEATH, whose family lived in Rexton, New Brunswick, Pieter wrote to St. Andrews United Church in Rexton and also called the minister. He did that after finding a newspaper article about a Memorial Service held in August 1945 for Stanley and another WWII soldier from Rexton, James Edward SULLIVAN.

Shortly after his inquiry, Pieter received a call from Janice Little, who explained that she was Stanley’s niece, daughter of his sister Audrey, and yes, she had a photo.

…Stanley enlisted in 1939….

Stanley McBeath Coloured improved_photo(27)

Stanley Leigh McBeath. (Photo courtesy of the McBeath Family. Photo colourization by Pieter Valkenburg)

Born April 24, 1916 in Peter’s Mill, Kent County, New Brunswick, Stanley was the eldest son of Richmond Noble and Lilly Victoria (nee Peters) McBeath. Before enlisting with the 15^th Heavy Battery of the 3^rd (New Brunswick) Coast Brigade in St. John, New Brunswick on September 12, 1939, Stanley had been working for two years for H. Gauvin, who owned a garage in Rexton. He also helped his parents on their farm. In his Occupational History Form, he indicated an interest in remaining in the army after the war ended.

After completing his basic training in St. John, Stanley was sent to Halifax to complete a Range Finders course. A Range Finder was a key piece of equipment, used in machine guns, to measure distances to remote objects, and required expertise and skill to operate. Soldiers selected for this specialist training were machine gunners, or mortarmen, with good eyesight and an elementary knowledge of mathematics. Stanley completed this course on April 20, 1941.

…Stanley served with the 108^th Battery as part of Atlantic Command….

On May 15, 1942, Stanley was transferred to the 108^th Battery and posted to Ives Point, Nova Scotia. The battery was part of Atlantic Command, whose role was to strengthen and administer home defence facilities on Canada’s Atlantic Coast.

Screenshot 2024-01-30 at 12-44-04 Ives Point

Location of Ives Point. (Map source: https://mapcarta.com)

…Stanley was in Goose Bay as a gunner with an anti-aircraft battery….

Atlantic Coast Defences during WWII. (Source: https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/Canada/CA/SixYears/maps/SixYears-1.jpg)

On October 15, 1942, Stanley was posted to Goose Bay, Labrador, temporarily attached to 30^th Anti-Aircraft Battery. (NOTE: Newfoundland and Labrador became part of Canada on March 31, 1949.)

Canada had built a massive air base at Goose Bay, Labrador as an alternative to Gander for transatlantic operations. This base became operational in late 1941. (See https://www.heritage.nf.ca/articles/politics/goose-bay-base.php) The bases at Gander and Goose Bay were vital links in the ferrying of military aircraft to Britain. Anti-aircraft crews were part of coastal defence.

Stanley remained in Goose Bay until July 23, 1943 when he was posted to Gaspe, Quebec, and reassigned back to the 108^th Battery. On November 26, 1943 he was sent to Shelburne, Nova Scotia for further training.

…Stanley qualified as a Canadian Armoured Corps Operator….

On April 18, 1944 Stanley was transferred to No. 1 Transit Camp in Windsor, Nova Scotia. Not long after that, on May 17, 1944, he was posted to No. 1 Canadian Armoured Corps Training Regiment (CACTR) in Borden, Ontario for additional training. On October 7, 1944 he was qualified as a Canadian Armoured Corps (CAC) Operator.

Then, in preparation for overseas service, Stanley was assigned to No. 1 Canadian Armoured Corps Trained Soldiers Regiment (CACTSR), still in Borden, Ontario.

…Stanley left Canada for overseas service….

On November 25, 1944 Stanley left Canada, arriving in the United Kingdom on December 5, 1944, where he was assigned to No. 3 Canadian Armoured Corps Reinforcement Unit (CACRU).

On December 10, 1944, Stanley wrote a letter to his Aunt Janie McBeath, the sister of his father, who was a nurse in New York. He gave his impression of England and noted the differences he saw for Christmas, which would be in two weeks.

“…Suppose that over in the US and Canada everything is taking on the holiday season, but here there is nothing at all. But considering what this country has been through, I suppose it is a wonder it still exists. What has impressed me most is the sense of great age and changelessness (if there is such a word) – wars may come and go and times may have great changes, but this island goes on undisturbed by it all…”

While in the United Kingdom, Stanley was temporarily attached to No. 2 Canadian Armoured Corps Reinforcement Unit (CACRU) while he took a gunnery course, which he completed on January 9, 1945.

