Author: On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria

On The War Memorial Trail…..The Memorial Panel In Wons Is Unveiled!

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November 18, 2019. On October 12, 2019, the day of the unveiling of the memorial panel in The Netherlands to honour the crew of Halifax L9561 finally arrived, with a series of events organized by the Stichting Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation, a non-profit volunteer organization based in the province of Friesland. In the last posting about the events, we had a brief introduction to the crew members of Halifax L9561 at Het Hannemahuis Museum in Harlingen (See On The War Memorial Trail…..The Halifax L9561 Crew).

When we walked out of the Het Hannemahuis Museum in Harlingen, the dry but cloudy skies we had at the Harlingen General Cemetery had changed to rain.  Out came the umbrellas as we made the long walk to the bus for the trip to Wons.   We were keeping our fingers crossed that this was just a shower, but it wasn’t to be.  Instead it rained even harder, meaning the memorial panel was to be unveiled in the rain.  It didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits though.

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Waiting for the unveiling of the memorial plaque in Wons. You can see the flags of the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and Canada flying. (Photo credit: Sikko Drijver)

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The memorial panel was hidden from view by the flag of Wons when we first arrived. (Photo credit: Sikko Drijver)

The memorial panel is located along a bicycle path and overlooking a field on the Politiek farm where Halifax L9561 came down.  In addition to our Canadian and British group and volunteers from the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation, we were joined by dignitaries and citizens from the village of Wons and nearby communities.

One of the dignitaries was Colonel Timothy Young, Canadian Defence Attaché to The Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg, based at the Canadian Embassy in The Hague, who attended the day’s events with his wife Michelle.

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Three proud Canadians… Pieter Valkenburg, Colonel Timothy Young, Elmer MacDonald. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Finally the moment to unveil the memorial panel arrived, and the unveilers represented organizations that had provided funding towards the memorial panel.  The unveilers were:

  • Knilles Elgersma, on behalf of Dorpsbelang Wons
  • Maarten Offinga, on behalf of the municipality of Súdwest Fryslân (Southwest Friesland)
  • Pieter Valkenburg, on behalf of the Tryon & Area Historical Society
  • Hans Groeneweg, on behalf of the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation
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Unveiling of the memorial panel. Left to right: Maarten Offinga, Knilles Elgersma, Hans Groeneweg, Pieter Valkenburg. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

The memorial panel was highly anticipated and didn’t disappoint.  The title was a quote from Halifax L9561 Co-Pilot Norman Frank Trayler “He died that we might live”.  The story of Flight Halifax L9561 on October 12, 1941 was briefly told, from when it left Middleton St. George airbase, how it was attacked by a German nightfighter, the burial of Elmer Muttart in Harlingen General Cemetery on October 16, 1941, the fate of the rest of the crew in POW camps in Germany, and ends with the unveiling of the memorial panel in Wons on October 12, 2019.  At the bottom of the panel are photos of each crew member.

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The memorial panel in Wons, overlooking the field on the Politiek farm where Halifax L9561 came down. The title translates to “He died that we might live…”, a quote from co-pilot Norman Frank Trayler. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

The memorial panel unveiled, the remembrance ceremony began, with the playing of the Last Post by Sgt Major Piet Bergsma of the Dutch Air Force, followed by a minute of silence and then the playing of the Reveille.  Next came the laying of wreaths by:

  • Maarten Offinga, on behalf of the municipality of Súdwest Fryslân (Southwest Friesland).
  • Cor Politiek, grandson of eyewitness to the crash Cor Politiek, on behalf of Dorpsbelang Wons.
  • Colonel Timothy Young, Canadian Defence Attaché to The Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg, on behalf of the Government of Canada. He was accompanied by Elmer MacDonald.
  • Shane Aldridge, grandson of Halifax L9561 crew member David Cotsell, on behalf of the Embassy of Great Britain.
  • Fred Jackson, on behalf of the Middleton Saint George Memorial Association.
  • Douwe Drijver and Alexander Tuinhout, on behalf of the Stichting Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation.
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Wreath laid by Colonel Timothy Young, Canadian Defence Attaché to The Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. (Photo credit: François Breugelmans)

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Colonel Timothy Young, left, who laid the wreath on behalf of the Government of Canada. On the right, Shane Aldridge, grandson of David Cotsell, laid a wreath on behalf of the Embassy of Great Britain. (Photo credit: Sikko Drijver)

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Some of the wreaths and flags laid by the memorial panel in Wons. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

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Card with the wreath placed by the Middleton Saint George Memorial Association. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

After the official ceremony was finished, family members were invited to get a closer look at the memorial panel.

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Pam Alexander, daughter of Halifax L9561 Navigator Reg Alexander, at the memorial panel. (Photo credit: François Breugelmans)

The Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation volunteers are commended for the wonderful job they did in designing the memorial panel.

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Members of the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation by the memorial panel in Wons. Left to right: Hans Groeneweg, Douwe Drijver, Alexander Tuinhout, Sietse Kuiper. (Photo credit: Sikko Drijver)

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A remembrance project that has come full circle for Pieter with the permanent recognition given to the crew of Halifax L9561. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Once everyone had a chance to see the memorial panel, we were invited to the community hall in Wons for a small reception.  Back on the bus we went!

Thank you to François Breugelmans and Sikko Drijver for sharing their photos.  If you have stories or photos to share about the crew or the events of October 12, 2019, please contact Pieter at dariadv@yahoo.ca or comment on the blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

Remembrance Day On The Island

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November 12, 2019. It was at a Remembrance Day service several years ago that Pieter realized that he was laying a wreath at the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion, and he had no idea who the names listed were.  This started him on the quest to put a face and story to each name and was the beginning of the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph Research Project. So it seems only fitting that a few photos from Remembrance Day 2019 are featured in this blog.

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Pieter and Daria following the inter-faith service at the Borden-Carleton Legion. (Photo credit: Brenda Graves)

The Borden-Carleton Legion does two services on November 11.  The first one is at the Legion at 11 am, with wreaths laid at the Cenotaph.  The other service is in Kinkora, with wreaths laid at the Cenotaph there.

