Anthony PETTA

On The War Memorial Trail…..We Follow The Route Taken Into Germany By Canadian Troops In 1945

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February 6, 2026. Last spring we were in The Netherlands and Belgium for the 80th Anniversary of Liberation Commemoration events. We placed flags at the graves of 383 soldiers in 14 cemeteries, plus visited a number of memorials, museums related to WWII, and even did a battlefield tour. 

We had one last adventure on our 2025 European War Memorial Tour – a trip to Germany to follow the route taken by Canadian troops during the winter of 1945.

We had been in Mook, near Groesbeek, in The Netherlands, as we’d been invited to attend a Faces To Graves Groesbeek meeting, at which we had been surprised with a Faces To Graves Groesbeek ‘coin’ and a certificate for the work done in researching soldiers, finding families, and sharing photos.  (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2025/05/30/on-the-war-memorial-trail-pieter-and-daria-honoured-by-faces-to-graves-groesbeek-foundation/) 

Route taken into Germany from Groesbeek to Kleve, Kalkar, Xanten, Bienen (now part of Rees), and Gendringen. (Map source: Michelin Maps)

Instead of returning to Zaltbommel, where we were staying, Pieter decided to drive into Germany and follow the route taken by Canadian troops in the winter of 1945.  We first travelled to Kleve, then went on to Kalkar, from there to Xanten, and then to Bienen, which is now part of Rees.  From Bienen we returned to The Netherlands and made a very brief stop in Gendringen. 

.…Our first stop was Kleve…

Canadian troops would have travelled along this route into Kleve.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Kleve was bombed heavily before being captured by Allied troops on February 11, 1945 during Operation Veritable, as the 21st Canadian Army Group and British troops fought their way through the difficult terrain of the Reichswald Forest.  The goal of Operation Veritable was to reach the Rhine, part of a pincer movement to allow Allied troops to advance towards Berlin. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Veritable)

The dense wooded area of the Reichswald Forest. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

When the Allies crossed the border into Germany they entered the Reichswald Forest, a densely wooded area, as we saw from the road. It wasn’t hard to understand how the Germans had turned the forest into a death trap during WWII. The already natural obstacles of a forested area were heavily reinforced by German troops and rigged with trenches, mortar pits, barbed wire, mines, and anti-tank ditches.

Two major roads provided the only means of an Allied approach, while inside the forest there were no surfaced roads. Zig-zagged paths snaked through the woods, making it ideal for preparing ambushes to trap Allied troops.

Canadian and British troops were forced to advance on a narrow front, with their movements further restricted by bad weather and mud….as well as German ambushes.

On this journey through Kleve and the road bordering the Reichswald, we remembered:

…..Kalkar was the scene of brutal battles in February 1945….

Canadian troops continued from Kleve towards Kalkar.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

About 10 km (6 miles) south-east of Kleve is Kalkar, scene of two terrible battles that Canadian troops participated in during Operation Veritable. 

First came the Battle of Moyland Wood, which lasted a brutal six days, from February 16–21, 1945, in which several Canadian Regiments, such as the Regina Rifle Regiment, Canadian Scottish Regiment, and Royal Winnipeg Rifles fought to clear German paratroopers from a key position near Kalkar.  (See https://legionmagazine.com/clearing-moyland-wood/) 

The goal of the Battle of Keppeln, fought on February 26, 1945, was to break the German Siegfried Line during Operation Blockbuster, the last part of Operation Veritable. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Blockbuster) Troops encountered heavy artillery and mortar fire in intense fighting from German paratroopers, and had to make their way through heavy mud and minefields.

The battle finally ended when Canadian troops used flame-throwing Wasp carriers to clear German-held houses in Keppeln. The village needed to be secured as part of a push towards Uedem. The capture of Keppeln allowed Canadian forces to clear the Kalkar Ridge and proceed towards the Hochwald Forest gap, and later to break through to the Rhine.

As we passed Kalkar on our way towards the Hochwald Forest, we remembered:

….The Hochwald Forest was where the Battle of Hochwald Gap was fought….

The road bordering the Hochwald Forest was bleak and lonely on the rainy day we drove on it.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

From Kalkar we turned off the road to go along the Hochwald Forest.  It was perhaps fitting that by this time it was raining, with bleak, grey skies, as so many tears would have been shed here during the winter of 1945.   We were alone on this road, with the Hochwald off in the distance, and the only colour coming from the red poppies growing in the field by the road.

Red poppies grew along the road bordering the Hochwald Forest.  (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

The Hochwald Forest was a second, separate defensive line located about 10 km (six miles) east/southeast of the Reichswald, stretching toward the Rhine.  It was where the Battle of Hochwald Gap, part of Operation Blockbuster, was fought between February 28 and March 1, 1945, the final push by Canadian troops towards the Rhine River. (For more information, see https://canadianbattlefieldtours.ca/operation-blockbuster/ and https://civilianmilitaryintelligencegroup.com/10742/the-battle-of-hochwald-gap-one-of-the-largest-armor-engagements-you-probably-have-never-heard-of)

On this bleak and lonely road bordering the Hochwald Forest, we remembered:

….Xanten is now the home of an archeological park…

We followed the road from Kleve to Xanten. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

After detouring onto the road along the Hochwald, we returned to the highway and travelled to Xanten, 26 km (16 miles) from Kleve.  The battle to capture Xanten, near the end of Operation Blockbuster, was the responsibility of Canadian troops of 2nd Canadian Infantry Division, in early March 1945.  (See https://legionmagazine.com/the-taking-of-xanten/)

Beginning on March 8, each brigade was accompanied by two squadrons of flame-throwing tanks, with enemy artillery positions attacked by air support. German troops were desperate to win against the Allies, and fought fiercely, but in the end they evacuated Xanten in the middle of the night on March 10 into March 11.