…Stanley left the United Kingdom for Northwest Europe….

On March 24, 1945, Stanley was assigned to the X-4 Reinforcement list of the Canadian Armoured Corps as a Gunner Operator ‘C’ of the 9^th Battalion and sent to North Western Europe.

On April 1, 1945 he was assigned to the 28^th Canadian Armoured (British Columbia) Regiment, joining the Regiment in Germany as it travelled along the road between Calcar and Kleve, and crossed the Rhine River.

By April 3, 1945 the Regiment had crossed the border back into The Netherlands, near Lochem, for a few days before returning to Germany.

In a letter to his Aunt Janie, written on April 7, 1945, Stanley mentioned an experience in The Netherlands. “….Seen a show under kind of odd surroundings the other nite (sic.. night) – it was put on with a Dutch cow barn used as a theatre. But the cattle didn’t seem to mind…. At any rate the smell was familiar to me….”

Stanley went on to explain that he was in a Regiment. “…Belong to a unit now – not a bad outfit but don’t know any of them. It’s taken a long, long time to get this far but am getting nearer the goal of ’39 all the time…” Stanley was referring to 1939 when he enlisted for active service.

The Regiment reached Oldenburg, Germany on April 10, 1945 and the war diary daily reported encountering fierce resistance from the Germans.

The Battle for the Küsten Canal near Friesoythe and the advance slightly northwards towards Edewecht resulted in many casualties. Just after midnight on April 17, 1945, Stanley was in ‘B’ Squadron as the Regiment’s tanks supported the Algonquin Regiment during the first crossing of the Küsten Canal in assault boats. (See https://www.canadiansoldiers.com/history/battlehonours/northwesteurope/kustencanal.htm)

On Friday, April 20, 1945, the war diary entry for the 28^th Canadian Armoured (British Columbia) Regiment noted that “… ‘B’ Squadron was still under command of the Algonquin Regiment…” and had moved to the location of the Regimental Headquarters between Friesoythe and Edewecht.

…Stanley lost his life on the road between Friesoythe and Edewecht….

Screenshot 2024-02-01 at 13-05-30 The Coordinate Translator

Map shows the location where Stanley McBeath lost his life, using the coordinates from the war diary of the 28th Canadian Armoured (British Columbia) Regiment. (Map source: Google maps)

The war diary entry for Saturday, April 21, 1945 for the 28^th Canadian Armoured (British Columbia) Regiment: “…Weather mild and warm….. ‘A’ Squadron remained under command of Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada and worked troops up with the forward infantry…. Lt Warmald was wounded and only two tanks of his troop reached their objective. Another tank of ‘A’ Squadron was bazooked…” Troops were sent to “…assist infantry in the evacuation of the wounded…”

Somehow, in the confusion Stanley was initially reported missing, but later it was confirmed that he had been mortally wounded and died on April 21, 1945, three days before his 29th birthday.

Stanley’s parents received a telegram from the Department of Defence on April 30, 1945, informing them that Stanley was missing. This was followed up with a May 3, 1945 telegram saying he was ‘officially killed in action on April 21, 1945’.

…An error by the Director of Records left Stanley’s family with false hope….

However, on May 7, 1945 the Moncton Times newspaper published a list of soldiers from New Brunswick who had been liberated from prisoner of war camps, and among the names was Stanley Leigh McBeath!

You can imagine the confusion, mixed with hope, for the McBeath family. Richmond McBeath, Stanley’s father, wrote to the newspaper and asked where the information came from. In a May 10, 1945 letter to the Department of Defence’s Director of Records, Richmond noted the response he got from the Moncton Times, saying that “…in their reply, they said ‘The Canadian Press’ which got the information from the Director of Records…”

Richmond quite correctly stated that “…we do not understand this and ask for prompt confirmation or denial of your telegram of May 3…”

On May 14, 1945, Richmond received a telegram from the Director of Records, confirming that Stanley had died on April 21, 1945, as per the May 3, 1945 telegram. “…Trooper McBeath’s name was erroneously released to the press as a liberated prisoner of war, but appeared on the official casualty list dated 10^th May as killed in action…”

An apology was also provided. “…Sincerely regret the anxiety caused by the release of your son’s name as a liberated prisoner of war in error…” It was small comfort for a family left in limbo for several days, hoping to hear that Stanley was alive.

