Month: December 2020

On The War Memorial Trail….. A Face For WWII Soldier Alderic Basque

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20180222_153507 Feb 22 2018 Daria & Pieter on beach by Whales Tail

A beach in Florida is just a distant memory this winter! More time for research! (Photo taken by Brien Robertston)

December 31, 2020.  One of the pluses of being socially distanced and not going away for a winter holiday is that Pieter can concentrate on his research rather than basking in the Florida sunshine.  Instead of snowbird get-togethers and running on a beach by the Gulf of Mexico, he has been digging into a list of WWII soldiers from New Brunswick and Nova Scotia that researchers at the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands sent him.  The goal?  To find photos of 40 soldiers from New Brunswick and 26 from Nova Scotia who are buried in The Netherlands. 

Recently, with the help of Marc Comeau, President of the Royal Canadian Legion in Tracadie, New Brunswick and Marielle Arsenault, Executive Secretary at the Municipalité Régionale de Tracadie, the family of one soldier was found: Alderic BASQUE.

IMG_20201218_151124 cropped picture of Alderic Basque

Alderic Basque.  (Photo courtesy of Hermenegilde Basque and Dorina Basque-St-Coeur)

Alderic was born in St. Pons, New Brunswick on May 23, 1915, the son of Olivier and Tharzile Basque. A woodsman and farmer before enlistment in Fredericton, New Brunswick on January 15, 1945, he spoke both French and English. 

A few days after enlistment, he was on his way to the United Kingdom.  By March 31, 1945 he was in North West Europe with Le Régiment de Chaudière, which was part of the 8th Canadian Infantry Brigade.  (For more information, see https://www.canadiansoldiers.com/regiments/infantry/chaudiereregiment.htm)

….Alderic was killed during the Attack on Weener….

Screenshot_2020-12-31 Weener Map Germany Google Satellite Maps

Map showing The Netherlands on the left and Germany on the right.  Weener is indicated by the red mark.  (Map source: http://www.maplandia.com/germany/niedersachsen/weser-ems/leer/weener/)

On April 26, 1945, he was killed in action during a battle near the town of Weener, Germany, not far from the Dutch border.  He was temporarily buried near Heide, Germany, before reburial in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands on March 27, 1946.

grave of Alderic Basque

Grave of Alderic Basque at the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten.  (Photo courtesy of Canadian Virtual War Memorial https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial)

….Memories of Alderic were shared by his niece ….

Alderic’s sister, Dorina Basque-St-Coeur, shared a few memories of her brother with her daughter, Exodia Austin. 

Exodia was kind enough to share these with Pieter, giving us a picture of the man behind the uniform. “… My mother often told me that when her brother Alderic came for a visit he had a war medal on him. He was godfather to my oldest brother Denis who was just 1 or 2 years old. Denis liked to play with the medal and decoration when he sat on his knee. My Mother was so afraid that Alderic would be punished because nobody should touch the medal, but Alderic let my brother play with the medal….”  This would likely have been the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp. 

Exodia explained that her mother talked about some of the skills and interests that her brother had.  “…Alderic was a good person. He made himself a pair of wooden skates. Imagine!  He also wanted to learn how to step dance. He practiced often in his room but never learned.  Probably he would have learned if he had survived the army…” 

An all too familiar tale of heartache that many soldiers experienced was also recalled.  “…. My mother also told me that Alderic had a girlfriend. But she saw another solder during that time. So when Alderic found out, he didn’t want to come back. And it was that year that he was killed….” 

Thank you to Exodia Austin, her mother Dorina Basque-St-Couer, and her cousin Hermenegilde Basque, for sharing a photo and memories of Alderic Basque.  And thank you to Marc Comeau and Marielle Arsenault for caring enough about the memory of a soldier to help find his family. 

….Photos sought….

While work continues on the list of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia soldiers, a reminder that photos of two soldiers from Prince Edward Island buried in The Netherlands have yet to be found:

UPDATE:  Photos for these two soldiers have been found since this posting was published!

If anyone has a story or photo to share about any Canadian military personnel buried in The Netherlands, please contact 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/

Front cover OnTheWarMememorialTrailinEurope4 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/ 

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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Christmas Eve Candle Lighting In Makkum

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Xmas eve imageDecember 29, 2020.  Social distancing has altered many of the activities we normally would participate in during the holidays.  In The Netherlands, a Christmas Eve tradition is to light candles by the graves of Allied soldiers and Dutch resistance fighters who are buried in one of the War Cemeteries or in a municipal cemetery.  On Christmas Eve 2020 this event still occurred, while respecting pandemic safety restrictions.

