Wish List For Photos & Info

On the War Memorial Trail ….. In Cologne

/ On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / Leave a comment

February 26, 2018.  After visiting the graves of all the names listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion who were buried or listed on monuments in France, Belgium, and The Netherlands, we had one visit and one country left for this trip… to the Cologne Southern Cemetery, located in the Südfriedhof Cemetery in Cologne, Germany, and the grave of WWI soldier Lt. Henry Warburton STEWART.

This trip almost proved to be my undoing.  After a long drive to Cologne, we finally found the cemetery, located at an intersection of tram lines in a busy part of Cologne.  Pieter was in a rush to get moving after the long car ride, and sprinted ahead to find the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery.

Südfriedhof Cemetery is a very large public cemetery, the largest we’ve ever been in, with many paths and turns.  Only one small sign at the entrance indicates that there is a Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery located here.  Once inside the cemetery, we soon learned that there are no directional markers to it.

CIMG9274 Sep 24 2017 Cologne Pieter at entrance to Sudfriedhof cemetery

Sign at the entrance to Südfriedhof Cemetery with a map of the cemetery, and a very small sign behind Pieter’s head giving an indication that there is also a Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery located here. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

With Pieter long gone, I slowly hobbled my way on the gravel paths, trying to figure out where to go.  Most cemeteries are in clear lines, but this one was like a maze.  It was beautifully maintained, but quite dark and to my mind, a bit depressing.  As it was a Sunday, there were many people in the cemetery.  When we’d been in cemeteries in South America, many were like parks, with wide paths, park benches, and children laughing and playing.  People sat on benches and visited with each other. Outside the entrance, there were kiosks selling ice cream, balloons, and flowers.  Not this cemetery.  It was quiet and people talked very softly to each other.  Occasionally I saw people tending the graves of their family members.

It was very humid, and as I made my way, hoping not to get lost, I could feel my hair curling and frizzing.  My arthritic hip was aching and walking with a cane on gravel meant moving even more slowly than usual.  After close to a km of walking, I finally saw what I believed to be a sign to the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery.  The sign said “Graves of the Victims of the War from 1914-1918”.

CIMG9284 Sep 24 2017 Cologne sign at Sudfriedhof cemetery directing one to the victims of WW1

Sign pointing to the graves of WWI victims. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

I took that path and came into an area of the cemetery surrounded by hedges, making a rather dark cemetery look even drearier.  To my surprise, however, the WW1 victims were German soldiers who had died during the war.  It took me a long time afterwards to realize that to their families, they were just as much victims as Allied soldiers.

Only one young man was in this part of the cemetery, planting flowers by a grave.  I hesitantly asked if he knew where the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery was.  He looked at me for quite a few minutes and at first I thought he wasn’t going to answer, but then figured out that he was as surprised to find me in that part of the cemetery as I was.  “Just follow the path and you will come to the gate for the English soldiers” he said.  We wished each other a good day and I kept on.

Finally, I found the gate to the Cologne Southern Cemetery and discovered it was the back door gate, not the entrance.  Pieter was waiting by the grave of Henry Warburton Stewart, and had already put down the flags and written in the cemetery register.  He’d forgotten who had the camera, otherwise he probably would have already gone back to the car!

IMG_20170924_113711423 Sep 24 2017 grave of Henry Warburton Stewart at Cologne Southern Cemetery

Grave of Henry Warburton Stewart at Cologne Southern Cemetery. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

The story of Henry Warburton Stewart is a sad one, as he survived WW1, only to die of pneumonia after contracting Spanish flu in Germany, far away from his comrades.  Born in Strathgartney on April 15, 1884, the son of Robert Bruce Stewart and Ann, nee Warburton, he was a civil engineer when he enlisted as a private with the 29th Battalion (Tobin’s Tigers) in Vancouver on November 30, 1914.

Henry Warburton Stewart

Henry Warburton Stewart. (Photo courtesy B. Stewart family collection)

After serving in the trenches of France for two years, he was discharged with excellent recommendations by the Canadian Army on March 9, 1917 in England and commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Imperial Army’s 77th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery.  Since we have not been able to get access to the war diaries of this unit, we presume that he was sent to Germany as part of the post-occupation forces and there fell ill, dying on February 11, 1919 at No. 2 Canadian Field Hospital in Bonn.  He was buried with military honours at Poppelsdorf Cemetery in Bonn.

In 1922, it was decided that the graves of Commonwealth soldiers who had died in Germany should be brought together in one of four cemeteries within Germany.  Stewart was reburied in Cologne Southern Cemetery.

CIMG9281 Sep 24 2017 Cologne Pieter at entrance to Cologne Southern Cemetery in Sudfriedhof cemetery

Pieter at the entrance to Cologne Southern Cemetery, located in Südfriedhof Public Cemetery in Cologne. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Unlike the portion of the cemetery where the German soldiers rest, Cologne Southern Cemetery is open and airy.

IMG_20170924_114611116_HDR Sep 24 2017 View of graves in Cologne Southern Cemetery

Commonwealth war graves in Cologne Southern Cemetery. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

After paying our respects to Lt. Stewart, we slowly made our way back towards the car.  Pieter noticed a pastry shop across the road and suggested we mark the end of our war memorial tour with a piece of cake and a cup of coffee.

CIMG9286 Sep 24 2017 Cologne time for a fruit tart and coffee at Van der Put cafe after Sudfriedhof cemetery

Coffee break at Van der Put café in Cologne.

So, after four European countries and 7,000 km on the rental car, the research now continues on Canadian soil.  We had an amazing adventure and met many wonderful people dedicated to helping to remember the wartime sacrifices of Canadian and other Allied soldiers.  We are humbled and grateful to play a small part in this.

Unfortunately, we know little about Stewart’s service in the Imperial Army as those records are not digitized and are at The British National Archives.  If anyone has more information, please let us know.  As well, photos are still needed for many of the names on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion.   Please share your photos, comments, or stories by emailing us at memorialtrail@gmail.com or by commenting on this 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.

On the War Memorial Trail ….. At The Politiek Farm In Wons

/ On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / Leave a comment

February 6, 2018. The basic story of PEI WWII pilot Elmer Bagnall MUTTART, whose name is listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion, was told previously in this blog.  In the last blog entry, we visited Harlingen General Cemetery where Muttart is buried, and met with two volunteers from the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation (See On the War Memorial Trail ….. At Harlingen General Cemetery).

Elmer Bagnall Muttart (2)

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

With the previous soldiers whose graves we had visited, the cemetery or memorial was the last stop on the war memorial trail for that person.  In the case of Muttart, the journey continued.  The Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation had received an invitation for us to visit the Politiek farm, the first farm outside of the village of Wons, where Halifax L9561 crashed after being shot down.  The farm is still owned by the Politiek family and we were welcomed by Johannis Politiek and his wife Jantina.  Johannis’ father Cor, who was 9 years old in 1941 when the plane crashed on his parents’ dairy farm, was also present and gave his recollection of that fateful evening.