….Stanley is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten….

Stanley was initially buried in the Temporary Canadian Military Cemetery in Friesoythe, Germany before being reburied on March 9, 1946 in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands.

Grave of Stanley Leigh McBeath in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands. (Photo source: Canadian Virtual War Memorial)

….We met Stanley’s nieces….

20230918_104650 Sep 18 2023 Pieter with Janice Little & Gail McBeath

Janice Little (left), Pieter, Gayle McBeath (right). (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

In researching Stanley’s story, we were delighted to have the opportunity to meet Janice Little and her cousin, Gayle McBeath, who is the daughter of Stanley’s brother Harold.

In both of his surviving letters to his Aunt Janie, Stanley had mentioned that he hadn’t seen his brother Harold, who was with the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment. Janice and Gayle told us that they did have a chance to talk to each other – two days before Stanley passed away.

20230918_100300 siblings of Stanley McBeath from Janice Little

Stanley’s surviving siblings. Standing left to right: Helen, Audrey. Seated, left to right: Harold, Dorothy. (Photo courtesy of the McBeath Family)

Janice and Gayle shared a photo of Stanley’s surviving siblings, and explained that the houses they themselves live in were part of the family farm where Stanley had grown up.

20230918_111450 Sep 18 2023 View from the street Stanley McBeath grew up on in Rexton

View from the street where Stanley grew up. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Stanley’s parents never forgot their son, ensuring his name was engraved on their gravestone. Janice and Gayle took us to visit the grave at the St. Andrews United Church Cemetery in Rexton.

20230918_112949 Sep 18 2023 Stanley is listed on his parents grave at St Andrews United Church Cemetery in Rexton NB

Stanley is listed on his parents’ grave at St Andrews United Church Cemetery in Rexton, New Brunswick. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Thank you to Janice Little and Gayle McBeath for sharing photos and information. Do you have photos or information to share? Email Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or tweet to @researchmemori1.

….Want to follow our research?….

If you are reading this posting, but aren’t following our research, you are welcome to do so. Our blog address: https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/

You are also invited to subscribe to our YouTube Channel: On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter Valkenburg: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ591TyjSheOR-Cb_Gs_5Kw.

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On The War Memorial Trail….. The Successful Search For A Photo Of WWII Soldier Thomas Alfred Brown Left Us With A Mystery

January 25, 2024January 28, 2024 / On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / 2 Comments

January 25, 2024. Even when Pieter needs a break from extensive research, he still likes to test his detective skills. Last year he decided to help the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands find photos of a few soldiers for which research had already been done, but no photo had been found. A relatively simple project, you might think – but although he has now nudged past 319 successful photo searches, we’ve learned that it isn’t.

One of the soldiers whose photo search he undertook was that of Thomas ‘Tom’ Alfred BROWN of Altario, Alberta. Born October 20, 1924, Thomas was the son of George Stuart and Alice Brown. (You can read Tom’s story here: https://www.facestograves.nl/LifeStories/BROWN%20Thomas%20Alfred-JLE-bio-EN.pdf )

….Tom lost his life during the Battle of Moyland Wood….

Grave of Thomas Alfred Brown at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek. (Photo source: http://www.findagrave.com)

While serving with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles, Tom lost his life on February 17, 1945 during the Battle of Moyland Wood in Germany. He was 20 years old. (See https://legionmagazine.com/clearing-moyland-wood/)

Norman Victor Holgate BUCHANAN, whose photo search story was told last year, had lost his life one day earlier in the same battle, while also serving with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2023/11/08/on-the-war-memorial-trail-a-monument-in-st-claude-led-to-a-photo-of-a-wwii-soldier/)

….The search for a photo of Tom began with a Letter To The Editor….

When no family could be readily found, Pieter submitted a Letter To The Editor in a newspaper covering the Altario area – the East Central Alberta Review – and his letter was published on April 27, 2023.

Letter to Editor ECA Review

The very same day that the newspaper was published, we received an email from Eleanor Kreiser, with an attached document, explaining that “…. I saw your request in the paper. This is the Brown info in the Pioneer Heritage history book. Book 2, 1981. My husband used to live in Altario. My husband’s mother and six siblings were also born in Altario….”

