WWII Soldiers

The WWII Flight Officer Whose Plane Went Down While On Patrol Near The Arctic Circle

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August 17, 2019.  In researching the names on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion, normally Pieter encounters one of four situations:

  • family members who have a photo but know little or nothing else about the soldier.
  • family members who are aware of the soldier but have no photo and little or no information.
  • family members who know nothing about the soldier, have no photo, and aren’t at all interested. This situation tends to occur with WW1 soldiers, who died at a young age, with no spouse or children. “It happened over 100 years ago! That’s ancient history!” one woman told Pieter.
  • family members who have a photo and have saved letters or cards written by the soldier or about him, and may have his medals. These family members have a general idea of what happened to the soldier and may have visited his grave or a memorial listing his name.

In researching the story of Flight Officer Joseph “Joe” Charles MCIVER of Kinkora, Pieter encountered a fifth situation …… family members so dedicated to preserving his memory that they did extensive research on their own!  Not only were there photos and documents, but one nephew, Alan A. McIvor of Kelowna, BC, wrote a book on his uncle called ‘United In Effort..Flying Officer Joseph Charles McIver…Royal Canadian Air Force…1940-1944’ and was kind enough to send it to Pieter.

Cover of Alan McIvors book

Cover of Alan McIvor’s book.

But the story begins here on Prince Edward Island with Alan McIvor’s sister-in-law Joyce Philips and her husband Gordon, who invited us to visit them at their home.

CIMG2545 Aug 28 2018 Pieter with Gordon & Joyce Philips

Left to right: Gordon Philips, Joyce Philips, Pieter Valkenburg. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Joseph Charles McIver was born July 26, 1916 in Kinkora, the son of Peter D McIver and Margaret Anne McKenna, “the sixth of fourteen children” as noted in Alan McIvor’s book ‘United In Effort’. Before enlisting with the Royal Canadian Air Force in Charlottetown on November 15, 1940, he was a warehouse foreman for the PEI Potato Growers Association.  McIvor goes on to explain in his book that his uncle enlisted “as an Aircraftsman 2nd Class.  In the area on his application form where it asked for the reason he wanted to join he declared ‘Wanted to help Win the War.’”

Joseph Charles McIver

Joseph Charles McIver. (Photo: The Canadian Virtual War Memorial – Veterans Affairs Canada)

McIver didn’t qualify as a pilot, but was trained for the position of Observer/Navigator in Ontario.  On June 16, 1941 he married Helen Elizabeth McNeill, “a nurse from Summerside”, in Trenton, Ontario.

UNCLE JOE & HELEN McIvor from Alan McIvor

Helen and Joseph Charles McIver. (Photo courtesy A. McIvor family collection)

In January 1942, McIver was posted to England to train with the British Royal Air Force in Coastal Command.  RAF Coastal Command, a formation with the Royal Air Force (RAF) had a mandate to protect convoys from German U-boats and Allied shipping from aerial threats from the German Air Forces.  Squadrons operated from various bases and McIver soon found himself in the Arctic Circle. (For more information on Coastal Command see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RAF_Coastal_Command_during_World_War_II)

On September 4, 1942, McIver was in the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) 455 Squadron with a group flying to the Soviet Union as part of ‘Operation Orator’, a search and strike force to operate over the Barents Sea.  The plan was to fly on a course to reach Norway, cross the mountains in the dark, overfly northern Sweden, in violation of Swedish neutrality, Finland and land at Afrikanda air base, at the southern end of Murmansk Oblast (an oblast is similar to a province). The flight to Afrikanda was expected to take five to eight hours, depending on the weather and German opposition. After refuelling, the group McIver was in was to fly the remaining 190 km to Vayenga, following the Kandalaksha–Murmansk railway northwards.  (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Orator for more information on Operation Orator and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Afrikanda_(air_base) for more information on Afrikanda.)

1024px-Barents_Sea_map

Map shows the location of the Barents Sea north of Russia and Norway, and the surrounding seas and islands. (Map created by Norman Einstein, 2005. Courtesy of https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Orator#/media/File:Barents_Sea_map.png)

McIvor’s ‘United In Effort’ explains what happened to his uncle’s plane after making it to Afrikanda…. “after several attempts at landing in the mist their fuel position became critical.”  The pilot flew towards Kandalaksha to find an emergency landing spot.  “All he could find was an area where the silver birch trees had been cut down, leaving tall thin stumps.”