CIMG8032 Aug 28 2017 Politiek farm in Wons Pieter Jantina Johannes Alexander Cor Douwe

At the Politiek farm in Wons. From left to right: Pieter, Jantina Politiek, Johannis Politiek, Alexander Tuinhout, Cor Politiek, Douwe Drijver. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Cor lived on the farm with his parents and siblings.  He was the youngest.  Everyone was in bed when they heard the commotion and saw that the plane was on fire as it was coming down, flying about 40 metres over the farmhouse roof.  Pieces of the plane were flying off until the plane crashed in the field a few hundred metres from the farmhouse, making a deep hole in the ground.  Due to the burning plane, no one could get to it until the next day, when the German authorities arrived.

When asked if anyone from the family had tried to approach the plane, Cor shook his head, explaining that the Dutch population were not allowed to approach, under threat of reprisals from their Nazi occupiers.

CIMG8038 Aug 28 2017 Politiek farm in Wons

Halifax L9561 crashed in the field to the right of the foreground of this photo. One can see the Politiek barn on the far right, and towards the far left one can see the houses and church steeple of the village of Wons. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

Cor recalled that one of the survivors from the plane crash was on their farm, but unfortunately the Dutch Resistance had no means to safely evacuate anyone.  (Note: We do not know who this was.) Allied airmen had been instructed by the British government to surrender to the authorities, and that’s what they did.  As prisoners of war they were first brought to Leeuwarden, then to a prison in Amsterdam, and from there sent in groups to Frankfurt for interrogation before being transferred to the various prisoner of war camps.  Injured prisoners of war, such as John William DUFFIELD, were sent to the hospital in Leeuwarden, which was next to the German air base and quarters for German pilots.

scan0005 john duffield portrait

John William Duffield. (Photo courtesy of Lesley Newland)

In Duffield’s November 11, 2000 letter to Peter Hinchcliffe, who was researching German night fighters, he explained that “…Muttart had arrived back at Middleton St. George after a conversion course at Linton on Ouse a few days prior to 12th October.  His crew were down for an operation to Bremen.  It was then found that three members of the crew were very inexperienced.  They were the W/OP (wireless operator), Engineer, and Rear Gunner. As a result Hunt (W/OP), Roberts (Engineer), and myself flew with the crew. Those we were replacing travelled as passengers for experience.  Trayler was second pilot and Alexander navigator.

We had just crossed the Dutch coast when there was a loud bang and the inner port engine caught fire.  My microphone was smashed.  Muttart gave orders to prepare to abandon.  Shortly after this I could hear nothing, but saw parachutes opening below.  I then decided I had better leave and as I could not make it up the fuselage decided to get out of the turret...”

In a December 22, 2000 letter to Peter Hinchcliffe, Duffield continued with the events of that night, saying what he had learned many years afterward.  “…The night of the 12th October was a complete shambles, flying to Germany with no one in the front turret.  I only found this out after the war at a reunion.  After we had been hit I opened the turret door and leaned out as far as I could but could see nothing.  I then assumed that we must have been directly over the fighter.  Had there been someone in the front turret this situation could have been avoided….”  We’ll never know if this is true, as it was wartime and anything could change in a second.

Duffield’s January 2, 1946 letter to Louis Muttart, father of Elmer Muttart, gave a secondhand account of what happened after Duffield lost contact with the cockpit when his microphone was destroyed, and then he lost consciousness after being injured when the plane was attacked on October 12, 1941.  “…On my discharge from hospital I was unable to meet any others of the crew, but whilst on a ‘medical rehabilitation course’ some six months ago I met the wireless operator….”  The wireless operator was William Herbert HUNT.  All of the surviving crew had spent the remainder of the war in prisoner of war camps, and it was likely after returning to England that the crew were sent to the medical rehabilitation course that Duffield refers to.

Duffield continues his letter with what Hunt told him.  “…Evidently he was the last man to leave the machine alive.  Before jumping he noticed that the machine was only 800 feet up.  Happy (Muttart’s nickname) was quite all right and said that he would stick to the aircraft and make a crash land.  True to the rules of air and sea, the skipper remained.  Happy, however, marvellous pilot that he was, was unable to pull the machine out of the dive and crashed with it.  He died instantly….”

The crew members of Halifax L9561 were:

  • Pilot – F/S Elmer Bagnall MUTTART (age 23)
  • Co-Pilot – P/O Norman Frank TRAYLER (age 21)
  • Flight Engineer – Sgt David COTSELL (age 21)
  • Flight Engineer – Sgt Leslie Albert ROBERTS (age 25) (previously recorded as bomb aimer)
  • Navigator – Sgt Reginald William Purchase ALEXANDER (age 22)
  • Wireless Operator – Sgt William Herbert HUNT (age 22)
  • Gunner – Sgt George Henry PATTERSON (age 28)
  • Gunner – Sgt John William DUFFIELD (age 20)

Our thanks go to the families of Elmer Muttart and John Duffield for sharing the correspondence and allowing us to quote from the letters in this blog entry, and the previous one.  These first hand memories are so important in telling the stories of what happened during wartime.

Do you have a story or photos about Halifax L9561, its crew members, John Duffield, or Elmer Muttart?  You can share your comments and stories by emailing us at memorialtrail@gmail.com or by commenting on this blog.

UPDATE:  This project was completed in October 2019!

If you would like to make a donation in support of the commemoration plaque for Halifax L9561, which is being planned for placement in Wons, the information is below:

In Canada:  Cheques may be written out to TAHS and mailed to Tryon & Area Historical Society (TAHS), PO Box 38, Crapaud PE C0A 1J0.  In the subject line, identify your cheque as being for the “Muttart Memorial Fund”.  A charitable donation receipt will be sent to all donors.

In Europe: 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”.

We’d now visited the graves of all the names listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion who were buried in The Netherlands.  In our next blog entry, we visit a cemetery in Cologne, Germany and the grave of WWI soldier Lt. Henry Warburton STEWART.

© 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.

On the War Memorial Trail ….. At Harlingen General Cemetery

/ On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / Leave a comment

February 3, 2018.  In July 2017, the County Line Courier published a story about PEI Pilot Elmer Bagnall Muttart (See CLC July 19 p20 WWII Pilot Saved Dutch Village), whose name is listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion. This blog had two previous entries about him.  (See The Elmer Bagnall Muttart Story and The Media Interview With CBC ).  This blog entry is about our visit to his grave at Harlingen General Cemetery in The Netherlands.

Elmer Bagnall Muttart (2)

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

Elmer Bagnall MUTTART, born March 14, 1918 in Cape Traverse, son of Louis (Lewis) Muttart and Annie Bagnall, was an RCAF pilot assigned to the 10th Operational Training Unit in England in March 1941, where he trained to fly a Whitley, a twin-engine medium bomber.  On May 19, 1941 he was transferred to the 78th Squadron at the air base in Middleton St. George and had 20 successful flights in enemy territory as either co-pilot or pilot.  On September 24, 1941 he transferred to the 76th Squadron for retraining to fly the new four engine Halifax plane, a heavy bomber.

