Month: August 2026

On The War Memorial Trail…. The WWII Soldier From L’Ardoise Who Lost His Life During The Battle of Walcheren Causeway

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August 23, 2026.  When Pieter begins the search for a photo of a soldier, he never knows what to expect.  His day is made when a photo is found, and if there is anything more, such as letters or postcards, it’s a welcome addition. Such was the case when Dr. Ian Grant sent him an article written several years ago by his mother, Dorothy Grant, about her Uncle Joe, WWII soldier Joseph ‘Joe’ Julius Augustus LAWRENCE, who is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Bergen op Zoom, The Netherlands.

L’Ardoise, pronounced locally as ‘Lord-Ways’, is located along Highway 247 on Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia.  (Map source: Google Maps)

Born December 21, 1918 (the attestation form when he enlisted incorrectly recorded his birth date as December 22, 1919) in L’Ardoise, located on the southeastern shore of Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Joe was the son of Augustus and Mary ‘Jane’ (nee Johnston) Lawrence.  One of 5 children who lived to adulthood, he had two younger brothers, John ‘Albert’ (who also served in WWII) and Francis, and two older sisters, Florence and Mary Elizabeth.  The family moved to Halifax, Nova Scotia shortly after Joe was born and was living there when Joe’s father died on January 24, 1925.

Dorothy Grant was the daughter of Joe’s sister Florence. In a November 2011 article in Bedford Magazine, she wrote that she remembered her uncle “…even though I had been only a little girl when I last was with him….” in 1939.  “…At that time, he was a strong young man who would toss me high in the air over his head, while to my great delight, I would loudly proclaim, ‘Put me down, Uncle Joe! Put me down!’…”

….Joe enlisted with the 1st Anti-Aircraft Battery….

Joe left school after completing Grade 8, and worked as a bell hop and night clerk at The Halifax Hotel on Hollis St in Halifax from 1935 to 1937 (the hotel closed in 1943).  In 1937, he became an apprentice furrier at George Hay Tailoring Company in Halifax, and continued working there until he enlisted in the active army in 1939.

He had joined the 1st Anti-Aircraft Battery, Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA), a Non-Permanent Active Militia, in Halifax on April 13, 1938. After Canada entered WWII on September 10, 1939, the Battery became part of Canada’s eastern coastal and air defense preparations, and had transitioned into an active army unit.

Joseph ‘Joe’ Julius Augustus Lawrence. (Photo courtesy of Dr Ian Grant)

On September 30, 1939, Joe quit his job as an apprentice furrier and enlisted with the 1st Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery’s Active Service Force.  The Personnel Selection Record noted his interest in sports: swimming, skating, hunting and fishing, basketball, and softball.  He also had an interest in model planes and could play the harmonica.

Training as a bombardier began.  As well, based on his extensive sports experience, Joe became one of the physical training instructors within the unit.

….Joe almost was posted to Iceland….

On June 28, 1940, Joe was assigned to the 1st Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery’s ‘Z’ Force, a special deployment to provide artillery support for Canada’s secret garrison mission to Iceland in June 1940. Why Iceland? The British had invaded Iceland in an attempt to prevent Nazi occupation, and Canada was to supply troops to relieve British garrisons. This specialized deployment became known as ‘Z’ Force.

As an infantry force required artillery cover to protect ports and airspace from Luftwaffe attack, anti-aircraft and coast defence gunners were in Halifax transit camps, packed and prepared for immediate overseas embarkation. However, the Battery never left Halifax because its deployment was abruptly cancelled just as the ship was about to be boarded, leading to the artillery force being disbanded and absorbed into home defence units.

On August 1, 1940, the unit amalgamated to form the 4th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery of the Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA).

….Joe left Canada for overseas service….

Map shows location of Gourock, Scotland in the Firth of Clyde.  (Map source: scotslanguage.com)

On December 16, 1940, Joe boarded a ship in Halifax, and with other members of 4th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery, now part of the 2nd Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA), in support of the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division, left Canada for the United Kingdom, disembarking in Gourock, Scotland on December 26, 1940.

Joe continued training, and on April 12, 1941 was sent to Royal Naval Air Station Ford, 4.8 km (3 miles) west of Littlehampton, for a Predictor course, to learn how to operate an anti-aircraft predictor – an early mechanical analog computer that measured the speed, altitude, and trajectory of enemy aircraft. It then calculated the ‘future position’ of the target so that the gunners could aim ahead of the plane, accounting for shell travel time and wind speeds.

Joe was sent for a number of training courses, and was promoted to Acting Sergeant on February 11, 1943, just ahead of a transfer to the 11th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA), on February 24, 1943.

On May 14, 1943, Joe received a promotion to Sergeant.  Then, from June 22 until August 21, 1943, he was sent to a 42 day Canadian Military Headquarters (CMHQ) Conversion Course at the Canadian Army Battle Drill School in Stansted Park in Rowland’s Castle, Hampshire, England. The physically and exhausting course trained officers and NCOs to standardize infantry and joint-force tactics before deployment, and to be able to train their own units in simulated combat conditions.