The plane landed intact and no one was hurt, but containers of tools brought by a ground crew passenger “were strewn along the crash path as the bomb bay had been torn open.”  In trying to retrieve the containers, “a bullet smashed into the ground at his feet.”  The ground crew passenger returned to the plane very quickly!  “Eventually a troop of Soviet soldiers arrived and thinking the crew were the hated Nazis, treated them roughly.  They were taken to an underground interview room where an English speaking Soviet Commissar was able to understand they were allies.”  They were then reunited with the rest of the Squadron at Afrikanda and the next day escorted to Vayenga.  Over the next months McIver and his crewmates flew 35 flights, 30 of them Operational Patrols.

In September 1943, McIver was promoted to Temporary Flying Officer, transferred to No. 1 Torpedo Training Unit, and sent to the United Kingdom for further training, followed by a stint as an instructor.  In May 1944 he was given Special Leave and allowed 30 days back in Canada with his wife and relatives before returning to the United Kingdom.

In August 1944, McIver was transferred to RAF No. 53 Squadron, which flew Liberator planes.  These planes were important in the war effort as they “doubled the reach of Britain’s maritime reconnaissance force.  This added range enabled Coastal Command patrols to cover the Mid-Atlantic gap, where U-boats had operated with near impunity.”

Liberator No. 53 Squadron RAF Coast Command Credit Australian War Memorial

A B24 Liberator MkVIII, aircraft of 53 Squadron, RAF, Coastal Command, on the runway at the airfield at Reykjavik, Iceland. (Photo courtesy of Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au)

In September 1944, the Squadron, along with McIver, was posted to Reykjavik, Iceland. At 1:10 am on November 18, 1944 he was part of the crew of aircraft EV895 that took off on anti-submarine patrol looking for a suspected U-boat off Gardskagi, Iceland ….. and “were never heard from again.” When the plane was overdue back at base, a search began, with wreckage and floating debris seen at sea.  “A surface vessel is dispatched and recovers a nose wheel that appears to be from a Liberator and other flotsam floating on the surface.”

Among the items recovered were clothing identified as belonging to the pilot,  wireless operator, and gunner, suggesting that the plane had sunk.  “There were no surface ships reported missing or overdue from that time frame.  No German U-boats operating in the area were reported missing.”

A fire spotted at 2:47 am by another aircraft in the Squadron “was not very far from Iceland and EV895 was very early into its patrol.  It would have been loaded with enough fuel for 14 hours of flying. It would take some time for that amount of fuel to burn off and it would create quite a heat.  It was not uncommon for some Liberators to fly into the water.  It was a big heavy aircraft and flying at night 100 feet above the ocean was potentially risky business.”

No one to this day knows what happened, but the likeliest explanation is that the plane flew too close to the ocean and couldn’t pull back up.  The B-24 Liberator was nicknamed ‘The Flying Coffin’ because the only entry and exit from the bomber was in the rear, making it almost impossible for the flight crew and nose gunner to get from the flight deck to the rear when wearing parachutes. Plus, the roller-type bomb bay doors retracted into the fuselage, creating a minimum of aerodynamic drag to keep speed high over a target area.  (See https://sites.google.com/site/willowrunvillage/b-24-bombers)

Reported missing in action were:

  • Captain W.C. PAYNE
  • 2nd Pilot L. A. WINDRESS
  • 1st Navigator J. C. MCIVER
  • 2nd Navigator A. PALMER
  • Warrant Officer R.A. SCOTT
  • Warrant Officer J. G. CHAMBERLAIN
  • Warrant Officer H.A. STEPHEN
  • Warrant Officer Mechanical K. J. SPACKMAN
  • Air Gunner J. BASSETT
  • Flight Engineer G. M. COCKBURN

Although McIver’s plane disappeared on November 18, 1944 he was not officially declared dead until September 1945.  At the time of the disappearance his wife Helen was pregnant, and gave birth to a son Peter Joseph Charles in March 1945.  Helen died in 1978 and son Peter passed away in 2007.

While there is no memorial to the crew in Iceland, there is one in Runnymede, England. As well, McIver has a commemorative stone at the Air Force Heritage Park in Summerside, located at the entrance to the former Canadian Armed Forces Base.

IMG_20190807_101038750 McIver Commemorative Stone Summerside

Commemorative Stone at Air Force Heritage Park, Summerside, Prince Edward Island. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

Today, McIver’s medals are on display at the community centre in Kinkora since 2014.  Unfortunately, the whereabouts of the original medals are unknown.  As explained in ‘United In Effort’, “In 2013, through the combined efforts of Joe McIver’s last remaining sibling, Mary Ita Smith and the author, we have had all his medals reissued, including a new one called The Arctic Star for his time spent in the Arctic Circle with RAAF Squadron 455.”