On October 12, 1941, with his regular navigator Reg ALEXANDER and six other crew members, Muttart began his 21st mission into enemy territory.  The crew members of Halifax L9561 were:

  • Pilot – F/S Elmer Bagnall MUTTART (age 23)
  • Co-Pilot – P/O Norman Frank TRAYLER (age 21)
  • Flight Engineer – Sgt David COTSELL (age 21)
  • Bomb Aimer – Sgt Leslie Albert ROBERTS (age 25)
  • Navigator – Sgt Reginald William Purchase ALEXANDER (age 22)
  • Wireless Operator – Sgt William Herbert HUNT (age 22)
  • Gunner – Sgt George Henry PATTERSON (age 28)
  • Gunner – Sgt John William DUFFIELD (age 20)

Flying Halifax L9561 as part of a group of 100 bombers, they left England at 7:30 pm and headed towards their target – a bombing raid on Bremen, Germany.  At 10:15 pm, Muttart’s plane was shot upon.  He managed to steer the plane south, passing over the town of Harlingen, where the plane was shot a second time.  Just past the village of Wons, the plane crashed, but not before all of the crew members, except for Muttart, had parachuted out.  The crew members, all British, spent the rest of the war in various prisoner of war camps.

Muttart was buried in Harlingen General Cemetery, in the province of Friesland, on October 16, 1941 by the German military. This is a public cemetery with 67 Commonwealth burials from WW II, most of them airmen. 22 are unidentified. In addition, there are four unidentified war graves of other nationalities.

CIMG8076 Aug 28 2017 Harlingen Cemetery entrance gate

Entrance to Harlingen General Cemetery. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

When we went to pay our respects at Muttart’s grave with flags and a bouquet of flowers, we were joined by two members of the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to preserving the history of Allied planes shot down in The Netherlands during WW II.  The Foundation plans to honour the Halifax L9561 crew with a memorial plaque to be placed in Wons, near the site of the plane crash, and is raising funds for an event planned for October 2018.

We thought a Canadian contribution towards this would be a fitting tribute to honour Muttart, and the Tryon and Area Historical Association in Prince Edward Island agreed to help with a fundraising project, “Muttart Memorial Fund” for donations made within Canada.  Funds raised will be transferred to the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation.

“…The Tryon & Area Historical Society is pleased to sponsor Pieter and Daria Valkenburg for carrying out the Elmer Bagnall Muttart Memorial Project. The Society will also administer the receiving of donations to go toward the cost of the Memorial. Registered Charity tax receipts will be issued…“, says Jack Sorensen, Chair of the Tryon & Area Historical Society Inc.

Meeting with Alexander Tuinhout, Secretary for the Foundation, and Douwe Drijver, Treasurer for the Foundation, at Harlingen General Cemetery at Muttart’s grave was a fitting way to get acquainted as we begin to work on this joint project.

CIMG8019 Aug 28 2017 Harlingen Cemetery Pieter Alexander Douwe by Muttarts grave

Pieter on the left with Alexander Tuinhout, centre, and Douwe Drijver on the right, at Elmer Muttart’s grave in Harlingen General Cemetery. We had brought along a Canadian flag for the Foundation to use in their commemoration services. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

CIMG8014 Aug 28 2017 Harlingen Cemetery Muttarts grave

Grave of Elmer Bagnall Muttart in Harlingen General Cemetery. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

One of the stories we had heard about Muttart’s burial is that he was buried with “full military honours” by the German military.  We had no idea if that was true, until we received a copy of a letter written by Gunner Sgt John William DUFFIELD, one of Muttart’s crew members.  Duffield was injured during the plane crash and ended up in a hospital.

John Duffield in uniform

John Duffield in his flight suit. (Photo courtesy of Lesley Newland)

In a January 2, 1946 letter to Muttart’s father, Louis Muttart, Duffield wrote what happened:

“Elmer, better known as ‘Happy’ on the squadron, was not my skipper, but for the fateful night of October 12th, I was loaned to his crew to fulfill my duties as a rear gunner.  He was my own skipper’s friend, and as he was such a good pilot, I was glad to be flying with him although it was only for the night.

We were on our way to Bremen and just over the Dutch coast when we were attacked from underneath.  I had my oxygen mask and microphone blown off my face and was hit on the left leg, hand, and body.  From this time onwards, I was out of communication with the crew.

We finally had two fighters attacking us and I managed to get one of them.  Our inner port engine caught fire, but by wonderful flying, Happy managed to keep the machine from spinning, but was unable to keep it from diving.  As a result he told us to jump from it.”

Halifax_L9561_Wons-2

Estimated path taken by Halifax L9561 on October 12, 1941 after they were hit and diverted towards Wons. (Drawing courtesy of the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation)

Duffield continued in his 1946 letter, “By this time I was paralyzed up the left side of my body and in trying to jump from the rear turret, my right leg became jammed.  It was only when I pulled my ‘chute that I freed myself.  I then became unconscious.”

In a November 11, 2000 letter to Peter Hinchcliffe, who was researching German night fighters of WW II, Duffield wrote that “I came to lying on the ground, surrounded by German officers and Dutch civilians.  An ambulance soon arrived and I was on my way to hospital.  The following day, a tall, good looking German officer arrived and introduced himself as Helmut Lent.” The hospital was in nearby Leeuwarden.  Major Helmut LENT was the commander of 4./NJG 1 squadron, stationed at the airfield in  Leeuwarden.   A member of Lent’s squadron, Lt. Leopold FELLERER was responsible for shooting down the plane.

Duffield wrote about Lent in his 1946 letter to Muttart’s father, saying that Lent “later became the crack night fighter ace of the German Air Force.  He met his death in June 1944.  He asked me to send you his deepest sympathy for your son’s death.  Although he was our enemy, I can assure you that he meant it.  Happy was given a full military funeral and all arrangements were made by this pilot.  He bought a wreath for me on behalf of the crew in red, white, and blue flowers.”

Alexander Tuinhout and Douwe Drijver told us that over 400 Allied planes crashed in Friesland and surrounding water, plus 150 German planes.  Most of the time, there were no survivors of plane crashes, making the 7 survivors of Halifax L9561 unusual.

In the next blog entry, we visit the Politiek farm in Wons, site of the plane crash, and speak with Cor Politiek, who was 9 years old in 1941 when the plane crashed on his parents’ dairy farm.

Do you have a story or photos about Halifax L9561, its crew members, John Duffield, or Elmer Muttart?  You can share your comments and stories by emailing us at memorialtrail@gmail.com  or by commenting on this blog.

UPDATE:  This project was completed in October 2019!

If you would like to make a donation in support of the commemoration plaque for Halifax L9561, the information follows below:

In Canada:  Cheques may be written out to TAHS and mailed to Tryon & Area Historical Society (TAHS), PO Box 38, Crapaud PE C0A 1J0.  In the subject line, identify your cheque as being for the “Muttart Memorial Fund”.  A charitable donation receipt will be sent to all donors.

In Europe: 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”.

© 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.