From January 9 to 16, 1944, Joe was sent to Ripon, Yorkshire for a Clearing of Mines and Booby Traps course, run by the British Army Royal Engineers to prepare troops for the upcoming invasion of Europe, which began with D-Day on June 6, 1944.

….Joe was impatient for front line action….

On March 21, 1944, Joe was transferred to the 2nd Canadian Artillery Reinforcement Unit (CARU), a specialized depot unit that provided final preparation before sending soldiers on to active Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA) units in the war zones.

Joe was impatient to see action, but instead of being dispatched to the front as he expected, he remained in the United Kingdom.  In an interview on June 13, 1944, it was noted that he was “…very anxious to get to a field unit. He is getting rather fed-up being chased around in RCA and has even thought about transferring to Infantry….”  The interviewer went on to recommend that as his “…intelligence is high…” he should be “…given training in anti-tank and despatched to field as soon as possible…”

As an outcome following his interview, Joe was sent to a Non-Commissioned Officers (NCO) Light Anti-Aircraft Course, from July 9 to August 5, 1944.  The course focused on tactical leadership, unit gunnery, site deployment, how to camouflage a gun position, and training to command a 6-to-8-man gun crew under intense combat pressure.

On August 12, 1944, a week after completing his course, Joe was temporarily transferred to the Canadian Fusiliers, and a few days later given 9 days of leave.  On September 28, 1944, he was assigned to the X-4 Reinforcement List of the Canadian Infantry Corps (CIC), part of the 13th Battalion. The following day he left for France, arriving a day later and sent to the 2nd Canadian Base Reinforcement Group (CBRG), positioned behind the advancing front lines in France and Belgium.  Joe was about to be part of advance into Belgium toward the Scheldt Estuary and the Battle of the Scheldt.

… Joe was transferred to the Black Watch of Canada…

On what became known as ‘Black Friday’, the Black Watch of Canada had suffered 183 casualties – killed, wounded, missing, taken as prisoners of war – during Operation Angus on October 13, 1944.  In the Battle of the Scheldt’s ongoing goal of securing the port of Antwerp for Allied shipping supplies, Operation Angus was to clear German forces near Woensdrecht and cut off the South Beveland isthmus in The Netherlands.

Needing to replace their casualties, the Black Watch’s War Diary entry for October 14, 1944 recorded that “…today we received 151 reinforcements, bringing the total, since the 11th, to 3 officers and 279 other ranks…” Joe was one of those reinforcements, joining the Regiment in Ossendrecht, The Netherlands. Over the next week, intensive training sessions were held as most of the reinforcements were inexperienced, and the Regiment was about to be involved in another battle as part of the 5th Canadian Brigade, along with the Calgary Highlanders and Le Régiment de Maisonneuve.

In The History Of The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) Of Canada Volume II: 1939-1945, author Roman Johann Jarymowycz wrote that on the evening of October 29, 1944, the Regiment was “…ordered to attack the last bastion of the Scheldt defences – Walcheren Island….”

The war diary entry for October 30, 1944  noted that the Regiment proceeded “…via the main road towards the Walcheren Causeway, to a concentration area in the centre of the Calgary Highlanders position…..” They left at 2:00 pm and arrived at their designated area by 3:30 pm.

… The Regiment was involved in the Battle of Walcheren Causeway…

Map showing troops at the beginning of the Battle of Walcheren Causeway.  (Map source: Wikipedia)

On Tuesday, October 31, 1944, the war diary entry stated that a morning briefing determined that “…this Brigade shall form a bridgehead across the causeway, on Walcheren Island, 1000 to 1500 yards deep.  A recce made this morning shows that the causeway is intact to beyond the centre…”

In what became known as the Battle of Walcheren Causeway, part of the larger Battle of the Scheldt, the struggle to cross the Causeway was hampered.  A deep crater on the causeway had been blown by German engineers as an anti-tank obstacle and the surrounding landscape was severely damaged by bombing.

Jarymowycz gave a clearer picture.  “…Reconnaissance showed the Germans had cratered the centre of the approach and the surrounding area was a slough with marshland impassable to infantry, let alone armour. The ditches and gaps were filled with water that reached the chests of most men: anyone shorter or weighed down by grenades and other gear would be swamped….”

Nevertheless, noted the war diary, the men began their advance, “…with ‘C’ Company leading, followed by ‘A’, ‘B’, and ‘D’…”  However, “…as soon as the leading Company approached the causeway, the enemy went into action and started dropping shells and mortar on our end of it….”

It got worse. “…The enemy had his guns sited to give cross fire on the causeway, with one tank dug in, and an anti-tank gun firing down the centre of the road. Enemy snipers had positioned themselves in the marsh bordering the causeway and were very accurate….”

(For more information, see https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Walcheren_Causeway and https://www.canadiansoldiers.com/history/battlehonours/northwesteurope/walcherencauseway.htm)

… Joe lost his life in the Battle of Walcheren Causeway…

Joe was among those killed on October 31, 1944, one of 86 casualties – “…10 dead, 67 wounded, 9 missing…” – per the war diary for the Black Watch of Canada between October 14 and November 1, 1944, with most casualties occurring directly during the Battle of Walcheren Causeway. He was 25 years old.

