October 17, 2022. We very much appreciate hearing from readers of ‘No Soldier Buried Overseas Should Ever Be Forgotten’. We love seeing the photos that you send, your feedback, and where possible, having the opportunity to meet you.
…We love meeting readers of our book!….
Janet FitzGerald with book. (Photo courtesy of Janet FitzGerald)
Janet FitzGerald wrote to say that “….the work you two are doing is so important and amazing. I am reading your book and loving every story in it. May you both be blessed for the precious work you are doing….”
Simone Comeau with book. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)
We first met Simone Comeau and her sister Jacqueline in 2018 while researching a tragic drowning in which her uncle lost his life. On a recent trip to Nova Scotia, we had a chance to meet up with Simone again.
In May we were in North Bay, Ontario for an Author Talk. I was interviewed by Clarke Heipel of YOUR TV North Bay prior to the talk I gave at the North Bay Public Library in North Bay, Ontario on May 19, 2022.
At the time we hadn’t seen the interview, so we were very happy when Don Coutts received a copy of the interview clip.
Thank you to Simone Comeau and Janet FitzGerald for taking the time to share photos and comments. Thank you to Don Coutts and YOUR TV North Bay for sharing the interview about the presentation in North Bay, Ontario. Photos or information to share? Email Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or tweet to @researchmemori1.
Friday, November 11, 2022 – Borden-Carleton, Prince Edward Island, short presentation ‘They Aren’t Just Names On A Cenotaph’ during the Inter-Faith Remembrance Day service at the Borden-Carleton Legion. Time: Service begins at 9:55 am.
…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 on the book, please seehttps://nosoldierforgotten.com/
August 9, 2022. In 2017, Pieter and I visited the village of Posterenk in The Netherlands with Edwin van der Wolf, one of the research volunteers at the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten. At the time, we never expected that we would be doing several stories about soldiers from the Carleton & York Regiment who lost their lives during the liberation of the village in April 1945.
Windmill in Posterenk, which has a memorial stone inscribed on the wall. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)
….The Island connection to Posterenk…..
Edwin wanted us to visit the village because it had an Island connection. Frank GALLANT, son of Anthony and Eleanor Gallant of Mount Carmel, Prince Edward Island, was one of the Carleton & York soldiers who died during there on April 13, 1945 at the age of 32.
Pieter holds the list of 6 Carleton & York Regiment soldiers temporarily buried in Posterenk in 1945. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)
Edwin van der Wolf and Pieter in Posterenk in 2017. Pieter holds up a list of the 6 Carleton & York Regiment soldiers who were temporarily buried in the village. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)
The village prepared a list of 6 soldiers to commemorate from the Carleton & York Regiment. Unfortunately, not all soldiers who died are included on this list, but Edwin worked towards making for a more inclusive list.
One soldier not on the original list of 6, Daniel Peter MACKENZIE, who was born in Victoria Cross, Prince Edward Island, son of John and Rachel MacKenzie, also died on April 13, 1945 during the liberation of Posterenk. Pieter had been able to find a family member and photo in 2015.
That made two soldiers from Prince Edward Island. In 2021, a soldier from Minto, New Brunswick, who wasn’t on the original list, was identified: Goldwin Marven POLLICK.
…The search began for a photo of James ‘Frank’ Mossey….
Pieter immediately began researching James ‘Frank’ MOSSEY, born on April 20, 1919 in Souris, Prince Edward Island, son of William and Mary (nee McMillan) Mossey.
… Frank Mossey’s niece contacts Pieter….
Pieter (left) with Glynne and Bob Squires. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)
A few days after the article was published in the Eastern Graphic, Glynne Squires contacted Pieter, explaining that “…My Mother is Margaret (deceased) – a sister of Frank. The members of Frank’s family are small. A few cousins, myself, Karen Sereda, and Marilyn Jones – nieces of Frank’s. Thank you for the work you are doing to keep the memory alive of these brave young men….” And Glynne had a picture to share…
James ‘Frank’ Mossey. (Photo courtesy of Glynne Squires and Family)
When he enlisted in Charlottetown on July 10, 1940 with the PEI Highlanders, Frank was working as a meter reader for the Town of Souris. He had also worked with his father who had been the town electrical inspector.
He was sent to Halifax with the PEI Highlanders, and then in 1941 the Regiment went to Newfoundland. An RCAF base in Botwood 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, as well as in Gander. (See https://www.heritage.nf.ca/articles/politics/botwood-base.php)
On November 7, 1941 Frank was attached to the No. 6 District Depot, the default unit for troops in the area that weren’t members of another unit. Military District 6 comprised Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, with headquarters in Halifax. However, he remained in Newfoundland.