Brown brothers, Altario 2 corrected by Pieter

Tom Brown with his sister Mary. (Photo source: Pioneer Heritage Book 2. Pioneer Heritage of Altario, Compeer, Kirriemuir and Burnbrae, Published by Wheatsheaf Women’s Institute, 1981)

The book excerpt included a photo of Tom and his sister Mary, along with a short writeup contributed by Mrs L. H. Walker. “….Thomas Alfred Brown was born in Altario on November 20, 1924. He took all of his schooling in Altario. After leaving school he worked for Bob Kewley and for Bert Caldwell. Tom was a great lover of horses. One of the things I remember about him the most was his coming home at night on his horse, singing one of Wilf Carter’s songs….”

The excerpt ended with a bit of family history. “….Tom’s father died when Tom was still very young, and his step-father, Lester Walker, passed away in August of 1975. Thomas has one sister, Mrs. Alice Mary Robbins (nee Brown) of Flatbush, and a half-sister, Mrs. Marion Stewart (nee Walker) of Ohaton….”

…. Tom’s family provided photos and information….

Pieter was next in contact with June Beier, whose mother was Tom’s sister Mary, and with Ken Stewart, whose grandmother was Tom’s mother. Both provided more information and photos.

IMG-3254 Photo of Tom Brown from Ken Stewart

Thomas Alfred Brown. (Photo credit: Courtesy of the Family of Thomas Alfred Brown)

…. Tom’s last letter was written two days before his death….

With the help of her granddaughter, Shaylyn Beier, June shared the last letter received from Tom, written on February 15, 1945, two days before he lost his life, and which arrived after his death.

Feb 15 1945 letter from Tom Brown ENVELOPE

Envelope poignantly marked as ‘Tom’s last letter’. (Letter courtesy of the Family of Thomas Alfred Brown)

In the February 15, 1945 letter to his mother, Tom noted that he was in ‘D’ Company of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles. “…I guess it is about time I wrote to you. I have been pretty busy in the last few days and so I did not get time to do any writing at all….” Left unsaid was that Tom and his Regiment had been heavily involved in Operation Veritable in Germany, part of a pincer movement to cut into Germany in order for Allied troops to advance towards Berlin. The Regiment had just moved into Kleve, Germany. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Veritable)

Tom wrote that he had sent some money home in previous letters, and after asking about his mother’s health, assured her that he is “…nothing but the best and aim to stay that way…” He explained that he had received a parcel from his aunt and advised that “…all I mostly need is writing paper and envelopes…”

Sadly, Tom lost his life two days later, and was temporarily buried around Calcar, Germany before being reburied in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands a year later.

A March 8, 1945 letter to Tom’s mother was written by Major Latimer Hugh DENISON, his commanding officer. “…Corporal Brown’s presence is missed by the entire company. He was a fine and gallant soldier and you may well be proud of him, as we are, for the man’s part he has played in helping to win this war….”

He went on to write “…please rest assured that you are not alone in your hour of trial – gallant comrades once known are never forgotten…” Major Denison lost his own life on March 30, 1945, during the battle for Emmerich, at the age of 24, and is also buried in Groesbeek.

…. A September 1947 letter left us with an unsolved mystery…

image_6487327(1) man at Tom Browns original gravestone in Groesbeek

Man believed to be H. P. J. van Loon at Tom Brown’s original grave in Groesbeek. (Photo courtesy of the Family of Thomas Alfred Brown)

We thought this would be the end of Tom’s story, but there was another mystery, which up to now we have been unable to solve. June shared another letter, written in September 1947 by an unidentified relative still in the Army, who signed his letter as Tom. He wrote that he had visited Tom Brown’s grave in Groesbeek. Tom’s letter was written on the stationery of a schoolteacher (onderwijzer) from Groesbeek, H. P. J. van Loon, and he explained that Mr. Van Loon had taken photos of graves at the cemetery.

Ken Stewart had a photo of a man beside Tom Brown’s grave, and as the man was in a suit, not in a military uniform, it’s believed this is Mr. Van Loon. When we asked Ken if he knew anything more, he said that “….My grandmother said Thomas stayed with a Dutch family in Holland when he had time off and was planning to marry one of the daughters when the war was over. So this may be the father of that family. I do not know for sure…”

We sent the letter and photo to friends who live in Groesbeek, in the hope that they might be able to find out more, but up to now, they too have been stymied. If you recognize the man in the 1947 picture by Tom Brown’s grave, please let us know.