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Waiting for the wreath laying to begin by the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion. Two members of the Borden-Carleton Fire Department beside Legion member Arthur Ranahan (hidden behind the Canada flag) and Legion member Carl Payne. In the background are members of the Kinkora Regional High School Band. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

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Kathy Henry carrying the wreath that Pieter laid on behalf of the Government Canada at the request of Malpeque MP Wayne Easter. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

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A moment of reflection after the wreath was laid at the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

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Waiting for the service to begin in Kinkora. Left to right: George Palmer, Pieter Valkenburg, Kathy Henry. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

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After laying the wreath for the Government of Canada at the Cenotaph in Kinkora, Pieter and Kathy Henry leave. Flag bearers are Carl Payne (Canada flag) and Arthur Ranahan. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

November 11 tends to be a day with inclement weather, but cold and rain never stops people from coming out to remember.  May we never forget!

If you have stories or photos to share about the names on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion, please contact Pieter at dariadv@yahoo.ca or comment on the blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

The Importance Of Remembrance

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November 10, 2019. On this Remembrance Sunday, we’d like to pause briefly in telling the story of the Halifax L9561 commemoration events of October 12, 2019 to acknowledge acts of remembrance made this weekend regarding unrelated stories.

Yesterday, friends Jacqueline and Graham Hocking of England visited Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey, England.  They’d read about two names from the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion that are buried there, and knew we had not yet been able to visit this cemetery in England.  In an act of kindness and remembrance, they took photos of the graves of WW1 soldier John Goodwill HOWATT (See The Archive Photo That Put A Face To A Name) and WW2 soldier Austin Harry BOULTER (See The WW2 Soldier Who Drove On The Wrong Side Of The Road).

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Canada House at Brookwood Military Cemetery. (Photo credit: Jacqueline & Graham Hocking)

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Brookwood Military Cemetery exit, with pine trees on either side of the road. (Photo credit: Jacqueline & Graham Hocking)

Jacqueline Hocking by grave of John Goodwill Howatt.  (Photo credit: Graham Hocking)

Graham Hocking by grave of Austin Harry Boulter.  (Photo credit: Jacqueline Hocking)

Pam Alexander, daughter of Halifax L9561 Navigator Reg ALEXANDER, who had attended the commemoration events in The Netherlands on October 12, 2019, sent the following message:  “Thinking of Elmer Muttart, his family and all the crew and their families today as we watch the Cenotaph ceremony and observe the two minute silence for all who have fallen in wars and conflicts for the UK and our Allies.”  (See On The War Memorial Trail…..The Halifax L9561 Crew)

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Grave of Elmer Muttart at Harlingen General Cemetery on October 12, 2019. (Photo credit: Pam Alexander)

Robert O’Brien, who also attended the commemorative events for Halifax L9561, wrote a brief summary of the events in the November 8 & 15, 2019 issue of Rotary Voice from the Rotary Club of Toronto.  (To read his article, see voice-nov-8-2019)

Thank you to Jacqueline and Graham Hocking, and to Pam Alexander and Robert O’Brien for these moments of remembrance. If you have stories or photos to share about the names on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion, please contact Pieter at dariadv@yahoo.ca or comment on the blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

 

On The War Memorial Trail…..The Halifax L9561 Crew

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November 9, 2019. On October 12, 2019, the day of the unveiling of the memorial panel Netherlands to honour WW2 pilot Flight Sgt Elmer Bagnall MUTTART and the crew of Halifax L9561 arrived, with a series of events organized by the Stichting Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation, a non-profit volunteer organization based in the province of Friesland. (See Unveiling of the Memorial Panel for Downed WW2 Plane Halifax L9561 in Wons) In the last posting, our group visited the Het Hannemahuis museum for lunch and presentations. (See On The War Memorial Trail…..The Presentations At Het Hannemahuis in Harlingen)

An excellent presentation by Alexander Tuinhout and Douwe Drijver of the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation gave everyone an idea of the events that led up to the crash on October 12, 1941 and what happened to the surviving crew members.

In the presentation, Alexander Tuinhout explained that “The story of this Halifax begins at the aerodrome of Middleton Saint George, which is about 3 miles east of Darlington in the county of Durham.  The airbase was the most northern of Bomber Command during the Second World War….”

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Middleton Saint George Aerodrome. (Photo courtesy of Stichting Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation)

“Middleton became the home base of 78 Squadron, flying with twin-engine Whitley bombers in April 1941 and three months later, in June, 76 Squadron also commenced flying operations from Middleton Saint George. It was no coincidence that 76 Squadron became stationed at the airfield as the Squadron was the second in the RAF flying with the new Handley Page Halifax bombers.  These modern planes were so heavy that they required long and paved runways for their takeoffs, runways that were present at Middleton. ”

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Elmer Bagnall Muttart (Photo from Canadian Virtual War Memorial at http://www.veterans.gc.ca)

One of the pilots who switched from flying Whitleys to Halifax bombers and from 78 Squadron to 76 Squadron was Elmer Muttart, who received a promotion from Sgt to Flight Sgt in October 1941, shortly before his last flight on October 12, 1941.  Muttart’s story has been extensively covered in this blog as he was one of the names on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion.  (See The Elmer Bagnall Muttart Story)

Of the crew members who were on the Halifax L9561, only Sgt Reg ALEXANDER had flown with Muttart before, as his navigator.  Tuinhout explained further that “Sergeant Reg Alexander, an Observer who had already flown 12 missions with Elmer Muttart, also switched from 78 to 76 Squadron.  Alexander had volunteered for the Royal Air Force in the spring of 1939.  He was born in 1919 in Finchley, near London, but the family moved to Belfast, Northern Ireland before the war.”

Reg Alexander

Sgt Reg Alexander. (Photo courtesy of Stichting Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation)

The October 12, 1941 crew of Halifax L9561 was composed of:

  • Pilot Flight Sgt Elmer Bagnall MUTTART
  • Co-Pilot Flight Sgt Norman Frank TRAYLER
  • Flight Engineer Sgt David COTSELL
  • Flight Engineer Sgt Leslie Albert ROBERTS
  • Navigator Sgt Reg ALEXANDER
  • Wireless Operator Sgt William Herbert HUNT
  • Gunner Sgt George Henry PATTERSON
  • Gunner Sgt John William DUFFIELD.