On the War Memorial Trail ….. Candlelight Service At Holten Canadian War Cemetery

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

January 25, 2018.  When we visited the Royal Canadian Legion in The Netherlands and the Information Centre at Holten Canadian War Cemetery, we brought along flag pins, provided by Senator Mike Duffy of the Senate of Canada, to give to the schoolchildren who participate in the candlelight service at the Canadian war cemeteries on Christmas Eve.

So we were delighted that Edwin van der Wolf, one of the volunteers at Holten Canadian War Cemetery, shared photos of the 2017 Christmas Eve Ceremony.

DSC_6349

Edwin van der Wolf with schoolchildren from the town of Deventer, who are wearing Canadian flag pins, at Holten Canadian War Cemetery. (Photo courtesy of E. van der Wolf)

The candlelight ceremony began in 1991, with the participation of schoolchildren from the nearby town of Deventer, birthplace of Canada’s first Surveyor-General, Samuel Holland.  They light candles and place them on each grave in the cemetery at dusk.

DSC_6386-BorderMaker

Schoolchild places candle at one of the graves at Holten Canadian War Cemetery. (Photo credit: Math Willems)

Originally, the candlelight service began in Scandinavia by Mrs. Leena van Dam, who was born in Finland and wanted to show how grateful she was to live in a free country.  In Finland, it is traditional to place a burning candle on the graves of loved ones. Finnish candles can burn for ten hours and remain lit in all weather conditions, whether rain, wind, or snow.  Initially, Mrs. van Dam donated a five year supply of candles.  The Welcome Again Veterans Foundation, through the help of sponsors and donations, has continued funding the candles.

Close to 300 school children participate in this ceremony, which begins at 4:30 pm on Christmas Eve. Canadian and Dutch traditions are mixed as bagpipes are played and a Dutch horn is blown.

DSC_6364-BorderMaker

Bagpipers during the ceremony at Holten Canadian War Cemetery. (Photo credit: Math Willems)

DSC_6358-BorderMaker

The haunting sound of a Dutch horn is played during the ceremony. (Photo credit: Math Willems)

All evening, thousands of people from the area visit the cemetery and show their respects.  This candlelight ceremony is one of the many ways that the Dutch people remember the sacrifices of Canadian soldiers during WWII.

DSC_6414-BorderMaker

Candles at each grave at Holten Canadian War Cemetery on Christmas Eve. (Photo credit: Math Willems)

When we visited Holten Canadian War Cemetery our guide, Edwin van der Wolf, explained why he was a volunteer.  He told us that his grandfather lived in an area of Deventer that had been liberated by Canadian soldiers, and told his children and grandchildren the same story every Sunday.  Grandfather lived in a corner house on a street where he could see a hospital fence 100 metres away.  German soldiers were lying on the hospital roof and firing at Canadian soldiers as they climbed over the gate.  Some successfully climbed over the iron gate and were able to get in a crouching position and go past the line of fire.  As more Canadians advanced, the Germans retreated.

Hearing this story every week captured Edwin’s imagination.  The story, plus the fact that so many Canadians came from so far away to help liberate the Dutch made him feel a special bond with Canada.

Have you visited Holten Canadian War Cemetery and its Information Centre?  Have you seen one of the candlelight ceremonies?  You can share your comments and stories by emailing us at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or tweet to @researchmemori1. 

© 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.

On the War Memorial Trail ….. At Holten Canadian War Cemetery

/ On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / Leave a comment

January 20, 2018.  After visiting the Information Centre at the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, we went into the cemetery itself to lay flags at the graves of five known soldiers from PEI.  Two of them, William Douglas SHERREN and George Martin MCMAHON are listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion.

We had wondered why the cemetery had more landscaping than most Commonwealth War Cemeteries and why it was not on one level, but terraced.  Edwin van der Wolf, our guide, explained that the cemetery originally was on flat ground.  The Canadian government acquired more land than was used in the belief that the war would last longer and go into Denmark, resulting in more casualties. Luckily, that didn’t happen, and meant that the excess land could be used for landscaping.

When the cemetery was first opened, metal crosses were used to mark each grave, and there is a display in front of the Information Centre that shows one.

CIMG9100 Sep 18 2017 display of original metal cross used in Holten Cemetery

Metal cross originally used to mark each grave in Holten Canadian War Cemetery. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Originally, the Cross of Sacrifice in the cemetery was placed further back than in its present location.  Similar to the story we’d heard about the placement of a Cross of Sacrifice at Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Edwin noted that he had heard that when Holten Cemetery began, Lt. General Guy Granville Simonds, Commander of the 2nd Canadian Army, “wanted the Cross of Sacrifice to be 60 metres high and lit up so that it could be seen across the German border as a reminder of who had conquered them.”  Whether this story is true or not, we don’t know.

CIMG9123 Sep 18 2017 Holten Cemetery Pieter & Edwin van der Wolf by cross of remembrance

Pieter with Edwin van der Wolf by the Cross of Sacrifice at Holten Canadian War Cemetery. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

 

IMG_20170918_133147255_HDR Sep 18 2017 landscaping at Holten Cemetery

Landscaped grounds of Holten Canadian War Cemetery. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

The first grave where flags were placed was that of Captain William Douglas Sherren, born November 25, 1914 in Crapaud, son of William Douglas Sherren and Florence Amanda nee Carrier.  Married to Florence Mead Strickland, he was the father of two sons, Hubert and Harrison Blair.  An electrician before the war, Sherren enlisted on January 6, 1941 as a Lieutenant with the First Survey Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery.  On March 29, 1944 he was promoted to Captain.

Wiliam Douglas Sherren

William Douglas Sherren. (Photo courtesy of Holten Canadian War Cemetery Information Centre)

On July 9, 1944, not long after D-Day, he arrived in France from England.  He was recognized by King George VI as a Member of the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire in March 1945, in recognition of gallant and distinguished service in North West Europe.

Unfortunately, on April 25, 1945, while in Germany, the vehicle he was travelling in struck a landmine. He was severely wounded and died on April 28, 1945.  Originally buried in Cloppenburg Hospital Cemetery in Lower Saxony, he was reburied in Holten Canadian War Cemetery in 1947, after the war ended.

IMG_20170918_134108826 Sep 18 2017 grave of WD Sherren Holten cemetery

Grave of Captain William Douglas Sherren at Holten Canadian War Cemetery. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

The next set of flags were placed at the grave of Gunner George Martin McMahon, born January 14, 1913 in Emerald Junction, son of  Peter A McMahon and Catherine nee Monaghan.  Married to Margaret Kathleen Greenan, he was the father of 5 children. In addition, one child, Joseph Louis died in 1942 at the age of three months, and another child, Georgie, was born in November 1945 after McMahon’s death.  Prior to enlistment in Montreal with the Royal Canadian Artillery on December 7, 1943, he was a machinist with Canadian Vickers Ltd.  Fluent in both English and French, his army record noted he could play the violin.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

George Martin McMahon. (Photo courtesy “Around Kinkora Area” by G. K. Farmer)

McMahon left Canada for England in March 1945, and was sent to North West Europe in May 1945.  According to a letter to his widow, written by Colonel C. L. Laurin, McMahon was on “…a short leave to Amsterdam in company of a comrade with the same regiment.  On the evening of the 10th of August 1945, at approximately 11:50 pm, they parted company…” 

McMahon’s friend “…returned to the Army leave hotel alone.  The following day, this soldier, made enquiries and was informed that the body of the deceased had been found in a canal….”  It was determined that he had accidentally drowned on August 11, 1945.   He was first buried in Hilversum Community Cemetery, and in 1946 was reburied in Holten Canadian War Cemetery.

