Canadian War Cemeteries in The Netherlands

On The War Memorial Trail….A Visit To Sleen General Cemetery

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June 15, 2025.  On April 26, 2025 we travelled to Schoonebeek in the province of Drenthe, The Netherlands, to meet Yannic Wethly, one of the volunteers at the Air Research Drenthe Foundation (Stichting Luchtoorlog Onderzoek Drenthe).  This non-profit organization researches WWII air crashes in the province and places information panels near the crash sites.

We’d been involved with a similar organization in the province of Friesland, Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation, to honour the crew of the last flight of Halifax L9561 in which the pilot, Elmer Bagnall MUTTART of Cape Traverse, Prince Edward Island, lost his life. This led to a memorial panel being placed outside the village of Wons on October 12, 2019. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2019/11/18/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-memorial-panel-in-wons-is-unveiled/)

Yannic had gotten in contact about the last flight of Halifax DT630, in which the pilot, Jack Douglas MACKENZIE of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and three other crew members, lost their lives.  We’ve stayed in touch, and were happy to meet Yannic in person at an excellent exhibition that the organization held in Schoonebeek, entitled ‘The Last Flight – The airwar around Schoonebeek’.

Pieter and Daria with Yannic Wethly of the Air Research Drenthe Foundation.  (Photo courtesy of Valkenburg Family)

After touring the exhibit, we were joined by Yannic’s father, and in the end we were in Schoonebeek for 2 hours!

….Our first flags were placed at 4 graves in Sleen General Cemetery…

The village of Sleen was not far away from Schoonebeek.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

From Schoonebeek we went to Sleen General Cemetery to honour the 4 airmen who lost their lives on February 3, 1943 during the last flight of Halifax DT630 (call sign VR-T), one of 8 heavy Halifax bombers sent on a night raid to Hamburg, Germany. 

The cemetery was outside the village of Sleen, and off of a narrow lane, with a farmer’s field on the other side of the cemetery.

Sign directing us to Sleen General Cemetery. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

We didn’t know what to expect once we turned into the tree-lined entrance to the cemetery. It was much larger than we thought, and very well-maintained. 

The tree-lined entrance from the road into Sleen General Cemetery provided an aura of serenity. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Out of a crew of 7, four men, all with the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), died and are buried in Sleen:

  • Pilot P/O Jack Douglas MACKENZIE of Winnipeg, Manitoba
  • Flight Engineer Sgt. William Peter DUTHIE of Winnipeg, Manitoba
  • Air Gunner W/O II Raymond Hepton HILL of Montreal, Quebec
  • Air Gunner W/O II Lennox Alwin GONNETT of Westmount, Quebec

You can read Jack Douglas MacKenzie’s story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2023/02/19/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-wwii-pilot-killed-at-the-controls-of-his-halifax-bomber/

After placing Canadian and provincial flags, Pieter paid his respects by the graves of the 4 airmen.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Canadian flags were placed at all four graves.  Manitoba flags were placed at the graves of Jack Douglas MacKenzie and William Peter Duthie.  Quebec flags were placed at the graves of Raymond Hepton Hill and Lennox Alwin Gonnett.

Pieter by Jack MacKenzie’s grave in Sleen General Cemetery. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

The three surviving crew members – 2 from the RCAF and 1 from the Royal Air Force (RAF) – spent the remainder of the war years in prisoner of war camps:

  • Navigator Sgt. William Nelson GARNETT, RCAF
  • Bomb Aimer Sgt. Eric Raymond MARQUAND, RCAF
  • Rear Air Gunner F/Sgt. Alexander Henry MILTON, RAF

Sleen General Cemetery was the first of 14 cemeteries that we visited during our trip, and the first 4 graves, out of a total of 383 graves, at which Pieter placed flags. All of the flags placed on our war memorial tour had been donated, as mentioned in an earlier posting. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2025/06/04/on-the-war-memorial-trail-flags-and-pins-received-for-our-2025-european-war-memorial-tour/)

Thank you to the following for the donation of flags placed at the graves in Sleen General Cemetery:

  • Mario Henry and his brother Etienne Henry, who donated the Quebec flags
  • Wayne Ewasko, MLA for Lac Du Bonnet, Manitoba, Interim Leader of the Official Opposition, Province of Manitoba, who donated the Manitoba flags
  • Alan Waddell, Constituent Assistant, on behalf of Heath MacDonald, MP (Member of Parliament) for Malpeque, PEI, who donated the Canadian flags

Over the next several postings, we’ll continue to share the highlights of our adventures on the 2025 European War Memorial Tour.  Next up on our journey of remembrance is the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, where Pieter placed flags at 120 graves.

Now that we’re back home, the research work continues for Pieter.  If you have photos or information to share about soldiers buried in The Netherlands or Belgium, please email him 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. 

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

On The War Memorial Trail…Holten Rolled Out A Warm Welcome

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June 12, 2025. During the first part of our 2025 European War Memorial Tour we stayed in the village of Holten, just a few kms from the Canadian War Cemetery outside the village.  We’d been in Holten several times over the years, but this year we saw Canadian flags everywhere – on roundabouts, streets, houses, and businesses – all commemorating 80 years of freedom.  Who knew that orange and red looked so good together?  It quickly became our favourite colour combination!

Pieter by a roundabout in the village of Holten, The Netherlands. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Houses in the village of Holten were bedecked with streamers and Canadian flags. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Several signs along the street commemorated 80 years of freedom and showed Canadian and Dutch flags. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

It was a heartwarming welcome to the many Canadian visitors who made their way to the village enroute to the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten. We were just two of those visitors.

….The author and translators of ‘Holten Heroes’ finally meet in person!….

While we were in Holten, we had the opportunity to finally meet in person with Jan Braakman, whose book we had translated into English during the Covid years when we were all housebound. ‘Holten Heroes: Stories from a Canadian Field of Honour’ was translated by us from the original Dutch book ‘Holtense Canadezen’ that Jan wrote. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2023/11/01/new-book-about-soldiers-buried-in-the-canadian-war-cemetery-in-holten-the-netherlands/)

Of course, we made sure to take a photo of the three of us with both versions of the book!

Pieter and Daria with Jan Braakman, and the English and Dutch versions of Jan’s book. (Photo credit: Trudy van ‘t Hoff)

The translators with the English language edition of ‘Holten Heroes’.  (Photo courtesy of Valkenburg family)

….We met 3 students from Rijssen….

Left to right:  Jan Braakman, Roselle de Jong, Manon ten Hove, Lieke Brinks, Jorina Lensink (teacher), Pieter Valkenburg, Henk Vincent. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Pieter was invited by Henk Vincent, one of the volunteers at the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, to meet with 3 high school students from Jacobus Fruytier Scholengemeenschap in Rijssen, plus their teacher, Jorina Lensink.  Roselle de Jong, Manon ten Hove, and Lieke Brinks are 16 years old and had done research on Canadian soldiers.  Ms Lensink explained that the research of soldiers was part of their history exams.

All of the soldiers researched are buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten.  I asked how they chose a soldier, and learned that the names had been given to them by Henk.  Pieter briefly looked at their papers and said they had done a fantastic job of research.

Roselle had studied Victor Lloyd CARPENTER of Fort Frances, Ontario, who died April 27, 1945, aged 22, while serving with the South Alberta Regiment. 

Manon had studied Neil Patrick O’Connor STEWART of St. Paul, Alberta, who died April 8, 1945, aged 20, while serving with the South Saskatchewan Regiment.

Lieke had studied two soldiers:  Clarence Warren LORENSEN, who died April 2, 1945, while serving with the South Alberta Regiment, and Lyle Lewis CRAIG of Paddockwood, Saskatchewan, who died April 19, 1945, while also serving with the South Alberta Regiment. 

Over the next several postings, we’ll continue to share the highlights of our adventures on the 2025 European War Memorial Trail….including the various cemeteries we visited along our journey of remembrance.

Meanwhile, now that we’re back home, the research work continues for Pieter.  If you have photos or information to share about soldiers buried in The Netherlands or Belgium, please email him 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. 

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

On The War Memorial Trail…..The Inclusion Of Acadian Flags On The 2025 European War Memorial Tour Received Publicity

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June 8, 2025.  In planning for the 2025 European War Memorial Tour, we were very grateful for help we received in getting flags and pins to take with us.  The many donors were identified and thanked in the previous posting.  (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2025/06/04/on-the-war-memorial-trail-flags-and-pins-received-for-our-2025-european-war-memorial-tour/)

Simone Comeau, of Nova Scotia, is the niece of Pte Joseph ‘Ambroise’ COMEAU, an Acadian soldier, whose story was told several years ago on this blog.  (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/05/17/on-the-war-memorial-trail-a-tragic-drowning-on-the-leda-river-in-germany-part-3/) She ensured that we received Acadian flags from La Société acadienne de Clare when she learned about the planned tour! 

When she told us that French language media in Nova Scotia was interested in interviewing her about sending us Acadian flags and in learning more about her uncle, we asked if the media could include the names of 4 Acadian soldiers from Nova Scotia whose photos Pieter has yet to find. 

Simone was subsequently interviewed this past winter on the radio by Colette Deveau of Radio-Canada’s La Mouvée, and in ‘Le Courier’ newspaper by Richard Landry.  Both interviews included the names of the 4 soldiers for which photos are still missing.

….Simone Comeau was interviewed by Richard Landry for the ‘Le Courier’ newspaper…

The following is a translation into English (by me) of an article in French by Richard Landry published in the February 21, 2025 edition of ‘Le Courier’: https://lecourrier.com/nos-communautes/nos-communautes-clare/2025/02/21/ambroise-comeau-parmi-55-soldats-acadiens-honores-avec-un-drapeau-acadien-aux-pays-bas/.  The article includes the backstory of how we met Simone, while researching her uncle’s story, as well as the donation of Acadian flags for the 2025 European War Memorial Tour.