Tuinhout continued his report on the Halifax L9561 crew… “Sitting in the seat next to Muttart was the 21 year old Co-pilot Norman Frank TRAYLER, a married man from Basingstoke.  He was an accountancy clerk before the war but volunteered, like so many young men in those days, for the Royal Air Force in July 1940.”  Trayler’s son Robert had been in touch with us last year, and shared information about his father, which was summarized in a blog posting.  (See Family of Crew Member of WWII Pilot Elmer Muttart’s Final Flight Found)

Norman Frank Trayler

Flight Sergeant Norman Frank Trayler. (Photo courtesy of Stichting Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation)

The roll call of crew members continued in Tuinhout’s presentation…. “Bill HUNT, the plane’s first Wireless Operator and Air Gunner, had enlisted in January 1940.  He was born in Dublin in 1919, but lived in Mitcham, Surrey when he entered the service...”

Bill Hunt

Sergeant William “Bill” Herbert Hunt. (Photo courtesy of Stichting Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation)

Tuinhout’s presentation continued…. “Hunt’s backup was George Henry PATTERSON from Doncaster, the second Wireless Operator and Air Gunner.  Patterson had worked as a gas and electricity repairman before he entered the RAF in November 1939, shortly after the outbreak of war….”

George Henry Patterson

Sergeant George Henry Patterson. (Photo courtesy of Stichting Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation)

Next, Tuinhout mentioned the two Flight Engineers….  “Both of the Flight Engineers of L9561 had long careers in the Royal Air Force.  Sergeant Leslie Albert ROBERTS from Romford, Essex, became an apprentice in 1931, at the age of 15.  The second Flight Engineer, David COTSELL from Chatham, Kent, was also the same age when he joined in 1935.”

Leslie Roberts

Sergeant Leslie Albert Roberts. (Photo courtesy of Stichting Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation)

David Cotsell

Sergeant David Cotsell. (Photo courtesy of Stichting Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation)

Tuinhout then discussed the last crew member…  “The last man on board Halifax L9561 was 20 year old John William DUFFIELD from Oxford, who manned the tail guns.” Like Trayler, family of Duffield had been in contact with Pieter, and several letters about the events that happened on October 12 were shared.  (See On the War Memorial Trail ….. At The Politiek Farm In Wons and On the War Memorial Trail ….. At Harlingen General Cemetery) Duffield had written that the plane had three extra people – himself, Roberts, and Hunt – to help with the flight as the Wireless Operator, Engineer, and Rear Gunner were inexperienced.  He also noted that, unfortunately, a key position was left unmanned – a gunner in the front turret – and he always wondered if events would have turned out differently had this position been filled.

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John William Duffield. (Photo courtesy of Lesley Newland)

Tuinhout then related details of the flight of Halifax L9561 on October 12, 1941…. “Shortly after 7 o’clock on the evening of the 12th of October, five of 76 Squadron Halifax bombers set course to the east.  Four planes flew to Nuremburg and took part in an air raid against the Siemens factory.  L9561 left the runway of Middleton Saint George just after half past seven and was the only plane of the Squadron that flew a more northerly route towards Bremen.”

map of route taken by Halifax L9561

Map of route taken by Halifax L9561. (Map courtesy of Stichting Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation)

Unfortunately, that evening RAF planes were observed by a night fighter base in Leeuwarden.  Halifax L9561 was one of 4 bombers that were shot down.  Tuinhout explained that “Two Wellingtons crashed near Blankenham and Westergeest and a Hampden was lost over the IJsselmeer.”  The fourth plane was Halifax L9561.

Tuinhout quoted a description made by Co-pilot Norman Trayler, about “what happened shortly after the aircraft passed the Dutch coast.  He said that ‘We were unfortunate enough to bump into a couple of night fighters.  They immediately opened up at us with all they had, and I can say their aim was good – too good for my liking.’ Muttart’s plane was intercepted at an altitude of 3200 metres and attacked twice.”  (For more on the night fighter attack see Halifax L9561 Flight Mentioned In ‘The Night Hunter’s Prey’ and On the War Memorial Trail ….. At Harlingen General Cemetery)

Muttart gave the order for the crew to evacuate and all were able to parachute out, except for Muttart himself.  During a meet and greet on October 11, 2019, family members of some of the British crew members explained that the order to leave the plane struck the crew with terror as they had never jumped out of a plane before, let alone one that was on fire, under enemy attack, and in the dark in an unknown country!  Their only practice had been to jump from the roof of a building in England.

Tuinhout explained that “As befits a good Captain, Elmer Muttart stayed at the controls of the crippled Halifax.  Norman Trayler said ‘Elmer was still at the controls when the last chap went through the hatch. He must have tried a crash landing then…The machine must have been well on fire by this time and Elmer was either burned to death or killed when the machine blew up.  He was a gallant captain and he died that we might live. It was only his efforts that kept the disabled machine from crashing with all of us inside.’ At about 10:15 pm, local people witnessed a bright red glow in the cloudy sky.  The Halifax approached the village of Wons sliding and zigzagging when bombs came down in a meadow.  The plane lost a wing and eventually crashed about 100 metres past the farm of Johannes Politiek and his family….”  (For an eyewitness account from the 9 year old son of Johannes Politiek, see On the War Memorial Trail ….. At The Politiek Farm In Wons)

All of the surviving crew members spent the rest of the war years, in difficult conditions, in prisoner of war camps before returning to Great Britain to pick up their interrupted lives.  Tuinhout explained that on October 13, 1941, Elmer Muttart’s “body was brought to the nearby town of Harlingen, where a German physician could easily identify him, because his Royal Canadian Air Force identity papers were still in his pocket.  Muttart was laid to rest, with military honours, in the Harlingen General Cemetery on Thursday, the 16th of October.”

Present at these commemoration events were family members of British crew members Reg Alexander, David Cotsell, Bill Hunt, and Leslie Roberts.  With an introduction to all crew members, we next made our way to Wons, for the unveiling of the memorial panel.