IMG_20170918_134412720 Sep 18 2017 G McMahon grave Holten Cemetery

Grave of George Martin McMahon at Holten Canadian War Cemetery. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

After visiting McMahon’s grave we went on to place flags at the graves of three more known soldiers from PEI: Carman GILLCASH, Frederick Charles CHEVERIE, and Daniel Peter MacKenzie.

Edwin van der Wolf told us that MacKenzie had been with the Carleton & York Regiment, which liberated the village of Posterenk.  This is where MacKenzie, plus 5 more from his unit, lost his life from sniper fire from Germans using the village’s windmill as a hideout.  For the past two years, on April 13, the people from the village commemorate the event around the old windmill.

Do you have more information or photos on these five soldiers from PEI?  Have you visited Holten Cemetery and its Information Centre?  Do you know of more soldiers from PEI buried in the Cemetery?  You can share your comments and stories by emailing us at memorialtrail@gmail.com or by commenting on this 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.

On the War Memorial Trail ….. At The Information Centre at Holten Canadian War Cemetery

/ On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / 2 Comments

January 16, 2018.  After visiting the very large Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek we next went to visit a smaller Canadian War Cemetery in Holten.  This is the second largest WWII cemetery in The Netherlands.  The majority of those buried here died during the last stages of the war in Holland, during the advance of the Canadian 2nd Corps into northern Germany, and across the Ems in April and the first days of May 1945.

After the war ended, their remains were brought into this cemetery, which has 1,394 WWII burials, 1382 of them identified.  The burials are listed as the following: There are 1,394 burials: Navy 2, Army 1,378, Air Force 14, of which 1,355 are Canadian, 36 British, 2 Australian and 1 Belgian.

Five of the known burials are soldiers from Prince Edward Island, two of which are listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion, and part of Pieter’s Cenotaph Research Project.  William Douglas SHERREN and George Martin MCMAHON are listed on the Cenotaph.  Carman GILLCASH, Frederick Charles CHEVERIE, and Daniel Peter MACKENZIE are the other three soldiers from Prince Edward Island.

This was a very different visit than when we were at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, as there is a large information centre in Holten, where we met with Henk Vincent and Edwin Van der Wolf, two of the volunteers at the Centre.

CIMG9099 Sep 18 2017 Pieter outside Holten Info Centre

Pieter outside the Information Centre at Holten Cemetery in The Netherlands, with a bag of flag pins for schoolchildren who light candles at each grave at Christmas and flags for various ceremonies. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

The volunteers at Holten Cemetery have run a “Face to Every Name” project, in an attempt to receive a photo and learn more about every soldier buried there.  The original project began in 1995, during the 50th Anniversary of the Liberation of The Netherlands, with a group of friends who helped organize annual commemoration events.  They called themselves “Welcome Again Veterans”. 

While the organization that dealt with annual commemorations began in the 1950s, the new group started actively collecting photos, memoirs and books, and stories that had been donated over the years.

In 2005, as veterans arriving for liberation events began decreasing, the group started to think of a small museum as a repository for the information that had been collected.  By 2010, with funding secured from private donations, and Dutch municipal and provincial governments, plus the European Union, construction began, and the new Information Centre open in September 2011.  Unlike most Dutch construction, the Information Centre is constructed of wood, “just like in Canada”, according to Van der Wolf.

Today, the Information Centre receives 25,000 visitors per year, and we were eager to be two of them. Entrance is free, with donations helping to cover the operating costs of running this facility.

CIMG9104 Sep 18 2017 Henk Vincent Pieter Edwin van der Wolf in Holten Info Centre

Henk Vincent, left, and Edwin Van der Wolf, right, with Pieter in the centre, at the Information Centre at Holten Canadian War Cemetery. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Highlights of some of the displays you can see and interact with are:

·         An Information wall with a map of northern and eastern Netherlands, showing where you can see where divisions entered the area, and liberation dates of different villages and towns, as well as a few important places where heavy fighting had taken place.  

·         The film hall, which lists the names of the 1,394 soldiers buried in Holten on its wall, then watch a 17 minute film about the cemetery.

 ·         Three information tables that use touch screen technology:

·         Information table 1 is a Database with basic data on all Canadian soldiers buried in The Netherlands. In addition, there are photos and biographies for many soldiers buried in Holten. 

·         Information table 2 is entitled ‘Meet a soldier‘, which features a more detailed life story for four fallen liberators using films with unique documents and photos.

 ·         Information table 3 showcases Interviews with witnesses of the liberation, plus three liberation stories, written during or directly after the liberation days.

 ·         Showcase wall, with a panorama photo of the entrance of the cemetery, and 8 showcases that highlight different themes. There are also 4 touch screens with films about the liberation of various villages and cities in northern and eastern Netherlands, a film about the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and various photographs and films of commemorations at the cemetery over the years.

 ·         Four Documentaries:

1.      ‘Victory in The Netherlands’, an authentic film from 1945 on the liberation of northern and eastern Netherlands.

2.      The liberation of cities and villages in northern and eastern Netherlands from day to day.

3.      ‘Heroes Remember’, where Canadian veterans talk about their experiences of the liberation of The Netherlands.

4.        The May 4, 2015 ceremony at the cemetery.

 ·         Reading table, which includes memoirs and original newspaper articles about the liberation.

 ·         Cemetery Map

After touring the Information Centre, we continued on to the Cemetery itself, to lay flags at the graves of our five soldiers from PEI.

Have you visited Holten Cemetery and its Information Centre?  Do you know of more soldiers from PEI buried in the Cemetery?  You can share your comments and stories by emailing us at memorialtrail@gmail.com or by commenting on this 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.

On the War Memorial Trail ….. PEI Soldiers Buried In The Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek

/ On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / Leave a comment

December 30, 2017.  During our first visit to the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek in The Netherlands, we were able to place flags at the graves of three PEI soldiers buried there.  In the last blog entry we told the story of George Preston SMITH of Kinkora, who was with the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment, and the accident in which he lost his life. (See On the War Memorial Trail ….. At The Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek)

Our thanks to Alice van Bekkum of the Faces to Graves Project, who shared an eye witness account that was recorded by Will Bird in his 1963 book about the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment. (See https://books.google.com/books/about North_Shore_New_Brunswick_Regiment.html?id=Iz7WAAAAMAAJ)

Will Bird account of what happened to George Preston Smith

Excerpt about George Preston Smith from Will Bird’s book about The North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment.