Dorothy wrote that months after Joe’s death, her grandmother received a letter from “…Pte Fred Joliff….” giving an account of Joe’s death.  “…I was with him in the attack and a shell fell at his feet. For some reason, I was not killed. I know your mind will be at rest if you know your son felt no pain and that I can only say I was five feet from him and did what was at all possible under shell fire, but he had passed away in a matter of seconds.

I am only one of few left that was under your son’s orders and we have yet to find a man to replace him. I will never forget how at night he would sing a song to us and tell us that we would all be home soon.  He was always thinking of us fellows and never of himself.

I know how sad you are but, please remember, your son was one of the bravest men to fight for the Black Watch and he died that we may live in peace…”

After the Black Watch of Canada suffered so many losses during the crossing on October 31, 1944, when Joe was killed, the Calgary Highlanders sent two companies over in succession, one close to midnight on the 31st and the other just before dawn on November 1. Leonard William PORTER of Moncton, New Brunswick, was one of 64 Calgary Highlanders killed or wounded.  You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2023/11/20/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-wwii-soldier-from-moncton-who-lost-his-life-during-the-battle-of-walcheren-causeway/

The Germans surrendered the area on November 5, 1944.  Today, the Causeway that caused so many casualties no longer exists. Land on both sides of the dyke has been reclaimed and the Sloe Channel is now farmland. However, remnants of German concrete fortifications still exist both on Walcheren Island and South Beveland.

NOTE: For an idea of the scope of the Battle of The Scheldt, read about the visit we made during our 2025 European War Memorial Tour to the Freedom Museum Zeeland (Bevrijdingsmuseum Zeeland in Dutch) in Nieuwdorp, a privately run museum that focuses on the Battle of the Scheldt.  See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2026/01/31/on-the-war-memorial-trail-our-2025-visit-to-freedom-museum-zeeland/

….Joe is buried in Bergen Op Zoom…

Leonard was initially buried in Lewedorp.  (Map source: Google maps)

Joe was initially buried on November 5, 1944 on Walcheren Island, behind the Roman Catholic Church in Lewedorp, before being reburied in the Canadian War Cemetery in Bergen Op Zoom on July 11, 1945.

The Roman Catholic Church in Lewedorp.  (Photo source: Wikipedia)

Grave of Joseph Julius Augustus Lawrence.  (Photo courtesy of Bergen Op Zoom Cemetery)

Dorothy Grant, niece of Joseph Lawrence. (Photo courtesy of Dr. Ian Grant)

Thank you to Dr. Ian Grant for providing a photo and the article written by his mother, Dorothy Grant.  Pieter’s research efforts to find photos and families of soldiers continue. Do you have a story to tell? 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/

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 Soldier From Birch River Who Served In Italy And North West Europe But Lost His Life 5 Months After WWII Ended

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August 17, 2026. One can imagine the relief that soldiers and their families felt when WWII in Europe was officially over, after the Allies formally accepted Germany’s unconditional surrender on May 8, 1945.  While some soldiers slowly began returning home, others remained in Europe, tasked with various duties in liberated countries and as a post-occupation force in Germany.

Unfortunately, not everyone who had survived WWII returned home. Accidents and illness led to the death of several soldiers.  One such soldier was Edward Alexander MUNRO, who died in a road accident in Germany in October 1945, at the age of 27, while serving with the 2nd Line 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade Company of the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps (Canadian Army Occupation Force).

Birch River is in northern Manitoba, near the border with the province of Saskatchewan. (Map source: Google Maps)

Born September 17, 1917 in Birch River, Manitoba, Edward was the son of Thomas ‘Tom’ Henry and Margaret ‘Maggie’ (nee Moore) Munro.  He had three brothers: John Peter, Angus James, and Charles ‘Charley’ George, and two sisters: Kathleen (married name Delyea) and Sarah Louise.

Blanche Cowley-Head, a First Nations genealogist, wrote to let us know that Edward’s mother Maggie, and her sister Harriet, “…were sisters that married Munro brothers.  The two sisters were the daughters of Peter Moore of the Shoal River Band (now known as Sapotaweyak Cree Nation). They lost their Treaty and Indian status upon their marriage to non-status Indians….” (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sapotaweyak_Cree_Nation)

The search for a photo of Edward was successful when Glenda Foster, Office Administer at the Swan Valley Legion Branch #39 in Manitoba was able to find one. Glenda explained that she “…was born and raised in Birch River, I do know of the family and was well acquainted with Charley….”

….Edward enlisted in 1942…

When he enlisted at Military District No. 10 ‘B’ Company of the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps (RCASC) in Winnipeg, Manitoba on August 27, 1942, Edward was working at his father’s mixed farming operation in Birch River, and said that he’d left school at the age of 17.   His Personnel Selection Record stated that he was “…pleasant mannered and cooperative…” and “…walks with a slouch, talks freely and is quite friendly…” and noted that all three of his brothers were in the army – two with the Royal Canadian Artillery and one with the Queens Own Cameron Highlanders.  He enjoyed playing softball and was interested in becoming a barber after the war.

