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On The War Memorial Trail…..The 1942 Plane Crash In North Tryon

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August 20, 2020.  Not all wartime deaths happen overseas, or in other parts of Canada.  Occasionally one happens right in your neighbourhood.  That was the case on June 11, 1942 when North Tryon was the scene of a fatal plane crash.  Aboard were flight student Ralph Gordon MCCUTCHEON and his instructor, Flight Sgt H. L. SPINNEY, from the No. 9 Service Flying Training School RCAF in Summerside.  This flight training school was part of No. 3 Training Command RCAF, carrying out British Commonwealth Air Training Plan training operations.

43134_b193387-00026 Ralph McCutcheon picture from schoolbook

Ralph McCutcheon.  (Photo courtesy of http://www.ancestry.com)

North Tryon resident Vernon Inman was a witness to the crash and recollected that “… I was walking to the North Tryon School with my sisters and Ralph Edwards and saw the plane coming down.  I was 12 years old at the time.  I saw a parachute come down by the old mill and saw another parachute on the wings…”  The instructor safely landed by the old mill, but the student’s parachute caught on the wings and he lost his life.

CIMG4284 Jul 20 2020 Vernon at 1942 crash site

Vernon Inman indicates scene of the plane crash in June 1942 in North Tryon.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Vernon was keen to see what was happening, and noticed that beside the local store “… there were two men with a horse and buggy.  I jumped on and we went to the crash site.  The road wasn’t paved and the Trans Canada Highway wasn’t built yet.  There was a road, but it was only a dirt road, not even gravel…”

“What was the weather like that day?” Pieter asked.

Vernon replied that “… it was a nice sunny morning…” and explained that the cause of the crash was never publicly reported.  It was big news on the Island, particularly in the small community of North Tryon and surrounding area.

“….Everyone went to the crash site as they knew the plane had come down.  The wing of the plane hit a pumphouse and there was a small fire, but no explosion.  The plane was broken in many places.  The instructor’s parachute went across the pond, but the student didn’t make it. His body was taken from the wreckage and a blanket covered him.  He was lying near where a birch tree is growing now.  I’ll never forget that his legs weren’t covered and I could see them….” 78 years later, that image has still left an indelible impression on him.

While the crash was widely reported, not much was known about the student who died.  Ralph Gordon McCutcheon was only 21 years old, born February 6, 1920 in Buffalo, New York, and the son of Sydney Joseph McCutcheon and Mabel Martha Billica, who lived in Toronto.  He enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in Toronto, Ontario in September 1941, interrupting his education at Colgate University in Hamilton, New York.

Although he had no flying experience, he’d expressed a desire to become a bomber pilot or an observer.  He was initially posted to various bases for training in Ontario and New Brunswick, receiving high marks for training courses, and recommendations to train him as a pilot.  On April 10, 1942 he arrived at No. 9 Service Flying Training School RCAF in Summerside towards that goal.

1-AJ-583-IMG_0568_2-720x393-600x328Harvard pic from harvards.com website

Harvard plane, similar to the one used on June 11, 1942.  (Photo: http://www.harvards.com)

At the time of the crash he had been training in a Harvard MK2 plane. The official report of the crash deemed it an accident while doing “…aerobatics...”, and stated it occurred at 9:15 am.  Eyewitness accounts in the report mirrored Vernon Inman’s recollection.  It noted that “... eyewitnesses state that parachute seemed to be caught on plane which dragged the airman down to his death…”  A handwritten entry added that “…aircraft flicked to the right at the top of the loop then parachute caught on plane…” McCutcheon died instantly of “…multiple fractures and a cracked skull...”

Vernon explained that the plane crashed on the border line between the Dawson property and what is now a blueberry farm.  “… Myron Dawson’s sister Martha did guard duty at the crash site as people were trying to take pieces of the plane as souvenirs.  She was in the military and had been sent there from Summerside…” 

Vernon didn’t leave the site without a memento of his own… a piece of the wheel, which still retains the original yellow colour.

CIMG4286 Jul 20 2020 Vernon at 1942 crash site

Vernon Inman holds a piece of the wheel from the Harvard plane that crashed in 1942.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

“…I may be the only witness still alive, except for my sister Aletha, who lives in Michigan.  She’s two years older than me…” Vernon reflected.

In researching this story, Pieter learned that McCutcheon’s body was transported by train to Toronto.  His classmates from the air school in Summerside accompanied his coffin to the train station.  McCutcheon is buried in Prospect Cemetery in Toronto, Ontario.