 “…Ambroise Comeau among 55 Acadian soldiers honoured with an Acadian flag in the Netherlands

Simone proudly shows off a photo of her uncle Ambroise Comeau’s grave in the Netherlands. Credit: Richard Landry

SAULNIERVILLE – Simone Comeau of Meteghan, niece of Ambroise Comeau (born in Saulnierville), who lost his life defending Holland during the Second World War, has just paid a special tribute to her uncle. For the first time, Acadian soldiers from the Maritimes buried in Holten, Netherlands, will have an Acadian flag placed on their graves, thanks to Simone’s efforts.  (NOTE: Acadian soldiers buried in Groesbeek, Bergen Op Zoom, and Adegem (Belgium) also received flags.) 

Pieter Valkenburg, originally from Holland, lives in Prince Edward Island with his Canadian wife, Daria. He became Canadian and is a former Dutch diplomat. The couple has been working for some time on a research project called On The War Memorial Trail, which aims to find information about Maritime soldiers who served in the liberation of Holland during the Second World War. (NOTE: The research project also features soldiers from other Canadian provinces.)

Private Ambroise Comeau died during World War II in Germany. Credit: Photo from the Simone Comeau collection

Among all the soldiers killed there, they discovered 55 Acadian soldiers from the region who died there during this war, including Ambroise Comeau from Saulnierville, who died during the war in Germany at the age of 21 in 1945.  

Ambroise’s niece, Simone Comeau, of Meteghan, a retired teacher and school principal, conducted extensive research on her uncle after discovering that the Valkenburgs were looking for information. It all began four years ago. She has since accumulated a large file on her uncle. 

The Valkenburgs regularly visit the graves of Maritime soldiers in Holland. This year, on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, they will return there in April. In the past, they have placed Canadian and provincial flags on the graves of all Maritime soldiers. This year, for the first time, they will also place an Acadian flag on the 55 graves of Acadian soldiers. 

Pieter asked Simone to find small Acadian flags to place on the graves of these Acadian soldiers. This will be the first time that the Acadian flag will be placed alongside the provincial and Canadian flags on the graves of Acadians who gave their lives defending Holland. 

Simone enlisted the help of Nathalie Robichaud, executive director of the Société acadienne de Clare, to find the 55 flags. Nathalie managed to locate them and donated them to the cause. Coincidentally, Natalie is Ambroise’s great-niece. 

There are photos of 51 of the 55 Acadian soldiers from the Maritimes in the small museums located at the entrance to the cemeteries with details available on each deceased soldier. We are looking for information and especially photos of the four missing persons. They are: Herbert A. BOUDREAU of Ward’s Brook (died October 28, 1944 while serving with the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry and buried in the cemetery at Bergen Op Zoom, Netherlands), Theodore J. GALLANT of Sydney Mines (died October 20, 1944 while serving with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and buried in the cemetery at Bergen Op Zoom), Sherman William BOUTILIER of Sheet Harbour (died February 19, 1945 while serving with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders and buried in the cemetery at Groesbeek, Netherlands) and Albert G. LERUE of Halifax (died March 7, 1945 while serving with the Algonquin Regiment and buried in the cemetery at Groesbeek). 

Anyone who can offer photos or information about them is asked to email to memorialtrail@gmail.com. 

As for Ambroise Comeau, he was a carpenter during his short career. A funeral service was held in early June 1945 at Sacré-Cœur Church in Saulnierville. He was the son of the late Gus and Jessie Comeau. A military parade took place from his parents’ home to the church before the mass celebrated by Father Castonguay.

The grave of Ambroise Comeau with the cemetery caretaker in Holten, the Netherlands, and Pieter Valkenburg, right. Credit: Photo from the Simone Comeau collection (Note: The man in the photo with Pieter isn’t the cemetery caretaker but Edwin van der Wolf, one of the researchers for Holten.)

His grave in Holten reads: F.602531, J.A. Comeau, The North Nova Scotia Highlanders, April 28, 1945 (in French). “Actually, there are two graves for Ambroise. The other is in Germany, where he fell. Soldiers were buried where they fell during the war. The Dutch didn’t want these soldiers buried in an enemy country, so they brought Ambroise and the others to Holten after the armistice. They are buried in Holland, where they can be given the honour they deserve,” Simone added.  (Note: the original grave in Germany is no longer there, since Ambroise was disinterred and reburied in Holten.)….” 

….Simone Comeau was interviewed by Colette Deveau of Radio-Canad’s La Mouvée…

During an interview this past winter with Colette Deveau of Radio-Canada’s La Mouvée, Simone presented her research on her uncle. She explained that through Ambroise’s sister’s daughter, Pieter had contacted Simone, who agreed to conduct the research. (Note: You can listen to the interview, which is in French, here: https://ici.radio-canada.ca/ohdio/premiere/emissions/la-mouvee/segments/rattrapage/1984976/apercu-simone-comeau and https://ici.radio-canada.ca/ohdio/premiere/emissions/la-mouvee/segments/rattrapage/1985381/reconnaissance-soldats-acadiens-decedes-durant-seconde-guerre-mondiale) 

“…The Dutch are quite, quite grateful to the Canadians for helping to liberate their country because they suffered so much during the Second World War. The Acadian flags that will be placed on the graves come from Clare…” Simone said proudly. 

“….My sister Jacqueline had gone to Holland with her eldest son’s school band. Because they were going to schools, they also visited the Holten cemetery. There was a girl with the band who saw Comeau’s name and told Jacqueline. It was Ambroise’s grave. We knew because we had his regimental number… 

…Ambroise, born into a family of six children, was called to war a year before the end of World War II and lost his life there….”

….Can you help with finding photos of 4 Acadian soldiers from Nova Scotia?…

Up to now, Pieter has not found photos of the 4 Acadian soldiers mentioned in Simone’s interviews, who are all buried in The Netherlands….and who all received Canadian, Nova Scotia, and Acadian flags during our visit to their graves.  The soldiers are: 

  • Herbert Andrew BOUDREAU of Ward’s Brook, who died October 28, 1944, aged 23, while serving with the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry and is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Bergen Op Zoom
  • Theodore Joseph GALLANT of Sydney Mines, who died October 20, 1944, aged 30, while serving with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Bergen Op Zoom
  • Sherman William BOUTILIER of Sheet Harbour, who died February 19, 1945, aged 26, while serving with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders and is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek
  • Albert George LERUE of Halifax, who died March 7, 1945, aged 24, while serving with the Algonquin Regiment and is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek

Thank you to Simone Comeau for publicizing that Acadian flags would be included in the flags we took to Europe, in addition to the Canadian and provincial flags.  Thank you also to the two reporters who interviewed her – Richard Landry and Colette Deveau.  If you have photos or information to share about the 4 Acadian soldiers mentioned, please email Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com, or comment on the blog.    

….We also received Acadian flags from New Brunswick…

We also received Acadian flags from New Brunswick, for which we were grateful, as in the end we placed Acadian flags at more graves than had been on our initial list!  Thank you again to:

Over the next several postings, we’ll continue to share the highlights of our adventures on the 2025 European War Memorial Trail….including the various cemeteries we visited along our journey of remembrance.  Now that we’re back home, the research work continues for Pieter.

© 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. 

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

On The War Memorial Trail….Flags and Pins Received For Our 2025 European War Memorial Tour

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June 4, 2025.  When Pieter decided he wanted to go to Europe for the 80th Anniversary of the Liberation of Europe in May 2025, planning began over a year in advance.  This would be our most ambitious war memorial tour, and Pieter wanted to ensure that the graves in The Netherlands and Belgium of as many of the soldiers and airmen that he’d researched over the past 11 years would be visited. He had a vision of being able to place, not only Canadian flags by the graves, but also provincial, and, where appropriate, Acadian flags.

A project like this didn’t happen overnight, and we needed help with donations of flags in order to meet Pieter’s goal.  Requests for flags began in the summer of 2024, and in the end we received donations of flags from most provinces.  Some came from provincial governments, others from politicians, and quite a few were donated by families of soldiers that had been researched, or readers of this blog. 

….Flags placed at 383 graves visited at 14 cemeteries.…

In addition, we received flags to place at the graves of two Indigenous soldiers, a very special tribute that we were honoured to be involved in.

We also received donations of Canadian flag pins and 80th anniversary pins to hand out, which were very popular with everyone we met along what turned out to be a 5 week journey along the war memorial trail.

By the time we returned back to Canada, Pieter had placed flags at 383 graves in 14 cemeteries in The Netherlands and Belgium!  We very much appreciate and want to recognize all who helped to provide flags and pins.

….Donations received of flags and pins…

We were blown away by the response to requests for flags, and the messages of support and encouragement we received.  The large Canadian flags were donated to small organizations in The Netherlands and Belgium who honour soldiers and airmen buried in smaller war cemeteries and in municipal or church cemeteries.  They also received small Canadian flags and flag pins. 

Some groups were involved with children in The Netherlands who are taught about the sacrifices made by Allied soldiers during WWII. We provided small Canadian flags, flag pins, and Frisbees for them to hand out.

Here below are the generous donors of flags and pins:

Pieter with Alan Waddell (right) from the office of Heath MacDonald with Canadian flags.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

  • Alan Waddell, Constituent Assistant, on behalf of Heath MacDonald, MP (Member of Parliament) for Malpeque, Prince Edward Island and recently appointed as the Minister of Agriculture for the Government of Canada – small Canadian flags, flag pins, Frisbees
  • Mary Robinson, Senator for Prince Edward Island – large Canadian flags, flag pins
  • Jane MacAdam, Senator for Prince Edward Island – large Canadian flags

Matt MacFarlane (left) and Pieter hold flags from Prince Edward Island. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

  • Matt MacFarlane, MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly) for District 19, Borden-Kinkora, Prince Edward Island – small PEI flags

After providing the flags from Prince Edward Island, Matt commented that “…I am happy to help with such important work…”

Simone Comeau (left) with Nathalie Robicheau. (Photo courtesy of Simone Comeau)

  • La Société acadienne de Clare at the request of Simone Comeau – small Acadian flags

For Simone, providing Acadian flags was very personal, to honour her uncle, Pte Joseph ‘Ambroise’ COMEAU. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/05/17/on-the-war-memorial-trail-a-tragic-drowning-on-the-leda-river-in-germany-part-3/)  “…I picked up the flags yesterday. They are donated by ‘La Société acadienne de Clare.  Clare is the name of our municipality. In this picture we are standing in front of the banner of “La Société acadienne de Clare”. The lady presenting me the flags is the general director of the organization. Her name is Nathalie Robicheau and by coincidence she is the grand niece of J. Ambroise Comeau. Her father, my cousin, is the son of Ambroise’s other sister….” 