On September 19, 1942, Edward was transferred to No. 100 Canadian Army (Basic) Training Centre (CABTC) in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba. Shortly before completing his basic training, his Platoon Commander stated that he was a “… good soldier…” with a “…smart appearance, talkative…” and “…might be a good prospect for Provost duties, as a Corporal in charge of a small group of men…”

Edward Alexander Munro. (Photo submitted by Glenda Foster of the Swan Valley Legion Branch #39 in Manitoba)

After completing his basic training, Edward was sent to A20 Royal Canadian Army Service Corps Training Centre in Red Deer, Alberta on November 18, 1942 for further training.  He qualified as a Driver Class III wheeled vehicles on December 23, 1942.  (This meant he had passed the tests to drive standard military trucks and soft-skin wheeled vehicles at a beginner-to-intermediate trade proficiency level.)

After receiving his Class III certification, he was granted Christmas leave until December 27, 1942, in what turned out to be the last chance he would have to see his family before going overseas.

Once he returned back to Red Deer, he was hospitalized on December 30, 1942 until January 4, 1943 with a fractured rib.

….Edward left Canada for overseas service….

On March 11, 1943, Edward left Canada for the United Kingdom.  Upon arriving on March 17, 1943 he was assigned to No. 1 Canadian Army Service Corps Reinforcement Unit (RCASC RU), effective the following day. This logistical training and staging unit was based in Aldershot in Hampshire, and administered by Canadian Military Headquarters (CMHQ) in London.

Newly arrived soldiers from the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps (RCASC) received additional operational and combat training. As active field units in the First Canadian Army needed reinforcements due to casualties, No. 1 Reinforcement Unit could deploy combat-ready replacements directly to the front lines.

On June 4, 1943, Edward was assigned to No. 3 Canadian Infantry Brigade (CIB) of the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps (RCASC).  A few weeks later, on June 25, 1943, he was sent to 1st Canadian Infantry Divisional Troops Company (12 Company) RCASC for more training, before returning to No. 3 Canadian Infantry Brigade (CIB) on July 7, 1943. Edward was among the soldiers being prepared for the Italian Campaign – the upcoming Allied invasion of Italy, which began after the successful landings in Sicily (Operation Husky). (See https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/military-history/second-world-war/italian-campaign)

  ….Edward served in Italy….

On August 16, 1943, Edward boarded a ship that left the United Kingdom the following day and arrived in Sicily on August 27, 1943, where his unit, No. 3 Canadian Infantry Brigade Company, RCASC, was taking part in the final stages of the Operation Husky before going on to mainland Italy for the upcoming Italian Campaign.

The unit had a transport and supply logistical role, supporting the 3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade of the 1ar Canadian Infantry Division with essential tasks such as hauling ammunition, food, fuel, and equipment across treacherous mountain roads and river valleys in Italy.

On September, 1943, Edward and the rest of his unit later crossed the Strait of Messina to land on mainland Italy at Reggio di Calabria under Operation Baytown, the start of the Italian Campaign.  (See https://project44.ca/storymaps/southern-italy/)

The Italian Campaign followed Operation Husky in Sicily. (Map source: Juno Beach Centre)

Vehicles would be driven under severe conditions, with heavy reliance on relay drivers and field maintenance during the upcoming battles as troops moved up through mainland Italy, including Ortona and the breakthroughs of the Hitler and Gothic Lines.

On November 4, 1943, Edward was transferred to No. 1 Canadian Infantry Brigade Company, RCASC, and a few days later, on November 12, 1943, seconded to 112 Forward Maintenance Centre (FMC), one of several highly mobile logistical hubs set up just behind the front lines, where ammunition, fuel, food, and spare parts were stored.

Edward remained with 112 FMC until July 4, 1944, when he was hospitalized at No. 15 Canadian General Hospital in Caserta, Italy.  There is no indication that Edward was wounded, so it’s possible that he was in hospital for an infection.  During the summer of 1944, malaria was a major issue, due to the marshy, mosquito-heavy terrain that had been intentionally flooded by retreating German forces.

After his hospital discharge on July 15, 1944, Edward was placed in an X-4 Reinforcement Unit for a short period, until July 25, 1944, when he was transferred to No. 2 Canadian Infantry Brigade Company, RCASC.  The unit was stationed in a rest area along the Volturno River valley in southern Italy, near the towns of Piedimonte d’Alife (today’s Piedimonte Matese) and Raviscanina.

Edward had a chance to recuperate more fully, before returning to No. 1 Canadian Infantry Brigade Company, RCASC on August 23, 1944. The unit was in central Italy, positioned just south of the Gothic Line, and had begun staging logistics for Operation Olive, an offensive aimed at breaking through the German Gothic Line fortifications. This meant moving large quantities of ammunition, rations, and fuel up mountainous terrain to sustain front line infantry units.  The main assault on the Gothic Line began 3 days later, on August 26, 1944.