… Frank was anxious to go overseas….
An April 29, 1943 interviewer recorded in his Personnel Selection Record that Frank was “…now a section commander in ‘A’ company….” and that he “… gets along well with his men…”
The report went on to say that Frank “…expresses himself well; has a decisive but attractive manner…” It also noted that he “… likes the army and is very anxious to get overseas….”
Frank was soon to get his wish. He was transferred to the No. 1 Transit Camp in Windsor, Nova Scotia on June 2, 1943, and just over a week later he was on his way to the United Kingdom, arriving there on June 18, 1943, part of the Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit (CIRU).
… In December 1943 Frank joined the Carleton & York Regiment in Italy…
On December 12, 1943 he was transferred to the Carleton & York Regiment, joining the Regiment in Ortona, Italy, part of the reinforcement of troops following the battles in Sicily.
On March 19, 1945, he and his Regiment left Italy for North-West Europe as part of Operation Goldflake, arriving in Marseilles, France on March 21, 1945. Operation Goldflake was the codename for moving troops from Italy to North-West Europe. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Goldflake)
From France, troops were moved up to the Belgian front, into The Netherlands, through the Reichswald Forest in Germany, and then back into The Netherlands, arriving near Zutphen on April 10, 1945.
…The Liberation of Posterenk…
According to the April 12, 1945 war diary entry of the Carleton & York Regiment, they “…moved across the Ijssel River at 14:30 hours….” to relieve the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada.
On April 13, 1945, the war diary entry noted that “…‘D’ Company’s objective is Posterenk…” The Regiment didn’t expect much opposition, but they “… met with stiff resistance just after starting at 11:25 hrs…”
With the help of a tank troop, they were able to move forward. According to the war diary entry, “…at 13:37 hrs ‘D’ Company reported that POSTERENK was clear of the enemy, having had one officer killed (Lt. R.B. Savage) and two other ranks wounded but a total of 50 POWs. ‘D’ Company were ordered to push on up the road which they did at once and came under enemy fire…”
In the evening ‘B’ Company moved forward and encountered “…considerable enemy resistance…” Very late into the night and into April 14, 1945, “…during ‘B’ Company’s attack they have eight wounded and one killed, Lt. W.E. Brousseau being one of those wounded…”
The war diary entry noted that in the middle of the night – into April 14, 1945 – “…‘B’ Company’s patrol met stiff opposition…”
It’s not clear exactly what happened to Frank. The service file only notes that he was killed in action on April 14, 1945 near Posterenk. He was 25 years old.
….Frank was originally buried near Posterenk….
Frank was temporarily buried near the crossing next to the windmill in Posterenk.
Frank was originally buried near the windmill in Posterenk. (Photo courtesy of Glynne Squires and Family)
On January 24, 1946 Frank was reburied in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands.
Grave of Frank Mossey in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten. (Photo source: Canadian Virtual War Memorial)
After the war ended, Frank’s family was informed that he was twice mentioned in despatches “…in recognition of gallant and distinguished services…” and they subsequently received a certificate from King George VI.
….Mossey Island in northern Canada named in his honour…..
A 2010 email from Blair Neatby in Yellowknife to Greg Gallant of the PEI Regimental Museum noted that Mossey Island, located on Faber Lake in the Northwest Territories, in northern Canada, was named in his honour on October 12, 1952. (Location coordinates: Latitude 63.93374° or 63° 56′ 2″ north, Longitude -117.15295° or 117° 9′ 11″ west, Elevation 213 metres or 699 feet.)
Thank you to Glynne and Bob Squires for sharing photos and information about Frank Mossey, and to Charlotte MacAulay of the Eastern Graphic for writing about the photo search. If you have a story to tell, please let Pieter know. You can email him at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or send a tweet to @researchmemori1.
…Previous stories about soldiers commemorated in Posterenk….
Daria’s book ‘No Soldier Buried Overseas Should Ever Be Forgotten‘ is available in print and e-book formats. For more information seehttps://nosoldierforgotten.com/
Upcoming Author Talk: Thursday, August 11, 2022 – Victoria-By-The-Sea, Prince Edward Island, part of the ‘Our Island Talks’ series, and hosted by Victoria Playhouse and Victoria Historical Association. Time: 2:00 pm.
July 28, 2022. We very much appreciate the feedback from ‘No Soldier Buried Overseas Should Ever Be Forgotten’. We love seeing the photos that you send, and where possible, having the opportunity to meet you.