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Shadow box with medal of Flight Officer Joseph Charles McIver in the community centre in Kinkora, Prince Edward Island. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

Thank you to Alan McIvor and Gordon and Joyce Philips for sharing so much information.  If you have information and photos to share on Flight Officer Joe McIver, the other crew members on that last flight, or any of the other names on the Cenotaph, please contact Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com or comment on the blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

….Want to follow our research?….

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

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

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

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In Memoriam

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In_memoriam

August 14, 2019.  Over the past years, the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph Research Project has been telling the stories of the soldiers listed on the cenotaph.  Along the way, we’ve also introduced you to the families who have contributed photos and stories of these men.

Sadly this summer, three participants in the project have passed away.  We’d like to acknowledge their help and support by honouring their memories.

Harry Norton & Pieter

Harry Norton, left, with Pieter Valkenburg. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

On May 18, 2019, Harry Norton, brother of WW2 soldier Ernest Murray NORTON, passed away in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. (See link to obituary: https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/obituaries/harry-hv-norton-24050/) The poignant story of Ernest Murray Norton, who was killed in Italy, was told in the blog posting The Last Valentine From A WWII Soldier.

CIMG9470 Oct 24 2017 Follet home in Ajax Terry Greta Pieter

Terry and Greta Follett with Pieter. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

On July 17, 2019, Greta Follett, daughter of WW2 soldier  Everett Samuel FRANCIS, passed away in British Columbia.  The story of how her father, on his way to meet baby Greta for the first time, lost his life when his ship, the SS Caribou, was torpedoed off the coast of Newfoundland, was one of the first that Pieter researched.  (See The Cenotaph Research Project Begins)  At the time of that first article, we didn’t have a photo of Everett Samuel Francis. That changed once Greta learned about the project, and later we were able to visit and meet her and husband Terry.  (See The Face of Everett Samuel Francis)

CIMG9481 Oct 25 2017 Pieter with Helen Elgin & Don Coutts in Toronto

Pieter (standing left) with Elgin Coutts (seated), Elgin’s wife Helen (centre) and son Donald (standing right) during a visit in 2017. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

On August 7, 2019, Elgin Coutts, brother-in-law of WW2 pilot Elmer Bagnall MUTTART, passed away in Toronto, Ontario. (See link to obituary: https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/obituaries/elgin-coutts-24809/) The story of Elmer Bagnall Muttart, who died after his plane was shot down over The Netherlands, has unfolded over the years, and began with this posting: The Elmer Bagnall Muttart Story.  This October, a memorial panel to honour Muttart and his crew will be placed near the crash site in Wons, The Netherlands.  (See Update For Those Intending To Go To The Netherlands For The Memorial Panel Unveiling In Wons To Honour the Crew of Halifax L9561)

We extend our condolences to the families of Harry Norton, Greta Follett, and Elgin Coutts, and thank them for their participation in and contributions to the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph Research Project.  If you have information and photos to share on the names on the Cenotaph, please contact Pieter at dariadv@yahoo.ca or comment on the blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

 

Photos and Info Requested For WWII Soldiers From PEI Buried In The Netherlands

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June 27, 2019.  As blog readers know, Pieter has been researching the names on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion over the last few years.  As well, he’s been asked by the three Canadian War Cemeteries in The Netherlands for help in getting photos and personal information on Island soldiers buried in their cemeteries.  This is part of their Faces To Graves project, where they are working towards a digital memorial archive on all Canadian soldiers buried on Dutch soil.

Recently, Dutch researchers have identified more soldiers from PEI.  CBC PEI’s Angela Walker interviewed Pieter on a few of these names, and the interview ran on June 21, 2019 during the program Mainstreet PEI.  We thank CBC for sending us the audio clip of the interview, and Jane Scott for turning the clip into a web link so that we can post it on this blog.  To listen to the interview, click here:  https://drive.google.com/file/d/1lcLHurGAsgmYpk9pGBZHj-dzX7WOc7I1/view

Here is the complete list given by the three cemeteries:

CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY IN BERGEN OP ZOOM

Bergen Op Zoom, not far from the Belgian border, identified 6 soldiers, all of whom died in 1944:

Hugh Allister MACDONALD, born in Georgetown, son of H. Allister and Elizabeth (Bessie) MacDonald, was with the Royal Canadian Artillery – 02 Anti Tank Unit. He died on October 10, 1944, aged 31.