It was also a period when Edward took additional training, qualifying as a Driver i/c Class III on September 15, 1944.  (The term ‘Driver i/c’ refers to ‘Driver, internal combustion’. Class III meant he was qualified to drive heavy trucks and armoured cars, but not tanks.)

On October 18, 1944, he qualified as a Driver Mechanic (MV) ‘C’, which meant he not only was qualified to operate military vehicles, but was also able handle field repairs, basic mechanical troubleshooting, and routine vehicle maintenance.

Shortly after completing his training, his unit moved north across the Apennines to prepare for the assault on the Gothic Line.

….Edward left Italy for northwest Europe…

On March 7, 1945, Edward and his unit left Italy from Leghorn, the port in Livorno, as part of Operation Goldflake, arriving in Marseilles, France two days later.  Operation Goldflake was the codename for moving troops from Italy to North-West Europe.  (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Goldflake)

Once in France, the unit travelled north by road and train to join the 1st Canadian Army in Belgium and The Netherlands, again providing crucial logistical and transport support.  In The Netherlands, the unit was part of the support provided for the advance across the IJsselmeer, the liberation of Apeldoorn, and beginning on May 2, 1945, for Operation Faust, the delivery of food, coal and medical supplies across German lines for the relief of the starving Dutch.

Operation Faust ended on May 9, 1945 with the surrender of Germany, but in that short one week period had delivered between 840 and 1,141 tons of food and supplies EACH day!  (See https://rclsa-asrlc.org/stories/op-faust/)

….Edward was in Germany with the CAOF….

With the end of WWII, Edward was granted a well-deserved leave to the United Kingdom, from May 18 to 31, 1945.  Shortly after returning to his unit, he was transferred to the newly formed 2nd Line 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade Company (Canadian Army Occupation Force), RCASC as a Driver Mechanic (MV) ‘C’ on June 14, 1945. This new unit was sent to Germany to support the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division (Occupation Force), as part of the Canadian Army Occupation Force (CAOF), which was involved in policing, rebuilding, and securing the British Zone of occupied Germany.

Edward’s unit was responsible for transporting bulk supplies using 3-ton to 10-ton trucks, and accounting for the supplies and rations, and maintaining fuel depots.  On-site mechanics, like Edward, kept the unit’s vehicle fleet operational.

He was given an 11 day leave to the United Kingdom, from August 12 until 24, 1945.  On September 27, 1945, Edward was admitted to No. 6 Canadian Field Dressing Station (RCAMC) in Apeldoorn, Netherlands, a distance of 257 km (160 miles), remaining there until he was discharged on October 3, 1945.

The distance between Apeldoorn and Oldenburg is 257 km.  (Map source: Google Maps)

….Edward died in a road accident in Germany…

Drawing of accident site from Edward Munro’s service file.

Just a few days after being discharged, Edward lost his life in a vehicle accident while a passenger in an armoured scout car that was returning from ‘Alexandra Airport’ (Flughafen Oldenburg/Alexanderheide) located 5 km (3 miles) from Oldenburg.  His brother, Charles ‘Charley’ George, who also served in 2nd Line 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade Company, was a passenger in the front seat of the vehicle, and was injured in the same accident.

According to the Court of Inquiry, an accident occurred “…on the Bad Zwischenahn Road between Bad Zwischenahn and Oldenburg, Germany at 2305 hours 5 Oct 1945…” with 4 soldiers in the vehicle.  The speed of the vehicle was judged to be “….normal, at approximately 25 miles per hour….” and evidence indicated that “…the accident occurred due to a combination of weather conditions, slippery roads, bad lights, and poor visibility…”

Edward “…was instantly killed as a result of this accident…” Three other soldiers from the same unit were injured: Pte A. THOMSON (the driver of the vehicle); Pte C. G. MUNRO (Edward’s brother); and L/Cpl M. D. WHITE.

Testimony by several witnesses who stopped to help following the accident reported that the vehicle had hit a tree.  Pte R. E. QUADE stated that he “….looked inside the vehicle and noticed that three of the men were inside, and one, I would say, was dead or dying….and the fourth was outside, walking around with blood on his face….”

Cpl Roy W. STATES, another witness, said he’d stopped to help, tried unsuccessfully to immediately get help, before returning to the vehicle and “…saw to my horror a body with his head smashed in…”

Edward, with a fractured skull, was the only fatality.  He was taken to No. 16 Canadian General Hospital in Oldenburg, with the death certificate signed on October 6, 1945.

Charley was seriously injured with “…head lacerations, concussion, and a fractured right scapula…”  He returned home to Birch River after being discharged from the Canadian Army and died in 2002.

….Edward is buried in Holten…

Edward was initially buried in the Canadian Military Cemetery in Osterscheps, Germany (near Oldenburg) before being reburied in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands on March 8, 1946. During our 2025 European War Memorial Tour, Pieter placed Canadian and Manitoba flags by his grave.