Pieter holds a selection of Acadian (left) and New Brunswick flags (right).  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

  • Jean-Claude D’Amours, MLA (Member of the Legislative Assembly) for Edmundston-Madawaska Centre, Minister responsible for Military Affairs, with the help of Cécile LePage, Province of New Brunswick – small New Brunswick and Acadian flags

For Cécile, helping to provide the flags was in honour of her uncle, Pte Ange Aimé LECLAIR. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2024/11/27/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-wwii-acadian-soldier-serving-with-le-regiment-de-maisonneuve-who-made-the-ultimate-sacrifice-in-the-hochwald-forest/)

  • Armel ‘Mel’ Lanteigne, President of the Caraquet Legion in New Brunswick – small New Brunswick flags, small Acadian flags, small Canadian flags

Pieter with flags of Newfoundland sent by Gerald Bartlett.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

  • Gerald Bartlett in memory of Trooper John Frederick BARTLETT (whose story is yet to be written) – small Newfoundland flags
  • Mario Henry and his brother Etienne Henry – small Quebec flags
  • Kyle Graham, Research Officer, Military Relations, Nova Scotia Intergovernmental Affairs, on behalf of Premier Tim Houston, Province of Nova Scotia – small Nova Scotia flags

Kyle emailed us, saying “…as part of the Military Relations team for the Province, I am responding on behalf of …..” Premier Tim Houston.  “…Absolutely, our pleasure to support this…”

Wayne enclosed a lovely note with the flags sent by his office. “…Thank you ….for the meaningful work you are doing to honour Canadian soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice.  We are please to support your efforts.

We have enclosed ….Manitoba flags for your upcoming trip to The Netherlands for the 80th anniversary of the liberation.  We hope these flags will help commemorate the brave Manitoban soldiers and provide a special tribute at their gravesites….”

  • Brad Robertson, Chief of Protocol, Government of Manitoba, on behalf of Wab Kinew, Premier of Manitoba

The flags were accompanied by a note from Brad, saying “…with thanks, on behalf of the Premier of Manitoba…”

  • Peggy Menard – small Ontario flags
  • Don Coutts on behalf of the Muttart and Coutts families in memory of Flight Sergeant Elmer Bagnall MUTTART – small Ontario flags

Elmer Muttart was the first airman researched by Pieter, and his story has been extensively told on this blog.  You can read his story here:

  • Marie Renaud, MLA St Albert, Alberta at the request of Roman Berezowsky – small Alberta flags

….Two Indigenous flags received…

Daria with the very personalized Lnu flag to be placed at the grave of Leo Toney.  (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

Della explained that the term ‘Lnu’  means “…the people, it’s what the Mi’kmaw people call themselves.  We are part of the Wabanaki Confederacy. People of the Dawnland, or People of the First Light. This area includes areas of NS, NB, PEI, eastern Quebec, and Maine. Made up of these nations Abenaki, Mi’kmaw, Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, and Wolastoqiyik …”

Pieter holds the Wolasatoqey Nation flag to be placed at the grave of Sanford Steven Saulis. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

After I’d contacted Conrad to ask if the Wolastoqey used the same flag as the Mi’Kmaq, he replied that “….the Wolastoqey (we no longer recognize the term Maliseet) Nation is a distinct Nation of Peoples from the Mi’Kmaq much like the Portuguese are distinct from the Spanish yet have similar linguistic aspects. My Nation, along with the Mi’Kmaq, are two of the many First Nations that make up the Wabanaki Confederacy along with other Nations such as the Penobscot, Passamaquoddy, Abenaki, and other First Nation of the northeast seaboard as far as Manhattan.

Our Wolastoq Ancestors named our peoples after the Wolastoq river since it was a primary provider of water, fish and other foods including fiddleheads (mahsos) that grow along the river banks.  Our Ancestral lands intersect with the Mi’Kmaq through the central portions of NB covering the entirety of the Wolastoq River (St John River) from St. John to Rivere du Loup (St Lawrence) west towards Quebec City.…”

Conrad then arranged to send a flag for his uncle’s grave, saying that  “…the flag is courtesy of Grand Chief Ron Tremblay – a fellow Wolastoqey Nation citizen and designer of the flag….” and represents “…a muskrat swimming in front of the two in the canoe which was our primary means of transportation during Ancestral times…..”  

….80th Anniversary pins received…

  • Wendy Sewell, Assistant Defence Attaché, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Canada – 80th Anniversary of the Liberation of The Netherlands pins
  • Gerry Blom, Owner/Operator of the Dutch Truck – 80th Anniversary of the Liberation of The Netherlands pins

Thank you to everyone who provided flags and pins.  Over the next several postings, we’ll share the highlights of our adventures on the 2025 European War Memorial Trail….and how the flags were placed at the various cemeteries along our journey of remembrance.

Meanwhile, now that we’re back home, the research work continues for Pieter.  If you have photos or information to share about soldiers buried in The Netherlands or Belgium, please email him 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. 

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

On The War Memorial Trail….Pieter and Daria Honoured By Faces To Graves Groesbeek Foundation

/ On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / 9 Comments

Daria and Pieter Valkenburg hold the Faces To Graves Coin and Certificate that was presented to them by Alice van Bekkum, Chair of Faces To Graves Groesbeek Foundation.  (Photo credit: Kim Huvenaars)

May 30, 2025.  On May 24, 2025, we were honoured by the Faces To Graves Groesbeek Foundation for their research into Canadian soldiers buried at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands, finding families and sharing photos of over 100 of the soldiers.  We were presented with a Certificate and a Faces To Graves ‘coin’ by Alice van Bekkum, Chair of Faces To Graves Groesbeek Foundation.

Faces To Graves Groesbeek ‘coin’.

The image used on the ‘coin’ is that of Major Willard Bruce PARKER, born in Rothwell, New Brunswick, who was serving with the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment when he lost his life on February 26, 1945, aged 29.

….Flags placed at 383 graves visited at 14 cemeteries.…

We recently returned from Europe, where Pieter placed flags at 383 graves in 14 cemeteries in The Netherlands and Belgium. 

We attended the commemoration service for the 80th Anniversary of the Liberation of The Netherlands at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek. 

As well, we visited several memorials in The Netherlands and Germany, attended the grave re-dedication ceremony of a WWII soldier from Ontario, and, with the help of GPS coordinates on a trench map, we found the location of the original burial of a WWI soldier from Prince Edward Island who was killed during the Battle of Passchendaele in October 1917. 

Over the next several postings, we’ll share the highlights of our adventures on the 2025 European War Memorial Trail.

Text of Certificate presented to the Valkenburgs.

Thank you to Faces Of Graves Groesbeek Foundation for surprising us with this honour.  If you have photos or information to share about soldiers buried in Groesbeek, please email Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com, or comment on the blog.    

© Daria Valkenburg

….Want to follow our research?…

If you are reading this posting, but aren’t following our research, you are welcome to do so.  Our blog address: https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/

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. 

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

On The War Memorial Trail….. Tragedy On The Ems Part 2: The WWII Soldier From Halifax Who Drowned During Operation Duck

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March 11, 2025. In 2021, in a period when we were all at home due to Covid, we translated, into English, ‘Holtense Canadezen’, Jan Braakman’s book about some of the soldiers buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands.  In October 2023, this was published in English as ‘Holten Heroes: Stories from a Canadian Field of Honour’.  (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2023/11/01/new-book-about-soldiers-buried-in-the-canadian-war-cemetery-in-holten-the-netherlands/)

One story in the Chapter ‘Drama On The Ems’ was about a tragic incident during the Battle of Leer in Germany on April 28, 1945, one of the final actions to end WWII in Europe. Operation Duck, which involved the crossing of the Ems and Leda rivers in northern Germany in order to take the port of Leer, turned out very badly for 19 men of the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders. 

Two Maritime soldiers mentioned in the chapter, one from Nova Scotia, and one from New Brunswick, were on the photo wish list from the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands.  Pieter was successful in finding family and a photo of these men, who were both with the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders.

James Edward SULLIVAN, from Rexton, New Brunswick, was one of the Maritimers.  (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2025/03/05/on-the-war-memorial-trail-tragedy-on-the-ems-part-1-the-wwii-soldier-from-rexton-who-drowned-during-operation-duck/) Frank Eugene MUNROE, of Halifax, Nova Scotia, was the other Maritimer.

…Frank enlisted in December 1943…

Born February 1, 1923 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Francis ‘Frank’ Eugene MUNROE was the son of Francis ‘Frank’ Harold and Mary Gertrude Munroe. He had 3 brothers, two of whom also served during WWII, and 3 sisters. 

When he enlisted at the No. 6 District Depot in Halifax, Nova Scotia on December 13, 1943, he stated that he’d been employed for 3 years as an iron worker at the Halifax Ship Yards.  His father had died in September 1943, just a few months before his enlistment.

Frank’s niece, Sharon Carvery, the daughter of his sister Margaret Frances Jeffery, sent Pieter a photo, saying “…this is the only picture I could find with Uncle Frank with his sister Aunt Dot…”  Aunt Dot was Frank’s sister Dorothy Donnelly.

After completing his basic training at No. 60 Canadian Army (Basic) Training Centre (CABTC) in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Frank was sent to the A14 Canadian Infantry Training Centre (CITC) in Aldershot, Nova Scotia on February 27, 1944 for additional training on various rifles and mortar.

Frank Munroe with his sister Dorothy.  (Photo courtesy of Sharon Carvery. Photo colourization by Pieter Valkenburg)

Upon completion of the courses at A14, he was attached to S-5 Canadian Driving and Maintenance School (CD & M School) in Woodstock, Ontario on May 5, 1944, for a Driver i/c course.  On June 14, 1944, he qualified as a Driver i/c Class III (Wheeled).  (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.)

