Month: February 2022

On The War Memorial Trail….. The Loppersum Memorial Honours 7 Royal Winnipeg Rifles Soldiers

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February 23, 2022. One of the wonderful things about this blog is hearing from readers and receiving additional information on stories that have been previously posted.  After a YouTube video in which a photo of Donald Charles MACKENZIE of Springhill, Nova Scotia was included, we received an email from Bruce MacEachern.

The video ‘In Remembrance’ that Bruce referred to was done by Pieter to thank those who contributed photos and stories of WW2 soldiers who are buried overseas in 2021.  You can watch it here:

Bruce wrote us that “…Lt Donald MacKenzie is my uncle on my mother’s side. Uncle Donald’s wife, my Aunt Mary, was my Mom’s sister. I was very glad to see the picture of Uncle Donald in your video. I sent a copy of the picture, and video link, to Johan Schansker, who raised a memorial in his town of Loppersum, The Netherlands, to Uncle Donald and 6 other Canadians who fell, fighting to liberate his village….”

….The Loppersum Memorial….

D C MacKenzie 1 Loppersum memorial

The Loppersum Memorial.  (Photo submitted by Bruce MacEachern)

D C MacKenzie 3 Loppersum memorial with 7 names

The 7 names listed on the Loppersum Memorial.  (Photo submitted by Bruce MacEachern)

The Loppersum memorial, unveiled in May 2020, honours 7 soldiers from the Royal Winnipeg Rifles who were initially buried in the General Cemetery in Loppersum in April 1945.  All 7 were subsequently reburied in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten.

Lt Donald MacKenzie and Rifleman Willie DANIELS, both of whose stories have been told on this blog, are 2 of these 7 men.  Both served with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles and lost their lives on April 22, 1945 near Appingedam, The Netherlands at the very beginning of the Battle of the Delfzijl Pocket. (For more information on the Battle of the Delfzijl Pocket, see https://www.canadiansoldiers.com/history/battlehonours/northwesteurope/delfzijlpocket.htm)

….Newspaper article about the Loppersum Memorial…..

Bruce sent us a newspaper article, in Dutch, about the unveiling of the moment in May 2020.  The article is included below in Dutch, along with an English translation provided by Pieter.

D C MacKenzie 2 Loppersum newspaper article

Article about the Loppersum Memorial.  (Article submitted by Bruce MacEachern)

Translation of Dutch newspaper article by Pieter Valkenburg:

“Canadian Monument Unveiled

On Monday a memorial was unveiled for seven Canadian soldiers who were temporarily buried in the General Cemetery in Loppersum.

On behalf of the historical society, Johan Schansker took the initiative for the monument. 

These 7 Canadians gave their lives for our freedom.  One was killed during the battle to liberate the village, the others were killed in the surrounding area.

With this monument we want to honour their memories, according to Schansker.

The monument is a maple leaf made of weathering steel, on top of which is attached a stainless steel plate with the stylized maple leaf of the Canadian flag,  The names of the seven soldiers from the Royal Winnipeg Rifles have been engraved on this plate. (For a description of weathering steel, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weathering_steel)

The picture shows the unveiling of the monument by Johan Schansker, assisted by his son Tijs.”

The memorial is a wonderful tribute.  Kudos to Johan Schansker for initiating it.

Bruce noted that “….My family and friends very much appreciate the efforts of yourself, Johan and others in remembering our Canadian soldiers. Thank You so much…”

…Missed the postings of two soldiers listed on the Loppersum Memorial?…

…The other 5 names on the Loppersum Memorial…

Here are the names of the other 5 men from the Royal Winnipeg Rifles that are listed on the Loppersum Memorial….

Thank you to Bruce MacEachern for letting us know about the Loppersum Memorial.   Do you have photos or stories 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 the blog, you are welcome to do so.  See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/ or email me at dariadv@yahoo.ca and ask for an invitation to the blog.

Daria’s book ‘No Soldier Buried Overseas Should Ever Be Forgotten‘ is now available.  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.

© Daria Valkenburg

On The War Memorial Trail…. WW2 Flight Student Ralph McCutcheon’s Family Remembers

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February 20, 2022. In an earlier posting, the story of a fatal 1942 plane crash in North Tryon, Prince Edward Island, recalled the eyewitness account by Vernon Inman, a resident of the area.