Pieter at the grave of Edward Alexander Munro after placing Canadian and Manitoba flags. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Pieter reflected that Edward’s death resonated after learning that not only had he helped so many soldiers as a member of the essential services provided by the RCASC, he had been part of Operation Faust. “…After being involved in saving the lives of so many starving Dutch citizens, it is tragic that this man lost his life in a vehicle accident over which he had no control…”

…..Edward will be listed on the National Métis Veterans Memorial Monument….

Once we noticed that Edward is not listed on the National Métis Veterans Memorial Monument just outside of Batoche, Saskatchewan, but his brother Charley is, we sent in an application to have his name added.  (See https://www.metismuseum.ca/metisveteransmonument/)

In January 2026, we received an email from Ryan Nordmarken, Senior Administrative Coordinator at the Gabriel Dumont Institute – Métis Culture & Heritage Dept., advising that the application was approved. “…This submission has been added to the list to be included with the next engraving.  Thank you!...”

…..Munro Peninsula is named in Edward’s honour….

Munro Peninsula in northern Manitoba was in Edward Alexander Munro’s honour. (Map source: Mapcarta)

Munro Peninsula, on Obuyi Lake (formerly known as Pincock Lake) in northern Manitoba (approximately latitude 59°07′ N, longitude 97°07′ W) was named after him in 1995. ‘Obuyi’ comes from the Chipewyan language and means ‘trees have been burned around the lake’.

Thank you to Glenda Foster of the Swan Valley Legion Branch #39 in Manitoba for sending a photo, and to Jennifer Laviolette, Editor at The Swan Valley Star and Times newspaper, for referring us to the Swan Valley Legion.  Thank you also to Blanche Cowley-Head for confirming that Edward’s mother Maggie had Indigenous roots.

The flags placed at Edward’s grave during our 2025 European War Memorial Tour were donated.  Our thanks go to:

  • Alan Waddell, Constituent Assistant, on behalf of Heath MacDonald, MP for Malpeque, for the Canadian flag.
  • Brad Robertson, Chief of Protocol, Government of Manitoba, on behalf of Wab Kinew, Premier of Manitoba, who donated the Manitoba flag.

Pieter’s research efforts to find photos and families of soldiers continue. Do you have a story to tell? 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/

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/

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 Flight Engineer From Urbainville Aboard The Last Flight Of Lancaster KB914

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August 9, 2026. Several months ago, an article sent by Don Coutts, nephew of WWII pilot Elmer Bagnall MUTTART, about Flying Officer Bernard Delbert FORBES, an airman from North Bay, Ontario, who died in a February 1, 1953 plane crash in Newfoundland, led to the discovery that one crew member was Corporal Joseph ‘Donat’ GALLANT of Urbainville, Prince Edward Island.  (See Shared from BayToday.ca: Tragic 1953 crash that killed North Bay airman still remembered: https://www.baytoday.ca/local-news/tragic-1953-crash-that-killed-north-bay-airman-still-remembered-11879654?utm_source=Email_Share&utm_medium=Email_Share&utm_campaign=Email_Share)

Wedding photo of Donat Gallant and Émilie Gaudet. (Photo courtesy of Ron and Evelyn Gallant. Photo restoration by Pieter Valkenburg)

Born March 17, 1918 in Urbainville, Prince Edward Island, Donat was the son of Cyrus and Edna Gallant.  A WWII veteran, he was living in Wellingon, Prince Edward Island, with his wife Mary Émilie (nee Gaudet) Gallant, who he’d married on October 4, 1943.  They were the parents of three children – Ronald, Sandra, and Gerald.

We were interested in finding a family member, if possible, and thanks to several Gallants who lived in the area where the airman came from, Pieter was soon put in contact with Evelyn Gallant, wife of Donat’s son Ron.

….The leadup to the crash…

Joseph ‘Donat’ Gallant. (Photo courtesy of Ron and Evelyn Gallant)

Donat had re-enlisted in the RCAF on January 8, 1948 in Summerside, Prince Edward Island. According to an article in the February 20, 1953 edition of the Telegraph-Journal of St. John, New Brunswick, Donat had been “…stationed at the Chatham RCAF base before transfer to Greenwood, where he completed a flight engineer’s course in November…”

Based in Greenwood, Nova Scotia, he was a member of No. 405 ‘Eagle’ (Maritime Reconnaissance) Squadron, a long-range patrol unit involved in maritime surveillance and Arctic sovereignty. Originally formed on April 3, 1941 in England as the first RCAF bomber squadron overseas, and serving as an elite Pathfinder force unit. Disbanded on September 5, 1945, it was reformed on April 1, 1947 as No. 405 Bomber Reconnaissance Squadron at RCAF Station Greenwood, and was later re-designated No. 405 Maritime Reconnaissance Squadron in 1950, and today is known as No. 405 Maritime Patrol Squadron. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/405_Long_Range_Patrol_Squadron)

A Lancaster of the type used by No. 405 Squadron.  (Source: Wikipedia)

In January 1953, two Lancaster KB868 and Lancaster KB914 crews, from No. 405 ‘Eagle’ (Maritime Reconnaissance) Squadron, were sent to Keflavik, Iceland, to take part in an anti-submarine warfare (ASW) exercise.