He was reassigned back to A14 CITC in Aldershot in preparation for overseas service, before being granted embarkation leave from June 23, 1944 until July 6, 1944, the last chance he would have to see his family before going overseas.

….Frank left Canada for overseas service….

On July 21, 1944, Frank left Canada for the United Kingdom.  Upon arriving on July 27, 1944, he was assigned to No. 4 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit (CIRU). 

Unfortunately, on August 4, 1944, while in England, he failed to requalify as a Driver i/c Class III (Wheeled), and was “…remustered for general duty…” according to his service file.

On August 16, 1944 he was assigned to the X-4 reinforcement list of No. 2 Canadian Base Reinforcement Group (CBRG) and shipped to France, arriving the following day. 

Frank joined the Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders in Trun, France.  (Map source: DuckDuckGo)

On August 22, 1944, he was transferred to the Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders Regiment, joining them in Normandy, France, where they were based in Trun, following a heavy day of fighting by the Regiment, which had resulted in a number of casualties.  The next day the Regiment moved north of Trun. 

Frank remained with the Regiment as it fought across France, and into The Netherlands.  It was in Nijmegen to relieve the airborne troops, and helped guard the bridge while the Rhine crossing was prepared. The Regiment then fought through the Hochwald in Germany, and continued north as it prepared to cross the Ems River and take the city of Leer on April 28, 1945, in what became known as Operation Duck.

…Operation Duck…

Map showing the Ems and Leda Rivers, and position of Regiments during the Battle for Leer.  (Map courtesy of and ©Jan Braakman)

In the plan for Operation Duck, the North Nova Scotia Highlanders would cross the Leda River in assault boats and secure the northern bank of the river in preparation for the attack to capture Leer. The Highland Light Infantry of Canada would cross the Leda River at the point where the Ems and Leda rivers meet. The Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders would go across the Ems River towards the western edge of Leer.

These three Regiments were part of the 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade.  (See https://www.canadiansoldiers.com/history/battlehonours/northwesteurope/leer.htm)

While the men from the Highland Light Infantry all crossed safely, the North Nova Scotia Highlanders lost 5 men, and the Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders lost 19.  It was a terrible tragedy, so close to the end of the war. 

To see what an assault boat looks like, take a look at this short YouTube video, which shows troops preparing to cross the Ems: 

…Why Operation Duck Was Important…

A translated excerpt from Jan Braakman’s ‘Holtense Canadezen’ explained why Operation Duck was important. “…At the end of April 1945, Canadian troops stood just across the Dutch-German border in Ostfriesland (East Frisia) in front of the river Ems….” (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Frisia)

Leer was a challenge to capture. “…The town of Leer was on the other side of the river on the route to Emden. Surrounded by inaccessible lowlands in the north and with rivers (Ems and Leda) in the west and south, Leer was a well defensible and therefore difficult to capture port city. All access bridges over the Ems and Leda were blown up by the Germans. For the Canadians there was no other option than to reach the city by water….”

River crossings can be tricky due to currents and tides, and in wartime, there is always the risk of enemy fire.  “….The Ems River has an open connection with the Wadden Sea, which means that tides influence water levels and currents in the river. Tides made the currents unpredictable, and the Canadian Army didn’t have accurate information about the tides. What was clear: high tide was the best time to make the crossing. Aerial photographs showed that German troops had fortified themselves well behind the dikes that surrounded the city….” 

A decision was made on how to cross the two rivers – the Leda and the Ems.. “… Only under the protection of a smoke screen and solid artillery support would it be possible to successfully complete the attack on Leer, using boats … General Simonds ordered that on April 28, 1945, before darkness fell, there had to be a solid bridgehead, from which the capture of Leer could be initiated. That meant that the attack had to be launched during the middle of the day, around three o’clock, when the water level was at its highest…” 

The Highland Light Infantry crossed safely “… at the point where the Leda flows into the Ems, about three kilometres south of the city centre…”

The other two regiments ran into trouble.  “…The crossing was made at three different places. At the same time, artillery fire and attacks from the air put the German defence line to the test. The North Nova Scotia Highlanders would cross the Leda from the south bank and take the harbour of Leer, which abutted the city on a peninsula…”

…The Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Regiment ran into trouble…

The Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders Regiment was to cross the Ems River “…from the west bank of the Ems at Bingum to attack the city from the west.…”

All three Regiments launched their attacks at the same time.  “….It began at half past two with fierce shelling, during which the positions of the German defence forces were fired upon. The attack from the south was spectacular and successful, with relatively few losses….”

This wasn’t the case for the attack from the west. “….A number of boats….” from the Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders Regiment “…showed motor defects or capsized. Some of the drowning men were rescued, but at the end of the day at least nineteen men from the Regiment were dead, drowned, or missing….”

….Why did the men drown?….

After WWII ended “…a team from the Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders returned to the Ems. They dragged the river, looking for the bodies of the missing men. Some of them were found with their full kit still attached to their bodies….”

Why did the men drown?  In ‘River Assault – Operation Duck: The 3rd Canadian Infantry Division’s Attack On Leer 28th April 1945’, author John Sliz noted that “…These men sank, never to rise again, even though life belts were worn.  The reason for this was the heavy equipment worn by the men was too much for the life belt that was used….”

Sliz quotes from a report by Brigadier John M. Rockingham.  “…The equipment was worn….. in such a way that the waist belt alone had to be unbuckled to permit the soldier to shake it free. There was, however, a tendency for this equipment to slide down the arms, pressing them into the side, preventing any swimming motion, until it was finally clear….”  It would have been like trying to swim while wearing a straightjacket!

….Frank was one of the fatalities….

Major J.A. Forman and Lance Corporal V. C. Abrams, who survived the crossing, had recorded in their witness statements that at “….approximately 15:15 hours on April 28, 1945….” They were in an assault boat “…crossing the Ems River in the assault on Leer.  Enemy fire sunk the craft….” and 10 men were “…thrown into the river…”

In the ‘Drama on the Ems’ chapter, a third survivor listed was Private Whitcombe. The three survivors “…explained what had happened to the boat in which they tried to get across. They were in an assault boat with fourteen men. Their boat ran into problems because the gunner in the front of the boat (the bow man) almost fell overboard, possibly because he was hit. The man was hanging over the bow.  Perhaps because of that, but at least practically at the same time, the prow of the storm boat dipped after being sucked into the bow wave of the boat ahead. In a matter of seconds their boat disappeared under water and the crew was in the cold river water.….”

Frank was one of the 10 men who drowned, losing his life at the age of 22.

….Frank is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten….

Frank was originally buried in Bingum, Germany, before being reburied on March 26, 1946 in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands.

Grave of Frank Eugene Munroe in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands.  (Photo courtesy of Canadian Virtual War Memorial)

In November 1947, Frank’s grave was adopted by Mr. Arend Jan Markerink from Almelo, The Netherlands. He sent a letter, plus an international postage reply coupon, to the Department of National Defence, asking for Frank’s next of kin to be notified.  A note in the file stated that the letter and postage reply coupon were sent to the family on December 9, 1947.

….Other soldiers from the Stormont Dundas Glengarry Highlanders who lost their lives that day…

In addition to Frank Eugene Munroe, 18 more soldiers from the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders lost their lives on April 28, 1945, and are listed below.  If there are asterisks beside the name (****) it means there is a brief anecdote in the ‘Drama On the Ems’ chapter in ‘Holten Heroes: Stories from a Canadian Field of Honour’. 

  • A/Cpl John SAWATSKY of Petaigan, Saskatchewan, aged 20
  • L/Cpl Merle Coleman MOORE of Breckenridge Station, Quebec
  • L/Cpl James Edward SULLIVAN of Rexton, New Brunswick, aged 28 ****
  • Pte Frank Joseph BIERNASKI of Barry’s Bay, Ontario, aged 32 ****
  • Pte Walter James BROOKS of Toronto, Ontario, aged 28
  • Pte Leonard Gordon BROUGH of Sudbury, Ontario, aged 21**** 
  • Pte Steven John GRAVELLE of Peterborough, Ontario, aged 23
  • Pte Joseph Gerard HINDS of Orillia, Ontario, aged 20
  • Pte Earl Harcourt JOSLIN of Kingston, Ontario ****
  • Pte Ira Charles LANGILLE of Milton, Nova Scotia, aged 32 ****
  • Pte Cecil Albert LAWES of Frankford Ontario, aged 28
  • Pte Sidney Alexander OSLUND of Haileybury, Ontario, aged 29 ****
  • Pte Samuel Donald POWELL of Newcastle, Ontario, aged 22
  • Pte Edgar Douglas SMITH of Parrsboro, Nova Scotia, aged 28 ****
  • Pte Francis Wilber SPENCER of Stonecliffe, Ontario, aged 35 ****
  • Pte Jack Allan STEWARD of Belleville, Ontario, aged 24 ****
  • Pte Roy Ivenson THACKERAY of Peterborough, Ontario, aged 20 ****
  • Pte George Sidney WAKELY of Port Hope, Ontario, aged 31****

….A Tragic Drowning On The Leda River….

As mentioned in the ‘Holten Heroes’ excerpt, the crossing of the rivers to reach Leer involved three Regiments – Stormont Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders, North Nova Scotia Highlanders, and the Highland Light Infantry. 

The North Nova Scotia Highlanders were tasked with crossing the Leda River from the south bank and then take the harbour of Leer.  5 soldiers from this Regiment lost their lives when the storm boat they were in capsized, and their stories were told in previous blog postings as a 4 part series:

….Blog posting about another soldier mentioned in the book Holten Heroes…

Thank you to Jan Braakman for permission to quote from his book and use of the map showing the position of the Regiments, and to Sharon Carvery for a providing a photo of her uncle.  If you have a story or photo to share, 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/

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/

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. 

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

On The War Memorial Trail…..Tragedy On The Ems Part 1: The WWII Soldier From Rexton Who Drowned During Operation Duck

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March 5, 2025. In 2021, during a period when we were all at home due to Covid, we translated, into English, ‘Holtense Canadezen’, Jan Braakman’s book about some of the soldiers buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands.  In October 2023, this was published in English as ‘Holten Heroes: Stories from a Canadian Field of Honour’.  (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2023/11/01/new-book-about-soldiers-buried-in-the-canadian-war-cemetery-in-holten-the-netherlands/)

The chapter ‘Drama On The Ems’ was about a tragic incident during the Battle of Leer in Germany on April 28, 1945, one of the final actions to end WWII in Europe. Operation Duck, which involved the crossing of the Ems and Leda rivers in northern Germany in order to take the port of Leer, turned out very badly for 19 men of the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders Regiment. 