Flight student Ralph Gordon MCCUTCHEON lost his life in this tragic accident that happened during his training at the No. 9 Service Flying Training School RCAF in Summerside.  This flight training school was part of No. 3 Training Command RCAF, carrying out British Commonwealth Air Training Plan training operations. (To read the original posting, see https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2020/08/20/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-1942-plane-crash-in-north-tryon/)

….Ralph’s family gets in touch…

Recently, Tim McCutcheon shared a photo of his uncle in uniform and wrote “…I was quite interested to read your article about the 1942 plane crash in North Tryon.  The student in question, Ralph McCutcheon, was my uncle, the oldest brother of my father.  You’ve done such a great job of researching the story and writing, especially the account of Vernon Inman….” 

2022_Ralph_0001_b Ralph McCutcheon

Ralph McCutcheon in uniform.  (Photo courtesy of Tim McCutcheon)

Tim’s cousin, Nancy McCutcheon, also wrote us.  “….I too enjoyed the article about the June 1942 plane crash in North Tryon.  Ralph was also my Uncle.  Tim and I are first cousins. Our Fathers and Ralph were brothers. There were 3 young men in the family, Ralph, the eldest, Donald (my Father), and then Bruce.  Bruce was 10 years younger than Ralph, and Donald was 2 years younger. Thank you again for telling this story.  Ralph was an important person to many, but especially to his younger brothers…”

…Excerpt of a letter from Group Captain Fullerton….

Tim also shared a letter sent to Ralph’s father from Group Captain E. G. Fullerton, Commanding Officer at the No. 9 Service Flying Training School. 

In the letter, Captain Fullerton wrote that “…A most competent and promising student, your son was well thought of by all and had been chosen by his associates at Elementary Flying Training School and at this school as their class leader.  In appreciation of this, and recognizing his ability as a leader, he was appointed acting corporal.  What speaks much more of him, however, was the affection with which he was regarded by those who knew him most intimately – his fellow classmates…”

…Dedication to Ralph in ‘The Salmagundi’ yearbook….

Nancy sent us the dedication to Ralph from the Colgate University yearbook, ‘The Salmagundi’.  The dedication reads “…To Mac, this sixty-second edition is dedicated. He died so that we may have victory, let us not fail him in the peace to come…”

Colgate University Salmagundi yearbook 1943 edition Dedicated to Ralph

‘The Salmagundi’ Colgate University Yearbook dedication to Ralph McCutcheon.  (Photo courtesy of Nancy McCutcheon)

 …Passing of the plane crash eyewitness…

Vernon Inman would have been overjoyed to learn that Tim and Nancy had been in contact with additional information.  Sadly, he had passed away a few weeks earlier.  (To read the obituary, see https://www.saltwire.com/prince-edward-island/obituaries/funerals/vernon-george-inman-67225/)

Thank you to Tim and Nancy McCutcheon for sharing information about their uncle.  We also thank the family of the late Vernon Inman, whose recollection about the accident helped Pieter in researching this story.

Do you have photos or stories 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 the blog, you are welcome to do so.  See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/ or email me at dariadv@yahoo.ca and ask for an invitation to the blog. 

Daria’s book ‘No Soldier Buried Overseas Should Ever Be Forgotten‘ is now available.  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. 

© Daria Valkenburg

New Book ‘No Soldier Buried Overseas Should Ever Be Forgotten’

/ On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / 4 Comments

February 19, 2022. As the pandemic and social distancing measures continued into 2021, Pieter and I spent months going through my diary to decide which stories to include for a book about our European war memorial tour in 2017.

…New book is now available…

The result?  ‘No Soldier Buried Overseas Should Ever Be Forgotten….on the war memorial trail in Europe with Pieter and Daria Valkenburg’

OnTheWarMememorialTrailinEurope_Barcode

The title was inspired by a comment Pieter has made since this research project first began.