Remko de Jong, a resident of Makkum, coordinates the candle lighting ceremony in his village. He wrote to Pieter on December 24, and explained that “…Tonight I will participate again in the lights on war graves for the umpteenth year, only with the difference that this year I will do it alone with a photographer and our children help out. But no other people this year….”

38 airmen are buried in the Donia Protestant Church Cemetery in Makkum, which is located by Lake Ijsselmeer in the province of Friesland.  Most of the airmen’s bodies were recovered from the foot of the dikes surrounding Makkum, pushed there from the sea by winds blowing in from the southwest. Others were recovered by fishermen from Makkum who brought the corpses to their home port for burial.  (See https://www.zzairwar.nl/dossiers/954.html for more information.)

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Candles were lit at the graves of Allied soldiers.  (Photo courtesy of Remko de Jong)

After the candle lighting, Remko wrote again, remarking that the evening was “…very cold but that’s what it is for December, along with a lot of wind….”  Due to the wind, no candle was placed at the memorial panel, honouring the crew of Halifax L9561, that had been installed in Wons last October.

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Remco de Jong, far right, with his daughter Tessa and son Robin, on Christmas Eve. (Photo courtesy of Remko de Jong)

Candles were placed at the graves of the 38 airmen buried in the cemetery in Makkum by Remko, accompanied by his daughter Tessa and son Robin, plus a photographer. In addition to the Allied graves, “…. candles were placed at the graves of those killed by Canadian mortar fire during the liberation.  Candles were also placed at the graves of 6 Makkum resistance fighters who were betrayed on April 7, 1945 by Dutch collaborators, interrogated by the Germans, and then were brutally assaulted and eventually murdered…”

As well as the cemetery in Makkum he explained that “…we placed a candle in Idsegahuizum which is 4 km away from us, at the grave of Sgt W. Anema. I came across Sgt W. Anema by accident on the internet. Sgt W. Anema died on 12 May 1940 in the Wonsstelling near the town of Cornwerd. He was born in the town of Idsegahuizum and buried in his birthplace of Idsegahuizum (in Frisian Skusum).  Since it was only a few km from us I included that cemetery in my candle program …”  

The Wonstelling was an 8 km long arched defence line in Friesland, set up to protect the entrance to the Afsluitdijk against attacks by the Germans in 1940.  Made up of soil and wood only, due to the limited time available for preparing a stronger fortification, it was insufficient protection against artillery fire and air raids.  On May 12, 1940, the Germans attacked, and during the battle Sgt Anema lost his life.  (For more information, available in Dutch, see: https://nl.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonsstelling)

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Grave of Sgt Wijbe Anema in Idsegahuizum, a small village in The Netherlands.  (Photo courtesy of Remko de Jong)

Remko explained that after the candles were placed in Makkum, a period of silence was held, and then “…afterwards, ‘White Christmas’, the Christmas song of the war, was played, and sounded softly across the cemetery. I close every year with this song....”  If you aren’t familiar with this song, you can listen to Bing Crosby singing it here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOkyBqGw2Wg

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Allied graves are lit by candles on Christmas Eve.  (Photo courtesy of Remko de Jong)

Over 7,600 Canadian soldiers are buried in The Netherlands!

Remko ended his account by noting that candle lighting occurred in cemeteries in The Netherlands, Belgium, France and Germany. “…375 cemeteries with 14,412 graves registered. Less than last year due to the coronavirus, but certainly still a great number…”

Kudos to the Dutch, who never forget the sacrifices made by Allied soldiers! There are over 7,600 Canadian soldiers buried in The Netherlands!  Thank you to Remko de Jong for sharing his photos and an account of the candle lighting done by himself and his family.

If anyone has a story or photo to share about any Canadian military personnel buried in The Netherlands, please contact 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/

Front cover OnTheWarMememorialTrailinEurope4 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/

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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Happy Holidays From The Valkenburgs – And Our Year In Review!

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multicolor-holiday-christmas-decorations-with-blue-silver-ribbon-snowflakes-header-background-hd-1920x720

December 20, 2020.  We’re nearing the end of a challenging and socially distanced 2020, and looking with hope and anticipation to a 2021 with a vaccine to protect us against coronavirus, and a chance to visit and travel again. 