Two Maritime soldiers mentioned in the chapter, one from Nova Scotia, and one from New Brunswick, were on the photo wish list from the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands.  Pieter was successful in finding family and a photo of these men, who were both with the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders. 

…..James is remembered on a plaque in the United Church in Rexton….

St. Andrew’s United Church in Rexton, New Brunswick.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

James Edward SULLIVAN, from Rexton, New Brunswick, was one of the Maritimers. In a serendipitous coincidence, we’d visited Rexton to meet the family of another soldier – Janice Little and Gayle McBeath, nieces of WWII trooper Stanley Leigh MCBEATH. They took us to St. Andrew’s United Church, where Stanley’s name was listed on a plaque on the church organ. Then we noticed that James was also listed on the plaque! (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2024/02/03/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-wwii-trooper-from-rexton-who-lost-his-life-three-days-before-his-birthday/)

James Sullivan and Stanley McBeath are listed on a memorial plaque on the organ in St Andrew’s United Church in Rexton.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

….James’s niece had a photo!….

Barbara Sullivan at the grave of her uncle, James Sullivan, buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands.   (Photo courtesy of Barbara Sullivan)

Born July 7, 1919 in Main River, New Brunswick, James was the son of Edward and Augusta Sullivan. James had a younger brother, Kenneth, and it was through Kenneth’s daughter, Barbara Sullivan, that a photo was found, after she’d been contacted by Janice Little.  “…I’m the niece of L/Corporal James Edward Sullivan of The Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders.  I never knew him, he died a long while before I was born. His brother Kenneth is my dad.  Both of my parents passed away in 2001….”  Barbara wrote.

…..James enlisted under the NRMA in 1941….

James Edward Sullivan. (Photo courtesy of the Sullivan Family.  Photo colourization by Pieter Valkenburg)

James originally enlisted under the National Resources Mobilization Act (NRMA) at the No. 7 NRMA Clearing Depot in Fredericton, New Brunswick on March 20, 1941 and began basic training at No. 70 Canadian Army Basic Training Centre in Fredericton. At the time, he stated he was employed as a truck driver and sawyer for a lumber company. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Resources_Mobilization_Act)

On May 20, 1941, he was transferred to A1 Canadian Artillery Training Centre (CATC) at Camp Petawawa, Ontario for further training.  On July 26, 1941, he was sent to A23 Coast Defence and Anti-Aircraft Artillery Advanced Training Centre (C&AAATC) in Halifax, Nova Scotia for a few weeks.  The centre trained coast and anti-aircraft gunners. 

Next, James was attached to 1st (Halifax) Coast Brigade of the Royal Canadian Artillery in Halifax on August 21, 1941, which was responsible for providing coastal artillery support as part of the defences of Halifax, Nova Scotia.  

Devil’s Battery.  (Photo source: https://hmhps.ca)

On September 26, 1941, he was attached as a gunner to the 53rd Coast Battery of the 1st (Halifax) Coast Brigade, part of the defence of Devil’s Battery, and remaining there even after joining the active army in Halifax on February 1, 1942. 

James was sent back to A23 Coast Defence and Anti-Aircraft Artillery Advanced Training Centre (C&AAATC) in Halifax on August 31, 1942 for further training. After completing Range Takers Course No. 5 on October 10, 1942, he returned to the 53rd Coast Battery.

….James served in Newfoundland….

Cape Spear Battery.  (Photo source: https://www.hiddennewfoundland.ca)

On February 12, 1943, James was transferred to the 103rd Coast Battery of the Royal Canadian Artillery and sent to St. John’s, Newfoundland. Based at Cape Spear, the most eastern point in North America, the Battery was responsible for maintaining the 10″ guns.

Cape Spear’s close proximity to convoy routes and the entrance to St. Johns Harbour was an essential place to have a coastal defense battery, post-war signal station, and searchlight emplacement during World War II. (NOTE: Newfoundland and Labrador joined Canada on March 31, 1949.)

On November 18, 1943, James left Newfoundland for Shelburne, Nova Scotia and was transferred to the 104th Coast Battery of the Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA).

….James was transferred to the infantry….

On January 14, 1944, James was assigned to No. 1 Transit Camp in Windsor, Nova Scotia for preparation before being sent overseas.  However, instead of going overseas immediately, he was transferred to No. 60 Canadian Infantry (Basic) Training Centre (CIBTC) in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia for additional training.

Then, on April 9, 1944, he was sent to A14 Canadian Infantry Training Centre at Camp Aldershot, Nova Scotia for final preparations before going overseas. 

James was granted embarkation leave from June 2 to June 15, 1944, the last chance he had to see his family again.

….James left Canada for overseas service….

On June 25, 1944, James left Canada for the United Kingdom. Upon arriving on July 3, 1944 he was assigned to No. 4 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit (CIRU). 

He continued his training for a few weeks before being transferred to the X-4 reinforcement list of the Canadian Infantry Corps (CIC), on July 26, 1944.  Three days later he was on his way to France, disembarking on July 30, 1944.

On July 31, 1944 he was assigned to the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders, part of the 21st Army Group, joining the Regiment in the vicinity of Le Vey, France, 23 km (14 miles) northwest of Falaise.  The Regiment needed downtime to get reorganized and to give the men a chance to train and have a rest following heavy fighting since landing in Normandy on D-Day.

He received a promotion to Lance Corporal a few weeks later, on August 19, 1944.  James remained with the Regiment as it fought across France, and into The Netherlands.  It was in Nijmegen to relieve the airborne troops, and helped guard the bridge while the Rhine crossing was prepared. The Regiment then fought through the Hochwald in Germany, and then north as it prepared to cross the Ems River and take the city of Leer on April 28, 1945, in what became known as Operation Duck.

… Operation Duck…

In the plan for Operation Duck, the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders would go across the Ems River towards the western edge of Leer. At the same time, the North Nova Scotia Highlanders would cross the Leda River in assault boats and secure the northern bank of the river in preparation for the attack to capture Leer. The Highland Light Infantry of Canada would cross the Leda River, where the Ems and Leda rivers meet.

These three Regiments were part of the 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade.  (See https://www.canadiansoldiers.com/history/battlehonours/northwesteurope/leer.htm)

While the men from the Highland Light Infantry all crossed safely, the North Nova Scotia Highlanders lost 5 men, and the Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders lost 19.

Map showing the Ems and Leda Rivers, and position of Regiments during the Battle for Leer.  (Map courtesy of and ©Jan Braakman)

…Why Operation Duck Was Important…

A Storm boat is moved into the water during Operation Duck on April 28, 1945. (Photo source: Library and Archives Canada)

A translated excerpt from Jan Braakman’s ‘Holten Heroes: Stories from a Canadian Field of Honour’ explained why Operation Duck was important. “…At the end of April 1945, Canadian troops stood just across the Dutch-German border in Ostfriesland (East Frisia) in front of the river Ems….” (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Frisia)

Leer was a challenge to capture. “…The town of Leer was on the other side of the river on the route to Emden. Surrounded by inaccessible lowlands in the north and with rivers (Ems and Leda) in the west and south, Leer was a well defensible and therefore difficult to capture port city. All access bridges over the Ems and Leda were blown up by the Germans. For the Canadians there was no other option than to reach the city by water….”

River crossings can be tricky due to currents and tides, and in wartime, there is always the risk of enemy fire.  “….The Ems River has an open connection with the Wadden Sea, which means that tides influence water levels and currents in the river. Tides made the currents unpredictable, and the Canadian Army didn’t have accurate information about the tides. What was clear: high tide was the best time to make the crossing. Aerial photographs showed that German troops had fortified themselves well behind the dikes that surrounded the city….” 

A decision was made on how to cross the two rivers – the Leda and the Ems.. “… Only under the protection of a smoke screen and solid artillery support would it be possible to successfully complete the attack on Leer, using boats … General Simonds ordered that on April 28, 1945, before darkness fell, there had to be a solid bridgehead, from which the capture of Leer could be initiated. That meant that the attack had to be launched during the middle of the day, around three o’clock, when the water level was at its highest…” 

The Highland Light Infantry crossed safely “… at the point where the Leda flows into the Ems, about three kilometres south of the city centre…”

The other two regiments ran into trouble.  “…The crossing was made at three different places. At the same time, artillery fire and attacks from the air put the German defence line to the test. The North Nova Scotia Highlanders would cross the Leda from the south bank and take the harbour of Leer, which abutted the city on a peninsula…”

…The Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders Regiment ran into trouble…

The Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders Regiment was to cross the Ems River “…from the west bank of the Ems at Bingum to attack the city from the west.…” 

All three Regiments launched their attacks at the same time.  “….It began at half past two with fierce shelling, during which the positions of the German defence forces were fired upon. The attack from the south was spectacular and successful, with relatively few losses….” 

This wasn’t the case for the attack from the west. “….A number of boats….” from the Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders Regiment “…showed motor defects or capsized. Some of the drowning men were rescued, but at the end of the day at least nineteen men from the Regiment were dead, drowned, or missing….”

….James was one of the fatalities….

After WWII ended “…a team from the Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders returned to the Ems. They dragged the river, looking for the bodies of the missing men. Some of them were found with their full kit still attached to their bodies….”

Sergeant G.W. McGill, who survived the crossing, had reported that at “….approximately 15:30 hours, 28-April-1945, I was crossing the river Ems in an assault craft during the attack on Leer. Suddenly, the nose of our craft dipped and the craft overturned and we were all thrown into the water. I came to the surface and was picked up by another assault craft, along with Cpl W.M.J. Wood. We cruised around for approximately ten minutes, but we could not see Sullivan anywhere. A check on the shore by the platoon commander indicated that Sullivan, Brough, and Oslund were missing….”