Thank you to Vernon Inman for his eyewitness recollection of this tragic accident.  Other eyewitness accounts from adults at the time of the crash can be found in ‘Remember Yesterday; a history of North Tryon, PEI 1769-1992, Volume I’. (See https://islandlives.ca/islandora/object/ilives%3A166275v1#page/4/mode/2up) If anyone has more information or photos about this event, please contact Pieter at dariadv@yahoo.ca or comment on the blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

On The War Memorial Trail…..The Search For Barney Reuben McGuigan

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August 7, 2020.  In many cases it is very difficult to find a photo of a soldier from WW1 or WW2.  Last year, a request was made for photos and information on PEI soldiers from WW2 who were buried in The Netherlands.  (See Photos and Info Requested For WW2 Soldiers From PEI Buried In The Netherlands)  One of these soldiers, buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, was Bernard ‘Barney’ Reuben MCGUIGAN.

Over the past months, Pieter was lucky in finding photos from family members for:

One last soldier from PEI who is buried in one of the three Canadian War Cemeteries in The Netherlands is still without a photo: Bernard ‘Barney’ Reuben MCGUIGAN, who is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek.  At 16 years of age when he lost his life, he is the youngest soldier in the cemetery.

Barney Reuben was born on May 14, 1928, the son of Thomas McGuigan and Sarah ‘Sadie’ Bisson, and baptized on June 17, 1928 at St. Paul’s Church in Sturgeon. Unfortunately his mother died in 1936 and he was brought up by his grandparents, Bernard McGuigan and Rose McGee.

On July 9, 1943 he enlisted in Charlottetown and claimed to be 18 years old, not his actual 15 years of age.  He went on to say that he “…attended rural school in PEI, completing grade 7 at age 16 in 1941, but left school because no teacher was available in the district…” He stated that he was a fisherman at the time of enlistment.  His grandmother Rose is listed as his foster-mother on his enlistment documents.

Under military rules, no one under 19 was to be sent overseas.  As a supposed 18 year old, Barney was sent for training, first to a training camp in Aldershot, Nova Scotia.  In January 1944, he was sent for infantry training in Vernon, BC.  In November 1944, he was sent overseas, arriving in the United Kingdom on November 28, 1944.

On January 8, 1945 he left the United Kingdom for continental Europe, as part of reinforcement troops.  On February 12, 1945 he joined the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment.  Then, on February 26, 1945 he lost his life in Germany, just over the Dutch border, during Operation Blockbuster, the last part of Operation Veritable. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Blockbuster)  He was only 16, not 19, years old.

He was initially buried in the Bedburg Military Cemetery, and then later reburied in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek.

Screenshot_2020-08-06 Google Maps Bedburg Germany

Black X marks the location of Bedburg, Germany, where Barney McGuigan lost his life.  (Map courtesy of Google maps.)

After Barney’s death, his father wrote to the Canadian Military, asking why his son had been sent overseas when he was underage.  At the time of enlistment Barney was 5 feet 7 inches tall and weighed 133 pounds.  The military replied to his father, explaining that since Barney had said he was born in May 29, 1925, he was sent overseas based on that information.  Until his father wrote, unfortunately after Barney’s death, no correction to acknowledge his actual date of birth had been made.

In October 2019 we visited the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek and Pieter laid down flags at graves of Islanders, including Barney McGuigan.  (See On The War Memorial Trail…..Our 2019 Visit To The Canadian War Cemetery In Groesbeek)

CIMG3336 Oct 5 2019 Groesbeek Barney McGuigan cropped

Grave of Barney McGuigan in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

With no luck finding a photo, Pieter was recently interviewed by Angela Walker for CBC Radio’s Mainstreet PEI about his quest…  Link to interview:

 https://drive.google.com/file/d/1VMIbebs8kn2zQv9Al4Ndoy3gezMcWHPK/view?usp=sharing

Following the interview, he was contacted by Regina Faithfull, Barney’s cousin.  She had a photo of her father, in which Barney could be seen behind a door in the background.

Photo of McGuigans from Jeanie Faithfull

Also listening to the CBC broadcast was Charlotte MacAuley, reporter for the ‘Eastern Graphic’ newspaper.  As Barney was from the area the newspaper covered, she was interested in doing a story.  Perhaps that might generate a photo in which Barney could be seen more clearly?

CIMG4292 Jul 22 2020 Charlotte & Pieter at Eastern Graphic

Pieter with Charlotte MacAuley at the Eastern Graphic office in Montague.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Pieter agreed to an interview, which you can read here: (EAG-A12-080520.K War researcher looking to connect with family of Barney McGuigan).