…Legal deposit of book to Library and Archives Canada made in person…
To fulfill the Legal Deposit requirements, we personally delivered a copy of the book at the Library and Archives Canada facility in Gatineau, Quebec. Gatineau is near Ottawa, Ontario, where we were in May. Delivering the book in person gave us a chance to revisit places we hadn’t seen since we moved from Ottawa to Prince Edward Island.
Mélanie Legault (left) accepts book from Daria on behalf of Library and Archives Canada Legal Deposit. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)
…Some additional feedback we’ve received….
Phillip Shovk with his copy of the book. (Photo courtesy of P. Shovk)
Phillip Shovk wrote us to say “… I’ve finally finished your book and I must say that I enjoyed it very much! I like the way it touched on many themes – the courage of the soldiers, the tragedy and futility of war, the respect that the liberated show to the liberators and, of course, the respect that you’ve shown to these young men and the pride you must feel for them as your compatriots! It also reads as a travelogue which makes it lots of fun – maps, getting around, different cultures and of course food! So well done and best wishes to you both …”
Marie Sever wrote us that: “…I am enjoying reading your book. You and Pieter certainly had some adventures and incidents on the way. I particularly love the ‘Fresh’ eggs incident. I would have been confused too. I love the flags you put on the graves you found. A thoughtful gesture and touching for other visitors passing by or looking for that particular grave. The photos are wonderful….”
Glynne Squires with her book. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)
….An interview in the North Bay Nugget….
PJ Wilson (left) with Pieter at the North Bay Public Library in North Bay, Ontario. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)
When we were in North Bay, Ontario, we were interviewed by Peter J. Wilson of the North Bay Nugget, about Pieter’s research into soldiers buried in The Netherlands. The article Couple devoted to telling fallen soldiers’ stories| North Bay Nugget ran in the online version on May 19, 2022 and in the print version on May 20, 2022. See https://www.nugget.ca/news/couple-devoted-to-telling-fallen-soldiers-stories
Thank you to Marie Sever, Phillip Shovk, and Glynne Squires for taking the time to send in comments and photos about the book. Photos or information to share? Email Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or tweet to @researchmemori1.
Daria outside the Victoria Playhouse where she will give an Author Talk on August 11, 2022. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)
Thursday, August 11, 2022 – Victoria-By-The-Sea, Prince Edward Island, part of the ‘Our Island Talks’ series, and hosted by Victoria Playhouse and Victoria Historical Association. Time: 2:00 pm.
…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 now available in print and e-book formats. For more information seehttps://nosoldierforgotten.com/
July 17, 2022. Before we travelled to North Bay, Ontario in May for an Author Talk at the North Bay Public Library we were given the name of a WWII soldier buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands, who was listed as being from North Bay: John ‘Jack’ Richard MARACLE.
When Pieter began researching his story, he quickly saw that Jack Maracle was not from North Bay and had never lived there. What was the connection? It turned out that his maternal grandfather, Thomas Marshall, lived in North Bay, and his mother had grown up there. Mystery solved!
John ‘Jack’ Richard Maracle. (Photo courtesy of the Jack Maracle Family)
Brenda Baughman submitted a photo on behalf of the Maracle Family, explaining that it was “…a photo of my cousin John Richard Maracle. Jack, as he was called by the family, is in his WWII uniform. My grandmother Florence was the sister of Jack’s father, who was always called Elmer….”
Jack Maracle with Brenda Baughman’s mother Freda Maracle in Toronto, circa 1942. (Photo courtesy of the Jack Maracle Family)
…Jack Maracle had deep Mohawk roots….
Jack was born March 29, 1925 in Midland, Ontario, the son of Henry ‘Elmer’ and Irene Mildred (nee Marshall) Maracle. He had deep Mohawk roots on his paternal side through Elmer’s parents.
Jack’s father Elmer was a professional hockey player, playing in six leagues across North America over the course of his 20 year career. He was one of the first Indigenous players in the National Hockey League (NHL) when he was with the New York Rangers in the early 1930s.
Elmer Maracle with the North Bay Trappers, circa 1925. (Photo courtesy of the Jack Maracle Family)
Because of his father’s career, Jack and his sister Betty lived in several places throughout North America, returning to Ontario with their mother only once their parents’ marriage broke up.
…Jack had an aptitude for motor mechanics….
Jack worked in several jobs as a teenager, including bicycle delivery with a printing company, telegram delivery, press operator helper with lithography, and a shop man with the Canadian Pacific Railway.