James was not found until almost the end of May 1945.  “….25 year-old James E. Sullivan was …. initially reported missing. On May 28, his family was informed by telegram that ….” his body had been found.

….James is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten….

James was originally buried in Oldenburg, Germany, before being reburied in 1946 in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands.

Grave of James Edward Sullivan in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands.  (Photo courtesy of Canadian Virtual War Memorial)

….Other soldiers from the Stormont Dundas Glengarry Highlanders who lost their lives that day…

In addition to James Edward Sullivan, 18 more soldiers from the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders lost their lives on April 28, 1945, and are listed below.  If there are asterisks beside the name (****) it means there is a brief anecdote in the ‘Drama On the Ems’ chapter in ‘Holten Heroes: Stories from a Canadian Field of Honour’. 

  • A/Cpl John SAWATSKY of Petaigan, Saskatchewan, aged 20
  • L/Cpl Merle Coleman MOORE of Breckenridge Station, Quebec, aged 22
  • Pte Frank Joseph BIERNASKI of Barry’s Bay, Ontario, aged 32 ****
  • Pte Walter James BROOKS of Toronto, Ontario, aged 28
  • Pte Leonard Gordon BROUGH of Sudbury, Ontario, aged 21**** 
  • Pte Steven John GRAVELLE of Peterborough, Ontario, aged 23
  • Pte Joseph Gerard HINDS of Orillia, Ontario, aged 20
  • Pte Earl Harcourt JOSLIN of Kingston, Ontario, aged 34****
  • Pte Ira Charles LANGILLE of Milton, Nova Scotia, aged 32 ****
  • Pte Cecil Albert LAWES of Frankford, Ontario, aged 28
  • Pte Frank Eugene MUNROE of Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 22  
  • Pte Sidney Alexander OSLUND of Haileybury, Ontario, aged 29 ****
  • Pte Samuel Donald POWELL of Newcastle, Ontario, aged 22
  • Pte Edgar Douglas SMITH of Parrsboro, Nova Scotia, aged 28 ****
  • Pte Francis Wilber SPENCER of Stonecliffe, Ontario, aged 35 ****
  • Pte Jack Allan STEWARD of Belleville, Ontario, aged 24 ****
  • Pte Roy Ivenson THACKERAY of Peterborough, Ontario, aged 20 ****
  • Pte George Sidney WAKELY of Port Hope, Ontario, aged 31****

….A Tragic Drowning On The Leda River….

As mentioned in the ‘Holten Heroes’ excerpt, the crossing of the rivers to reach Leer involved three Regiments – Stormont Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders, North Nova Scotia Highlanders, and the Highland Light Infantry. 

The North Nova Scotia Highlanders were tasked with crossing the Leda River from the south bank and to then take the harbour of Leer.  5 soldiers from this Regiment lost their lives when the storm boat they were in capsized. Their stories were told in previous blog postings as a 4 part series:

….Blog posting about another soldier mentioned in the book Holten Heroes…

Tragedy On The Ems Part 2 will be about the other Maritimer on the photo wish list:  Frank Eugene MUNROE of Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Thank you to Jan Braakman for permission to quote from his book and use of the map showing the position of the Regiments, with translation into English by Pieter and Daria Valkenburg, and to Barbara Sullivan for sharing a photo of her uncle. If you have a story or photo to share, 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/

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/

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…..The WWII Soldier From Prince Edward Island Who Lost His Life In Germany Two Days Before His 21st Birthday

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February 12, 2025. Once you visit a Canadian War Cemetery and place down a flag by the grave of a soldier from the province where you live, it stays with you, and makes you wonder about the young man who is buried there. 

In 2017, when we visited the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands, with our friends Ad and Noor Scheepers, we had a list of soldiers from Prince Edward Island buried there, but only knew the story of one, George Preston SMITH, whose name is listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion.  (See On the War Memorial Trail ….. At The Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek and On the War Memorial Trail ….. PEI Soldiers Buried In The Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek and https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2018/03/21/another-photo-for-wwii-soldier-george-preston-smith/)

Ad and Noor Scheepers with Pieter (right) by the grave of Arthur Gaudet at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Since then, Pieter has researched and we’ve told the stories of 12 more Islanders buried in that Dutch cemetery. Our 14th story is about Arthur GAUDET of Mount Carmel, Prince Edward Island.  While Arthur had been on the list of Islanders buried in Groesbeek, he was not on the cemetery’s photo wish list as they had a photo of him. 

15 Pointe is a cape not far from Mount Carmel, Prince Edward Island.  (Map source: https://www.geodata.us/canada_names_maps)

Born February 28, 1924 in 15 Pointe, near Mount Carmel, Prince Edward Island, Arthur was the son of Joseph Stanley and Mary Jacqueline Gaudet.  He was one of 10 children, 8 of them still alive at the time that he enlisted at the No. 5 District Depot in Quebec City, Quebec on July 24, 1942.  His three older brothers were also in the Canadian Army.

Arthur Gaudet. (Photo courtesy of Alice van Bekkum, Chair of the Faces To Graves Foundation Groesbeek)

According to his Personnel Selection Record, Arthur spoke English, not French, and had completed Grade 9.  He was working as a labourer for the PEI Bag Company. (See https://atlanticbusinessmagazine.ca/web-exclusives/89-years-in-the-bag-and-counting-for-p-e-i-bag-company/)

After completing his basic training, Arthur was sent to No. 22 Canadian Army Educational (Basic) Training Centre in North Bay, Ontario on September 19, 1942.

He remained there until December 2, 1942, when he was transferred to A1 Canadian Artillery Training Centre (CATC) in Camp Petawawa, Ontario, for training as a gunner.  While still at A1 CATC, he qualified as a Driver i/c Class III wheeled vehicles on January 29, 1943. (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 February 8, 1943, he was granted embarkation leave until February 21, 1943, the last chance he would have to see his family before going overseas.

….Arthur left Canada for overseas service….

On March 24, 1943, Arthur left Canada for the United Kingdom.  Upon arriving on March 31, 1943 he was assigned to No. 3 Canadian Artillery Reinforcement Unit (CARU). 

On June 18, 1943, Arthur was transferred to No. 3 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery for Light Machine-Gun and Rifle training, and undertook various Tests of Elementary Training (TOET).

Arthur was allocated to the X-4 Reinforcement List of the Canadian Infantry Corps (CIC), part of the 10th Battalion, 21st Army Group, on June 21, 1944, in preparation for going to North West Europe.

….Arthur was transferred to Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal….

Arthur Gaudet joined Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal near Etavaux, France, indicated by the large red marker.  (Map source: Google maps)

On July 22, 1944 he left the United Kingdom for France, arriving a day later. On July 25, 1944, he was transferred to Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal, joining them in an area behind Etavaux in Normandy, France.

The Regiment remained in France until September 9, 1944 when it moved into Belgium.  Arthur received a promotion to Acting Corporal a few days later, on September 12, 1944.

.….Arthur was badly wounded during the Battle of the Scheldt ….

Map shows location of Kapellen and Brasschaat, not far from Antwerp in Belgium.  (Map source: DuckDuckGo)

On October 2, 1944, the Battle of the Scheldt began and involved Canadian forces advancing through northern Belgium, including areas like Kapellen, to clear German defenses and secure access to the port of Antwerp.

The municipality of Kapellen, in Belgium, was liberated on October 4, 1944 by Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal. The war diary entry for October 4, 1944 for Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal confirmed this.  “…Advance up to Brasschaat.  In the afternoon, advance towards Cappellan, which we taken, then sweep towards north-east of town.  Positions at night, anti-tank ditch 2 miles from Cappellan…”   Cappellan is the old spelling of Kapellen.

Arthur, who was in ‘A’ Company, was wounded by a bullet in the shoulder on October 5, 1944 and was evacuated to No. 9 Canadian General Hospital (CGH) in Horsham, England.  After a recuperation period of three months, Arthur left the United Kingdom on January 10, 1945, returning to Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal 2 days later.  He joined them in Mook, The Netherlands, which is near Nijmegen.

.….Arthur lost his life during Operation Blockbuster ….

By February 17, 1945, the Regiment was in Germany, in place for Operation Blockbuster, as part of the 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade, along with several other Canadian Regiments. The Operation was to begin at dawn on February 26, 1945. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Blockbuster)

Arthur Gaudet lost his life during a battle near Kalkar, Germany.  (Map source: DuckDuckGo)

On February 25, 1945, the war diary for Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal recorded that during a briefing of troops for Operation Blockbuster, the brigade’s task was “…to capture high ground west of Kalkar. The attack is to be made at night with troops mounted on tanks….”  Kalkar is a municipality in the district of Kleve, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and is located near the Rhine River.

The war diary for February 26, 1945 described what happened.  “….The attack commenced at 0400 hrs under cover of an artillery barrage. Camerons of Canada regiment on our right encountered mines a few hundred yards from the FDL’s which caused the Commander’s tank to be knocked out resulting in considerable confusion. South Saskatchewan regiment on our left and our Battalion reached the objective…”  FDL refers to the French acronym for Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal.

During the February 26, 1945 attack, Arthur was wounded and died later that day.  He was two days short of his 21st birthday!

Arthur lost his life about a week before another soldier in the same Regiment, Joseph ‘Albert Noel’ LAMONTAGNE, whose story was previously told, lost his on March 3, 1945. See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2025/02/05/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-wwii-soldier-from-saint-basile-who-lost-his-life-during-the-advance-towards-xanten/

.….11 other soldiers died on February 26, 1945….

Arthur was one of 12 members of Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal who lost their lives on February 26, 1945.  The other 11 were:

  • Private Rosaire BELLERIVE of Ste Flore, Quebec, aged 19
  • Private Romeo BENOIT of Montreal, Quebec, aged 41
  • Private Joseph Wilfrid Rheal GUERTIN of Moose Creek, Ontario, aged 19
  • Private Marcel LAVIGNE of Henri, Montreal, Quebec, aged 19
  • Private Maurice PAQUETTE of Sherbrooke, Quebec, aged 22
  • Lieutenant Ovide Joseph PAQUETTE of North Bay, Ontario, aged 24
  • Private Paul Eugene PARENT of St. Honore, Beauce County, Quebec, aged 24
  • Private Alphie Raymond PELTIER, born in Chatham, Ontario, aged 30
  • Private Jean Marie ST ONGE of Amqui, Quebec, aged 23
  • Lieutenant Robert TALBOT of Quebec City, Quebec, aged 25
  • Private Vincent THIBODEAU of Maria, Bonaventure County, Quebec, aged 24

.….Arthur is buried in Groesbeek….