Pieter by Charlotte MacAuley

Pieter with a copy of the telegram sent to Barney McGuigan’s family, advising of his death. (Photo credit: Charlotte MacAuley)

So…. the search for a photo continues…will Pieter be able to fulfill his quest? If anyone has more information or a photo for Barney Reuben McGuigan, please contact Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or tweet to @researchmemori1.    

Thank you to Angela Walker of CBC PEI Radio and Charlotte MacAuley of the ‘Eastern Graphic‘ for helping to publicize this search. Thank you also to Regina Faithfull for submitting a photo of the McGuigan family, Jane Scott for the link to the radio interview, and to Father Art O’Shea, diocese archivist at the Roman Catholic Diocese of Charlottetown, for confirmation of the date of birth and baptism for Barney McGuigan.

© Daria Valkenburg

…Want to follow our research?…

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

Front cover OnTheWarMememorialTrailinEurope4 countries, 6 weeks, 7,000 km – an unforgettable war memorial journey in Europe…. Daria’s book ‘No Soldier Buried Overseas Should Ever Be Forgotten‘ is available in print and e-book formats.  Net proceeds of book sales help support research costs and the cost of maintaining this blog. For more information see https://nosoldierforgotten.com/

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On The War Memorial Trail…..A Mariner Named Arsenault Who Drowned In South America

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Cenotaph outside Borden Carleton Legion by Pieter Valkenburg

Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

July 18, 2020.  When Pieter first began researching the names on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion, he had a lot of slogging to do to figure out who these names represented.  There were no records, Legion minutes that might have shed light on how the names were selected were missing, and no newspaper accounts could be found that identified the names.

With a lot of hard work digging through war diaries, and reading of soldier records found at Library and Archives Canada, and the cooperation of the families of several  of these men in providing photos and letters written by them, 45 of the 46 names originally listed on the Cenotaph were identified.  Along the way, 2 more names that were inadvertently missed were added.

The one missing name, an F. Arsenault, remained a question mark.  No soldier could be identified as a possibility, so Pieter turned to records from the Canadian Merchant Navy.  There was one likely possibility…. Joseph ‘Francis’ ARSENAULT, born May 15, 1928 in Tignish.  At the time of his application for a Merchant Seaman’s Identity Certificate in Halifax on November 19, 1945, both he and his father Basil were listed as living in Albany.  His mother, Angeline Pire, had died in 1929 in Palmer Road.

image of francis arsenault_Page_1

Image of Francis Arsenault from his Application For Merchant Seaman’s Identity Certificate

With the help of Donna Matthews of Veterans Affairs, the story was pieced together.  Francis Arsenault’s first voyage was on the ‘Asbjorn’, as a U/Boy (Utility boy), serving between November 27 and December 7, 1945.

He then was sent to the ‘Argyle Park’ as a mess boy on December 7, 1945, sailing to St John, for two voyages and leaving the ship in St John on January 17, 1946.

On January 23, 1946 he transferred to the ‘Hampstead Park’ as an m/boy (mess boy), and was discharged on May 18, 1946.

His next voyage was aboard ‘Noranda Park’, as a galley boy, sailing on May 20, 1946, arriving on July 29, 1946 in Port Alfred, South Africa.  The ship was then renamed ‘Oceanside’ and he signed on for another voyage from Port Alfred to Georgetown, Guyana.  While on ‘Oceanside’ he was promoted to second cook.

According to the website Fort Ships of WW2, “…the ‘Park’ ships were run by the Park Steamship Company and were named after well-known national, provincial or municipal parks in Canada.  The Company became a Canadian Government Crown Corporation in 1942 to own, manage and operate the ships allocated to it for the purposes of the war…. The appointed Canadian managers were responsible for the hiring of crew and officers as well as supplying the ships with fuel and supplies.  They had little control over the routing of the vessel, or the cargo as war materials took precedence… After the war the fleet was gradually disposed of…” (See http://fortships.tripod.com/Parks%20A-N.htm)

map of guyana from Pinterest

Unfortunately, ‘Oceanside’ was his last ship.  On August 12, 1946, while the ship was in Mackenzie City (now part of Linden) on the Demerara River in Guyana (in South America), he drowned after he fell out of a small boat while returning to the ship ‘under the influence of drink’, according to the Department of Transport Central Register of Seamen.