No soldier buried overseas should be forgotten

Many of the stories in the book were previously posted on this blog and published in the County Line Courier newspaper, but are now in one book, complete with colour photos.  Readers can be armchair travellers as we visit cemeteries and memorials in 4 European countries – France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany – on this very personal war memorial tour to commemorate names on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion in Prince Edward Island, Canada.  This was Pieter’s first research project to be documented on our research blog.

IMG_20220126_171542 Jan 27 2022 A celebratory moment with book proof copy

With our pandemic project completed, we took a brief moment to celebrate receiving the first copy.  (Photo Valkenburg family collection)

…Book trailer and website….

Thanks to the amazing talents of Wendy Nattress, who does the post-production editing for the On The War Memorial Trail YouTube Channel, we have a book website: see https://nosoldierforgotten.com/.  The website has a book description, preview pages, and ordering information.

Wendy also prepared a short book trailer….

A print copy is available internationally on a print on demand basis. See https://www.blurb.ca/bookstore/invited/9477349/b624aaedfdfdd9965cb5053d8f15aa341049af59  If you live outside Canada, simply click on the flag at the top right on the webpage, look for a flag that represents your country, and you will see the price in that country’s currency.

We hope to have an e-book available in the near future.

….CBC Radio Interview…

On February 17, 2022, a radio interview with Angela Walker ran on CBC PEI’s Mainstreet PEI program about the book ‘No Soldier Buried Overseas Should Ever Be Forgotten‘.

“A six week tour of war cemeteries in Europe looking for the graves of Island soldiers is chronicled in a new book called “No Soldier Buried overseas should ever be forgotten”. We speak with the author Daria Valkenburg.”

Here is the link if you wish to listen to it…..

Daria Valkenburg’s new book | Mainstreet PEI with Matt Rainnie | Live Radio | CBC Listen

…The first book signing…..

Pieter and I are heartened by the interest in the book, and thank all who have contacted us.  Recently, a book was signed for fellow author Sandra Wallis, of Sarnia, Ontario.  Sandra’s book ‘Not What I Bargained For’ is a memoir about raising 4 children, 2 of them with medical conditions. (See https://www.amazon.ca/Not-What-Bargained-Incredible-Conditions/dp/1486619347)

CIMG5499 Feb 13 2022 Daria signs the book for Sandra cropped  Daria with Sandra Wallis, who wanted to have her book signed by the author!  (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)CIMG5500 Feb 13 2022 Daria and Sandra with book

…Thank yous!….

Heartfelt thanks go to Wendy Nattress, who prepared the book trailer and set up the website for the book.  Thank you to Angela Walker of CBC Radio for interviewing me about the book.

Thank you to everyone who contacted us about the book, shared photos, and questions.  To answer one question about whether the research is finished, I’m happy to let you know that Pieter’s research continues and there are many more stories coming up on this project blog.

Do you have photos or stories 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 the blog, you are welcome to do so.  See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/ or email me at dariadv@yahoo.ca and ask for an invitation to the blog.

Daria’s book ‘No Soldier Buried Overseas Should Ever Be Forgotten‘ is now available.  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.

© Daria Valkenburg

On The War Memorial Trail….. The WW1 Soldier Who Served In The 1st Canadian Engineers Battalion

/ On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / 3 Comments

February 14, 2022.  Every fall, veterans from the Borden-Carleton Legion volunteer to place flags at the graves of veterans buried in cemeteries in the area covered by this Legion Branch on Prince Edward Island.  (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/11/04/borden-carleton-legion-honours-veterans-by-placing-flags-at-their-graves/)

One of the graves for which a flag is placed annually at the Tryon People’s Cemetery is for WW1 veteran George Stanley HENNESSEY.

CIMG4008 George Hennessey

George Stanley Hennessey.  (Photo courtesy of South Shore United Church in Tryon.)

George was born July 20, 1887 in Cape Traverse, the son of Lawrence and Margaret (nee Muttart) Hennessey.  On November 4, 1910 he moved to Boston, Massachusetts, where he married Eliza May Thomas, a fellow Islander, on April 15, 1912.  At the time of his marriage he was employed as a machinist and Eliza as a housekeeper.

When WW1 broke out, George and Eliza were back in Prince Edward Island and living in North Tryon.  George enlisted with the 105th Battalion in Charlottetown on November 17, 1915.  His attestation paper recorded that he had been in the Militia, a member of the 82nd Regiment.