Lawrence Adolphus SWEENEY, born in Souris, son of Ralph and Celina Sweeney, was with the Lincoln and Welland Regiment. He died on October 27, 1944, aged 23. UPDATE: Photo subsequently found.

Milton Evangeline LIVINGSTONE, born in Gladstone, son of Joseph and Agnes Livingstone of Murray River, and husband of Mae Isabel Livingstone, was with the Lincoln and Welland Regiment. He died on November 6, 1944, aged 26. UPDATE: Photo subsequently found.

Alvah Ray LEARD, born in Alberton, son of Lloyd and Margaret Leard of Northam, was with the Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regiment – 27th Armed Regiment. He died on September 26, 1944, aged 23.

Roy SMITH, born in O’Leary, son of James and Clara Smith, was with the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada. He died on September 30, 1944, aged 24.

James Walter AULD, born in Glenwood, son of James and Margaret Auld of O’Leary Station, was with the Algonquin Regiment. He died on November 1, 1944, aged 21. UPDATE: Photo subsequently found.

CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY IN GROESBEEK

The cemetery in Groesbeek identified 5 soldiers for whom they are missing photos or other information, and who all died in 1945:

Joseph Edmond HENNEBERY, born in Morell, was with the Royal Canadian Engineers -33rd Field Company. He died on April 20, 1945, aged 25. UPDATE: Photo subsequently found.

Barney Ruben MCGUIGAN, born in St. Peter’s, son of Thomas and Sadie McGuigan, was with the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment. He died on February 26, 1945, aged 16. UPDATE: Photo subsequently found.

Stephen Augustine MCKINNON, born in St. Peter’s Bay, was with the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry. He died on March 2, 1945, aged 27. UPDATE: Photo subsequently found.

Ralph Kenneth SILLIKER, born in O’Leary, was with the Lake Superior Regiment (Motor). He died March 2, 1945, aged 27. UPDATE: Photo subsequently found.

William Leo WEATHERBIE, born in Charlottetown, was with the Royal Regiment of Canada. He died on March 8, 1945, aged 18. UPDATE: Photo subsequently found.

CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY IN HOLTEN

The Canadian War Cemetery in Holten identified 1 soldier:

Maurice James HUGHES, F/26373 served with Royal Canadian Corps, killed on May 2, 1945 in Leer, Germany. He was 27 years old and came from Charlottetown. UPDATE: Photo subsequently found.

Did you know that most soldiers who died in Germany during WWII were later reburied in The Netherlands? The only time a soldier wasn’t reburied was if the family specifically requested the body not be disinterred.

All three cemeteries have put in a request for photos, personal stories, letters or postcards, etc.  Can you help the Dutch to remember these men buried on their soil?  Perhaps you know family or friends of these men?  If so, please contact them.  Information and photos can be emailed to Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com who will forward to the appropriate cemetery.

We will be in The Netherlands this fall and Pieter will visit each of these graves and place flags.  Pieter notes that “It means so much more when I’m standing at a grave if I know what the soldier looked like and a bit about him.”

© Daria Valkenburg

….Want to follow our research?….

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

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

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

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On The War Memorial Trail….The WWII Soldier Killed in Germany But Buried in Holland

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February 22, 2019.  Most of the men listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion were unmarried.  However, William Douglas SHERREN, born November 25, 1914 in Crapaud, Prince Edward Island, son of William Douglas Sherren and Florence Amanda Carrier, was married, to Florence Mead Strickland, and the father of two children, Hubert and Harrison Blair.

An electrician with Palmer Electric in Charlottetown before WWII broke out, William Douglas enlisted with the First Survey Regiment of the Royal Canadian Artillery on January 6, 1940, receiving the rank of Lieutenant.  He was sent to England and on March 29, 1944 was promoted to Captain.  He arrived in France in July 1944, a month after D-Day.

Wiliam Douglas Sherren

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

On March 17, 1945, he was recognized by King George VI as a Member of the Military Division of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire for “gallant and distinguished services in the field” in North West Europe.  Unfortunately, we don’t know the circumstances of him receiving the award.  If anyone has more information, please let us know.

Notice of decoration awarded to WD Sherren

Notice of decoration awarded to William Douglas Sherren. (Source: http://www.ancestry.ca)

On April 25, 1945, just a few days before the end of WWII, he was severely injured when the vehicle he was travelling in drove over a land mine in Germany.  According to his service file, William Douglas died of his wounds at 3:30 am on April 28, 1945.