Before returning to place flags at the rest of the known soldiers from PEI, we stopped by a memorial marking the route on February 8, 1945 where soldiers marched into Germany on their way from Groesbeek, as part of Operation Veritable.  This was the northern part of an Allied pincer movement that took place between February 8 and March 11, 1945 during the final stages of the Second World War.

The operation was conducted by Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery’s Anglo-Canadian 21st Army Group, primarily consisting of the First Canadian Army under Lieutenant-General Harry Crerar and the British XXX Corps under Lieutenant-General Brian Horrocks. Their objective was to clear German forces from the area between the Rhine and Maas rivers, east of the German/Dutch frontier, in the Rhineland.

CIMG8998 Sep 15 2017 Pieter by memorial showis where soldiers marched into Germany from Groesbeek operation veritable

Pieter at the memorial for Operation Veritable in Groesbeek. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

CIMG8996 Sep 15 2017 memorial shows where soldiers marched into Germany from Groesbeek operation veritable

Close-up view of the text on the memorial for Operation Veritable in Groesbeek. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

On our second visit to the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek we were joined by Pieter’s former colleague in the Dutch Foreign Service, Ad Scheepers, and his wife Noor, who live in Groesbeek.

CIMG9023 Sep 16 2017 Groesbeek Cemetery Ad & Noor Scheepers with Pieter by Gaudets grave

Ad and Noor Scheepers with Pieter by the grave of Cpl Arthur Gaudet. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Ad was a fountain of information about the cemetery, and noted that it was along the Liberation Route, which one can take to visit the many monuments and memorials in this part of The Netherlands.  The cemetery, on a road called Zeven Heuvelenweg (Seven Hills Way), is the largest war cemetery of the Commonwealth Graves Commission in The Netherlands.

Most of the soldiers buried here fell during the fighting on the Lower Rhine between February 8 and March 26, 1945.  It’s called the Canadian War Cemetery and we’d always assumed all of the burials were Canadian, but it’s not true.  By number and nationality, the 2,617 soldiers buried here are from:

  • 2,399 from Canada
  • 267 from Great Britain
  • 3 from Belgium
  • 2 from Poland
  • 2 from Australia
  • 1 from New Zealand
  • 1 from Russia
  • 1 from Yugoslavia
  • 1 from The Netherlands

Inscribed on the Groesbeek Memorial in the cemetery are the names of 1,103 soldiers reported missing in action between August 1944 and May 1945. Only a few have been identified since the memorial was put up. Unfortunately, most are still listed as MIA (Missing In Action).

Ad told us he’d read that the Cross of Sacrifice in the cemetery was positioned where it was so it could be clearly seen from Germany, a stone’s throw away from the border.  It’s likely true, as one prerequisite that Canadian Officers had in selecting land for the cemetery was to have a view of Germany.

In a Dutch reference we read that construction on the cemetery began in 1945 by six Canadian soldiers. The location of the cemetery, on a hilltop, was chosen by Groesbeek Mayor Grotenhuis van Onstein for its view on the German border from the cemetery. The Cemetery was officially opened on May 4, 1947 by the Dutch Queen Wilhelmina. When the cemetery opened, the headstones were made from wood, as was the Cross of Sacrifice.  Later, the headstones were temporarily replaced by metal versions, and beginning in 1950 the headstones and Cross of Sacrifice were replaced by stone designs.

CIMG8945 Sep 15 2017 Groesbeek cemetery Pieter at Cross for remembrance

Pieter by the Cross of Sacrifice at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

In alphabetical order, here are the known soldiers from PEI that are buried in the cemetery:

  • L/Cpl Ralph Schurman BOULTER, North Nova Scotia Highlanders, from West Point
  • Pte Lawrence BULGER, North Nova Scotia Highlanders, from Foxley River
  • Major John Weston CAMPBELL, North Nova Scotia Highlanders, from Clermont
  • Cpl Preston D. CAMPBELL, Algonquin Regiment, from Coleman
  • Rifleman William Alfred CANNON, Regina Rifle Regiment, from Pownal
  • Cpl Arthur GAUDET, Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal, from Mont Carmel
  • Sapper Joseph Edmond HENNEBERY, Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers, from Morrell
  • Cpl George Ivan MACKINNON, North Nova Scotia Highlanders, from Mt. Albion
  • Cpl Robert Bruce MACNEILLL, North Nova Scotia Highlanders, from Charlottetown
  • Pte Barney R. MCGUIGAN, North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment, born in Souris
  • Cpl Stephen A. MCKINNON, Royal Hamilton Light Infantry, from St. Peter’s Bay
  • L/Cpl Edward Gabriel PERRY, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise), from St. Nicholas
  • Pte John Clifford ROGERS, North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment, born in Hope River
  • Pte Ralph K. SILLIKER, Lake Superior Regiment, from O’Leary
  • Sgt Edison Alexander SMITH, North Nova Scotia Highlanders, from West Point
  • Pte George Preston SMITH, North Shore Regiment, from Kinkora
  • Pte William L. WEATHERBIE, Royal Regiment of Canada, from Charlottetown

Do you have photos or information on any of these soldiers?  If you know of other soldiers from PEI, please help the researchers at the Faces to Grave project by sharing that information. Photos and stories can be sent either through their website at http://facestograves.nl/index.html or by email to info@facestograves.nl.  Alternatively, you can contact us and we will forward your info for you.

Comments or stories?  You can share them by emailing us at memorialtrail@gmail.com, commenting on the blog, or tweet to @researchmemori1.    

© 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/

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 ….. At The Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek

/ On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / 3 Comments

December 25, 2017.  During lunch with members of the Royal Canadian Legion in The Netherlands, we mentioned that we would be going to the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek to lay flags at the graves of Prince Edward Island soldiers, and one from New Brunswick.  Although we had a list of 17 soldiers, only one was listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Legion Carleton, George Preston SMITH of Kinkora, who was with the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment.

Placing flags at the grave of a soldier from New Brunswick was at the request of our friend, Brenda Graves of North Tryon, in memory of her uncle Frank Edward MCGOVERN. He also was from the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment, and died February 26, 1945 at the age of 19. Brenda, who is researching her family history, unfortunately has only a poor quality photo of her uncle.  Can anyone help put a face to this name?

Just outside the cemetery, by the parking lot, is a banner asking people for help in the Faces to Graves Foundation Groesbeek project.  The project was begun by members of the Royal Canadian Legion in The Netherlands to create a virtual memorial for all who are buried at the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery or listed on the Groesbeek Memorial.  2,338 soldiers are buried here.

CIMG8926 Sep 15 2017 faces to grave banner at Groesbeek cemetery

Faces to Graves Foundation banner. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

Many of the war dead were brought to this cemetery from nearby Germany. Fallen Canadian soldiers from WWII, who were buried in German battlefields, were reinterred here (except for one who is buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery in Germany). General Harry Crerar, who commanded Canadian land forces in Europe, had ordered that Canadian dead were not to be buried on German soil.