Arthur was initially buried in the Canadian Military Cemetery in Bedburg, Germany, before being reburied in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands. 

Grave of Arthur Gaudet in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Thank you to Alice van Bekkum, Chair of the Faces To Graves Foundation Groesbeek, for sending Pieter that initial list of soldiers from Prince Edward Island who are buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands.  If you have a story or photo to share, 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/

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/

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. 

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

On The War Memorial Trail….. The WWII Soldier From Saint-Basile Who Lost His Life During The Advance Towards Xanten

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February 5, 2025. We never know what a photo search might lead to once Pieter begins researching a soldier. In the case of a WWII soldier listed as being from New Brunswick, the search led to his birth in the province of Quebec, to his enlistment in Ontario, to the widow of his nephew, and finally to a Legion in New Brunswick where a shadow box with photos had been donated.

Joseph ‘Albert Noel’ LAMONTAGNE was born on December 25, 1918 in Saint-Basile, Quebec, the son of Joseph Lamontagne and Marie ‘Alexina’ Jacques. Saint-Basile is in Portneuf Regional County Municipality in Quebec, past Quebec City.  To our surprise, we realized we’d driven past the turn-off to Saint-Basile every time we travelled between our home in Prince Edward Island and Ottawa, Ontario!

Albert Noel Lamontagne was born in Saint-Basile, Quebec.  (Map source: Mapcarta)

…..Albert Noel enlisted under the NRMA in 1942….

Albert Noel originally enlisted under the National Resources Mobilization Act (NRMA) in North Bay, Ontario on January 8, 1942 and began basic training at No. 2 NRMA Clearing Depot, before joining the active army on January 20, 1942.   He took his basic training at No. 22 Canadian Army Basic Training Centre in North Bay. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Resources_Mobilization_Act)

Albert Noel Lamontagne in training.  (Photo courtesy of the Albert Joseph Chevarie Family)

At the time of his enlistment, he had been working as a labourer, having left school after completing Grade 3 in Quebec City.  He spoke French and had a basic knowledge of English. His father had died in 1920, and his mother had remarried, in 1928, to Emilien Chevarie.  His brother, Paul-Emile, was also in the Canadian Army. As well, he had a sister Rose-Aimée, a half-brother George, and a half-sister Juliette.

  ….George Chevarie’s son was the key to finding a photo of Albert Noel….

It was through Albert Noel’s half-brother, George Chevarie, that a photo of Albert Noel was found.  George’s son, Albert Joseph, had died in 2020. However, after Pieter spoke to Joyce Chevarie, the widow of Albert Joseph Chevarie, she told him that her husband had donated a shadow box with a photo of Albert Noel, a letter, and his medals to the Royal Canadian Legion branch in Richibucto, New Brunswick.

Pieter then got in contact with the Legion in Richibucto.  Legion Branch president Malcolm John took everything out of the shadow box donated by the family of Albert Chevarie, photographed each item, and emailed the photos to Pieter!  The next time we were in New Brunswick, we visited the Legion and met Malcolm.

Pieter with Malcolm John (right), President of the Richibucto Legion in New Brunswick.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

….Albert Noel served in Newfoundland….

On March 12, 1942, Albert Noel was sent to A23 Coast Defence and Anti-Aircraft Artillery Advanced Training Centre (CD & AA) in Halifax, Nova Scotia.  A23 was a Coast and Anti-Aircraft Artillery Training Centre established to train coast and anti-aircraft gunners.

Upon completing his training, Albert Noel was given embarkation leave on May 5, 1942, prior to being posted to Newfoundland with the 106th Coast Battery of the Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA) on June 1, 1942.  The Battery was part of Atlantic Command, tasked with strengthening and administering home defence facilities on Canada’s Atlantic Coast. 

Albert Noel was in Botwood, at a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) base, which had aircraft patrolling the east coast of the Atlantic. Canadian Army personnel based at Botwood were charged with protection of military facilities that had been installed there. (See https://www.heritage.nf.ca/articles/politics/botwood-base.php)

Location of Botwood Military Base in Newfoundland. (Map source: http://postalhistorycorner.blogspot.com/2012/12/wwii-canadian-forces-in-newfoundland.html)

Albert Noel was in Newfoundland at the same time as two other soldiers whose stories have been told on this blog:

….Albert Noel volunteered for paratroop training….

In an interview for his Personnel Selection Record on September 30, 1943, while at Botwood, Albert Noel volunteered for Paratroop Training.  The interviewer recorded that Albert Noel “….has a good training record and seems a very dependable, reliable type, although badly handicapped by lack of education. Not suitable for Paratroops under present regulations which require Grade VI education…”  Albert Noel had only completed Grade 3.

On February 14, 1944, Albert Noel left Newfoundland for Shelburne, Nova Scotia and was transferred to the 104th Coast Battery of the Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA).

On May 1, 1944, Albert Noel was assigned to No. 1 Transit Camp in Windsor, Nova Scotia for final training and preparation before being sent overseas.  He then was transferred to No. 1 Infantry Training Battalion in Camp Debert, Nova Scotia on June 8, 1944.

While at No. 1 Infantry Training Battalion, he was re-interviewed on June 28, 1944 and again volunteered for Paratroop Training.  The response was the same: “…not suitable for Paratroops.  His education is lacking…”

On July 21, 1944, Albert Noel was sent to the Training Brigade Group in Debert, and granted 2 weeks embarkation leave, the last chance he had to see his family again.

Albert Noel Lamontagne in dress uniform.  (Photo courtesy of the Albert Joseph Chevarie Family)

….Albert Noel’s mother tried to have him released….

The embarkation leave in July must have been bittersweet, as after the death of Albert Noel’s stepfather in April 1944, his mother, who was living in St. Charles, New Brunswick, had contacted the Military Authorities in June 1944, asking that her son be returned home. 

She was interviewed on June 21, 1944 and explained that “….I am left alone with two children, one boy George Chevarie, 14 years of age, and one girl Julia Chevarie, 11 years of age…..The reason I want my son to come home is because I am sick, suffering from liver trouble…”

Although Mrs Chevarie had acute hepatitis and was unable to work, the military did not consider this grounds to release Albert Noel.  The report stated that her doctor was consulted, and in his opinion her son “…could not help her much, insofar as her sickness goes…” 

Therefore, the report concluded that “…if her son was home he could not help her very much, other than financial circumstances…” It was further pointed out that Mrs Chevarie was already was receiving a Dependents’ Allowance. Albert Noel remained in the Canadian Army.

….Albert Noel left Canada for overseas service….

On September 2, 1944, Albert Noel left Canada for the United Kingdom. Upon arriving on September 6, 1944 he was assigned to No. 3 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit (CIRU). 

He continued his training for a few weeks before being transferred to the X-4 reinforcement list of the Canadian Infantry Corps (CIC), part of the 10th Battalion, on October 7, 1944.  The next day he was on his way to Northwest Europe, disembarking on October 9, 1944.

….Albert Noel was transferred to Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal….

Albert Noel joined Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal in Noordeinde, The Netherlands. (Map source: DuckDuckGo)

On October 18, 1944, Albert Noel was transferred to ‘C’ Company of Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal, joining them in Noordeinde, The Netherlands.

Then, on December 14, 1944, Albert Noel received a promotion, from Private to Lance Corporal. On February 15, 1945, he was promoted again, to Acting Corporal.

.….The battle to clear Xanten began in early March 1945 ….

By February 17, 1945, the Regiment was in Germany, in place for the Battle of Hochwald Gap, part of Operation Blockbuster, as part of the 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade, along with several other Canadian Regiments.  This offensive began on February 28, 1945 to clear the Germans from the Reichswald, a heavily forested area between the Maas and the Rhine Rivers, driving them back over the Rhine, taking the fight well into German territory.

On March 1, 1945 the war diary for the 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade stated that “…the task of clearing the high ground south of Calcar was completed…..Relief of 10 Canadian Infantry Brigade commenced at 0400 hours. Some mortaring and shelling reported during the takeover but relief completed by first light…”

This account matched the March 1, 1945 entry in the war diary for Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal. “….Battalion moves to a concentration …” near “….ESSEN to relieve 10 Cdn Inf Bde at first light 2 March 45…”

An update in the March 2 1945 war diary explained that “…6 Cdn Inf Bde relieves the Argyle and Sutherland Regiment which has been taking a severe beating by both small arms and gun fire which continue as we get in position with our companies…Enemy resistance is very stubborn and a screen of TIGERS and Self Propelled guns is reported….”

Sharon Adams wrote in the March 2022 Legion Magazine’s article ‘The Taking Of Xanten’ that  “…In early March, the Canadians were assigned to take Xanten, established by the Romans in about 15 B.C. and the place from which the German 256th Infantry Division launched its 1940 invasion of the Netherlands.

It began with opening approaches to the town by Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal. Resistance was stiff. On March 3, a direct hit took out the wireless radio set and operator in the lead company…”

.….Albert Noel lost his life on March 3, 1945 ….

The war diary for March 3, 1945 for the 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade reported that it was raining as troops moved into position.  “…Going was very hard due to the rise in ground, heavy growth of trees, and the well dug in positions of the enemy.  The enemy within the forest is not strong in numbers but equipped with many automatic weapons….

The Fusiliers Mont-Royal started on their way at 1400 hours.  Going was very hard with the advance being hampered by heavy shelling and mortaring from the south east….”

The March 3, 1945 war diary entry for Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal confirmed the challenges they faced. “….Enemy, although offering stubborn resistance in the gap, is reported to be withdrawing over the RHINE. Tac R reports the road Geldern – Wesel jammed with traffic moving north east and ferries at Wesel and Xanten very active. Enemy must hold line in front of Xanten until last possible moment to protect escape routes.