If you have stories or photos to share about the crew or the events of October 12, 2019, please contact Pieter at dariadv@yahoo.ca or comment on the blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

On The War Memorial Trail…..The Presentations At Het Hannemahuis in Harlingen

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October 17, 2019. On October 12, 2019, the day of the unveiling of the memorial panel Netherlands to honour WW2 pilot Flight Sgt Elmer Bagnall MUTTART and the crew of Halifax L9561 finally arrived, with a series of events organized by the Stichting Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation, a non-profit volunteer organization based in the province of Friesland. (See Unveiling of the Memorial Panel for Downed WW2 Plane Halifax L9561 in Wons) In the last posting, our group visited the Harlingen General Cemetery where Muttart is buried. (See On The War Memorial Trail…..The Visit To Harlingen General Cemetery)

From the cemetery, we were invited for lunch and presentations at Het Hannemahuis, a museum in Harlingen.  Our bus was too big to navigate the narrow streets of this maritime city, and we had to walk across the canal to the other side of the canal where the museum is located in the centre of the city, and reached through a very narrow street.

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Boats line the canal in Harlingen. (Photo credit: Annie Lee MacDonald)

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We cross the canal and walk through a narrow street towards Het Hannemahuis in Harlingen. (Photo credit: Annie Lee MacDonald)

We were treated to a much appreciated warm cup of coffee or tea, cookies and sandwiches for lunch, and had a chance to meet and visit with the Dutch guests invited for the official commemoration events.

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Harlingen Mayor Roel Sluiter (right) chats with Elmer MacDonald. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

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Museum volunteer Bauke Posthuma, who researched the men buried in the Commonwealth War Graves section of Harlingen General Cemetery, including Elmer Bagnall Muttart, chats with Pieter and gives an update on the publication of his book. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Everyone had a chance to see a model of the type of Halifax plane flown on the night of October 12, 1941, made by Lex Bosma.

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Model of Halifax plane made by Lex Bosma. (Photo credit: Ralph & Valerie Muttart)

The master of ceremonies for the presentations was Hans Groeneweg, President of the Stichting Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation, who introduced the speakers.

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Harlingen Mayor Roel Sluiter gives a greeting. On the right, Douwe Drijver manages the slide presentation. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Mayor of Harlingen, His Worship Roel Sluiter, gave a warm welcome to all of us:

“Welcome in Harlingen!  Very nice to have you here on this occasion on which you can look with mixed feelings.

On the one hand: we are celebrating our liberation, 75 years ago, every day now, since the liberation of our country started in the south of the Netherlands in early September 1944.

On the other hand: we remember these days also all the sacrifices that were made and all the losses we suffered, before our liberation was a fact. Mixed emotions; joy, gratitude and also sadness by the ancestors of the liberators that were killed in action.

Our attention this afternoon is concentrated on the tragic adventure of the Halifax L9561 that was attacked by a German fighter plane and crashed near the village of Wons in October 1941.

Seven crewmembers of the Halifax rescued themselves by parachute, the pilot, Elmer Muttart, however, did not survive. You just visited his grave, here in Harlingen.

That we are here today in remembrance of the events of that dark night of 12 October 1941 is also to be seen as a great “thank you” for all the efforts that were needed to eventually liberate our country! I hope you will have a very pleasant afternoon!”

The main event was an excellent presentation by Alexander Tuinhout and Douwe Drijver, who gave a summary of the events that led to the crash on the night of October 12, 1941 and what happened to the crew members in the aftermath.  The quote “He died that we might live….” had been made by co-pilot Norman Frank TRAYLER.

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A presentation about the crew of Halifax L9561 was made by Alexander Tuinhout and Douwe Drijver at Het Hannemahuis. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Following the presentation, Elmer MacDonald and Donald Coutts were invited to give remarks about Flight Sgt Elmer Muttart.

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Elmer MacDonald gave heartfelt remarks about Flight Sgt Elmer Muttart. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

“Your Worship, the mayor of Harlingen; Colonel Timothy Young, Canadian Defence Attaché to The Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg; Mr. Shane Aldridge, representative of the British Embassy and a grandson, I understand, of one of Muttart’s crew; distinguished guests, including the families of Muttart’s crew aboard  the Halifax L9561 on that fateful day; members of the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation who organized this event and Mr. Pieter Valkenburg of the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph Research Project of Prince Edward Island, Canada.

My name is Roderick Elmer MacDonald. I have come from Prince Edward Island, Canada for this very special occasion. We owe a debt of gratitude to Mr. Pieter Valkenburg, who took a special interest in Elmer Bagnall Muttart’s name that was inscribed on the War Memorial outside the Borden-Carleton Legion in Prince Edward Island. He researched his role in World War Two. He learned and shared the events that unfolded in this area that led to him sacrificing his life for the sake of a village.  Only through Pieter did we learn the details and only now can we truly appreciate his sacrifice. We are most appreciative, also, to the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation for their work in providing us with this opportunity.

It is especially meaningful for me to be here today because I have a special connection. You see the Muttarts and the MacDonalds on Prince Edward Island were close family friends. On March 20,1940, when my parents were married,  Elmer was Best Man for my father. On October 12,1941, the Halifax L9561 plane was shot down and the only fatality was the pilot Elmer Muttart. This news was devastating to the families. In 1943 I was born and I was named after him in his memory. I always treasured the fact I was called after him but only through Pieter’s research did I come to realize the sacrifice he made and to learn what an extraordinary Canadian he was.

 I want to introduce you now to Elmer Bagnall Muttart’s close relative, who is here today, his only sister Helen’s son, Mr. Don Coutts from North Bay, Ontario, Canada.”

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Don Coutts, nephew of Elmer Muttart, addresses the audience. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

“Your Worship, the Mayor of Harlingen, distinguished dignitaries and guests, including the families of Elmer Bagnall Muttart’s crew aboard the HALIFAX L9561, members of the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation who has organized today’s ceremonies and activities…my name is Don Coutts.

On behalf of my mother, Helen Muttart Coutts, my late father Elgin Coutts who died just over two (2) months ago who knew that I would be coming to Holland for these ceremonies, my brother Peter, and our families, we thank you for being here and for today’s ceremonies.

The Coutts, the Muttart families, and relatives would like to thank Mr. Pieter Valkenburg for taking the interest in the names on the Borden-Carleton, Prince Edward Island Cenotaph. We are indebted to him for his research into Elmer Muttart and his crew on that fateful day—–October12th, 1941. A special thanks to Daria, Pieter’s wife for her assistance in this project.

As mentioned, my Mother is Helen Muttart Coutts.  Her brother was the late Elmer Bagnall Muttart. Their parents were Annie Bagnall and Louis Muttart of Cape Traverse, Prince Edward Island, Canada. Mom and Elmer’s father, Louis was a farmer in Cape Traverse, Prince Edward Island.