Originally buried in Cloppenburg Hospital Cemetery in Lower Saxony, William Douglas was reburied in Holten Canadian War Cemetery in The Netherlands in 1947.  This was one of the cemeteries we visited while in Europe, and of course we placed flags at his grave. (See On the War Memorial Trail ….. At Holten Canadian War Cemetery)

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)

Obituary W.D. Sherren

Obituary of William Douglas Sherren. (Source: The Charlottetown Guardian, Friday, May 4, 1945, page 1)

Do you have photos or information to share on William Douglas Sherren, or any of the soldiers discussed in previous blog postings?  You can send an email to memorialtrail@gmail.com or comment 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/

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

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

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

On The War Memorial Trail…..The Last Valentine From A WWII Soldier

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February 13, 2019. When family members have saved information about their loved ones who died, and are willing to share, it warms our hearts and makes Pieter’s research into the names on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion that much more relevant.  So, when Harry Norton invited us to come to his home in Charlottetown to talk about his older brother, WWII soldier Ernest Murray NORTON, we didn’t hesitate.

Harry Norton & Pieter

Harry Norton, left, with Pieter Valkenburg. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Ernest was born April 18, 1924 in Crapaud, the son of Harry Vernon Norton and Hazel Reid.  He enlisted on July 4, 1940 with the Prince Edward Highlanders and later was transferred into the West Nova Scotia Regiment.  In 1942 he left Canada for England.

Ernest Murray Norton

Ernest Murray Norton. (Photo credit: Harry Norton family collection)

Among the treasures saved by Harry Norton were letters that give a picture of the man behind the soldier’s uniform.  In a May 3, 1944 letter from Italy, written to his younger brother Fred, Ernest gave a summary of his travels.  Because of censorship he couldn’t give any details, but he explained that from England he had “gone to North Africa, then to Sicily, to Italy, went to hospital in Malta by plane, returned back to North Africa, and then again to Italy.” The reference of going to hospital by plane to Malta was because he’d been wounded.   In the same letter, he also thanks Fred for giving their mother a Valentine’s card from him.

 

The last Valentine’s card to his mother, lovingly made on Ernest Norton’s behalf by his brother Fred.  (Photo credits: Harry Norton family collection)

Unfortunately, it was the last Valentine’s card from Ernest.  Shortly after the letter was written, Ernest was killed, and is now buried at Cassino War Cemetery in Italy.

On June 2, 1944, Chaplain Herlaut of the West Nova Scotia Regiment wrote to Mrs. Norton about her son’s death.  He explained that Ernest and another signaller were instantly killed on May 20, 1944 while operating their signal set. He wrote: “I was at the scene a few moments afterwards and buried both boys together.  I was able to return a few days ago and erected a white cross to mark their graves.”

Original wooden cross Norton

Original wooden cross placed by Chaplain Herlaut in 1944. (Photo credit: Harry Norton family collection.)

Norton gravestone

Current gravestone of Ernest Norton at Cassino War Cemetery in Italy. (Photo Credit: Canadian Virtual War Memorial at http://www.vetarans.gc.ca.)

Ernest Norton was a lucky man never to have been forgotten by his loved ones, with so much family information about him!  Do you have photos or information to share on any of the soldiers discussed in this and previous blog postings?  If so, please let us know. We still are in need of photos.  You can send an email to 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 …..The Spirit of Remembrance Continues

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November 13, 2018.  This year, Pieter was invited to be the guest speaker at St John The Evangelist Anglican Church in Crapaud, during their Remembrance Day Service.  In his opening remarks, Pieter noted that: “…This special Remembrance Day marks the end of the First World War.  It’s a day to remember the memories and sacrifices made by those who did their best to answer the call to fight for freedom. 

This church remembers those who served through the Honour Rolls that hang on the wall to my left.  Every Remembrance Day, the names are read out, as they were today.  Five of these men are listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion, 3 from WWI and 2 from WWII.  I’d like to briefly tell you a bit about them…”

CIMG2820 Nov 11 2018 Pieter with Rev Eric Lynk

Pieter with Rev Eric Lynk at St John the Evangelist Anglican Church in Crapaud. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Pieter then talked about the following men: Arthur Leigh COLLETT, Percy Earl FARROW (FARRAR), Henry “Harry” Warburton STEWART, William Douglas SHERREN, and Ernest Murray NORTON.  One focus was on how they were remembered, as Pieter explained:  “…When we think of soldiers in war, we picture them in trenches, facing an enemy.  But they were also people with hopes and dreams, just like you and me, who made the difficult choice to put aside their immediate futures and accept the duty thrust upon them…“

Remembrance Day is now over for another year, but the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph Research Project continues in its quest to put a face and story to every name.  This posting is to thank the many people who have supported this project by providing information and photos, and in adding their own voices to the importance of remembrance.