Before Jack enlisted with the #2 District Depot in Toronto, Ontario on March 29, 1943 – his 18th birthday – he was an elevator operator with the Robert Simpson Company, a department store that later became known as Sears. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simpsons_(department_store))
The self-operated automatic elevators we know today replaced manually operated elevators, which required an operator to be able to regulate speed and have a good sense of timing to ensure the elevator stopped level with a floor. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elevator_operator) These skills were a good preparation for Jack’s army career.
His Personnel Selection Record with the Canadian Army recorded that Jack was “… a neat, well-dressed young man of slim build… who is keen to get into the army… In each of his frequent job changes he has bettered himself…..” It went on to note that he had “….well above average learning ability...” His aptitude and interest in motor mechanics was noted, including that he “…prefers the ‘Tank’ corps….”
The Personnel Selection Record noted that Jack’s “… only sporting interest is roller-skating...” (not hockey!) and that he liked “…social events, and, for a hobby, collects photographs of locomotives…”
…Jack’s army career began with armoured tank training ….
Jack’s medical exam noted that he had a hernia and a heart murmur, so he was placed in Category ‘D’ (temporarily unfit for service) and sent first to the Camp Petawawa Military Hospital (CPMH), then to Toronto Convalescent Hospital (TCH) for a hernia operation.
On August 20, 1943 he was transferred to #26 Canadian Army Basic Training Centre (CABTC) in Orillia, Ontario, where he stayed until October 18, 1943. From Orillia he was sent to Borden, Ontario to the Canadian Armoured Corps Training Centre (CACTC) for advanced training in tanks, becoming a Qualified Driver i/c Class III Wheeled on November 25, 1943. It was noted that he could not proceed overseas before his 19th birthday on March 29, 1944.
On April 30, 1944, he sailed to the United Kingdom, arriving on May 7, 1944, where he was transferred to the Canadian Armoured Corps Reinforcement Unit (CACRU). He was sent for further training, and qualified as Gunner Operator ‘C’ on August 1, 1944.
…Jack arrived in northwest Europe and joined the 6th Canadian Armoured Regiment ….
On September 25, 1944 he arrived in France as part of the Canadian Armoured Corps reinforcement. On October 31, 1944 he was transferred to the 6th Canadian Armoured Regiment (1st Hussars), which was in Breda, The Netherlands.
The November 1, 1944 War Diary entry for the 6th Canadian Armoured Regiment noted that “…This section of the country has received us exceptionally well but they are almost destitute for food as is evidenced by the number of civilians around our cook lorry…”
On November 9, 1944 the Regiment moved towards the northeast to Groesbeek, near the German border, in preparation for upcoming operations in the Rhineland.
…Armoured tanks helped win the war…..
If you wondered what an armoured tank regiment did and the difficulties and dangers that were faced, you can take a look at this 47 minute documentary: ‘How Canada’s Blockbuster Tank Operation Won The Allies WW2’
…Jack’s Regiment prepared for the upcoming battles in Germany…..
Christmas found the Regiment still in The Netherlands. The December 25, 1944 War Diary entry for the 6th Canadian Armoured Regiment noted that “…To-day the regiment, less one squadron, came under command of 3rd Canadian Infantry Division….”
On February 7, 1945, War Diary entry for the 6th Canadian Armoured Regiment noted that “…Morale is at a high peak as it is evident by the flow of equipment on the roads that we are soon to witness our first real thrust into Germany….”
The February 11, 1945 War Diary entry for the 6th Canadian Armoured Regiment noted that “…Now that Operation Veritable is in full swing traffic has been resumed to normal….” (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Veritable)
On February 19, 1945, the Regiment was informed that they would be going into Germany. The War Diary entry for the 6th Canadian Armoured Regiment noted that “…This morning we were warned that the Regiment would be moving very shortly to the CLEVE area. The prisoners taken on operation Veritable have now risen to nine thousand one hundred…” Kleve, Germany is just a few short kms from Groesbeek, The Netherlands.
On February 25, 1945, the War Diary entry for the 6th Canadian Armoured Regiment noted that “…. The crews are checking on all equipment and making minor repairs to make the tanks battle worthy as we have learned of a coming operation…” This was for the Battle of Keppeln, fought between February 26 and March 3, 1945. This was the start of Operation Blockbuster. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Blockbuster)
After Keppeln came the Battle of Balberger Wald, the southern section of the Hochwald Forest, southeast of Keppeln and part of the Schlieffen Line that protected the approach to the Rhine River. It took “…two more days to complete clearing … after Le Régiment de la Chaudière had secured the Tüschen Wald on 2 March. As they probed southward and then eastward through the woods, the Queen’s Own Rifles and the North Shore Regiment encountered persistent resistance by small enemy bands…. Every advance was counter-attacked…. and the 1st Hussars, held up by numerous anti-tank mines, could only give supporting fire through the trees from stationary positions….” (See https://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/Canada/CA/Victory/Victory-19.html, page 513)
…The final phase of Operation Blockbuster began on March 5, 1945 ….