Since returning home from our winter vacation in March, we have been quietly working at home, and this seems a good time to reflect on what has been done with this research project.

…Documentary About Halifax L9561….

We began the year with a short documentary summarizing the amazing day on October 12, 2019 when a memorial panel to honour WW2 pilot Elmer Bagnall MUTTART and the crew of Halifax L9561 was installed in Wons, The Netherlands. 

In February, we were invited to screen the video and give a short presentation to snowbirds in Florida.  This was the last event before pandemic safety measures resulted in the cancellation of all other engagements.

…. WW2 Soldiers Listed On The Cenotaph Outside Borden-Carleton Legion …….

This year we told the stories of 8 WW2 servicemen listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion:

  • Albert Eugene ARSENAULT
  • Joseph ‘Francis’ ARSENAULT
  • George Alfred DUNN
  • John Daniel “Jack” FERGUSON
  • Ernest Ramey GALLANT
  • James Emmet HUGHES
  • Singleton Charles JEFFERY
  • Harold “Lloyd” LEFURGEY

 ….End of WW1 Observations….

We shared some of the observations that WW1 soldier Harold Keith HOWATT made towards the end of the war.  The history books are filled with official accounts from officers and politicians. Howatt’s observations came from the viewpoint of an ordinary soldier caught up in extraordinary circumstances. 

…. Interviews To Highlight Search For Photos….

Pieter did radio interviews and was interviewed by newspaper reporters in his quest for photos for:

  • WW1 soldier Bazil CORMIER, who is buried in France
  • WW1 soldier Joseph Arthur DESROCHES, who is buried in France
  • WW2 soldier Philip Hubert LONG, who is buried in The Netherlands
  • WW2 soldier Barney Reuben MCGUIGAN, who is buried in The Netherlands

A photo for Philip Hubert LONG was found, but not for the other three.

…. Letters To The Editor For Photo Search….

Several letters to the editor in various newspapers were written in the quest for photos for:

  • WW1 soldier James CAIRNS, who is buried in France
  • WW2 soldier John Clifford ROGERS, who is buried in The Netherlands
  • WW2 soldier Norman James NIXON, who is buried in The Netherlands

Family and photos for Norman James NIXON were found, but not for the other two.

… Successful Search For Photos …..

Many WW2 soldiers from the Atlantic provinces are buried in cemeteries in The Netherlands, and as requests by Dutch researchers for photos are uncovered, a few of those stories were told.  Photos were found for:

  • James Walter AULD
  • Robert W. ATKINSON
  • Arthur DOIRON
  • Gunnar DALMAN
  • Joseph Edmund HENNEBERY
  • Philip Hubert LONG
  • James B. MACINNIS
  • David MAGUIRE
  • Olen Byron MARSHALL
  • Norman James NIXON
  • Donald O. ROBERTSON
  • B. R. RODGERS
  • Ford H. SPIDLE
  • Robert B. THOMAS

…. Stories About Servicemen NOT on the Cenotaph

We also featured stories about servicemen in the South Shore area who weren’t listed on the Cenotaph:

  • WW1 soldier William Earle DAVISON, who was killed in France
  • WW2 soldier Joseph Robert GAUTHIER, who was in the Devil’s Brigade
  • WW1 soldier Herbert ‘Herb’ S. MACEWEN, who was in the 2nd Siege Battery
  • WW2 serviceman Robert ‘Scott’ MACQUARRIE, who was a mechanic with the RCAF
  • WW2 serviceman Ralph Gordon MCCUTCHEON, who died in an accident during pilot training
  • WW2 soldier Frank Edward MCGOVERN, who was in the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment
  • WW2 soldier Earl Francis Phinney SMITH, who was in the 1st Canadian Armoured Carrier Regiment

… The Search For Photos Also Moves To YouTube….

2020 began with a documentary that was posted on YouTube, and ends with a dedicated YouTube Channel: On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter Valkenburg: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ591TyjSheOR-Cb_Gs_5Kw

The new YouTube videos focus on the search for photos of WW1 and WW2 soldiers.  Each video is very short and briefly tells the story of an individual soldier, with a request for a photo.  So far, no one has come forward with a photo.  The more these videos are shared, the more chance of reaching someone with a photo.  You can help us by sharing the links as widely as you can.

Thank you for your support and encouragement of this research project!