A large mining camp established by the Aluminum Company of Canada (later nationalized as the Guyana Bauxite Company) was in this area. Bauxite mined here would have been brought to Mackenzie City for processing and then loaded onto oceangoing vessels.  Most likely, this was why ‘Oceanside’ was in Guyana.

According to the Official Log of ‘Oceanside’ for August 12, 1946, the Captain wrote that “…This is to certify that the Chief Steward reported to me that at 00:30 this morning that F. Arsenault 2nd Cook, had fallen out of a boat when returning to the ship, very much under the influence of drink, and was drowned. He was not seen after he left the boat, he sank like a stone. J. Hilliard, who was with him, jumped after him to attempt to rescue him, but after swimming around for some time without finding any trace of him he gave up the attempt, but with others from the ship who saw the accident continued the search with flashlights along the beach in both up and down stream from the spot he fell in, hoping they may find him clinging to something. This search went on until 01:45, when the men returned to the ship, and the 3rd mate reported with regret that they were unsuccessful….”

It was a mystery why Arsenault was considered a veteran when he died more than a year after WW2 ended.  Donna Mathews explained that “…Per the Canada Remembers Section of Veterans Affairs, Arsenault was added to the Merchant Navy Book of Remembrance and Canadian Virtual War Memorial.  The cut-off date to include those that died during the Second World War was December 30, 1947…”

Thank you to Donna Mathews for her assistance in researching this merchant mariner’s story.  If anyone has more information or a photo for Francis Arsenault, please contact Pieter at dariadv@yahoo.ca or comment on the blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

On The War Memorial Trail…..A Face For WWII Soldier James Walter Auld

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July 7, 2020.  Last year, a request was made for photos and information on PEI soldiers from WWII who were buried in The Netherlands.  (See Photos and Info Requested For WW2 Soldiers From PEI Buried In The Netherlands)

It’s been a slow and difficult quest, but in the past few months two photos have been found, one for Joseph Edmund HENNEBERY (See On The War Memorial Trail…..A Face For Joseph Hennebery!) and now one for James ‘Walter’ AULD.

The story of how Walter’s photo was found has several twists and turns.  Pieter had zero luck in finding anyone related to this WWII soldier, who is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Bergen Op Zoom in The Netherlands, until we met Helen MacEwen, who had invited us to see a WWI era map her father-in-law had sent to the Island in 1918.  (See The WW1 Era ‘Course Of The Rhine’ Map of Germany)

We brought along a ‘wish list’ of photos and after looking at the list, Helen suggested that Pieter contact Allison Ellis, as his wife Melba came from the same area as Walter.  “…Allison is a retired politician…” Helen explained, “...and knows a lot of people…”  (See http://www.peildo.ca/fedora/repository/leg:27520)

It was a long shot. Lots of people over the years have suggested names, which turned out to be a fruitless exercise, but this time Pieter found a kindred spirit.  Allison remembered a Walter Auld and it was soon determined that this was the same person.  “…. I’ve been to his grave in The Netherlands….” Pieter was told. Allison didn’t have a photo, but thought he knew who to ask.  “…Leave it with me…” he said. A week later, we were sitting in the home of Allison and Melba, and Pieter had a photo that Walter’s niece, Judy Bartlett, had provided.

CIMG4156 Jun 23 2020 Pieter with Melba & Allison Ellis

Left to right: Melba Ellis, Pieter, Allison Ellis.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

James Walter Auld

Walter Auld. (Photo courtesy of Judy Bartlett Family Collection)

James ‘Walter’ AULD was born October 21, 1923 in Glenwood, the son of James and Margaret Auld of O’Leary Station, and was a garage mechanic with Corney Brothers in Summerside.  After enlisting in Charlottetown on February 20, 1942, he was sent for basic training as a rifleman.

A note in his service file indicates he was unhappy with this placement and noted he had been promised a position as a driver or mechanic when he enlisted.  His mechanical knowledge was assessed as ‘superior’ and the recommendation was made that he be transferred to a position where his skills could be used.

In May 1942 he was transferred to the Princess Louise Fusiliers (Motor Division), and by October 1942 he was on his way to England. In August 1943 he was transferred to the Algonquin Regiment.  In July 1944 he was with his unit, first in France and then as they moved into The Netherlands.