June Beier with her husband Edward. (Photo credit: Courtesy of June Beier)

Thank you to Joyce Webster, Publisher of ECA Review, for publishing Pieter’s Letter to the Editor, and to the family of Thomas Brown for sending photos and information – June Beier, Shaylyn Beier, and Ken Stewart. Thank you to Eleanor Kreiser for sending the Brown family information from the Pioneer Heritage book.

Do you have photos or information to share? Email Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or tweet to @researchmemori1.

….Want to follow our research?….

If you are reading this posting, but aren’t following our research, you are welcome to do so. Our blog address: https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/

You are also invited to subscribe to our YouTube Channel: On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter Valkenburg: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ591TyjSheOR-Cb_Gs_5Kw.

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	On The War Memorial… on On The War Memorial Trail….. T…
	Jim Little on On The War Memorial Trail….. T…
	On The War Memorial… on On The War Memorial Trail….. T…
	mumzie1039 on On The War Memorial Trail….. T…
	On The War Memorial… on On The War Memorial Trail….. T…

….Ralph’s working life began in childhood….

….Ralph enlisted in 1943….

….Ralph left Canada for overseas service….

….Ralph was assigned to the Lake Superior Regiment….

….The Battle of Hochwald Gap was a fierce tank battle….

….A video shows how the Battle of Hochwald Gap was fought….

….Ralph lost his life during Operation Churchill….

….Ralph is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek….

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….Joseph enlisted with The Pictou Highlanders….

….Joseph’s son Cyril provided a photo….

….Joseph was in the Intelligence Section of The Pictou Highlanders….

….Joseph was temporarily assigned overseas….

….Joseph left Canada for overseas service….

….Joseph was wounded during the Battle for Clair Tizon….

….As the Rileys travelled towards Groningen they were attacked by the Dutch SS guarding a concentration camp….

….Joseph was killed by sniper fire during the Battle of Groningen….

….Joseph is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten….

….Sam Matvichuk also died during the Battle of Groningen….

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…Lawrence worried that his brother Merrill would be sent to the front….

…Lawrence was devastated to learn his brother had died during the Battle of Vimy Ridge….

…Lawrence fell in love….

…Evelyn was a volunteer with the Women’s Legion….

…Lawrence and Evelyn married in England….

…Lawrence and Evelyn travelled to Canada aboard HMS Melita….

…Lawrence and Evelyn lived in Covehead…

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….Lawrence was operated on to straighten his elbow….

….Lawrence returned to duty….

….Lawrence was injured in action….

….Lawrence was sent to England for treatment….

….Lawrence did not return to the front….

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….A cold and wet winter on the Salisbury Plain….

…. “The Germans call us the ‘Women From Hell’…”….

…. Lawrence was on the front line in the trenches….

…. Lawrence was injured playing football….

…. Lawrence had a ‘close shave’ at the front….

…. Lawrence was grateful to be out of the trenches….

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….Troops marched from Valcartier to Quebec City….

….Lawrence sailed to England aboard HMT Scotian….

….Lawrence counted himself lucky not to get seasick….

….Troops marched from the train station to the Salisbury Plain….

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…Two brothers from Covehead enlisted …

…Lawrence was among the first recruits at Valcartier in 1914 …

… Valcartier was the only training camp in 1914 …

… A short video on Valcartier camp in 1914 …

… Lawrence was soon to go overseas …

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….Jimmy’s niece provided a photo….

….Jimmy was hard-working and versatile….

….Jimmy’s military career began in British Columbia….

…Jimmy joined the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada in Italy….

…Jimmy became a POW during the breaking of the Hitler Line….

…A drink containing methanol proved fatal….

…Jimmy died on May 2, 1945….

…The other 5 victims of methanol poisoning….

….Jimmy is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten….

…..Jimmy is listed on the National Métis Veterans Memorial Monument….

….Thomas Esker in northern Manitoba is named in Jimmy’s honour…..

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…Stanley enlisted in 1939….

…Stanley served with the 108th Battery as part of Atlantic Command….

…Stanley was in Goose Bay as a gunner with an anti-aircraft battery….

…Stanley qualified as a Canadian Armoured Corps Operator….

…Stanley left Canada for overseas service….

…Stanley left the United Kingdom for Northwest Europe….

…Stanley lost his life on the road between Friesoythe and Edewecht….

…An error by the Director of Records left Stanley’s family with false hope….

…Stanley served with the 108^th Battery as part of Atlantic Command….