As 2020 comes to an end, we would like to thank everyone who helped with researching these stories.  To give one example, Leonard Boudreau of the Cape Breton Highlanders Regimental Association helped to find many of the photos. We also thank readers of this blog and the On The War Memorial Trail column in The County Line Courier who suggested some of stories you’ve read.  A big thank you goes to Mike and Isabel Smith, owners of The County Line Courier.  Last, but not least, the YouTube videos and channel would not be possible without the invaluable support of post-production editor Wendy Nattress.

Christmas2020 Photo Daria & Pieter

If you have photos or information to share, please 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/

Front cover OnTheWarMememorialTrailinEurope4 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/

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 Search For A Photo Of James Cairns Moves To YouTube

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CIMG8559 Sep 6 2017 Pieter by grave of James Cairns at Manitoba Cemetery

Pieter by the grave of James Cairns at Manitoba Cemetery in Caix, France.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

December 17, 2020.  When you look at a gravestone in a cemetery, particularly one filled with graves from soldiers who were killed, you can easily see them as a collection of graves, not individuals who had hopes and dreams of their own.

In 2017, when we visited cemeteries in France, Belgium, The Netherlands, and Germany to honour soldiers from WWI and WWII who are listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion, Pieter tried to have a photo of each person whose grave or memorial we were visiting.

It wasn’t always possible, and one of those without a photo was WWI soldier James CAIRNS, who was born on February 22, 1897 in Kinkora, the son of Thomas Cairns and Mary Jane MacDonald.

Before WWI began, several members of the family moved to Manitoba from the Island, and so it was no surprise to learn that Cairns enlisted with the 190th Battalion Manitoba Regiment on July 8, 1916. This Regiment became part of the Winnipeg Rifles.  (See https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/190th_Battalion_(Winnipeg_Rifles),_CEF#:~:text=The%20190th%20(Winnipeg%20Rifles)%20Battalion,that%20city%20and%20surrounding%20district)

James was killed in action during the Battle of Amiens on August 9, 1918 and is buried in the Manitoba Cemetery in Caix, France.

Appeals for a photo on the blog and in newspaper articles went nowhere, and neither did a letter to the editor in a Manitoba newspaper in the area where members of the Cairns family had lived.

Four years of an unsuccessful search later, Pieter has taken his appeal for a photo to YouTube, in the hope that a viewer might come forward:

Pieters saying

You can read more about James Cairns, our visit to the Manitoba Cemetery, and the appeal for a photo, here:

Thank you to post-production editor Wendy Nattress, who made this YouTube video a reality. If you have photos or information to share about James Cairns, please email Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com, or  comment on the blog.    

© 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/

Front cover OnTheWarMememorialTrailinEurope4 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/

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter Valkenburg: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ591TyjSheOR-Cb_Gs_5Kw. 

Never miss a posting!  Subscribe below to have each new story from the war memorial trail delivered to your inbox.

The Search For A Photo Of Frank Edward McGovern Moves To YouTube

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December 9, 2020.  In telling the stories of individual soldiers, sometimes it turns out that the connections between them leads to a bigger story.  In 2017, when we were in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands, we laid flags down at the graves of soldiers who had been identified by Dutch researchers as coming from Prince Edward Island.

We also laid flags down at the grave of Lance Corporal Frank Edward MCGOVERN, of Chipman, New Brunswick, at the request of our friend and neighbour Brenda Graves.  McGovern was her uncle.

CIMG3334 Oct 5 2019 Groesbeek Frank McGovern

Grave of Frank Edward McGovern in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

McGovern was born April 26, 1925, the son of Hugh and Wilma McGovern.  Brenda’s mother Pearl was Frank’s sister.  He enlisted with the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment, and was killed during the Battle of Keppeln on February 26, 1945.  Keppeln is in Germany, just over the Dutch border, and after WW2 ended, he was reburied in The Netherlands.

In 2019, we again visited his grave when we were in The Netherlands.  In the spring of 2020, Pieter researched the story of Barney MCGUIGAN, and that’s when a connection was made.  He too was in the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment, and also died in the Battle of Keppeln on February 26, 1945.  (See On The War Memorial Trail…..The Search For Barney Reuben McGuigan)

In researching McGuigan’s story, Pieter learned that 28 soldiers from the North Shore Regiment were killed in action that day, in the same battle.

In the book ‘Fields Of Valour’ by Ken Smith, he explains that “… Keppeln was a small town in Germany’s western frontier and a part of the supposedly impenetrable Siegfried Line.  As an ongoing part of Operation Veritable, the North Shore Regiment was ordered to attack Keppeln on February 26, 1945.  No apparent fortifications or troop concentrations were noted, so it was assumed, wrongly, as it turned out, that the village, being so lightly held, would fall quickly....”