However, on Saturday, January 31, 1953, both crews received orders to proceed to Goose Bay, Labrador, to participate in the search for a missing civilian twin-engine Beechcraft 18 Expeditor. The plan was to fly to the vicinity of Bluie West One (now Narsarsuaq Airport) located near the southern tip of Greenland, and then do a track crawl to Goose Bay, while looking for any signs of the missing aircraft.  (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Narsarsuaq_Air_Base)

Both Lancasters left Keflavik on Sunday, February 1, 1953. Lancaster KB914 left Keflavik at 7:31 am (1031 Zulu).  Lancaster KB868 arrived safely around 3:30 pm (1826 Zulu) at RCAF Station Goose Bay, landing with the plane coated with heavy snow.  Goose Bay was getting dumped on by heavy snow and the base was ‘socked in’.  (NOTE: Zulu Time is the world standard time used in aviation. Also known as Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), it remains constant, unaffected by Daylight Saving Time changes.)

…. Lancaster KB914 didn’t have a safe arrival….

Map shows the plane’s path from Keflavik to where it crashed near Goose Bay.  (Map prepared by Wendy Nattress)

By the time that Lancaster KB914, which had been directed to the search area, began approaching Goose Bay at 4:26 pm (1926 Zulu), not only was the base ‘socked in’, but the Ground Control Approach (GCA) system was unserviceable, and the aircrew had no visibility.

With the situation preventing the plane from landing at Goose Bay, the pilot, Thomas Claude WAGAR, was ordered to divert to the RCAF Station in Torbay, Newfoundland (now St. John’s International Airport). The plane was at a height of 2,135 metres (7,000 feet) and had five hours of fuel left. The order was acknowledged, a course was plotted to their new destination, and the plane headed in an easterly direction.  The estimated time of arrival at Torbay was 7:09 pm (2209 Zulu), well within safe fuel limits.

At 5:30 pm (2030 Zulu), however, an urgent message was sent to Goose Bay notifying them that the pilot had just feathered two of the four Rolls Royce Merlin engines and they were returning to Goose Bay. Feathering refers to turning the propeller blades so their thin edges point directly into the oncoming air. This stops the blades from spinning in the wind and cuts down heavy drag, helping to keep the plane steady.

Arrival at Goose Bay was estimated at 6:00 pm (2100 Zulu). 16 minutes later the pilot requested a weather update for Goose Bay. This was sent but not acknowledged. Radio contact between ground personnel and the plane suddenly ended. Lancaster KB914 was declared missing.

…. Lancaster KB914 wasn’t found until June….

When a massive air search, hampered by more bad weather and two other missing aircraft that also required attention, was unsuccessful, the search was called off on February 16.  In addition to the missing Lancaster and Beechcraft, a British York transport, carrying troops to Jamaica via Gander, vanished over the Atlantic on February 2, with cold, blowing snow still sweeping the area.

A February 3, 1953 article in the Globe and Mail noted that “…an extensive search from Greenland and Labrador bases found no trace of a Philadelphia-owned Beechcraft which disappeared Friday on a flight between Goose Bay, Labrador, and Greenland.  The Lancaster went down Sunday while searching for the civilian plane, which carried two men…”

Months went by, until, on June 15, 1953, the wreckage of the Lancaster KB914 was spotted from the air by D.P. Saunders, a civilian pilot with the Ottawa-based Laurentian Air Services.  An RCAF ground search party flew out to the wreckage site to recover the human remains and to investigate the scene.

Preliminary study of the ground showed that the aircraft had gone in almost vertically. Forest damage was limited due to the impact, although debris had struck trees up to 91 metres (100 yards) distant when the Lancaster exploded. The human remains were recovered on June 21.

….Why did the plane crash?…

According to the crash report, the plane crashed 153 km (95 miles) southeast of Goose Bay at around 5:46 pm (2046 Zulu). The plane’s engines had been covered with ice, and the plane’s de-icer did not work properly.

A summary of the evidence in the crash report indicated that “…from the position of the crash….” the plane was “….62 miles off track….”  (62 miles is about 100 km)

“….The pilot had reported that he was returning to Goose Bay with two engines feathered….”  No 1 and No 4 engines showed no issues, while the “…propellers of Nos. 2 and 3 engines indicated that they were in the feathered position…” suggesting that the plane “….was flying on the two outboard engines….”

With the inboard engines feathered, this meant that “…as some of the pilot’s instruments are operated by vacuum pumps (one on each inboard engine) he would be denied the use of his artificial horizon, turn and bank and directional gyro…”

As well, “….the hydraulic system would be inoperative….” as these were also on the inboard engines.  “….As the carburetor air intake shutters are hydraulically operated, the pilot would be unable to change the position of the shutters…” from where they were positioned before the engines had been feathered.