In ‘A History of the First Hussars Regiment 1856-1980’ by Brandon Conron, published in 1981, explained that “… The final part of ‘Blockbuster’, in which the Regiment took an active part, was on March 5th… the plan was to attack east from the Hochwald and seize the high ground between Xanten and Sonsbeck...”
The March 5, 1945 War Diary entry for the 6th Canadian Armoured Regiment noted that it was “…Cloudy with sleet and rain...”
Conron’s Regimental history provides a bit more information. “…Although first light was at 0645 hours, zero hour was set for 0615 hours. Despite the darkness the tanks moved forward with the infantry… By daylight it became quite evident that the buildings in the rear where not clear, for a continuous stream of German machine gun fire from that direction harassed everyone…”
Jack was hit in the abdomen by a bullet from machine gun fire and quickly taken to a Casualty Clearing Post by the 23rd Canadian Field Ambulance, reaching it shortly after 7 am. By noon he had been admitted to #3 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station in Bedburg, Germany. Despite efforts to save him, he unfortunately died on March 12, 1945.
…Jack is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek…
Grave of John ‘Jack’ Richard Maracle at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek. (Photo source: http://www.findagrave.com)
Jack was temporarily buried at the Bedburg Canadian Military Cemetery before being reburied in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands.
Brenda Baughman with her sister and brother. Left to right: Brenda Baughman, Lynda Wink, Gordon Cooper. (Photo courtesy of Brenda Baughman)
Thank you to Brenda Baughman for sending photos and sharing information on her cousin, Jack Maracle. Our North Bay adventure concludes in the next posting. If you know of any soldiers from the North Bay area that are buried in The Netherlands please let Pieter know. You can email him at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or send a tweet to @researchmemori1.
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 seehttps://nosoldierforgotten.com/
Upcoming Author Talk: Thursday, August 11, 2022 – Victoria-By-The-Sea, Prince Edward Island, part of the ‘Our Island Talks’ series, and hosted by Victoria Playhouse and Victoria Historical Association. Time: 2:00 pm.
Outside the North Bay Public Library. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)
June 11, 2022. The main reason for coming to North Bay was an invitation from the North Bay Public Library to do an Author Talk about my book ‘No Soldier Buried Overseas Should Ever Be Forgotten’.
The library had two copies of the book, and it was heartening to hear from some of those who attended the talk that they had already read the book.
A photo op before the Author Talk! Left to right: Don Coutts, Nora Elliott-Coutts, Daria and Pieter Valkenburg. (Photo credit: Bethany Brownlee)
…Pre-preparation ensured no technical glitches…
A presentation requires technical support, and this was provided by Rebecca Larocque, Manager IT and Information Services, and Bethany Brownlee, Program Coordinator. Researcher Norma Wall took an interest into the soldiers from the North Bay area that had been identified by researchers at the Canadian War Cemeteries in The Netherlands. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2022/05/15/on-the-war-memorial-trail-author-talks-in-north-bay/)
The North Bay Public Library staff ensured the event ran smoothly and without technical difficulties! Left to right: Rebecca Larocque, Norma Wall, Nora Elliott-Coutts, and Bethany Brownlee. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)
…The Author Talk allowed us to meet and greet people interested in the subject…
A diverse group attended the Author Talk. One couple had a family member who had participated in the liberation of The Netherlands during WWII. Several had made war memorial journeys of their own. A few were members of various military heritage groups, while others had Dutch heritage. We very much enjoyed the evening and everyone that we met.
Pieter participated in the Q and A session! (Photo credit; Beth Brownlee)
Book purchaser Dorothy Leitch is writing a memoir of her own. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)
Book purchaser Anne Thomas has Dutch roots. She had attended the shorter Rotary Club presentation earlier in the day. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)
Thank you to Don Coutts and North Bay Public Library Head of Children’s Services and Deputy CEO Nora Elliott-Coutts for arranging our visit. Kudos to the excellent staff at the North Bay Public Library for ensuring we had a glitch-free presentation. Plus… thank you to all who took the time to come out for the Author Talk. More North Bay adventures are coming up in the next posting.
If you know of any soldiers from the North Bay area that are buried in The Netherlands please let Pieter know. You can mail him at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or send a tweet to @researchmemori1.