Elmer was named after his uncle Elmer Bagnall who had looked after the Bagnall Farm in Hazelgrove, Prince Edward Island during WORLD WAR 1 and died quite suddenly in August 1917 at a very young age. Elmer Bagnall Muttart was born on March 14TH, 1918—–just seven (7) months after his uncle had died.

Elmer had three (3) uncles who fought in WORLD WAR 1. They were Gordon Bagnall, Harold Bagnall, and Fred Bagnall who was wounded at Sanctuary Wood, in France.

Elmer graduated from Acadia University in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada with a Bachelor’s Degree in Science (Engineering) in 1939. Elmer had enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in June 1940. He had started the process to enlist in the RCAF in the fall of 1939 but it took some time for the paperwork to be completed.

Shortly after Elmer had been shot down, my grandparents had received a cablegram that he was missing in action. On New Year’s Eve, December 31st, 1941 my grandparents received a cablegram that Elmer had been buried in the Harlingen General Cemetery on October 16TH, 1941. My Family has visited Elmer’s grave on two (2) previous occasions.

I never met my Uncle as I was not born until October 1950, some nine (9) years after he died. My grandparents always had a framed picture of Elmer in his pilot’s uniform in their house in Cape Traverse, in their house in Bedeque, Prince Edward Island where they moved to in 1949, and in Toronto, Ontario, Canada where they moved to in 1965 to be closer to my Mother and our family.

My mother has a framed picture of Elmer in her Retirement Residence in Toronto, and previously it was displayed in our homes in Toronto.

Once again, thank you for today’s ceremonies.”

Thank you to Het Hannemahuis for hosting us.  Enormous thanks to Alexander Tuinhout and Douwe Drijver for their presentation.  An overview of the crew of Halifax L9561 will be the subject of the next blog posting before we move on to the unveiling of the memorial panel in Wons.  If you have stories or photos to share about the crew or the events of October 12, 2019, please contact Pieter at dariadv@yahoo.ca or comment on the blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

 

On The War Memorial Trail…..The Visit To Harlingen General Cemetery

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October 15, 2019. Over the past few years, plans for a memorial panel outside the village of Wons in The Netherlands to honour WW2 pilot Flight Sgt Elmer Bagnall MUTTART and the crew of Halifax L9561 have been underway.  On October 12, 2019, the day of the unveiling of the memorial panel finally arrived, with a series of events organized by the Stichting Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation, a non-profit volunteer organization based in the province of Friesland!  (See Unveiling of the Memorial Panel for Downed WW2 Plane Halifax L9561 in Wons)

Before the unveiling of the memorial panel in Wons, however, we went to Harlingen, with the first stop at the Harlingen General Cemetery where Muttart is buried.

CIMG3433 Oct 12 2019 the bus

We travelled in comfort on this tour bus, which picked everyone up at the Oranje Hotel in Leeuwarden. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

CIMG3436 Oct 12 2019 On the bus Photo by Douwe

On the bus. We were very happy that we weren’t responsible for navigating the narrow streets! (Photo credit: Douwe Drijver)

The weather was very inclement, but luckily the rain held off while we were at the cemetery.  Two members of the Royal Canadian Legion in The Netherlands were present to lay a wreath.

CIMG3448 Oct 12 2019 Harlingen General Cemetery

Left to right: Legion president Martin Reelick, retired RAF member Ian Aldridge, Legion vice-president Wim Poppenk, retired RAF member Mark Aldridge. Ian and Mark Aldridge were present to honour crew member David Cotsell, flight engineer. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

In addition to the wreath placed by the Royal Canadian Legion, flowers had been placed earlier on behalf of Pam Alexander and her sister Carolyn Moncur, whose father Reg Alexander was the navigator on Halifax L9561.  The family of David Cotsell, flight engineer on Halifax L9561, placed a small cross. Flower bouquets were also placed by Pieter and Daria Valkenburg, Annie Lee and Elmer MacDonald, and Don Coutts, nephew of Elmer Muttart, on behalf of the Coutts family.

CIMG3431Oct 12 2019 Pieter Annie Lee Don Oranje Hotel Leeuwarden

Left to right: Pieter Valkenburg, Annie Lee MacDonald, Don Coutts with flower bouquets for the visit to Elmer Muttart’s grave. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Don Coutts, nephew of Elmer Muttart, placed small flags of Canada and Prince Edward Island by his uncle’s grave. In memory of Elmer Muttart’s birthplace of Cape Traverse and his ancestor Lewis Muttart, who was the owner and captain of the Cape Traverse ice boat, Lori Eggert brought a T-shirt saying ‘Cape Traverse Ice Boat Crew’.

CIMG3447 Oct 12 2019 Harlingen General Cemetery Lori Eggert with Cape Traverse Tshirt

Lori Eggert with T-shirt saying ‘Cape Traverse Ice Boat Crew’. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

In addition to the families of the British crew members, ten Canadians made the trip to The Netherlands.  The Canadian contingent gathered behind the grave of Elmer Muttart for a group photo.  Flying proudly behind Elmer Muttart’s grave were the flags of Canada and Prince Edward Island.

CIMG3446 Oct 12 2019 Harlingen General Cemetery Cdn contingent

Canadian contingent by Elmer Muttart’s grave. Left to right: Pieter Valkenburg, Annie Lee MacDonald, Daria Valkenburg, Don Coutts, Elmer MacDonald, Robert O’Brien, Valerie Muttart, Ralph Muttart, Heidi Eggert, Lori Eggert. (Photo credit: Pam Alexander)

CIMG3444 Oct 12 2019 Harlingen General Cemetery wreath & flowers

Grave of Elmer Muttart at Harlingen General Cemetery. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Flight Sgt Elmer Muttart is not the only Canadian buried in Harlingen General Cemetery.  There are 9 more known servicemen, and two unidentified servicemen.  While we were there, Pieter, with the help of Alexander Tuinhout and Sietse Kuiper of the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation, placed a Canadian flag at the graves of the two unknown Canadians and at each of these graves:

  • William Raymond James BROWN, died September 29, 1941
  • Donald Edward CAMPBELL, died June 26, 1943
  • Francis Arthur DAVIEAUX, died July 14, 1945
  • James MCDOWELL, died May 16, 1943
  • Murray Hudley NESBITT, died May 13, 1943
  • John Beverley PLEASENCE, died July 22, 1942
  • William Maurice POPPLESTONE, died March 26, 1942
  • Thomas ‘Tommy’ Clayton REID, died July 22, 1945
  • Robert WISHART, died July 22, 1942

The ceremonies at the Harlingen General Cemetery over, we next went to the museum for lunch and presentations.