According to the War Diary for the Algonquin Regiment, on November 1, 1944 they were under the command of the 10th Canadian Infantry Brigade, 4th Canadian Armoured Division, and in action to try and take the town of Welberg, The Netherlands.   This was part of Operation Suitcase, which began on October 20, 1944, and as part of the bigger Battle of the Scheldt operation.  (See https://canadianbattlefieldtours.ca/operation-suitcase/)

self propelled tank p49

The war diary entry for November 1, 1944 recorded that “… Zero hour was at 19:00 hours…. We had 17 SP (self-propelled) tanks in support to deal with the enemy SP tanks…. Shortly after the kick-off, ‘A’ Company reported that one SP had bogged down and was holding the Company up  and before they got going again ‘D’ Company reported they were 300 yards from Welberg.  At 20:45 hours ‘A’ Company reported that one of the SPs had been hit and was burning.  At 21:00 hours ‘A’ Company reported another SP burning and that the situation was very confused due to heavy shelling of their positions by enemy SPs….”

At some point in this battle on November 1, 1944, Walter lost his life, aged 21. On November 6, 1944, he was buried in a cemetery in Steenbergen, not far from where he died.

Map where Auld died with arrow

Map with a black arrow showing the approximate location where Auld lost his life near Welberg. The unit had come from the area of Moerstaten. He was initially buried in Steenbergen, then later in Bergen Op Zoom. (Map courtesy of Michelin)

In October 1946 Walter was reburied in the Canadian War Cemetery in Bergen Op Zoom.  We were there in October 2019 and Pieter placed Canadian and PEI flags by his grave.  (See On The War Memorial Trail…..Our 2019 Visit To The Canadian War Cemetery In Bergen Op Zoom for an account of our visit.)

CIMG3388 Oct 7 2019 Bergen Op Zoom James Auld

Pieter by the grave of Walter Auld at the Canadian War Cemetery in Bergen Op Zoom.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Thanks to the combined efforts of Allison and Melba Ellis, Judy Bartlett, and Helen MacEwen, a photo of James ‘Walter’ Auld is on its way to the researchers at the Canadian War Cemetery in Bergen Op Zoom. If you have information to share about Canadian soldiers buried in The Netherlands, please contact Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com or comment on the blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

….Want to follow our research?….

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

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 Young WWII Soldier Who Lost His Life On The Operating Table

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May 23, 2020.  In uncovering the stories of the names on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion, it’s been an eye-opener on how being based in Canada during wartime was no guarantee of safety! Accidents and illnesses took their share of lives, a fate that befell WWII soldier Harold ‘Lloyd’ LEFURGEY, who was born on June 9, 1926 in North Bedeque, Prince Edward Island.

037 - Harold Lloyd Lefurgey, Saint John, Nov 1944

Harold “Lloyd” Lefurgey in November 1944. (Photo courtesy of Johnson Duplessis)

The son of Harold Lefurgey and Mary Todd, Lloyd lived in North Bedeque with his family until 1942, when the family moved to Saint John, New Brunswick.

Lefurgey Family, Behind Their House, Saint John NB, Harold, Mary, Alex, Muriel, Bill & Lloyd

The Lefurgey family behind their house in Saint John, NB.  Standing top, Harold and Mary Lefurgey.  Children, middle row: Alex and Muriel.  Children, front row: Bill and Lloyd. (Photo courtesy of Johnson Duplessis)

Employed as a marine coppersmith’s helper at the St. John Drydocks in Saint John, he enlisted in the Canadian Army on February 16, 1945 in Fredericton.  A note on his enlistment record noted that he was “underage for overseas until June 9, 1945.”

Mildred Allen & Lloyd Lefurgey, Saint John

Harold “Lloyd” Lefurgey with Mildred Allen at a time when Mildred’s brother was dating Lloyd’s sister. (Photo courtesy of Johnson Duplessis)

A few weeks later, while undergoing basic infantry training at No 70 Canadian Infantry (Basic) Training Centre in Fredericton, he fell ill. He was taken to Fredericton Military Hospital, New Brunswick and was about to be operated on for acute appendicitis.

The Casualty Report records that “On the night of the 16th March 1945 Pte Lefurgey was quite sick in bed, but seemed to recover the next morning.  When asked to go on sick parade, he replied that he preferred to go on Physical Training Parade.  He took sick again at about 0900 hours 17th March 1945 and was immediately taken to the Medical Inspection Room, from where he was at once taken by ambulance to Fredericton Military Hospital.  He was about to be operated on for acute appendicitis, and he died before the operation could actually be started, while under anesthetic.  Cause of death:  cardiac syncope.”  He was only 18 years old. (Note: Syncope is the medical term for ‘fainting’.  “Cardiac syncope occurs when the source of one’s loss of consciousness stems from a problem in the heart that prevents it from supplying enough nutrients and oxygen to the brain.”…. Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526027/)

Anna Lefurgey Cornish wrote that “His parents were living in St. John. A member of the armed forces came to the house to inform them of their son’s passing.  His remains were taken home to Cape Traverse and a funeral held in The Free Church of Scotland and then interred in the cemetery there.”