The County Line Courier newspaper has supported this project from the beginning.  We thank Mike and Isabel Smith for helping to get the word out by publishing a story in almost every issue.

CBC PEI Radio has also been supportive in helping us reach a wider audience, with a special thank you to Angela Walker of CBC’s Mainstreet PEI.

We thank the three churches in the South Shore area that invited Pieter to come and speak about the Cenotaph Research Project:  Central Trinity United Church in Breadalbane, St John The Evangelist Anglican Church in Crapaud, and South Shore United Church in Tryon.

Several ministers referenced the project or some of the names on the Cenotaph in their sermons.  Rev Dr Karen MacLeod-Wilkie of South Shore United Church made mention of the project and PEI pilot Elmer Bagnall MUTTART in her November 4 sermon.  Our thanks to Jack Sorensen for sending us this sound clip:  https://soundcloud.com/user-756553111/rev-karens-remarks-about-elmer-muttart-november420182/s-uCEps.

We also thank Rev Kent Compton of the Church of Scotland in Cape Traverse.  We’ve been informed by neighbours that he mentioned the project in his remarks during the Remembrance Service organized by the Augustine Cove Women’s Institute.

We thank the Tryon & Area Historical Society here on PEI and the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation in The Netherlands for their efforts to raise funds for a memorial panel in Wons to honour Elmer Muttart and the crew of Halifax L9561, and we thank all who donated to this project.  The ceremony to install the memorial panel is planned for October 12, 2019.

On November 1, 2018, PEI Senator Mike Duffy spoke about the Cenotaph Research Project in the Senate.  It’s now recorded in the official Hansard records, and we thank him for highlighting this project of remembrance. (See Hansard entry: 2018 Hansard Entry remarks by Mike Duffy ) Mr. Duffy went one step further, by submitting an article to the newspaper with his comments, a complete surprise to us when we opened up the newspaper.  (See article:  CLC Nov 7 2018 p15 article by Mike Duffy)

Meeting the families of the men listed on the Cenotaph is a particular honour.  We thank those who sent photos, letters, documents, and hope to meet more families in the coming year.

We also thank you, the readers of these postings.   Research continues, and we hope you will enjoy the stories in upcoming blog postings.

If you have photos or information to share on soldiers from the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion, please let us know. Send us an email to 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 …..The Quest To Ensure All Are Remembered

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November 3, 2018.   On November 2, Pieter was invited by the Tryon and Area Historical Association and the South Shore United Church to give a presentation on the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph Research Project.  Those who came out in absolutely terrible weather – Dutch weather as Pieter put it – said they were glad they came.

Among the guests were Senator Mike Duffy, Honourable Jamie Fox, MLA for Borden-Kinkora, John Wales, Assistant Curator of The North Nova Scotia Regimental Museum in Amherst, Nova Scotia, and Reverend Kent Compton of the Free Church of Scotland in Cape Traverse.

CIMG2769 Nov 2 2018 Pieter Mike John Jack

Left to right: Pieter Valkenburg, Senator Mike Duffy, John Wales of The North Nova Scotia Regimental Museum, Jack Sorensen. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Opening remarks and words of welcome were made by the co-hosts, first by Rev Dr Karen MacLeod-Wilkie of South Shore United Church, then by Jack Sorensen, Chair of the Tryon and Area Historical Society.

Jack Sorensen’s warm words of welcome and introduction:

“On behalf of the Tryon & Area Historical Society Inc., and as co-host for this presentation, it is an honour for me to bring greetings and welcome you here this evening.

This year being the 100th Anniversary of the end of WWI, it is an historical moment as we reflect on the soldiers of our country who have been instrumental in attaining peace for our country.

One of the defining characteristics of a nation is the honour it bestows to those who have served in peace keeping roles.

As a community in this great country of Canada, and at this time of year, we gladly, and honourably, carry out this tradition.

Many of the people Pieter will be talking about were, and still are, our friends and relatives. Often, to soldiers returning after a war, thoughts about battle are best forgotten and less talked about. Pieter and Daria will mention things which are lost to our knowledge, but appropriate for us to know. It is with gratitude that we express our thanks to Pieter and Daria for researching and telling us more about these brave people.

Pieter will also be telling us about a special component of his research. That is the celebration of the life of air force Pilot Elmer Bagnall Muttart, and the memorial panel planned for Muttart and his crew in the Netherlands.

The Tryon and Area Historical Society have partnered with the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation in The Netherlands to raise funds for this memorial.