…..Upcoming Author Talk….
Thursday, August 11, 2022 – Victoria-By-The-Sea, Prince Edward Island, part of the ‘Our Island Talks’ series, and hosted by Victoria Playhouse and Victoria Historical Association. Time: 2:00 pm.
Daria’s book ‘No Soldier Buried Overseas Should Ever Be Forgotten‘ is available in print and e-book formats. For more information seehttps://nosoldierforgotten.com/
May 15, 2022. We very much appreciate the feedback from ‘No Soldier Buried Overseas Overseas Should Ever Be Forgotten’, and enjoy seeing the photos sent in and the opportunity to meet some of you in person. We’re back on the war memorial trail…. this time in North Bay, Ontario.
…Upcoming Author Talks In North Bay….
Invitations have been received and accepted for two ‘Author Talks’:
Thursday, May 19, 2022 – North Bay, Ontario, presentation at Rotary Club of North Bay-Nipissing. Time noon.
Thursday, May 19, 2022 – North Bay, Ontario, hosted by the North Bay Public Library. Time 7:00 pm.
If you are in the North Bay area, we hope to see you!
….North Bay Area Soldiers Buried In The Netherlands….
We received lists of soldiers from the North Bay area who are buried in the Canadian War Cemeteries in The Netherlands, including a few for which no photo had been found. With the help of Don Coutts, Judie Klassen, and Shawn Rainville, headway has been made in researching these names from the photo wish lists, and families for 3 have been found.
Thank you also to Helen Vaillancourt of the Nipissing Chapter of the Ontario Genealogical Society and North Bay Public Library staff who delved into research after reading about the search for photos and families of soldiers buried in the Canadian War Cemeteries in The Netherlands.
Shawn Rainville and Pieter Valkenburg had a chance to meet in person. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)
…Buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten…
APOSTLE of 12th Manitoba Dragoons – 18th Armoured Car Regiment. KIA 1945-Apr-16, aged 21
Albert JosephCOTE of The Algonquin Regiment. KIA 1944-Oct-05, aged 24
Herbert P. CROOME of Royal Canadian Artillery – 2nd Anti-Tank Regiment. KIA 1945-May-1, aged 27
Theodore S.DUNN of The Algonquin Regiment. KIA 1945-Apr-11, aged 30
William H. K. LOCKE of Royal Canadian Artillery – 4 Field Regiment. KIA 1945-Apr-03, aged 19
John Langford ‘Jack’WALKER of Governor General’s Foot Guards-21st Armoured Regiment. KIA 1945-May-1, aged 20
…Buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek…
Zave BROWN of Royal Hamilton Light Infantry. KIA 1945-Mar-9, aged 19
Leopold DanielBRULE of Essex Scottish Regiment. KIA 1945-Feb-19, aged 22
Cecil EdwardGOODREAU of Elgin Regiment, 25th Armoured Delivery Regiment. KIA 1945-Feb 26, aged 22
Donald O.GUERTIN of Royal Hamilton Light Infantry. KIA 1945-Mar-2 aged 27
Clifford StanleyJOHNSTON of Royal Canadian Air Force 419 Squadron. KIA 1944-Jun-17, aged 21
John Richard ‘Jack’MARACLE of 1st Hussars, 6th Armoured Regiment. KIA 1945-Mar-12, aged 19 (Maternal grandfather T. Marshall lived in North Bay)
Anthony PETTA of the Algonquin Regiment. KIA 1945-Mar-3, aged 29
…Buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Bergen Op Zoom…:
Cleo Adelard SEGUIN of The Royal Regiment of Canada. KIA 1944-Sep-28, aged 24 (Wife Georgette Brousseau was from North Bay)
If you know of any other soldiers from the North Bay area that are buried in The Netherlands please let Pieter know. You can mail him at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or send a tweet to @researchmemori1.
March 24, 2022. Pieter and I would like to thank everyone who contacted us about our book, ‘No Soldier Buried Overseas Should Ever Be Forgotten’, about our 2017 war memorial tour in Europe. We appreciate the comments and photos you’ve sent of yourselves with the book. Please keep them coming!
When the book was first published in January 2022, it was available in print format only. Now, thanks to Wendy Nattress, it is now available in e-book format for Kindle, Kobo, and other reader format. Please visit https://nosoldierforgotten.com/for links to where it is available.
Wendy has ensured that both the Table of Contents and the Index have hyperlinks to the appropriate places in the e-book, making for a more user-friendly reading experience.