A big thank you goes to the caretakers at Harlingen General Cemetery for arranging the flags for this special memorial visit.  Thank you also to the Office of Senator for Prince Edward Island Mike Duffy for providing the flag of Canada, and to Borden-Kinkora MLA Jamie Fox, Minister of Fisheries and Communities, for providing the flag of Prince Edward Island.

If you have information to share about the Canadian soldiers buried in Harlingen General Cemetery, please contact Pieter at dariadv@yahoo.ca or comment on the blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

On The War Memorial Trail…..A New Liberation Museum In Lochem

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October 9, 2019.  One of the pleasures of revisiting a place is the opportunity to see friends made on previous visits.  After visiting the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, we were so close to the town of Lochem that we couldn’t pass up the chance to see Yvonne and Berry Swarthoff of the Canadian restaurant Mondani, which is also the headquarters of the Royal Canadian Legion in The Netherlands.  (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2017/12/22/on-the-war-memorial-trail-a-taste-of-canada-in-the-netherlands/) The restaurant was not open the day we came, which meant there was time for a real visit.

In addition to running the restaurant, giving presentations to schools, and the many remembrance activities of the Royal Canadian Legion, Berry started a new project on May 4…. a Liberation Museum.  Of course we went to take a look.

CIMG3310 Oct 3 2019 Outside the Liberation Museum Lochem

The Liberation Museum in Lochem run by Berry Swarthoff. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Berry explained that he had so much stored in the basement that he decided to open up a museum, and nurture his passion for history.  When the museum closes at 4 pm, he returns to the restaurant to cook.

CIMG3306 Oct 3 2019 Pieter & Berry at Liberation Museum Lochem

Pieter, left, with Berry Swarthoff in the Liberation Museum in Lochem. Berry holds a photo of his father, who he credits with fostering his love of history. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Lochem was liberated on April 1, 1945 by British troops – the 129th Brigade of the 43th Wessex Division. However, Berry has all kinds of Canadian memorabilia on display.  Museum entrance is free, but donations are accepted.  (For more information see www.lochemsoorlogsmuseum.nl.  Unfortunately, the website is currently only in Dutch.)

Restaurant Mondani may have been closed to customers, but Yvonne never lets anyone go home unfed.  We were joined by Legion President Martin Reelick, and given a chance to preview special Liberation 75 hockey jerseys provided by a tour company.

CIMG3312Oct 3 2019 Mondani Berry Martin Yvonne Pieter front

Left to right: Berry Swarthoff, Martin Reelick, Yvonne Swarthoff, Pieter Valkenburg (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

CIMG3313 Oct 3 2019 Mondani Berry Martin Yvonne Pieter back

What a fun ending to a cold and rainy day!  We left Lochem warmed inside and out, and didn’t get tempted to have a cup of the Tim Hortons coffee we’d brought Yvonne.  As the Royal Canadian Legion in The Netherlands is involved in so many commemorative events, we brought Canadian flag pins and a big Canadian flag, provided by the Office of Senator Mike Duffy.  For Berry’s presentations to schools, we left zipper pulls and poppy tattoos that were provided by Veterans Affairs Canada.

If you have information to share about Canadian soldiers buried in The Netherlands, please contact 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/ 

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On The War Memorial Trail…..Our 2019 Visit To The Canadian War Cemetery In Holten

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October 8, 2019.  While in The Netherlands we visited the three Canadian War Cemeteries and laid down flags of Canada and PEI for the names listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion, as well as other Islanders who have been identified by Dutch researchers.

The first Canadian War Cemetery we visited on the 2019 trip was in Holten.  (See On the War Memorial Trail ….. At Holten Canadian War Cemetery for an account of our 2017 visit.) On this visit we also were able to place flags on graves of soldiers that were identified by Pieter while doing research for photos and other information to help the researchers at the cemetery with their “A Face For Every Grave” project.

For some reason, we have never been able to visit the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten on a dry day.  We started off in beautiful sunshine, but as soon as we entered the gate into the cemetery, it started to rain.  At first we ignored the rain, and were rewarded with a downpour.  We got the message and went back to the car to wait for the rain to stop.

.… ‘Are you really from Canada?’….

While we waited we noticed that schoolchildren from an elementary school in nearby Holten were having a tour and explanation of the sacrifices made by Canadian soldiers in liberating The Netherlands during WWII.  We approached a teacher and asked if the children would like Canadian flag pins.  As soon as the children understood what was being offered, Pieter was mobbed!  “Are you really from Canada?” he was asked.

CIMG3191 Oct 3 2019 Pieter surrounded by children at Holten

Pieter handing out Canadian flag pins to children from a nearby elementary school at the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

While handing out pins to the schoolchildren, the rain stopped and we returned to visit the graves.  We went through the gate into the cemetery and stopped to take a photo at the entrance.  No sooner had the photo been taken than it started to rain again, quite heavily! Back we went to the car.

CIMG3190 Oct 3 2019 Pieter by sign at Holten Cdn War Cemetery

Pieter at the entrance to the Holten Canadian War Cemetery. As soon as we took this photo, it started to rain! (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

We were soon joined by Edwin van der Wolf and Henk Vincent of the Information Centre, Canadian War Cemetery Holten, and decided to go for lunch in the hope that the sun would come out later.  We’d visited the Information Centre in 2017 (See On the War Memorial Trail ….. At The Information Centre at Holten Canadian War Cemetery) but it closed at the beginning of October for several months for expansion of the facility and preparation of digital innovations, such as holographic stories of various soldiers.

CIMG3194 Oct 3 2019 Lunch at Grand Cafe in Holten

At Grand Café in Holten. Left to right: Daria Valkenburg, Pieter Valkenburg, Edwin van der Wolf, Henk Vincent.

After a nice visit and lunch, the sun began peeking out from the clouds and it started to dry up, so a third attempt was made at placing flags at the cemetery.  This time we were joined by Edwin and Henk.  Again, however, we no sooner came past the gate than it started to rain.  This time we kept on going, and the four of us managed to place 33 flags and take photos of each grave…. in the rain.