Those wishing to make donations for the memorial panel will receive a charitable receipt from our Society, which can be used for income tax purposes. Arlene and I will be at the table at the back of the church to receive your donations, and we thank those who are able to support this worthy cause.”

CIMG2760 Nov 2 2018 Pieter at the podium SSUC

Pieter at the podium of South Shore United Church. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

In his opening remarks, Pieter explained that the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph Project “….began out of respect for the country that is now my home.  If it wasn’t for the Canadians, I might not be here. I was born in The Netherlands during the Hunger Year of 1944, when there was little or no food.  Our family lived in the countryside and my father spent many nights, sneaking out after curfew, looking to trade items for food to feed his family.  Anyone caught with food by the Nazis had it confiscated.

If you were unlucky enough to live in a city, sometimes tulip bulbs were all that was available to eat.  So many people starved to death that winter. The Canadians not only liberated us from Nazi rule, they saved us from starvation. So this project is one way for me to honour those who lost their lives in war…”

Stories of people from the Cenotaph who were from the nearby area were then told.  Everyone was engaged in the presentation as they got wrapped up in the lives of men who lived so long ago.

After the presentation, Pieter was thanked by Lorna Lord, on behalf of the Tryon and Area Historical Association.

CIMG2767 Nov 2 2018 Pieter with Lorna Lord after the presentation

Pieter receives thank you from the Tryon & Area Historical Society from Lorna Lord. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

CIMG2765 Nov 2 2018 Pieter with Jamie Fox and story of Kruger

Hon. Jamie Fox, MLA for Borden-Kinkora (left), and Pieter Valkenburg (right) with the County Line Courier article on WWI soldier Elmyr Kruger. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

If you have photos or information to share on soldiers from the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion, please let us know. Send us an email to memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or tweet to @researchmemori1.

UPCOMING PRESENTATION: Pieter has been invited to be a guest speaker at St John The Evangelist Church in Crapaud during their Remembrance Day service, which begins at 10:30 am on Sunday, November 11, 2018.

© 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 …..Update on Previous Postings about Elmer Muttart and Elmyr Kruger

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November 3, 2018.   Once we tell a story about a particular person in this project, it usually turns out to be just the beginning of that person’s story.  Since this blog began, we’ve included updates, and we’ll continue to do so.  In this posting, we have two brief updates on two stories.

1. Elmer MUTTART, the PEI pilot from WWII: Several postings have been made about this pilot’s story and the work being done by Pieter, the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation in The Netherlands, and the Tryon and Area Historical Society in Canada, to install a memorial panel in Wons, The Netherlands to honour Elmer and the crew of the Halifax bomber that was shot down on October 12, 1941.

UPDATE:  This project was completed in October 2019!

UPDATE: The ceremony to install the memorial panel is scheduled for October 12, 2019 in The Netherlands. 

Donations are still being collected towards the ‘Muttart Memorial Fund’ for a memorial panel in Wons, The Netherlands.  If you would like to donate, 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. 

If you wish to donate and you live 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”.

2. Elmyr KRUGER, the WWI soldier from the prairies who is buried in Cape Traverse, PEI:  Elmyr’s story was told in a recent posting and in an article published in the County Line Courier. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2018/10/25/the-forgotten-ww1-soldier/)

UPDATE: Pieter contacted the City of North Battleford Historic Archives and told them the story and asked if they might have more information and a photo.  After a search, archivist Tammy Donahue Buziak found a photo of the 232nd Battalion.  As Tammy wrote “…Elmyr would most likely be in this image somewhere….”  Hopefully, one day, someone will identify Elmyr.  This story is getting quite a bit of attention.  We’ll have to rename the story the ‘No Longer Forgotten WWI Soldier’!

232nd Battalion

232nd (Saskatchewan) Overseas Battalion. (Photo courtesy of The City of North Battleford Historic Archives)

On October 31, the story that ran in the County Line Courier was republished in The Battlefords News-Optimist under the title ‘Forgotten First World War soldier from Mullingar’. (See https://www.newsoptimist.ca/community/local-culture/forgotten-first-world-war-soldier-from-mullingar-1.23481997 and https://www.sasktoday.ca/north/in-the-community/forgotten-first-world-war-soldier-from-mullingar-4126223)

If you have photos or information to share on soldiers from the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion, please let us know. Send us an email to to memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or tweet to @researchmemori1.

UPCOMING PRESENTATION: Pieter has been invited to be a guest speaker at St John The Evangelist Church in Crapaud during their Remembrance Day service, which begins at 10:30 am on Sunday, November 11, 2018.