On July 15, 1916 he sailed from Halifax, Nova Scotia aboard the SS Empress of Britain, arriving in England on July 25, 1916.  On January 26, 1917, he was transferred to the 104th Battalion.

On February 26, 1918 he was transferred to the 124th Pioneer Battalion, which became known as the 124 Pioneer Battalion Canadian Engineers in March 1918. He was sent to continental Europe and on March 3, 1918 was despatched to a Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp (CCRC).

….George joins the 1st Canadian Engineers Battalion…

On April 19, 1918 he was transferred to the Canadian Engineers Reinforcement Pool (CERP).  On May 31, 1918 he was transferred to the 1st Canadian Engineers Battalion.  This corps built bridges, railway depots, camps, bases, and other military installations used during the war.

George joined them while the Battalion was undergoing training in Gauchin-Légal, France, a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France.

On July 12, 1918, the Battalion moved to Arras, France.  The war diary for that day reported that “…No enemy shelling in Arras; our guns active.  Enemy low flying planes came over Arras twice and were heavily shelled by ‘Archies’…” ‘Archies’ refers to anti-aircraft guns.   (Source: Library and Archives Canada. War diary 1st Battalion, Canadian Engineers, 1918/05/01-1919/04/25, Reference: RG9-III-D-3. Volume/box number: 4993)

…What did the Canadian Engineers do?….

Screenshot 2022-02-13 at 18-26-27 ViaMichelin Route planner, Maps, Traffic info, Hotels

A modern day map, showing the location of Gauchin-Légal, France, identified as A, and Seilles, Belgium, identified as B.  (Map source: https://www.viamichelin.com)

Under attack or not, work for the Battalion included “…pontoon bridging and trestle framings, sandbagging, patrolling water supply systems…”

The war diary for August 1, 1918 recorded the Battalion in Dainville, France.  “…Many enemy aeroplanes up and a great deal of bombing during night…”  The Battalion moved on to Gouy-en-Ternois, France, some marching by foot, others travelling by train.

On August 7, 1918, they received orders to “…fill shell holes…” in the area around Gentelles Wood, France.  Work stopped a few days later due to heavy bombing, but was soon resumed.  The Battalion moved towards working on roads “…forward of Cayeux…” which is still in France.

By mid-August 1918 they were tasked with “…salvaging tools from old ‘No Man’s Land’ and old front lines….” and “…burying enemy dead…”

At the beginning of September 1918 the Battalion moved on to Villers-les-Cagnicourt, France, repairing roads and railway tracks.  The end of September found them in Inchy-en-Artois, repairing the access to the Canal du Nord bridge.

In October 1918 they moved to Ecourt St. Quentin, France tasked with constructing bridges over La Sensee River.  The end of the month found them in Écaillon, France, doing roadwork and constructing a bathhouse.

In November 1918 they moved to La Sentinelle, France and worked on “…roads, bridges, and investigation of traps…”  The end of the month found them in Seilles, Belgium.

On December 31, 1918, George was admitted to the 7th Canadian General Hospital in Etaples, France, with an ear infection that caused pain and deafness.  The ear infection was preceded by influenza, and he ended up being invalided back to England on January 25, 1919.  Luckily the condition was cleared up and his hearing restored.

George was discharged from hospital on February 19, 1919, but remained in England, where he was transferred to the Canadian Engineer Reinforcement Depot (CERD) in Seaford, a Canadian military training base in Sussex, England. On February 25, 1919 he was transferred to the Canadian Engineer Railway Battalion (CERB).

On April 3, 1919 he left Liverpool, England aboard the SS Lapland, bound for Canada.  On April 18, 1919 he was officially discharged in Charlottetown.

On July 3, 1919, he was awarded the “…Military Medal for bravery in the field…” by King George V.  (Source: Canada Gazette, 1867-1946 (Dominion of Canada), vol. 53, Supplement, August 30, 1919, Volume: 53, Issue type: Supplement)

…Back to civilian life….