Muddy condition of country renders support task of tanks very difficult. Evacuation of wounded and transportation of rations to forward troops is a problem….”

At some point during March 3, 1945, Albert Noel lost his life during the battle, aged 26, one of 8 fatal casualties of the Regiment.  The other 7 men who died that day were:

  • Lionel BEAUDOIN of Magog, Quebec, aged 20
  • Wilbert FIOLA of Verdun, Quebec, aged 19
  • Henry Edward LACELLE of Massey, Ontario, aged 27
  • Lucien Joseph MASSON of Callender, Ontario, aged 25
  • Gerard PAQUETTE of Montreal, Quebec, aged 22
  • Roger TAILLEFER of Montreal, Quebec, aged 18
  • Philias ZASTE of Rose du Lac, Manitoba, aged 21

.….Albert Noel is buried in Groesbeek….

Albert Noel was initially buried in the Canadian Military Cemetery in Bedburg, Germany, before being reburied in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands. 

The original grave for Albert Noel Lamontagne at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek. (Photo courtesy of the Albert Joseph Chevarie Family)

Grave of Albert Noel Lamontagne in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands.  (Photo source: Find A Grave)

Thank you to Joyce Chevarie for letting us know where to find a photo, to Malcolm John, President of RCL 30 in Richibuto for sharing the photos of Albert Noel Lamontagne, and to Shawn Rainville for newspaper research. If you have a story or photo to share, 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/

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/

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. 

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

On The War Memorial Trail….. The WWII Signaller From Oxford Who Was Fatally Wounded in Sögel

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

January 25, 2025. When Pieter begins research into a soldier’s file to find family members who might have a photo, he never knows what to expect. Sometimes, serendipity smiles, as he explained to colleagues in The Netherlands about what happened last fall in researching a WWII soldier from Nova Scotia.

 “…A few days ago I started trying to find a photo of George Allan Buchanan of Nova Scotia…” Pieter wrote.  “… When I looked at his estate form, my heart sank a little. He was married but had no children. Both parents died early. He had a half-sister, Jean Anderson, and that was all. However, I found her obituary from 2012. She was married to Gerald Allen and they had 3 sons and 3 daughters. I chose one of the daughters, Ramona Emslie, and called her in Nova Scotia and – you won’t believe it – but she had a picture!…” (Translation from the original Dutch.) 

Not long after Pieter received a photo, we were in Nova Scotia, and visited with Ramona and her husband Roger. Not only did we learn more about George, we were also treated to the most delicious apple pie!

Pieter (left) with Ramona and Roger Emslie.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

.….George was born in Oxford – the wild blueberry capital of Canada….

Sign for the turn-off to Oxford, Nova Scotia.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Born in Oxford, Nova Scotia on September 9, 1914, George Allan BUCHANAN was the son of George Allen and Margaret Jennie (nee Redmond) Buchanan.  George’s father died while he was a child, and his mother remarried in 1926 to Orval ‘Orlo’ Anderson.   

At the time of his enlistment with the 1st Anti-Aircraft Battery in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, on August 8, 1940, George was working as a farmer for Geo Chase of Port Williams, and was also a carpenter.  He and his wife, Nancy Eva, who he’d married on December 18, 1939, were living in Lower Canard, Nova Scotia.

George Allan Buchanan lived in Lower Canada and worked for a farmer from Port Williams at the time of his enlistment in August 1940.  (Map source: DuckDuckGo)

….George served on the West Coast as part of Pacific Command….

George Allan Buchanan.  (Photo courtesy of Ramona Emslie.  Photo colourization Pieter Valkenburg)

On January 11, 1942, George was attached to the 5th (BC) Coast Brigade of the Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA) and the No. 11 District Depot in Vancouver, British Columbia, remaining there until May 1, 1942, when he was posted to the 9th Anti-Aircraft Battery of the RCA in Sidney, British Columbia.  On October 9, 1942 he was assigned to the 27th Anti-Aircraft Regiment in Esquimalt, British Columbia.  

George’s West Coast posting was part of Pacific Command, which had two key functions.  The major function was to strengthen and administer home defence facilities on Canada’s Pacific Coast against possible Japanese attack. A second function was to train reinforcements to be sent to the Canadian divisions in Europe. 

On November 1, 1942 George was sent to the Coast Artillery School of Instruction in Esquimalt, for a Heavy Anti-Aircraft Artillery course, which he completed on December 12, 1942.  

George was transferred to the No. 1 Transit Camp in Windsor, Nova Scotia on August 8, 1943 for further training. 

….George was sent for a driver operator course ….

On October 29, 1943, George was transferred to A2 Canadian Army Training Centre (CATC) in Petawawa, Ontario.  As of December 17, 1943 he was attached to A7 Canadian Signal Training Centre (CSTC) at Camp Barriefield, Ontario for a Driver Operator Course, after having qualified as a Driver Class III on December 10, 1943.  Class III meant he was qualified to drive heavy trucks and armoured cars, but not tanks. 

On March 25, 1944, he had qualified as a Driver Operator Class ‘C’. He then returned to A2 Canadian Army Training Centre (CATC) in Petawawa on March 31, 1944.

On April 29, 1944, George was given embarkation leave until May 12, 1944, the last chance he had to see his family. 

….George left Canada for overseas service….

After returning from his embarkation leave, George was sent to the No. 1 Training Brigade in Debert, Nova Scotia on June 14, 1944 for final training in preparation for overseas service. 

George left Canada on June 26, 1944, arriving in the United Kingdom on July 4, 1944, and assigned to No. 1 Canadian Army Reinforcement Unit (CARU). He continued to take courses, to upgrade his skills as a Driver Operator.

On October 16, 1944, George was assigned to the X-4 Reinforcement list of the Royal Canadian Artillery, and left the United Kingdom the following day, arriving in Belgium on October 18, 1944.   

….George was transferred to the 23rd Field Regiment….

On November 18, 1944, George was transferred to the 23rd Field Regiment of the Royal Canadian Artillery, joining them in Boxtel, The Netherlands.

In ‘The History of the 23rd Canadian Field Regiment (SP) RCA’, the Regiment was on a rest period following heavy fighting, and making “….a frantic attempt to get the guns calibrated despite horrible weather conditions….”  (Note: SP refers to self-propelled)

A self-propelled gun.  (Photo source: Kevin T of WW2Talk)

On December 6, 1944, the Regiment “…moved back into the line….” near ‘s-Hertogenbosch.  “…We were now living once more in a veritable “buzz-bomb alley” as the Germans intensified their efforts to knock out the port of Antwerp and render it useless to the Allies….”

An excerpt from a compilation booklet from ‘The 23rd Field Regiment (SP) Royal Canadian Artillery Official SP Weekly’ included a brief description of George.  “…He was attached to the 36th Battery, as a Signaller, and was soon rated as an efficient, conscientious soldier, who did his assigned job quietly and well. It was not long before the boys were calling him ‘Buck’….”

.….The 23rd Field Regiment moved into Germany in February 1945….

In February 1945, the History recorded that “…about the middle of February the news arrived that we were to have a part in the next operation which would bring the forces of 21 Army Group to the banks of the Rhine – and possibly win the war then and there…”

By February 22, 1945, the Regiment was in the Reichswald Forest in Germany, in place for Operation Blockbuster.  (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Blockbuster) “….In preparation for the attack the Regiment left the concentration area on the night of the 24th and moved south to deploy near Louisendorf. The roads were in terrible condition, and the heavy volume of traffic which had to roll over them ceaselessly only made matters worse. On the first deployment most of the soft vehicles were left in concentration areas back along the road, partly due to bad traffic conditions and partly due to enemy shelling in the more forward areas….”

Then, “….on the 27th the Regiment made another move, going into action just east of Keppeln….”  The Regiment fought their way through Germany in March and into April. 

.….George was fatally wounded in Sögel….

The History explained that “…at the crack of dawn on April 9th the Regiment was on the road again, but had to spend two hours sitting on the road before crossing the canal into Meppen and striking north along the canal to Lathen. Then the axis of the advance swung east until we reached Sögel…”

The Regiment was successful in taking the town of Sögel in Niedersachsen on April 9, 1945, but the following day the Germans made an unexpected counterattack.  “….The Regiment was getting packed in anticipation of another move when small arms fired began to whistle around the area….. Then mortars started dropping in to the area…. It was a counter-attack and there didn’t appear to be any infantry in front of us…”

Just after 9:30 am, George was seriously injured in the fighting that had ensued, receiving shrapnel wounds in his left thigh and lower abdomen. “….Every man in the battery did an excellent job in beating off this first major counter-attack ever suffered by the unit. But although it was successfully repelled, three men paid the supreme sacrifice. They were Lieut. Doug Denton who was wounded as he lifted a casualty into a half-track and died next day, Gnr. George Buchanan who died later that day, and Gnr. Vic Hubacheck who was instantly killed by a ricochet bullet. Four or five other lads were wounded….”

George was initially treated at a Field Dressing Station, before being transported to the Canadian military hospital in Almelo, The Netherlands.  Unfortunately, the medical report stated that he was dead on arrival at 9:40 pm that evening.  He was 31 years old.

.….George is buried in Holten….

George was temporarily buried in Almelo, before being reburied in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands on February 4, 1946.

Grave of George Allan Buchanan in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands.  (Photo courtesy of Canadian Virtual War Memorial)

….George’s grave was adopted by Jo Visschers of Bathmen ….

After his reburial in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, George’s grave was adopted by Jo Visschers of Bathmen, The Netherlands.  Jo’s letter advising of the grave adoption was forwarded to George’s widow in March 1948 by the Department of Veterans Affairs.

Thank you to Ramona and Roger Emslie for providing photos and information, to Kevin T of WW2Talk, and to Edwin van der Wolf, a volunteer at the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, for sending us an account of what happened in Sögel in No. 156-April 2016 ‘Informatieblad Over Verdedigingswerken En Militaire Geschiedenis – De Opmars Van De Canadezen In Noordwest Duitsland’ (Information Sheet On Defensive Works And Military History – The Rise Of The Canadians In Northwest Germany).

If you have a story or photo to share, please contact Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com or comment on the blog. 

© Daria Valkenburg

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