© 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 …..Desecration of Halifax Memorial

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October 10, 2018.  In the quest to honour the names of those listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Memorial, the memorial trail journey has taken us to Europe and several cemeteries and memorials here in Canada.  One of those journeys was to the Halifax Memorial in Point Pleasant Park in Halifax, which honours those who lost their lives at sea in wartime and have no known grave.

Halifax Memorial in Point Pleasant Park

Halifax Memorial at Point Pleasant Park in Halifax. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

CIMG7670

Inscription on Halifax Memorial in Point Pleasant Park in Halifax. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

Three names from the Cenotaph Research Project are listed on this monument:

  • Elmer Allistair MABEY, whose story was told in an earlier posting. (See: https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2018/06/27/the-wwii-sailor-who-died-in-an-accidental-explosion-and-fire/)
  • James Graham FARROW, whose ship was torpedoed by a U-boat in the English Channel during WWI.  Farrow was not in the military, but in the merchant ‘navy’, delivering crucial supplies from England to troops in France.
  • James Emmett HUGHES, whose ship was torpedoed in the Caribbean during WWII.  Like Farrow, he was not in the military, but in the merchant ‘navy’.

Three names from one monument from Prince Edward Island….  You can imagine our dismay….and disgust…. to read this morning that the monument was defaced.  (See https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/nova-scotia/halifax-war-memorial-defaced-1.4854588)

This was a disrespectful act towards those who served their country in time of war, and who do not even have a grave that families can visit.  This memorial is a substitute for their grave, just as is the Vimy Memorial in France and the Menin Gate Memorial in Belgium, among many others.

It is especially sad that this desecration has happened as we near the 100th anniversary of the end of WWI.

UPCOMING PRESENTATION: Pieter will speak about the Cenotaph Research Project at South Shore United Church in Tryon, 7 pm on Friday, November 2, 2018.  This event is co-hosted by South Shore United Church and Tryon & Area Historical Society.  Note: this venue is equipped with a hearing loop for the benefit of those with hearing loss.  You are invited to bring photos and information on the men listed on the Cenotaph, or on any Canadian soldier buried in The Netherlands.  Email memorialtrail@gmail.com for more information.

© 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.

Upcoming Presentation in Tryon

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pietervalkenburg with papers Sarah MacMillan CBC

Pieter among some of his research papers. (Photo credit: Sarah MacMillan/CBC)

October 6, 2018.  The 100th anniversary of the end of WWI is approaching.  As we get closer to November 11, it’s a chance to remember those who have served our country.  On Friday, November 2, 2018, at 7 pm, South Shore United Church and Tryon & Area Historical Society are co-hosting a presentation by Pieter Valkenburg about the Cenotaph Research Project at South Shore United Church in Tryon.

For those with hearing loss, South Shore United Church is equipped with a hearing loop.  If you have never experienced the clarity of sound from a hearing loop, this is your opportunity to come and try it out.

Below, please see poster about the event, and a list of soldiers whose photos Pieter is still looking for.  Can you help him put a face to these names???

Poster Cenotaph Research Project SSUC Nov 2 2018

Names still without faces from WWI:

  • James CAIRNS, born in Kinkora – UPDATE: PHOTO FOUND
  • eigh Hunt CAMERON, born in Albany
  • James Lymon CAMERON, born in Victoria
  • William Galen CAMPBELL, born in Wellington
  • Bazil CORMIER, born in Tignish
  • Joseph Arthur DESROCHES, born in Miscouche – UPDATE: PHOTO FOUND
  • James Graham FARROW, born in Argyle Shore
  • Charles LOWTHER, born in North Carleton
  • Arthur Clinton ROBINSON, born in Tryon
  • Harry ROBINSON, born in Augustine Cove

Names still without faces from WWII:

  • Leonard Stephen AVERY, born in Bedeque – UPDATE: PHOTO FOUND
  • John Daniel FERGUSON, born in Borden – UPDATE: PHOTO FOUND
  • Ernest Ramey GALLANT, born in Borden
  • Singleton Charles JEFFERY, born in Bayfield, New Brunswick – UPDATE: PHOTO FOUND

Faces To Graves Project In The Netherlands:

As a separate project, Pieter is helping researchers in The Netherlands who are looking for photos and information on Canadian soldiers buried in The Netherlands.  If you have a relative with a grave in The Netherlands and would like to participate, you can email your photos and info to Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com and he will forward the information on your behalf.  Or you can drop off your photos at the event, and after being scanned they will be returned to you.

© 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.