CIMG3219 Oct 3 2019 Holten Carmen Gillcash

Edwin van der Wolf, Henk Vincent, and Pieter by the grave of Carman Gillcash of O’Leary. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

.… 33 flags were placed in Holten….

Flags of Canada and Prince Edward Island were placed at the graves of the following Islanders:

  • Alfred ARSENAULT, born in Urbanville
  • Frederick Charles CHEVERIE, born in Summerside
  • Nelson DESROCHES, born in Tignish
  • Harald FRASER, born in Vernon Bridge
  • Frank GALLANT, born in Mount Carmel
  • Carman Edward GILLCASH, born in O’Leary
  • Maurice J. HUGHES, born in Charlottetown
  • Francis E. LAWLESS, born in Grand Tracadie
  • Neal F. MACDONALD, born in North Wiltshire
  • Daniel Peter MACKENZIE, born in Summerville
  • Ruel Kitchener MATHESON, born in Charlottetown
  • John B. MATTHEW, born in Souris
  • Michael Joseph ‘Joe’ MCKENNA, born in Montague
  • John A. MCLAREN, born in Armadale
  • George Martin MCMAHON, born in Kinkora
  • William Douglas SHERREN, born in Crapaud
  • Charles Borden TUPLIN, born in Kensington
  • Archibald H. NELSON, born in Charlottetown

Flags of Canada and Nova Scotia were placed at the graves of the following soldiers from the North Nova Scotia Highlanders Regiment:

  • Joseph ‘Ambroise’ COMEAU, born in Lower Saulnierville
  • Gordon Frederick JOHNSON, born in Truro
  • Lewis Wilkieson MARSH, born in Sydney Mines
  • Lloyd William MURRAY, born in Tatamagouche

A flag of Canada was placed at the graves of the following soldiers from the North Nova Scotia Highlanders, who were not from Nova Scotia or Prince Edward Island:

  • Allan ‘Gordon’ COUTTS, born in Saskatchewan
  • Howard Milo NICHOLLS, born in Mattawa, Ontario
  • Gunnar DALMAN, born in Saskatchewan

Edwin van der Wolf researched a tragic story of Canadian soldiers murdered in cold blood by German soldiers on April 9, 1945 while they were sleeping in tents in Sögel, Germany, and Canadian flags were placed in honour of these men as well:

  • Karl CHRISTENSEN of Alberta
  • Louis FELDMANN of Ontario
  • Lewis GALLANT of Manitoba
  • Thomas F. GREENHALGH of Alberta
  • John D. MCDOUGALL of Manitoba
  • Harlow D. RANKIN of Ontario
  • Franklin ZIMMERMAN of Ontario

A flag was also placed for a soldier with the 23rd Field Regiment of the Royal Canadian Artillery, who was killed in action in Sögel on April 10, 1945.

  • Victor HUBACHECK of Ontario

Placing flags is the easiest part of a cemetery visit.  Gathering flags to bring from Canada is an event in itself, involving many people who provided them.  Our thanks go to:

  • the office of Wayne Easter, Member of Parliament for Malpeque, Prince Edward Island for Canada flags and pins
  • the office of Senator Mike Duffy, Senate of Canada for Canada flags and pins
  • Mary McQuaid of Veterans Affairs Canada for arranging for us to have PEI flags
  • John Wales of North Nova Scotia Highlanders Regimental Museum for making a trip to the Island to drop off Nova Scotia flags.
CIMG3047 Jul 24 2019 John Wales with NS flags

John Wales of the North Nova Scotia Highlanders Regimental Museum dropped of Nova Scotia flags to be placed at graves in The Netherlands. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

If anyone has more information to share on any of the soldiers listed above, or know of more Islanders buried in the cemetery in Holten, please contact 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 the blog, 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 on the book, please 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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Unveiling of the Memorial Panel for Downed WWII Plane Halifax L9561 in Wons

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October 6, 2019.  Next week, the long journey to providing a memorial panel to honour Flight Sgt Elmer Bagnall MUTTART and the crew of Halifax L9561 will end with its unveiling in Wons on October 12.  (See Update For Those Intending To Go To The Netherlands For The Memorial Panel Unveiling In Wons To Honour the Crew of Halifax L9561)

This project, initiated by Pieter in 2017 after researching what happened to Muttart, one of the names on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion, became possible with the help and support of the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation, the Tryon & Area Historical Society that coordinated donations, and the many people who generously donated towards the preparation and installation of a memorial panel.  This project was given ongoing media coverage by the County Line Courier newspaper and CBC PEI, making it possible to tell the story of Elmer Muttart to Islanders.

Recently we met with the organizers from the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation in Leeuwarden, who gave us a few hints about what to expect on October 12.

CIMG3185 Sep 30 2019 Leeuwarden with Pieter Daria Douwe Alexander

We get a few hints on what to expect on October 12! Left to right: Alexander Tuinhout, Pieter Valkenburg, Daria Valkenburg, Douwe Drijver.

Family of the crew of Halifax L9561 will meet in Leeuwarden before going to commemorative events in Harlingen and Wons. Representatives from the Dutch municipal government, the Canadian and British embassies, the Royal Canadian Legion in The Netherlands and Canada, the citizens of Wons, and the many researchers who worked so hard on this project will attend these special events that have been organized by the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation, a non-profit organization of volunteers in Friesland dedicated to remembering the Allied flights that crashed in the province.

As so many Canadians are not aware of the efforts of the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation, we invited them to explain a bit about their organization in a video clip about the story behind this upcoming event:

Excerpted translation of an article from the press release from the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation:

On Saturday, October 12, 2019, it will be 78 years ago that an eyewitness in the Wons area saw Halifax L9561 “burning, sliding and zigzagging through the cloud cover”. The bomber with a crew of eight people left the English airport in Middleton Saint George an hour and a half earlier for a bombing of the port city of Bremen, but it never reached its target.

Above the North Sea the aircraft was already noticed by the German radar station “Tiger” on the island of Terschelling. Experienced fighter pilot Leopold “Poldi” Fellerer succeeded in shooting the Halifax shortly afterwards. The plane crashed just outside Wons at 10:17 p.m.