Invitations have been received and accepted for these ‘Author Talks’:
Thursday, May 19, 2022 – North Bay, Ontario, hosted by the North Bay Public Library. Time 7:00 pm.
Thursday, August 11, 2022 – Victoria-By-The-Sea, Prince Edward Island, part of the ‘Our Island Talks’ series, and hosted by Victoria Playhouse and Victoria Historical Association. Time: 3:00 pm.
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/
This project, initiated by Pieter in 2017 after researching what happened to Muttart, one of the names on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion, became possible with the help and support of the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation, the Tryon & Area Historical Society that coordinated donations, and the many people who generously donated towards the preparation and installation of a memorial panel. This project was given ongoing media coverage by the County Line Courier newspaper and CBC PEI, making it possible to tell the story of Elmer Muttart to Islanders.
Recently we met with the organizers from the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation in Leeuwarden, who gave us a few hints about what to expect on October 12.
We get a few hints on what to expect on October 12! Left to right: Alexander Tuinhout, Pieter Valkenburg, Daria Valkenburg, Douwe Drijver.
Family of the crew of Halifax L9561 will meet in Leeuwarden before going to commemorative events in Harlingen and Wons. Representatives from the Dutch municipal government, the Canadian and British embassies, the Royal Canadian Legion in The Netherlands and Canada, the citizens of Wons, and the many researchers who worked so hard on this project will attend these special events that have been organized by the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation, a non-profit organization of volunteers in Friesland dedicated to remembering the Allied flights that crashed in the province.
As so many Canadians are not aware of the efforts of the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation, we invited them to explain a bit about their organization in a video clip about the story behind this upcoming event:
Excerpted translation of an article from the press release from the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation:
On Saturday, October 12, 2019, it will be 78 years ago that an eyewitness in the Wons area saw Halifax L9561 “burning, sliding and zigzagging through the cloud cover”. The bomber with a crew of eight people left the English airport in Middleton Saint George an hour and a half earlier for a bombing of the port city of Bremen, but it never reached its target.
Above the North Sea the aircraft was already noticed by the German radar station “Tiger” on the island of Terschelling. Experienced fighter pilot Leopold “Poldi” Fellerer succeeded in shooting the Halifax shortly afterwards. The plane crashed just outside Wons at 10:17 p.m.
The next morning it became clear that 23-year-old Canadian pilot Elmer Bagnall Muttart did not survive the crash. “He was a gallant Captain and he died that we might live …” co-pilot Norman Trayler would later say about Muttart. The fact that the pilot was able to keep the damaged aircraft under control for a long time gave the remaining seven crew members the chance to escape from the burning bomber. All survivors fell into German captivity and only got their freedom back in 1945.
John Duffield from Oxford, a tail gunner, was admitted with serious injuries in the German section of Leeuwarden’s Boniface Hospital. He received regular visits to his sickbed from Poldi Fellerer and from Fellerer’s gunner Georg Lotze. In 1955 – fourteen years after the crash of the L9561 – Lotze, from Germany, even made an attempt to come into contact with Duffield again.
In his home country of Canada, fallen pilot Elmer Muttart has never been forgotten. His name is on the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph, a monument near his birthplace of Cape Traverse on Prince Edward Island. For a long time, the exact story behind Muttart’s death was unknown. Dutch born Canadian Pieter Valkenburg, who lives on Prince Edward Island, delved into the history of all fallen soldiers on the Cenotaph and, as of 2016, delved into the life of Muttart. He soon joined forces with the Frisian based Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation (SMAMF), which has been investigating the air war over the province since the 1970s.
The initiative of Valkenburg and the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation to permanently remember Elmer Muttart’s last flight with a memorial panel at the crash location becomes a reality on 12 October.“
Halifax Bomber used by No. 76 Squadron. (Photo courtesy of Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation)
Thank you to the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation for sharing this article from their press release and allowing it to be translated into English. An enormous thank you goes to Wendy Nattress, who graciously volunteered to do the post-production work on the short video explaining how the effort to place a memorial panel began. If anyone has more information to share on the Halifax L9561 crew, please contact Pieter at dariadv@yahoo.ca or comment on the blog.
May 25, 2019.For those readers who are intending to go to The Netherlands in October for the unveiling of the memorial panel to honour the crew of Halifax L9561, piloted by Flight Sgt Elmer Muttart, this is a brief update we received from the Stichting Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation.