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Grave of Harold “Lloyd” Lefurgey at Cape Traverse Free Church of Scotland Cemetery.  (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

Thank you to Johnson Duplessis and Anna Lefurgey Cornish for providing photos and information on Harold ‘Lloyd’ Lefurgey.  If you have an anecdote 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/

Front cover OnTheWarMememorialTrailinEurope4 countries, 6 weeks, 7,000 km – an unforgettable war memorial journey in Europe…. Daria’s book ‘No Soldier Buried Overseas Should Ever Be Forgotten‘ is available in print and e-book formats.  Net proceeds of book sales help support research costs and the cost of maintaining this blog. For more information see https://nosoldierforgotten.com/ 

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

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

The Halifax L9561 Crew Remembered In Wons

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speldje bevrijding

May 15, 2020.  On October 12, 2019 a memorial panel to honour the crew of Halifax L9561 was placed in Wons, near the crash site where Flight Sgt Elmer Bagnall MUTTART lost his life. (See On The War Memorial Trail…..The Memorial Panel In Wons Is Unveiled!)

IMG_0655 Oct 12 2019 unveiling of memorial panel in Wons

The memorial panel to honour the crew of Halifax L9561 in Wons was unveiled on October 12, 2019. (Photo courtesy of http://www.dorpwons.nl)

On May 4, 2020, the village of Wons remembered the victims of WW2 in their community.  Due to the coronavirus (Covid-19) restrictions on social gatherings, it was not a public ceremony.

cc0b5104-e875-4f98-bb39-b34e24e78baf May 4 2020 Wons Photo van den berg

Memorial panel in Wons on May 4, 2020. (Photo credit: Dooitze van den Berg)

Bottje Tilstra, the village secretary, was kind enough to send a video taken of the memorial ceremony in Wons.  You can watch the ceremony by the memorial panel at this link:  http://www.dorpwons.nl/assets/img/gallerij/2020/VID-20200513-WA0000.mp4. People in the video are:

  • Knilles Elgersma (presenting bouquet), Chair of the village council
  • Bugler is Boukje Elgersma, 1st trumpeter of the village music ensemble Hosanna
  • Dirk Stoffels (with beard) – member of the May 4 Committee
  • Dooitze van den Berg – photographer

812dc531-6925-4ea3-b2a3-28ab0c88707a May 4 2020 Wons Photo van den berg

May 4, 2020 ceremony at the memorial panel in Wons. Left to right: Dirk Stoffels, Knilles Elgersma, Boukje Elgersma. (Photo credit: Dooitze van den Berg)

ec1d4c36-ec2d-4992-b4cf-959db802fc04 May 4 2020 Wons Photo van den berg

May 4, 2020. Memorial panel overlooks the site of the plane crash on October 12, 1941. (Photo credit: Dooitze van den Berg)

How wonderful that the village included the Halifax L9561 memorial panel in their annual May 4 Remembrance of the War Dead ceremonies! (For more information on this annual event in The Netherlands see   https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Remembrance_of_the_Dead.)

If you haven’t seen our video about Halifax L9561, “He Died That We Might Live“, you can watch it here:

Pieter is still busy with researching Canadian soldiers.  If you have photos or information to share, please contact him at dariadv@yahoo.ca or comment on the blog.

A Taste Of The Netherlands In A Cookie

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CIMG3185 Sep 30 2019 Leeuwarden with Pieter Daria Douwe Alexander

Enjoying a Frisian cookie and  coffee in Leeuwarden, The Netherlands! Left to right: Alexander Tuinhout, Pieter and Daria Valkenburg, Douwe Drijver.

May 11, 2020.  Note:  This posting has NOTHING to do with military research, but as we are still at home due to Covid-19, I thought you might find it of interest. 

Last fall, while in The Netherlands, we were in a restaurant in the province of Friesland with two men from the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation.  In The Netherlands, when you order a cup of coffee or tea, it ALWAYS comes accompanied with a cookie.  In this restaurant it came with a traditional Frisian cookie.  After I raved about it, we went to a bakery near the restaurant, and the cookies were pointed out to me.  Naturally I bought a bag.

speldje bevrijding

Once we came home, Pieter found a recipe, made these delicious treats, and translated the recipe into English.  In honour of the 75th Anniversary of the Liberation of The Netherlands, here is the recipe, which you may wish to try for yourselves:

Fryse Dumkes

  • 250 grams (1 1/4 cups) all-purpose flour
  • 150 grams (3/4 cup) golden yellow sugar
  • 150 grams (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 egg
  • 100 grams (1/2 cup) finely chopped hazelnuts (not ground)
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ½ tsp powdered ginger
  • ¾ tsp anise seed
  • Pinch of salt

Mix together flour, sugar, hazelnuts, spices, and salt in a large bowl.