CIMG8928 Sep 15 2017 Daria at Groesbeek cemetery

Daria at entrance to Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, with flowers to place at the grave of Frank Edward McGovern. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

CIMG8937 Sep 15 2017 Groesbeek cemetery grave of Brendas uncle FE McGovern

Grave of Frank Edward McGovern at Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

George Preston Smith (2)

George Preston Smith. (Photo courtesy of Canadian Virtual War Memorial)

Private George Preston SMITH was born September 3, 1923 in Kinkora, the son of William Wilfred and Mabel Smith.  A store clerk before enlisting on April 1, 1943, he served in England, France, and Belgium, before meeting his death in Belgium in an unfortunate accident on November 12, 1944.  Smith was accidentally killed while trying to take his Stengun out of the back of a military truck. The gun was under a pile of greatcoats. He grabbed it by the muzzle and gave it a hard pull, causing the cocking piece to be pulled back far enough. When he let it go, the cocking piece went forward again with enough pressure to push a round into the chamber and fire it.

On November 15, 1944, he was buried in the Civil Cemetery in Malden, Belgium.  In 1946, his remains were exhumed and he was reburied in the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery.

CIMG8940 Sep 15 2017 Groesbeek cemetery Pieter at the grave of George Preston Smith

Pieter by the grave of Private George Preston Smith. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

After paying our respects to McGovern and Smith, Pieter placed flags on two more graves of PEI soldiers.  We had been invited by Alice van Bekkum, of the Faces to Graves Foundation, to participate in a special ceremony, along with members of the Royal Canadian Legion in The Netherlands.  Wish Of A Lifetime Canada (see https://wishofalifetime.ca/), an organization that fulfills seniors’ dreams and shares their stories to inspire those of all ages, had granted a wish that had a PEI connection.

Harriet Jenereaux, born in West Point, PEI, now living in Nova Scotia, wanted to see the grave of her father, Sgt Edison Alexander SMITH, who is buried in the cemetery in Groesbeek.  Harriet and her husband Keith were flown to The Netherlands, members of the Royal Canadian Legion provided a colour party, and Alice van Bekkum paid for a bugler to play The Last Post at the grave.   (See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgXkld9BUIA)

CIMG8948 Sep 15 2017 Groesbeek cemetery bugler with Yvonne and Berry Swarthoff providing colour parade

Bugler with Royal Canadian Legion’s colour party of Yvonne and Berry Swarthoff at Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Before Harriet arrived at the cemetery, Pieter made sure that Canadian and PEI flags were placed at her father’s grave, and that of her uncle, L/Cpl Ralph Schurman BOULTER, her mother’s brother.  Smith, aged 32, and Boulter, aged 28, were in the North Nova Scotia Highlanders, and were both killed in battle while crossing the Rhine on March 25, 1945.

CIMG8952 Sep 15 2017 Groesbeek cemetery Alice van Bekkum

Alice van Bekkum arranged for a photo of Smith to be placed by his grave. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

As Harriet neared her father’s grave, she called out to her husband Keith, “There’s Daddy!”  It was a poignant moment for us, the Dutch members of the Legion, an astonishing amount of reporters and press photographers, plus a representative of Phillips, the Dutch sponsor of Wish of a Lifetime.

CIMG8950 Sep 15 2017 Groesbeek cemetery Harriet Jenereux at her fathers grave

Harriet Jenereaux kneels at her father’s grave. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

After the ceremony and greeting Harriet, it was time for us to enjoy a cup of coffee and a piece of Dutch apple cake.  We’d return to place flags at the graves of the other 14 soldiers from PEI once all the commotion regarding Harriet’s visit had diminished.

Do you have relatives buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery?  If so, please consider participating in the Faces to Graves project by submitting photos and stories either through their website at http://facestograves.nl/index.html or by email to info@facestograves.nl.  Alternatively, you can contact us and we will forward your info for you.

Comments or stories?  You can share them by emailing us at memorialtrail@gmail.com, or commenting 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/

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….Two Campbell Brothers in WWI

/ On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / Leave a comment

December 8, 2017. After visiting the Sanctuary Wood Cemetery, we stopped at the Battle of Mount Sorrel Monument, honouring the 15th Canadian Infantry at Observatory Ridge.  We had noticed this monument only because of a torn Canadian flag beside it!  We learned that the plaque was unveiled on October 22, 2011 before Canadian and Belgian dignitaries by members of the 15th Battalion Memorial Project.

IMG_20170910_133239840_HDR Sep 10 2017 Batttle of Mount Sorrel Monument

Battle of Mount Sorrel Monument, honouring the 15th Canadian Infantry at Observatory Ridge. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

While no one on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion was in the 15th Canadian Infantry, these soldiers were in the thick of things during the Battle of Mount Sorrel, in which George Albert Campbell and Charles Benjamin Murray Buxton lost their lives.

Buxton’s story was told in previous blog entries, and this blog entry is to tell what little we know about George ‘Albert’ CAMPBELL and how he lost his life.

george-albert-campbell-from-gerald-tingley.jpg

Private George Albert Campbell. (Photo courtesy of Gerald Tingley family collection)

Albert was born on July 8, 1895 in Wellington, PEI, the son of John George Campbell and Grace Emma, nee Barlow.  A fisherman and farmer before enlisting on April 6, 1915 with the 6th Canadian Mounted Rifles, he later transferred to the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles.

During the Battle of Mount Sorrel, the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles were in a supporting position, occupying the strongpoint, dugouts, and trenches in Maple Copse and Zillebeke area, as noted in ‘With The Patricia’s In Flanders 1914-1918 Then & Now’ by Stephen K. Newman.

Newman goes on to explain in his book that “….the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles in Maple Copse held on despite heavy shelling that flattened the entire wood and made their old trenches untenable.  They waited for the reinforcements from 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles and the 9th Brigade.  The two eighteen pounder sacrifice guns of the 5th Battery Canadian Field Artillery hidden in the southern part of Sanctuary Wood did their job to the last man and were overrun.  The German success depended on their bulling through the Patricia line and moving the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles out of Maple Copse….”

Albert was in the midst of this battle, as a member of the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles.  According to the Canadian War Graves Register Circumstances of Death, he was killed in action in the vicinity of Maple Copse.

The War Diary of the unit for June 2, 1916 notes: “…A red letter day in the history of the battalion ever to be remembered by those who lived through it. The battalion went into the line in the night of the 31st of May /1st of June occupying a position in Brigade support at Maple Copse.

 ‘A’ company and two platoons of ‘B’ company at Maple Copse. Nothing of importance occurred until the morning of the 2nd of June when at about at 8.30 a.m., the enemy began a very heavy bombardment of the frontline and all the ground at Maple Copse and vicinity. Heavy bombardments continued till noon on the 3rd and continued again after 6 p.m…”

Unfortunately, Albert has no known grave, and his name is therefore listed on the Menin Gate Memorial.  It’s quite likely, however, that he might be buried in Maple Copse Cemetery in an unknown grave.

CIMG8858 Sep 10 2017 Maple Copse Cemetery

Entrance to Maple Copse Cemetery. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

Maple Copse was the name used by the British Army for a small plantation east of Zillebeke and just west of Sanctuary Wood.  It was used by medical staff as a dressing station, and burials took place here both before and after the Battle of Mount Sorrel.