Why were the two engines feathered?  About one hour after the ordered diversion from Goose Bay to Torbay, “…the pilot was compelled to feather Engine No. 2 due to severe icing…” but the port de-icer didn’t work.  “….A short time later, the pilot found it necessary to feather No. 3 engine due to overheating…”

The pilot couldn’t see where he was flying, his artificial horizon and directional aids were inoperable, as was the hydraulic system.  Then, “…shortly before the accident, No. 1 engine failed or partially failed due to icing, resulting in complete loss of control by the pilot…”

Evidence showed that “…as two of the crew members had their parachutes on, it is more than likely that the pilot was attempting to have the crew bail out after he experienced loss of control…”

….The crew of Lancaster KB914…

Donat was one of two Flight Engineers aboard the last flight of Lancaster KB914.  The rest of the crew members were:

  • Pilot – Flying Officer (F/O) Thomas Claude WAGAR DFC, from Kingston, Ontario but born in Parham, Ontario, aged 32. (DFC refers to Distinguished Flying Cross)
  • Co-Pilot – Flying Officer (F/O) Charles Bruce SCOTT, from Saint John, New Brunswick, aged 27.
  • Navigator – Flying Officer (F/O) Stephen James DECKER, born in Cooks Harbour, Newfoundland, aged 24.
  • Navigator – Flying Officer (F/O) Douglas David Richard WOOD, from Peterborough, Ontario, aged age 21.
  • Radio Officer – Flying Officer (F/O) Bernard Delbert FORBES, from North Bay, Ontario, aged 23.
  • Radio Officer – Flying Officer (F/O) Frances ‘Frankie’ Steward FOWLOW, from St. John’s, Newfoundland, aged 24.
  • Radio Officer – Flying Officer (F/O) Thurland Mabury TATE, from Grand Manan, New Brunswick, aged 22.
  • Flight Engineer – Corporal Roger David Joseph LALONDE, from Kirkland Lake, Ontario but born in Cobalt, Ontario, aged 30.

….A mass funeral was held for all 9 men in Greenwood…

A mass funeral was held in Greenwood for all 9 airmen. (Photo courtesy of Ron and Evelyn Gallant)

A mass funeral was held on June 26, 1953 in Greenwood, Nova Scotia, for the nine airmen. The ceremonies took place in the Catholic Chapel and in the Station Drill Hall after which the body of each airman was transported to his Canadian hometown for final burial.

A mass funeral was held in Greenwood for all 9 airmen. (Photo courtesy of Ron and Evelyn Gallant)

 

A procession on the day that the mass funeral was held in Greenwood for all 9 airmen. (Photo courtesy of Ron and Evelyn Gallant)

….Donat is buried at Baie Egmont (St. Jacques) Cemetery…

Map shows location of the church in Egmont Bay, as well as Urbainville and Wellington.  (Map source: Google Maps)

Evelyn Gallant noted that after the mass funeral service in Greenwood, there was another service held  “….in Egmont Bay church….” (St. Philippe et St. Jacques Roman Catholic Church)

Ron Gallant, the oldest of Donat’s children, was 7 when his father died.  He said he “…remembered the soldiers at the church and the guns at the funeral. After the funeral, Father Burke brought us home.  My mother never remarried, and is buried next to my father….”

Pieter by the grave of Joseph ‘Donat’ Gallant after placing Canadian, Prince Edward Island, and Acadian flags.  A stone marker in front is that of his wife. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Donat was buried in Baie Egmont (St. Jacques) Cemetery in Prince Edward Island.  We visited the cemetery one beautiful, sunny day in June, and Pieter placed Canadian, Prince Edward Island, and Acadian flags by his grave.

….A memorial in Greenwood honours the crew of Lancaster KB914…

On May 27, 2022, a ceremony to honour the crew of Lancaster KB914 was held, with a memorial placed in the Commemorative Garden at the Greenwood Military Aviation Museum at 14 Wing Greenwood.  (The family of Frances ‘Frankie’ Steward FOWLOW did attend the ceremony: https://auroranewspaper.com/wp-content/uploads/pdf/Archive/2022/4322news.pdf)

Ron Gallant at the memorial in Greenwood honouring the crew of Lancaster KB914.  (Photo courtesy of Ron and Evelyn Gallant)

Ron said he never met the families of the other crew members, and was unable to attend the 2022 ceremony as he was recovering from an operation.  However, he and Evelyn subsequently visited Greenwood to see the memorial.

Ron Gallant at his home in Richmond, Prince Edward Island. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Thank you to Ron and Evelyn Gallant for providing photos and information, to Shawn Rainville for newspaper research, and to Don Coutts for letting us know about the last flight of Lancaster KB914. Thank you to Wendy Nattress, who prepared the map showing the flight path for Lancaster KB914.

The flags placed at Donat’s grave during our visit were donated.  Our thanks go to:

  • Alan Waddell, Constituent Assistant, on behalf of Heath MacDonald, MP for Malpeque, for the Canadian flag.
  • Matt MacFarlane, MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly) for District 19, Borden-Kinkora, Prince Edward Island, for the Prince Edward Island flag.
  • La Société acadienne de Clare at the request of Simone Comeau, for the Acadian flag.

Pieter’s research efforts to find photos and families of soldiers continue. Do you have a story to tell? Email Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com, or comment on the blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

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