Make a well in the centre and add the butter and egg.

Mix thoroughly until you get a ball of dough.

Cover dough with plastic or a plate and refrigerate for ½ hour.

After ½ hour, sprinkle some flour on a surface and roll out dough into a rectangular shape that is 1 cm (slightly less than ½ inch) thick.

Cut out shapes about the size of your thumb (such as in little sticks).

Prepare cookie tin with parchment paper and place cookies on tin.  Makes about 35 cookies.

Bake in a preheated 320oF (160oC) oven for 20 to 25 minutes.  Remove from oven.

Let cool, and then enjoy!  If any cookies are left, store in a tin.

Happy Baking!

20200503_150233 Frisian cookies

Fryske Dumkes ready to be enjoyed.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Rest assured….Pieter is still busy with researching Canadian soldiers, so if you have information to share, please contact him at dariadv@yahoo.ca or comment on the blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

 

3 Short Videos About The Liberation Of The Netherlands

/ On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / 1 Comment

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May 6, 2020.  In the last blog posting, photos about the tulips that were placed in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek were featured.  (See Tulips Placed At Each Grave At The Canadian War Cemetery In Groesbeek)

Alice van Bekkum, Chair of Faces To Graves, sent us a short YouTube video “Er zijn duizenden tulpen op de Canadese Erebegraafplaats geplaatst” (“Thousands of tulips have been placed in the Canadian War Cemetery”) that shows tulips being placed on the graves at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek by volunteers.  You can watch it here:

Historica Canada has produced a short video,  “Liberation of The Netherlands“ in their Heritage Minutes series.

 

“Think Like A Historian“, another Historica Canada production, also has a YouTube video on the Liberation of The Netherlands.

 

Happy Viewing!  If you have information to share about Canadian soldiers buried in The Netherlands, please contact Pieter at dariadv@yahoo.ca or comment on the blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

Tulips Placed At Each Grave At The Canadian War Cemetery In Groesbeek

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May 5, 2020.  While events planned for the 75th Anniversary of the Liberation of The Netherlands were cancelled due to social distancing to prevent further outbreaks of coronavirus, organizations and individuals have found ways to mark the occasion.  One group from BC, the Dutch Canadian Liberation 2020 Society, planned many commemorative events.  (See https://www.dutchcanada2020.com/about-us/ )

When these had to be cancelled, the Society decided to pay for tulips to be placed at the graves at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands.  Most of the soldiers buried in this cemetery fell during the fighting on the Lower Rhine between February 8 and March 26, 1945.  In addition, the names of 1,103 soldiers reported missing between August 1944 and May 1945 are listed on the Groesbeek Memorial, with only a few found since the memorial was put up.  The rest are still listed as MIA (Missing In Action).

The Cemetery was closed on the first two days in May while volunteers placed tulips in vases beside each grave.

Tulips arriving at groesbeek on may 1st spanjers

Tulips arrive at the Cemetery on May 1.  (Photo credit: Piet Spanjers)

close up of tulip by grave in groesbeek spanjers

Each grave had a vase of tulips placed by volunteers.  (Photo credit: Piet Spanjers)

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Vases of tulips line the bench along the Memorial Wall.  (Photo credit:  Scheepers family)

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Grave of L/Cpl Ralph Schurman BOULTER, North Nova Scotia Highlanders, from West Point. (Photo credit:  Scheepers family)

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Grave of PEI soldier Sapper Joseph Edmond HENNEBERY, Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers, from Morrell. (Photo credit: Scheepers family)

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Grave of L/Cpl Frank Edward MCGOVERN, North Shore Regiment, born in Chipman. (Photo credit:  Scheepers family)

Our thanks to Ad and Noor Scheepers for taking photos, including those of the graves of:

  • Ralph Schurman BOULTER, who came from West Point, Prince Edward Island
  • Joseph Edmond HENNEBERY, who came from Morrell, Prince Edward Island
  • Frank Edward MCGOVERN, born in Chipman, New Brunswick

You can read (or re-read!) about our 2019 and 2017 War Memorial tour visits to the cemetery here:

