The researcher – Pieter Valkenburg.  The writer – Daria Valkenburg.  Born in The Netherlands, Pieter served in the Royal Netherlands Air Force before going on to a career in the Dutch Foreign Service. He was posted to ten different places around the world during his diplomatic years, and speaks Dutch, English, and German. Now retired, he is a member of the Borden-Carleton Legion.  Canadian born Daria is a retired accountant, adult education instructor, and writer. 

Daria is the author of a book about our 2017 war memorial tour in Europe.  For more information on ‘No Soldier Buried Overseas Should Ever Be Forgotten‘ see https://nosoldierforgotten.com/  You can also watch a short book trailer on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCFCCH8MQG8

Daria and Pieter are the translators for ‘Holten Heroes: Stories from a Canadian Field of Honour’ by Jan Braakman, translated from the original Dutch book ‘Holtense Canadezen’.  For more information, , see the press package prepared by the author: https://janbraakman.nl/press-package-holten-heroes/ or the Amazon Canada entry: https://www.amazon.ca/Holten-Heroes-Stories-Canadian-Honour/dp/B0CM25LRD3/ref=sr_1_1?crid=QEQCI0LBFLPK&keywords=holten+heroes&qid=1698840141&sprefix=holten+heroes%2Caps%2C207&sr=8-1

On June 10, 2023, Pieter and Daria received a Legionnaire of the Year award from the Royal Canadian Legion Branch No. 10 in Borden-Carleton, Prince Edward Island.

In February 2023, the Board of Governors of the Prince Edward Island Museum and Heritage Foundation selected Pieter and Daria for a 2023 Heritage Recognition Award for our research project ‘On The War Memorial Trail’. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2023/05/15/we-receive-a-2023-pei-heritage-recognition-award/ and https://www.peimuseum.ca/pieter-and-daria-valkenburg-heritage-recognition-award)

On October 21, 2022, Pieter received the PEI Senior Islander of the Year Award, for his ongoing research to uncover the stories and photos of those who served in WWI and WWII, and sharing his research findings with the public. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2022/10/23/pieter-receives-pei-senior-islander-of-the-year-award/)

In January 2020, Pieter was awarded the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers for his ongoing research to uncover the stories and photos of those who served in WWI and WWII, and sharing his research findings with the public.   (See https://www.gg.ca/en/honours/recipients/342-116665)

In November 2017, Pieter and Daria were awarded the Senate of Canada 150 Medal for their contribution to the history of PEI in researching and telling the stories of the names on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion.

… Want to follow our research?….

If you are reading this, 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 on the book, please 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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