The cemetery was destroyed by shellfire during the Battle of Mount Sorrel and when fighting resumed afterwards, with the gravestones destroyed and ending up in the rubble.  Of 256 named graves that were known to exist, only 26 could be definitely located.  Perhaps Albert is in one of these.  Of the 256 graves, 114 had soldiers from the United Kingdom and 142 from Canada.

Like he did with Buxton at the Sanctuary Wood Cemetery, Pieter put Canadian flags on 4 unknown graves from a Canadian Regiment, and then placed a PEI flag on one of these in memory of George ‘Albert’ Campbell.

CIMG8864 Sep 10 2017 Pieter by grave of unknown soldier at Maple Copse Cemetery

Pieter by the grave of an unknown soldier from a Canadian regiment at Maple Copse Cemetery. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

With the advances in DNA research, perhaps one day there will be the possibility to find out who the unknown soldiers are in Maple Copse and Sanctuary Wood cemeteries.  Wouldn’t that be a genealogical project to get involved with?

Unfortunately, we have very little information about his life prior to enlistment, but are grateful for the photo of Albert sent by a distant relative, Gerald Tingley.  If anyone has more information or photos, please help us honour Albert’s memory by sharing them.  (For previous blog entries that have mentioned Albert, see A Daytime Visit To Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres and A Visit To Sanctuary Wood.)

There are two Campbells on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion, one who died and one who survived, but with injuries.  George ‘Albert’ Campbell had a younger brother, William Galen CAMPBELL, born June 16, 1897 in Wellington, who enlisted on April 22, 1916 with the 5th Siege Battery as a gunner, shortly before his older brother died.  He later transferred to the 8th Siege Battery of the 3rd Brigade Canadian Garrison Artillery, and was poisoned by a mustard gas shell, during action near Lievin (Pas de Calais) in France on May 28, 1918.

The war diary of the 8th Siege Battery tersely noted what happened to the unit:

“27 May 1918: Intense gas bombardment on Lievin and many gas shells fell around Thelus and vicinity.

28 May 1918: Twenty nine other ranks of Lievin section admitted to hospital, gassed.

29 May 1918: Capt. Cunningham, Lt Messeray and 39 other ranks of Lievin section to hospital, gassed.”

Unlike his brother Albert, William Galen survived and married Ida May McNally on January 5, 1919.  On April 14, 1919 he was discharged from military service.  He passed away on April 24, 1954 in Charlottetown and is buried in the cemetery at the Free Church of Scotland in Cape Traverse.  We have no photo or further information on William Galen Campbell.

william-g-campbell-gravestone-free-church-of-scotland-cape-traverse.jpg

Grave of William Galen Campbell in the cemetery of the Free Church of Scotland in Cape Traverse. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

While our visit to Maple Copse Cemetery ended our Belgian visit to graves and memorials for the names on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion, we were interested in visiting some of the other memorials in the area.  So, in the next blog entry, we will continue on the war memorial trail in Belgium.

Comments or stories?  You can share them by emailing us at memorialtrail@gmail.com or by commenting on this 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.

On The War Memorial Trail….A Visit To Sanctuary Wood Cemetery

/ On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / Leave a comment

November 24, 2017. After the stirring Last Post Ceremony at the Menin Gate Memorial the evening before, we continued our war memorial tour of the Flanders area.  Our first stop was Sanctuary Wood Cemetery in Zillebeke, near the Sanctuary Wood Memorial we had previously visited.  This is where Charles ‘Charlie’ Benjamin Murray BUXTON died and is likely buried in this cemetery in an unknown grave.

CIMG8837 Sep 10 2017 Sanctuary Wood Cemetery

Maple trees line the road to Sanctuary Wood Cemetery in Zillebeke. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Previous blog entries gave details about Buxton’s life and career. (See Who Can Put A Face To Charles Benjamin Murray Buxton? and  A Daytime Visit To Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres and The Princess Patricia’s Light Infantry Memorial and A Visit To Sanctuary Wood)

cropped picture of Charles Buxton

Charles Benjamin Murray Buxton. (Photo courtesy of John Marchbank family collection)

While serving in the No. 2 company of the Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) during the Battle of Mount Sorrel on June 2, 1916, he was wounded and reported missing.  When no sign of him was found by June 4, 1916, he was declared as being killed in action.

The war diary of the unit for June 2, 1916 explains what happened on that day:

“General Action: Mount Sorrel.  Enemy attacked soon after 1 pm after four hours of intensive bombardment on PPCLI and 8th Brigade front.  On the Regiment’s right the garrison (No. 1) was annihilated and ‘the Loop’ overrun, but the support line held in Warrington Avenue and Gourock Road (No. 3), Lovers Walk and Maple Copse (No. 4).    On the left No. 2 held the Appendix and beat off a bombing attack, ultimately withdrawing at night.  The crisis had passed by 5 pm, but the bombardment continued through the night.”

In the book ‘With The Patricia’s In Flanders 1914-1918 Then & Now’ by Stephen K. Newman, it was noted that “Initially No. 2 Company in the left front position was on the periphery of the destruction.  Much of this was due to the closeness of the trenches in the Appendix and the German shells over ranging by twenty yards.  Only the right hand platoon bore the brunt of the fire.”

A personal account quoted in the book goes on to say that as of 2:30 am on June 3, No. 2 Company withdrew from their front line trench…. “We could get no word from Headquarters and with no sign of reinforcements, the young Lieutenant who had crawled all the way on his hands and knees to relieve our wounded Captain decided we better retire.  By this time we had piled up about 20 more casualties, some severely wounded and these had to be carried out if they were to have a chance to live.  There were about 45 of us left untouched in the company and as almost all the wounded had at least to be supported, if we took them out, there would not be enough left to hold the trench, so it was decided to leave.”

map around Ypres area

Map of area, showing where Buxton and Campbell lost their lives. (Map courtesy of John Stephens, author of ‘Travel Tips for Canadians: Visiting The Great War Sites of Flanders and Vimy Ridge’)

It’s not known at what point during that terrible day that Buxton was hit, but from the accounts it seems clear that in the chaos his body was never initially recovered, and anything that might have identified went missing.   With no known grave to pay tribute to, we found four unknown graves from the Canadian Regiment to put Canadian flags on, and on one we also placed a Prince Edward Island flag in memory of Charles Buxton.

cimg8842-sep-10-2017-sanctuary-wood-cemetery.jpg

Pieter placed flags by an unknown grave of the Canadian Regiment in Sanctuary Wood Cemetery. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

After fortifying ourselves with a warm drink at the Hill 62 Sanctuary Wood Restaurant, where Pieter inspected a British cannon, we decided to continue on to Maple Copse Cemetery, where George ‘Albert’ CAMPBELL lost his life.

CIMG8847 Sep 10 2017 Pieter at Hill 62 Sanctuary Wood Restaurant by British cannon

Pieter by a WWI era British cannon outside the Hill 62 Sanctuary Wood restaurant and museum. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Comments or stories?  You can share them by emailing us at memorialtrail@gmail.com or by commenting on this 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.