A quick summary: WWII pilot Elmer Bagnall MUTTART lost his life on October 12, 1941 when his plane was shot down by a German nightfighter, and crashed in a field right outside the village of Wons in The Netherlands. Before the crash, Elmer was able to ensure that his crew bailed out and he managed to steer the burning plane past the village. Over the past 1 ½ years a fundraising project in conjunction with the Tryon and Area Historical Society here in Canada, and the Stichting Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation in The Netherlands, has been raising funds towards a memorial panel near the crash site in Wons to honour Elmer Muttart and his crew. (See The Elmer Bagnall Muttart Story and On the War Memorial Trail ….. At Harlingen General Cemetery and On the War Memorial Trail ….. At The Politiek Farm In Wons)
The Stichting Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation, which is organizing and coordinating the memorial panel installation and ceremony, have provided a bit more information, prior to the official invitations being sent out. Here is what we know:
Date of the event: Saturday, October 12, 2019.
Hotel: Oranje Hotel Leeuwarden in Leeuwarden, which is near the train station. When you receive your invitation and program, a booking code will be provided for a group rate, and we suggest you book for 2 nights. Here is the link if you want to take a look at the hotel facilities: https://www.oranjehotelleeuwarden.com/en/about-the-hotel/facilities/
Train from Schiphol Airport in Amsterdam: There is a train station at Schiphol Airport and you can take a direct train to Leeuwarden. Please note that purchase of tickets is done electronically (there is no ticket counter) and can be purchased either ahead of time or at the train station. Direct trains to Leeuwarden leave hourly from the airport at 34 minutes after each hour. NOTE: There is a second train leaving hourly, but it is NOT direct and requires you to change trains, so we don’t recommend that you take it. For more information see https://www.schiphol.nl/en/page/by-train-from-schiphol/.
Car rental: You can also rent a car from Schiphol Airport.
You are responsible for your travel, accommodation, and meal expenses. On October 12, 2019, complimentary transport will be provided by the Stichting Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation to Harlingen and to Wons. A bus will pick us up from the Oranje Hotel in Leeuwarden, with the first stop for an event at Hannemahuis (a museum) in Harlingen. For those who can read Dutch, here is the link: http://www.hannemahuis.nl/. Harlingen is where Flight Sgt Elmer Muttart is buried, and we will be visiting the cemetery.
From Harlingen we will travel to Wons for the unveiling of the memorial panel near the crash site. The bus will then take us back to the hotel.
Members of The Netherlands branch of the Royal Canadian Legion will be in attendance in both Harlingen and Wons.
Full details will be provided by the Stichting Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation, who will send an invitation and program to those who’ve indicated they would like to attend.
While the Canadian fundraising project is closed, anyone who wishes can still donate directly to the Foundation in The Netherlands. How to donate: Bank transfers may be made to Stichting Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation, Bank Account # (IBAN) NL35ABNA0569579856, and state in the subject line “Attn D.S. Drijver for Halifax L9561”.
If you have a memory of any of the crew members of Halifax L9561 to share, please send an email to dariadv@yahoo.ca or comment on this blog.
Over the past 1 ½ years a fundraising project in conjunction with the Tryon and Area Historical Society here in Canada, and the Stichting Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation in The Netherlands, has been raising funds towards a memorial panel near the crash site in Wons to honour Elmer Muttart and his crew.
Last month the Tryon and Area Historical Society transferred the donations made in Canada towards this memorial panel to the Stichting Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation, who will organize and coordinate the memorial panel installation and ceremony, planned for October 12, 2019. Thank you to all who donated so generously to this worthwhile project, and a big thank you to the Tryon and Area Historical Society for their involvement and support.
While the Canadian fundraising project is closed, anyone who wishes can still donate directly to the Stichting Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation in The Netherlands. How to donate: Bank transfers may be made to Stichting Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation, Bank Account # (IBAN) NL35ABNA0569579856, and state in the subject line “Attn D.S. Drijver for Halifax L9561”.
If you had indicated to us that you were interested in attending this event in Europe, please note that your name and contact email was provided to the Stichting Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation. They will send you the invitation and program, and be able to answer any relevant questions. We ourselves are on the waiting list for the invitation and program and plan to attend the event.
If you have information or photos to share on the names on the Cenotaph, or if you have a memory of Elmer Muttart to share, please send an email to dariadv@yahoo.ca or comment on this blog.
4 countries, 6 weeks, 7,000 km – an unforgettable war memorial journey in Europe…. Daria’s book ‘No Soldier Buried Overseas Should Ever Be Forgotten‘ is available in print and e-book formats. Net proceeds of book sales help support research costs and the cost of maintaining this blog. For more information on the book, please see https://nosoldierforgotten.com/
On The War Memorial Trail Research Project........ with Pieter and Daria Valkenburg 