CIMG5355 Oct 4 2021 Pieter with David & Pam Ing at Tim Hortons in Charlottetown

Pam Ing, centre, with husband David on left, and Pieter on the right. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

His granddaughter, Pam Ing, whose father Harry Raymond ‘Ray’ was a WW2 veteran, told us that her grandfather “…moved to Charlottetown after being discharged and worked for the railway.  He died three months before I was born, so I never knew him….”

George worked as a brakeman on CNR (Canadian National Railway) and later was a conductor for a number of years before retirement.  He and Eliza had 4 sons, one of whom, William Thomas, died of illness shortly after enlistment in WW2.

George died at his home in Charlottetown on October 17, 1946 following a long illness, and is buried in the Tryon People’s Cemetery in Tryon, Prince Edward Island.

CIMG5341 Sep 27 2021 Pieter & George by George Hennessey grave Tryon Peoples Cemetery

Pieter with George Palmer by the grave of WW1 veteran George Hennessey at the Tryon People’s Cemetery in Tryon. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Thank you to Pam and David Ing for sharing recollections with us.  If you have photos or information to share, please let Pieter know. Email him 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 the blog, you are welcome to do so.  See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/ or email me at dariadv@yahoo.ca and ask for an invitation to the blog.

Screenshot_2021-02-27 On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter Valkenburg

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.

© Daria Valkenburg

On The War Memorial Trail….. The WW2 Despatch Rider Who Was Shocked To Have Survived

/ On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / 2 Comments

February 1, 2022.  Every fall, veterans from the Borden-Carleton Legion volunteer to place flags at the graves of veterans buried in cemeteries in the area covered by this Legion Branch on Prince Edward Island.  (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/11/04/borden-carleton-legion-honours-veterans-by-placing-flags-at-their-graves/)

One of the graves for which a flag was placed at the Tryon People’s Cemetery was for WW2 veteran Richard Lea HOWATT of Tryon, Prince Edward Island, who had been a despatch rider during the war.

Richard was born March 17, 1923 in Tryon, the son of Everett King Kilburn Howatt and Clara, nee Thomas.  Before enlisting in Truro, Nova Scotia at No 6 District Depot on February 28, 1942, he was a self-employed truck driver for logging camps, and based in Melrose, New Brunswick.

His attestation form indicated he was a skilled motorcycle rider, and his hobbies included swimming, hunting, fishing, and that he played the position of goalie on a soccer team.

Richard Lea Howatt uniform

Richard Lea Howatt.  (Photo courtesy of Catherine Ann Howatt-Dickson)

Based on his skill set, he was recommended as being “…well qualified for despatch rider and motor transport generally.  Has plenty of experience…” The assessment went on to note that Richard was “…very quiet…” and that he “…is still rather young…”

CIMG5352 Pieter and Catherine Ann Howatt Dickson

Pieter with Reverend Catherine Ann Howatt-Dickson, and a picture of her father.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

…A quiet man with a wanderlust and seeker of adventure….

He was only 18 at the time of his enlistment.  His daughter, the Reverend Catherine Ann Howatt-Dickson, said that since he signed up before he was of age, “… his mother wanted to report him to the authorities, but his Dad said to let him be as he’ll do it anyways….”

Catherine Ann explained that although her father “…was a quiet man, he was the wild one of the family and no one knew what to do with him.  He had a wanderlust and was a seeker of adventure, having left home at age 13 to work in lumber camps and was a truck driver….”

After a month of basic training in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Richard was transferred to 26 Forestry Corps and sent to Valcartier, Quebec.  Catherine Ann recalled her father saying that he was “…issued a gray blanket to be wrapped in if he died.  What bugged him was that he had to pay for this out of his first pay….”

By May 17, 1942 he was in Halifax and ready to embark to the United Kingdom, arriving on May 26, 1942, and reassigned to 29 Canadian Forestry Corps.

….An unsolved mystery….

While still in the United Kingdom, Richard applied for permission to marry Miss Margaret Ross of Culleave, Ardgay, Ross-shire in Scotland on April 6, 1943.  He stated that he had known her for 7 months and her next of kin, likely her father, was John Ross. Permission was granted in May 1943 by the military as long as the ‘…wedding did not take place before July 21, 1943…’

For some reason, the wedding never took place, and the family was mystified to learn about this from his service file, which was applied for after his death, and therefore too late to ask about.