·       https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2019/12/04/on-the-war-memorial-trail-our-2019-visit-to-the-canadian-war-cemetery-in-groesbeek/

·     https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2017/12/30/on-the-war-memorial-trail-pei-soldiers-buried-in-the-canadian-war-cemetery-in-groesbeek/

·        https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2017/12/25/on-the-war-memorial-trail-at-the-canadian-war-cemetery-in-groesbeek/

In an unrelated commemorative gesture, a group of Dutch farmers used tractors to spell out ’75 Jaar Vrijheid’ (75 Years of Freedom) in the shape of a torch. They were given a citation by Dutch authorities for not respecting social distancing rules! (Watch them make this tribute in a 42 second video at https://www.nu.nl/280619/video/boeren-vormen-fakkel-met-trekkers-in-wei-en-ontsteken-vrijheidsvuur.html?jwsource=em)

No photos have yet been found for Joseph Edmond HENNEBERY and Frank Edward MCGOVERN. Can you help? If you have information to share about any Canadian soldiers buried in The Netherlands, please contact Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com or comment on the blog.  UPDATE:  A photo of Joseph Edmond Hennebery was subsequently submitted.

© Daria Valkenburg

….Want to follow our research?….

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Front cover OnTheWarMememorialTrailinEurope4 countries, 6 weeks, 7,000 km – an unforgettable war memorial journey in Europe…. Daria’s book ‘No Soldier Buried Overseas Should Ever Be Forgotten‘ is available in print and e-book formats.  Net proceeds of book sales help support research costs and the cost of maintaining this blog. For more information see https://nosoldierforgotten.com/ 

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New Website On Canadian Scottish Regiment During WW2

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   speldje bevrijdingMay 4, 2020.  As the Dutch remember the 75th Anniversary of the Liberation of The Netherlands, this year without any public gatherings and events cancelled due to social distancing to prevent further outbreaks of coronavirus, Edwin van der Wolf of Hattem, The Netherlands, notified us about a website he’s begun.  This labour of love is about the 394 fallen soldiers of the Canadian Scottish Regiment during WW 2, a regiment from Victoria, BC.

The website is in Dutch and English, and includes maps, war diaries, a brief history of the regiment, photos, brief biographies of the fallen soldiers, and the cemeteries they are buried in. You can access the website at https://www.csri.nl/.

We first met Edwin on our 2017 War Memorial Tour, when we visited the graves and monuments of most of the names listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion.  In addition to his research into the Canadian Scottish Regiment, Edwin is an active researcher at the Holten Information Centre based at the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten.  (See https://bordencarletonresearchproject.wordpress.com/2018/01/17/on-the-war-memorial-trail-at-the-information-centre-at-holten-canadian-war-cemetery/ for an account of our visit there.)

Back in 2017, we asked him about his interest in Canadian soldiers and he told us that he feels a special bond with Canada.  He explained that his grandfather lived in an area of Deventer that was liberated by Canadians. “My grandfather lived in a house in a corner of the street, and he could see a hospital fence 100 metres away.  Canadian soldiers climbed the iron gate and, in a crouching position, walked past a couple of Germans who were on the roof and firing at the Canadians who’d climbed over the gate.  The Germans withdrew as the Canadians advanced.  Grandfather told this story every Sunday!”  This story captured a young Edwin’s imagination.  “So many Canadians came from thousands of kms away to help liberate the Dutch!”

CIMG9320 Edwin van der Wolf and Pieter in Schalkhaar

Edwin van der Wolf (left) with Pieter in Schalkhaar beside a panel commemorating Lt. Clayton Leroy MITCHELL of the Canadian Scottish Regiment, who lost his life on April 10, 1945.  The panel was placed at Edwin’s initiative.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

One of the places where the Canadian Scottish Regiment fought was in Schalkhaar, near Deventer.  Edwin took us on a tour of the village and told us one story about what happened there on April 10, 1945…

“The Canadians were in a villa in Schalkhaar and saw Germans coming up the road, crawling through ditches.  After the Canadians shot at them from the villa, about 25 Germans came with a white flag and surrendered themselves as prisoners of war.  The Canadians thought that was the end of the incident, but then three tanks of Germans came and shot at them right through the villa.  Corporal Frank Arthur CHERRY was killed in that villa.”

You can find more about Lt Mitchell and Cpl Cherry on the website, along with 392 more soldiers.  Both men were killed during the Battle of Deventer and are buried at the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten. Kudos to Edwin for this initiative!

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

© Daria Valkenburg