Our Cold Cases …..

Cold case header

Since 2014, Pieter has been working diligently at finding photos of those who served.  His two areas of concentration have been for the names listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion, and those from WWII who are buried in The Netherlands and in the Canadian War Cemetery in Adegem, Belgium.

While he’s had outstanding success, not all searches have been successful, for one reason or another.  Once he’s exhausted all leads, and come up empty-handed, the search goes into what he calls the Cold Case Files. 

In most cases, family members have been identified and contacted over the years.  However, family contacts alone don’t mean that a photo is available.

One relative of a WWI soldier said “…it happened over 100 years ago, we do not have any pictures…” 

In the case of another WWI soldier, Pieter even knocked on the door of a relative.  “..Not interested…” he was told and the door closed in his face.

Family members of a WWI soldier from Prince Edward Island have themselves been actively looking for a photo – without success.  Surely someone must have a photo tucked away in an album?

The nephew of a WWII soldier ruefully told Valkenburg that his father, the only sibling of the soldier, had cut off all contact with the family and so there were no photos. 

One family of a WWII soldier buried in The Netherlands had a photo but said they were “…not interested in participating….” and refused to provide a copy of a photo, even after being contacted by the Legion in their area, who offered to digitize the photo.

In some cases, albums have been discarded once older generations have passed away, or there are unidentified photos. 

Below is a listing of some of the outstanding files for which extensive research has been done, but no photo has been found.   Can you help with any of the names on the Cold Case List?  Pieter is still searching for a photo of:

  1. Clifford Alexander BLAKE of Toronto, Ontario, son of William C. and Sarah L. Blake, husband of Ferne E. Blake, died February 16, 1945, aged 23, while serving with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles.
  2. Sherman William BOUTILIER of Sheet Harbour, Nova Scotia, son of Alfred and Nancy L. Boutilier, died February 16, 1945, aged 26, while serving with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders. NEW!
  3. John BROWN of London, Ontario, son of Mary T. Brown, died April 14, 1945, aged 26, while serving with the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. 
  4. James Lyman CAMERON, born in Victoria-By-The-Sea, Prince Edward Island, son of Edward H and Susan (Harrington) Cameron, died July 24, 1916, aged 23, while serving with the 7th Canadian Infantry Battalion. (1st British Columbia). (Listed on the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph)
  5. Leigh Hunt CAMERON, born in Albany, Prince Edward Island, son of Alexander Walter Cameron and Phoebe Ann (nee Murray) Cameron, died May 5, 1916, aged 17, shortly after enlisting with the 105th Battalion, C Company. (Listed on the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph)
  6. William Galen CAMPBELL, born in Wellington, Prince Edward Island, son of John G. and Grace Emma Campbell, died April 24, 1953, aged 55, many years after being discharged from the 8th Siege Battery of the 3rd Brigade Canadian Garrison Artillery. (Listed on the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph)
  7. Karl CHRISTENSEN, from Alberta, but born in Starheim, Nordfjord, Norway, son of Kristian Kristiansen Hafsas and Marie K. Hafsas, died April 10, 1945, aged 41, while serving with the 8th Field Squadron, Royal Canadian Engineers.
  8. Richard Alfred CLINE, from Saint John, New Brunswick, son of Emma J. Cline, died October 5, 1944, aged 21, while serving with the Essex Scottish Regiment.
  9. Roy Henri COATES, of Morris, Manitoba, but born in Winnipeg, son of James Henry and Lydia Jane Coates, died May 2, 1945, aged 23, while serving with Royal Canadian Army Service Corps – – 3rd Casualty Clearing Station.
  10. Lorne Mart COLFORD of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, but born in Chezzetcook, Nova Scotia, son of Howard and Jeanette Colford, died April 14, 1945, aged 22, while serving with the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry.
  11. Bazil CORMIER, born in Tignish, Prince Edward Island, son of Joseph Cormier and Mary Arsenault, died August 12, 1918, aged 20, while serving with the 26th (New Brunswick) Battalion. (Listed on the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph)
  12. Eric John CRUE of Moncton, New Brunswick, son of John and Margaret Crue, died April 6, 1945, aged 23, while serving with the Algonquin Regiment.
  13. James Frank DOLMAN of Flatlands, New Brunswick, son of Frank Dolman and Lydia Thompson, husband of Henriette Gertrude Lyons, died April 14, 1945, aged 32, while serving with the New Brunswick Rangers -10th Independent Machine Gun Company.
  14. Douglas Bernard FARROW of Amherst, Nova Scotia, died April 26, 1945, aged 27, while serving with the Algonquin Regiment.
  15. Clifford Glen FORSYTH, born in Brandon, Manitoba, son of Alexander ‘Sandy’ Forsyth and Margaret McDougall, died April 11, 1945, aged 20, while serving with the Lake Superior Regiment.
  16. Ernest Ramey GALLANT, born in Borden (now Borden-Carleton), Prince Edward Island, son of John P. and Mary Blanche Gallant, died May 20, 1943, aged 27, while serving with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders Regiment. (Listed on the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph)
  17. Robert Cecil HARVEY of Centre Burlington, Nova Scotia, son of Douglas and Myrtle B. Harvey, died April 22, 1945, aged 23, while serving with the British Columbia Regiment – 28th Armoured Regiment. 
  18. William James ‘Jimmy’ Sutherland HOLE, born in Carman, Manitoba, son of Daisy Hole, grandson of William and Eva Alise Hole, died April 22, 1945, aged 20, while serving with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles.
  19. Gordon John HOPPER of London, Ontario, son of Gordon and Vera Mae Hopper, died April 16, 1945, aged 19, while serving with the Lincoln and Welland Regiment. 
  20. George Mcdonald JOHNSTON of Toronto, Ontario, son of William and Annie Johnston, died April 2, 1945, aged 27, while serving with the South Alberta Regiment.
  21. Wesley Robert JOHNSTON of Red Bank, New Brunswick, son of Robert A. and Janette ‘Jennie’ (nee Simpson) Johnston, died March 3, 1945, aged 24, while serving with the Royal Regiment of Canada.
  22. Russell John KITCHEMONIA of Keese Koose Reserve, Kamsack, Saskatchewan, son of John and Louise Kitchemonia, died October 12, 1944, aged 23, while serving with the 10th Armoured Regiment (Fort Garry Horse). NEW! 
  23. Wallace Herbert LARLEE of Perth, New Brunswick, died April 24, 1945, aged 19, while serving with the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment.
  24. Logan Elwood LESLIE, born in Oxford, Nova Scotia, died April 9, 1945, son of John J. and Georgie Mary Leslie of Moncton, New Brunswick, while serving with the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry.
  25. Albert George LE RUE of Halifax, Nova Scotia, son of William and Cathrine Le Rue, died March 7, 1945, aged 24, while serving with the Algonquin Regiment. 
  26. Charles W. LOWTHER, born in North Carleton, Prince Edward Island, son of Bessie Lowther, died September 25, 1918, aged 21, while serving with the 25th Battalion, Canadian Infantry. (Listed on the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph)
  27. Harry Donald MACPHERSON, from Vancouver, British Columbia, son of Alex Mann Macpherson and Jane Bell Macpherson, husband of Gwendolyn Eva Macpherson, died April 29, 1945, aged 33, while serving with the Canadian Scottish Regiment. 
  28. John Redmond MAHONEY, born in Port Elgin, New Brunswick, son of John J. and Gertrude C. Mahoney, died April 12, 1945, aged 30, while serving with the New Brunswick Rangers-10th Independent Machine Gun Company.
  29. Wilbert Harold MOORE, born in Fredericton, New Brunswick, son of Jessie Louise and Hugh Irving Moore, died June 16, 1945, aged 28, while serving with the 3rd Division Works Transport Company, Royal Canadian Army Service Corps. 
  30. Walter MUNRO, born in Kelwood, Manitoba, son of John Alexander and Lavina (nee McLaughlin, widow of Robert Jamieson) Munro, husband of Hazel Mary Bird, died December 31, 1944, aged 31, while serving with the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps.
  31. Archibald Henry NELSON, born in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, son of William Henry and Winnifred Frances Nelson, died April 18, 1945, aged 34, while serving with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders Regiment.
  32. Valmont PERRY, of St. Louis, Prince Edward Island, son of Peter M. and Mary Ann Perry, and husband of Rose Doucette, died October 21, aged 26, while serving with the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders. 
  33. Arthur Clinton ROBINSON, born in Tryon, Prince Edward Island, son of Albert J. and Flora P. Scruton Robinson, died March 27, 1916, aged 19, while serving with the 26th (New Brunswick) Battalion. (Listed on the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph)
  34. Wilfred ROY of Robertville, Gloucester County, New Brunswick, son of Camille and Catherine Roy, died October 28, 1945, aged 38, while serving with the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps. 
  35. Harold Melvin SEARS, of Port Maitland, Nova Scotia, son of Joseph and Rhoda (nee Blades) Sears, died February 17, 1945, aged 25, while serving with the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry Regiment. NEW!
  36. Charles Patrick SHEFFIELD of Sundridge, Ontario, son of Charles and Mrs Sheffield, husband of Bessie Alice Butler from Botwood, Newfoundland, and father of Patrick William Wallace Sheffield, died May 4, 1945, aged 24, while serving with the Algonquin Regiment.
  37. Charles Bernard STAFFORD of Halifax, Nova Scotia, son of Charles Bernard and Blanche Stafford, husband of Winifred Leitha Stafford of Intake, Sheffield, England, died April 18, 1945, aged 28, while serving with the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps – 9th Field Ambulance.
  38. Frank Peter VARDIG of St. John, New Brunswick, son of Charles and Lily Vardig, died June 12, 1945, aged 23, while serving with the Carleton & York Regiment. 
  39. Charles Joseph Younes, born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, son of Albert Charles and Susan Younes, died March 30, 1945, aged 24, while serving with the Queens Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada.

….Case Closed!….

As yet, no files were completed and removed from the Cold Case List for 2026…

Note: this research project is done by volunteers and is self-funded.

© Daria Valkenburg

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