…The dangerous life of a despatch rider begins….

On July 16, 1943, Richard was transferred to the CASCRU (Canadian Army Service Corps Reinforcement Unit) and sent for a motorcycle rider’s course, which he successfully completed.

I was interested to learn what was in the course.  If you are too, you can watch this YouTube Canadian Motorcycle Riders Training course (just under 8 minutes):

Richard Lea Howatt despatch rider

Richard Lea Howatt as a despatch rider.  (Photo courtesy of Catherine Ann Howatt-Dickson)

The role of a despatch rider was to deliver messages, no matter how dangerous the conditions.  Although communication by radio or telephone was available in WW2, it wasn’t always practical or available. Shelling by the enemy could cut lines, and signals could be intercepted or not have a long enough range.

For more information on despatch riders see:

Richard was attached to the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps (RCASC), assigned to various regiments as needed. (See https://www.junobeach.org/canada-in-wwii/articles/supplying-canadas-field-army-overseas/the-royal-canadian-army-service-corps/)  On February 28, 1944 he was awarded the Good Conduct Badge.

On July 8, 1944 he was sent to France with the RCASC and assigned to 7 Medical Regiment as a despatch rider and scout.  On October 20, 1944, while on patrol, Richard had an accident that resulted in him being evacuated to England from France on November 2, 1944.  Catherine Ann related that “…as he was on patrol, he couldn’t use his headlights.  A truck hit him and he had a head injury, resulting in a 3 month hospital stay….”

…Empathy and humanity was never lost by Richard….

On March 4, 1945 he was sent to northwest Europe with RCASC, this time assigned to 82 Canadian Artillery Company and 7 Medical Regiment.  Catherine Ann related an anecdote shared by her father: “…3 German soldiers surrendered and Dad was told to take them to a warehouse.  He gave them some green apples and a cigarette while waiting for them to be picked up.  Dad was reprimanded and told he could be court martialled for sitting and smoking with them….”

On June 18, 1945 Richard was transferred to 45 Army Transport Company, then on October 28, 1945 he was sent to 63 Army Transport Company.

In another anecdote, Catherine Ann recalled her father’s anguish about the treatment of horses in the immediate post-war period. “…One of the hardest things at the end of the war in Germany was seeing wounded horses.  Dad wanted to shoot them and put them out of their misery but was told there was not enough ammunition.  Dad was very hurt as he was an animal lover and our kitchen table was always used as a makeshift animal clinic…”

…Love at first sight?….

On November 26, 1945 he returned to the United Kingdom in preparation for returning back to Canada.  At the beginning of 1946 he arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and was discharged on February 27, 1946.

Richard bought a motorcycle and returned to Prince Edward Island.  One day, while in Victoria-By-The-Sea, he pulled up on his bike.  Catherine Ann told us what happened next. “ … Mom was walking with her girlfriend.  Dad didn’t know her, but asked her if she wanted a ride.  She said yes….” It seemed as if it was love at first sight.

On April 17, 1948 he married Marguerite Alexandra MacDonald and they had 5 children, of which Catherine Ann is the youngest. “…Dad did farming, then worked at CN Marine as a deckhand until he retired.  His nickname was ‘Mouse’ because he was so quiet….”

…Shocked and surprised to have survived the war…

As a teenager, Catherine Ann interviewed her father about his war experience.  “…I asked him what shocked and surprised him the most and he answered ‘that I lived’….”  Many veterans would agree with that statement!

Richard died March 17, 2003 in Tryon, and is buried in the Tryon People’s Cemetery, after a life well-lived.

CIMG5353 Sep 30 2021 Grave of Richard Lea Howatt Tryon Peoples Cemetery

Grave of Richard Lea Howatt at the Tryon People’s Cemetery in Prince Edward Island.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Thank you to Reverend Catherine Ann Howatt-Dickson for sharing her father’s story with us.  If you have photos or information to share, please let Pieter know. Email him 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 the blog, you are welcome to do so.  See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/ or email me at dariadv@yahoo.ca and ask for an invitation to the blog.

Screenshot_2021-02-27 On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter Valkenburg

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.

© Daria Valkenburg