It was a trap, and the North Shore Regiment was caught in it, as the Germans waited patiently.  Smith describes what happened.  “.…Camouflaged expertly were the machine gun pits and the fearsome 88mm guns, some mounted on well hidden tanks….”  50 yards from their line, the Germans “…opened up on the North Shores…. The North Shores were cut to pieces, many getting killed outright, and scores of others suffering terrible wounds...”

Among those killed was Frank Edward McGovern.  Brenda has been looking for a photo of her uncle, with no success. Lou Daley, whose uncle Aloysius DALEY lost his life in the same battle, sent a newspaper clipping in which McGovern’s death was announced.  Unfortunately, Brenda has not been able to find the paper in which the notice was published, or who sent it in.

She contacted the Chipman Legion, again with no success.  She recently received an email from a Legion member, saying that “…I can’t get the info you requested because we had a pipe break in the Branch and all of our Archives and other info have been destroyed and irrecoverable.  We have no WW2 Veterans left….”

Brenda Graves

Brenda Graves during the filming of the On The War Memorial Trail video.

With one door closing after another, Pieter decided to feature Brenda’s quest for a photo on our new ‘On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter Valkenburg’ YouTube channel.  With so many roadblocks in finding family and photos, the YouTube channel is one way to reach an audience that might not read this blog or our newspaper articles, or hear Pieter on the radio.  You can watch the video here:

28 men from the North Shore Regiment were killed during the Battle of Keppeln…..

Per ‘Fields Of Valour’ by Ken Smith, the following are the 28 men from the North Shore Regiment killed on February 26, 1945 during the Battle of Keppeln:

  • Richard Paul BEAZLEY
  • Gerald Albert BECK
  • Thomas Clinton BEERS
  • Aloysius John DALEY
  • Eldon Alexander DUCHER
  • Thomas Mitchell GEMMELL
  • George Luckett GRAHAM
  • William Edward HARBOUR
  • Albert Percival HEBERT
  • Emidia Austin HICKEY
  • Frederick Clarence HULL
  • Donald Charles JAGOE
  • John Albert LAFAVE
  • Hubert Ivan LUTES
  • Donald Rae MACPHERSON
  • Frank Edward MCGOVERN
  • Barney Ruben MCGUIGAN
  • Elbridge Wellington MILLER
  • Reginald Vincent MOOERS
  • Ervin Alfred MUNROE
  • Gerald Bruce MURRAY
  • Willard Bruce PARKER
  • Millard Arthur PATTERSON
  • John Giddeon PAYNTER
  • Patrick John POWER
  • Waldo Leroy RICHARDSON
  • Carol Kenneth TITFORD
  • Raoul VADEBONCOEUR

Thank you to Brenda Graves for sharing information about her uncle, and to post-production editor Wendy Nattress, who made the YouTube video a reality. If you have photos or information to share about Frank Edward McGovern or any of the other men killed in the Battle of Keppeln, please 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/

Front cover OnTheWarMememorialTrailinEurope4 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/

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter Valkenburg: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ591TyjSheOR-Cb_Gs_5Kw. 

Never miss a posting!  Subscribe below to have each new story from the war memorial trail delivered to your inbox.

The WW2 Christmas Menu

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December 6, 2020.  As we prepare for a holiday season based on social distancing due to Covid-19, rather than gatherings with family and friends, it’s important to remember than in the overall scheme of things, our ‘sacrifices’ for one holiday period, in order to keep everyone safe, are small.  During times of war, many families were separated from loved ones.  Unlike us, they didn’t know if they would ever see each other again.

CIMG4915 Nov 15 2020 Brenda Boudreau with Dads uniform

Brenda Boudreau with her father’s RCAF dress uniform jacket.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Brenda Boudreau of Victoria-By-The-Sea, Prince Edward Island, reflected that, during WW2, her grandmother “…had three sons overseas, not knowing if they were in danger or not...”  One of these sons was Brenda’s father, Robert ‘Scott’ MACQUARRIE.