Elmer Bagnall Muttart (2)

Elmer Bagnall Muttart (Photo from Canadian Virtual War Memorial at http://www.veterans.gc.ca)

The next morning it became clear that 23-year-old Canadian pilot Elmer Bagnall Muttart did not survive the crash. “He was a gallant Captain and he died that we might live …” co-pilot Norman Trayler would later say about Muttart. The fact that the pilot was able to keep the damaged aircraft under control for a long time gave the remaining seven crew members the chance to escape from the burning bomber. All survivors fell into German captivity and only got their freedom back in 1945.

John Duffield from Oxford, a tail gunner, was admitted with serious injuries in the German section of Leeuwarden’s Boniface Hospital. He received regular visits to his sickbed from Poldi Fellerer and from Fellerer’s gunner Georg Lotze. In 1955 – fourteen years after the crash of the L9561 – Lotze, from Germany, even made an attempt to come into contact with Duffield again.

In his home country of Canada, fallen pilot Elmer Muttart has never been forgotten. His name is on the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph, a monument near his birthplace of Cape Traverse on Prince Edward Island. For a long time, the exact story behind Muttart’s death was unknown.  Dutch born Canadian Pieter Valkenburg, who lives on Prince Edward Island, delved into the history of all fallen soldiers on the Cenotaph and, as of 2016, delved into the life of Muttart. He soon joined forces with the Frisian based Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation (SMAMF), which has been investigating the air war over the province since the 1970s.

The initiative of Valkenburg and the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation to permanently remember Elmer Muttart’s last flight with a memorial panel at the crash location becomes a reality on 12 October.“

Halifax No. 76 Squadron

Halifax Bomber used by No. 76 Squadron. (Photo courtesy of Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation)

For those who wish to read the original Dutch, please see ( Onthulling informatiepaneel vliegtuigcrash Halifax L9561 in Wons )

Thank you to the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation for sharing this article from their press release and allowing it to be translated into English.  An enormous thank you goes to Wendy Nattress, who graciously volunteered to do the post-production work on the short video explaining how the effort to place a memorial panel began. If anyone has more information to share on the Halifax L9561 crew, please contact 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/ 

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

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On The War Memorial Trail…..A Face For WWII Soldier William Weatherbie

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September 27, 2019. A few months ago, a request was made by Dutch researchers trying to gather photos for the thousands of WWII Canadian soldiers buried in Dutch cemeteries, as part of their Faces To Graves Project.   (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2019/06/27/photos-and-info-requested-for-ww2-soldiers-from-pei-buried-in-the-netherlands/) While not part of the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph Research Project, Pieter has been trying to help these researchers.

Faces To Graves Chair Alice van Bekkum, who was recently honoured with the Governor General’s Sovereign Medal for Volunteers, explained that “the Commonwealth War Graves Commission has given permission to place photos by the graves, for a two week period in May 2020, at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, in commemoration of the 75th Liberation of Holland.”

20190831_110157 Alice van Bekkum

In August, The Governor General of Canada presented the Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteers to three Dutch recipients who have worked to preserve the memory of Canadian soldiers who served in World War II, and a Meritorious Service Medal to a Dutch captain for his service alongside the Canadian Armed Forces. Left to right in back: Albert Hartkamp, Captain Paul D. Schouten (Dutch military), Marc Fraser. Left to right in front: Canadian ambassador to The Netherlands, Her Excellency Sabine Nölke, Alice van Bekkum, Her Excellency The Right Honourable Julie Payette, Governor General of Canada. (Photo: courtesy of Alice van Bekkum)

One of the names of soldiers from Prince Edward Island for which a photo was requested was William L. WEATHERBIE, born in Charlottetown, was with the Royal Regiment of Canada.  He died on March 8, 1945, aged 18, and is buried at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek.  We had placed flags at his grave in 2017. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2017/12/30/on-the-war-memorial-trail-pei-soldiers-buried-in-the-canadian-war-cemetery-in-groesbeek/)

CIMG9032 Sep 16 2017 Groesbeek Cemetery grave of WL Weatherbie

Grave of William Weatherbie at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

The route to a photo of Weatherbie was a circuitous one, illustrating how many Islanders are helping Pieter in this quest.  It began with Jack MacEachern at the Royal Canadian Legion in Charlottetown, who knew some of the Weatherbie family members.  This led to a phone call with Gloria Weatherbie, who explained that her maiden name was Cameron and that she had grown up in Augustine Cove, not far from where we live.  She confirmed that Weatherbie was the older brother of her husband Winston.  “He was always known as ‘Buddy”, she said.  “My husband and his younger brother Roger never knew him, as they were born after Buddy died.”

William Weatherbie from Winston Weatherbie

William ‘Buddy’ Weatherbie. (Photo: Winston Weatherbie family collection. Photo colourization: Pieter Valkenburg)

CIMG3079 Aug 26 2019 Gloria Weatherbie with Pieter

Gloria Weatherbie and Pieter hold up the photo of William Weatherbie. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

When Pieter met with Winston and Roger, they explained that “Buddy had been injured and was scheduled to be repatriated back home after being discharged from hospital in England.  He refused to leave his unit, so he went back, and two weeks later was killed in Germany.”

CIMG3082 Aug 26 2019 Roger Weatherbie Pieter & Winston

Pieter (centre) with Roger (left) and Winston (right) Weatherbie. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Not long after our visit, Gloria called us back.  “We found a letter from a nurse that looked after Buddy in England” she said.

The letter, dated August 30, 1945, from Marie Cave of Colchester, was written to Buddy’s parents, after she learned of his death.  “I have had the pleasure of meeting your son whilst he was here in England in our Military Hospital.  He was a son any mother could feel proud to own.  I think he was a very nice boy and was sorry to hear he has since lost his life…..  I send you my deepest sympathy in your loss.”

Miss Cave goes on to explain that she met Buddy through his friend “George Shelfoon, who wrote and told me about his death.” Shelfoon survived the war and returned back to Prince Edward Island, always carrying a photo of Weatherbie in his wallet, until he himself passed away.

Thank you to the Weatherbie family and to Jack MacEachern for helping to put a face to the name of this young soldier.  If anyone can provide more information on William Weatherbie, or any of the other Canadian soldiers from WWII who are buried in The Netherlands, please contact 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/ 

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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