In 1940, Scott and his brother Clifford (known as ‘Huck’) enlisted with the RCAF (Royal Canadian Air Force) in New Brunswick.  Brenda explained that “…having had mechanical experience, they were ideal recruits for the RCAF aircraft mechanic training, which they completed at the base in St Thomas, Ontario. Later, their brother Bill joined the US Navy, as he was living in Massachusetts at the time…”

Scott MacQuarrie cropped

Robert ‘Scott’ MacQuarrie in his RCAF uniform.  (Photo courtesy of Brenda Boudreau)

Scott was sent to England and was assigned to the No. 408 “Goose” RCAF Squadron, based in Leeming, Yorkshire, under the operational command of the British Royal Air Force, and part of Bomber Command’s main force. (See http://www.historyofwar.org/air/units/RCAF/408_wwII.html and https://www.rcafassociation.ca/heritage/history/rcaf-and-the-crucible-of-war/408-squadron/ for more information.)

Like all of us during periods of stress, thoughts turn to comfort food, and the RCAF made sure everyone had a special holiday dinner. Scott shared a holiday menu from Christmas 1942, signed by the attendees, with his family back on PEI. 

1942 Xmas menu - cropped

The 1942 Christmas menu for RCAF’s 408 Squadron in Leeming, Yorkshire, with signatures from some of those present. (Menu courtesy of Brenda Boudreau)

1942 Xmas menu signed back - Cropped

The back of the 1942 Christmas menu for RCAF’s 408 Squadron in Leeming, Yorkshire, with signatures from some of those present.  (Menu courtesy of Brenda Boudreau)

The signed menu was poignant as not all those present in December 1942 survived the war.  Brenda related that her father “…. did not see action first hand on the battle fields.  His job as aircraft mechanic was to ensure the bombers were airworthy before starting out on the missions….” However, as she pointed out, “…They always knew when they signaled the crews out onto the runway for a mission, the possibility of never seeing them again was real...”

Scott survived the war and, after being discharged on October 25, 1945, returned home.  His wartime skills were put to good use.   “…. Scott, along with his brother Huck and a third Victoria veteran, RCAF aero engineer John Knox, were all hired as aircraft mechanics with a local airline, Maritime Central Airways, in Charlottetown. Sadly, both Huck and John were killed in airline accidents in the 1950’s. Scott continued to work as aero engineer and crew chief until his retirement in 1973…”

As we make our 2020 holiday plans, let’s give thanks that we are not in a wartime situation.  Unlike in 1942, through technology we can share our experiences virtually until the day comes that we can all get together again.

Thank you to Brenda Boudreau for sharing the story of her father and the Christmas menu.  Do you have photos or information to share about 408 Squadron, any of the people identified on the 1942 Christmas menu (see below), or Maritime Central Airways?  If so, please email Pieter at dariadv@yahoo.ca or comment on the blog. 

The following names were decipherable enough to be transcribed from the 1942 Christmas menu:

  • B. S. AKENS of Stratford, Ontario
  • H.E.D. ASHFORD
  • J. E. BECKETT
  • W. R. BENHAM of Brighton, England
  • Cyril R. BURUSACK of Scott, Saskatchewan
  • Mo CULLIERT
  • R.N. DAVIDSON of Georgetown, Ontario
  • Stu ELLIOTT of Ancaster, Ontario
  • Jim ESTEY of New Brunswick
  • Molly FISHER of Manchester, England
  • G. GILBERT of Wilcox, Saskatchewan
  • G. GILBY of North Alberton, England
  • P. GRANT
  • Walt HARVEY of Ingersoll, Ontario
  • S.A.C. HAWLEY of Sutton, Quebec
  • Bill HOLDEN
  • Russ HUBBARD of Toronto, Ontario
  • L.A.C. JONES of Codette, Saskatchewan
  • Jim LAW of Winnipeg, Manitoba
  • Cliff MAGUIRE of Winnipeg, Manitoba
  • R.M. MCBRIDE of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
  • S. MCCRACKEN of Toronto, Ontario
  • B. MCDANIEL of Regina, Saskatchewan
  • F.A. MCLEISH of Orillia, Ontario
  • J.B. MILLAR of Winnipeg, Manitoba
  • N. A. MITCHELL of London, Ontario
  • O. PADBURY of North Alberton, England
  • J. E. PEPPER of Toronto, Ontario
  • G. POOLE of Vancouver, British Columbia
  • Joyce READ of Huddersfield, England
  • W.G. RINE of Ingersoll, Ontario
  • D. ROWE of Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
  • S.A.C. RUTHERFORD of Midland, Ontario
  • W. SWETMAN

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On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter Valkenburg: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ591TyjSheOR-Cb_Gs_5Kw

© Daria Valkenburg