Poster advertising the upcoming Siegfried Spectacle in Xanten. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

Much of Xanten had been destroyed during WWII, but today it’s the site an archeological park, with no reminders of WWII – at least none that we saw. When we drove through the town, we noticed a large poster advertising a medieval festival to honour Siegfried, a hero of Xanten, billed as a reunion with knights, jugglers, and dragons! It was an odd note on this solemn journey we were taking, in which we remembered:

….In Bienen we looked for the memorial plaque honouring North Novies who died during the Battle of Bienen….

We travelled to Bienen from Xanten. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

From Xanten, we began the journey back into The Netherlands, with a slight detour along the way to Bienen, the scene of the Battle of Bienen on March 25, 1945. In 2023 we’d done a multi-part series on several soldiers from the North Nova Scotia Highlanders Regiment who had died in this battle. We wanted to see a memorial plaque, which was on a wall behind a church in Bienen.

Pieter beside the memorial plaque behind a church in Bienen. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Alice van Bekkum, Chair Faces To Graves Foundation Groesbeek, had told us that the memorial plaque by the church in Bienen, Germany, commemorating the lives lost by the North Nova Scotia Highlanders during the Battle of Bienen on March 25, 1945, was the “…first German/Canadian (Commonwealth) monument in Germany….”

It might have been raining while we were by the memorial plaque, but we made sure to remember:

….The final stop on our journey of remembrance was in Gendringen….

Pieter by the memorial in the cemetery in Gendringen.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

From Bienen, we returned to The Netherlands, stopping for a few moments in Gendringen, where 3 soldiers who had been researched by Pieter had lost their lives. Although it was still raining, we wanted to see the memorial, located in a cemetery in Gendringen. 

The text on the memorial means ‘so that we don’t forget’, or, as said more commonly during Remembrance Services in Canada, ‘lest we forget’.  While at the memorial, we remembered:

By now, it was well after 4 pm, with the rain making the skies very grey.  We were tired and still had a long drive back through heavy traffic to our hotel in Zaltbommel.  Luckily, Pieter is a genius at staying calm in traffic, and we arrived safely, in time to enjoy a quiet and relaxing dinner. 

This concludes the stories of the highlights of our 2025 European War Memorial Tour to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the Liberation of Europe.

Our trip is now long over, but the research work continues for Pieter.  If you have photos or information to share about soldiers buried in The Netherlands or Belgium, please email him at memorialtrail@gmail.com, or comment on the blog.    

© Daria Valkenburg

….Want to follow our research?…

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

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

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On The War Memorial Trail….The Faces Of Groesbeek Exhibition Part 6: A Few More Soldiers

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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)

May 27, 2023. After a successful exhibition where photos were placed at more than 1,600 graves at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek for three weeks in 2021 to commemorate the Anniversary of the Liberation of The Netherlands, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, which oversees the cemetery, gave permission for photos to be placed by the graves every two years. 

…The Faces Of Groesbeek Exhibition 2023 included almost 2,000 photos…

This year, The Faces Of Groesbeek Exhibition ran from April 30 to May 21, 2023, with almost 2,000 photos, just over 350 more than 2 years ago!  All photos submitted by families and volunteer researchers were printed onto an aluminum backing, making them impervious to rain, and reusable.

The many volunteers from Faces To Graves Foundation Groesbeek, of which Alice van Bekkum is the Chair, worked tirelessly to make the exhibition possible.  They also organized the Liberation Day commemoration events. 

Pieter has been involved in finding photos of Canadians who are buried in all three Canadian War Cemeteries in The Netherlands since 2014, with many of their stories told on this blog.  

…Six More Soldiers Commemorated…

In Part 1, graves and photos of soldiers from Prince Edward Island were featured.  Part 2 featured Indigenous soldiers.  Part 3 featured soldiers from Nova Scotia, whose stories were told in the Atlantic Canada Remembers series from 2021.  Part 4 featured soldiers from New Brunswick, whose stories were told in the Atlantic Canada Remembers series from 2021. Part 5 featured soldiers from the North Nova Scotia Highlanders Regiment whose stories were told in the Battle of Bienen series.

The Faces Of Groesbeek Exhibition series concludes with Part 6, where the graves and photos of six more soldiers are featured.

IMG_8965 Edmond Coulombe from Alice

Edmond Coulombe. (Photo courtesy of Alice van Bekkum)

Edmond COULOMBE, of Fannystelle, Manitoba, was serving with the Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal, along with Alphonse ROBERT, when he was killed on March 30, 1945 during an attack on Gendringen, The Netherlands, near the German border, at the age of 22. You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/12/24/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-successful-search-for-a-photo-of-ww2-soldier-edmond-coulombe/

IMG_7652 May 16 2023 John Delipper from Ad

John Delipper. (Photo courtesy of Ad Scheepers)

JOHN DELIPPER of Russell, Manitoba was serving with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles.  Along with Tom CHASKE and James Edward DUFFY, he was part of a crew of soldiers being transported to repair a road in The Netherlands, but drowned on December 12, 1944, along with six other soldiers, when the vehicle they were in slipped off a dike and flipped over into a flooded field, pinning them under the vehicle. He was 37 years old. We were in contact with his grandson, Dwayne Delipper, during the search for a photo of Tom Chaske.

IMG_8923 JE Duffy from Alice

James Edward Duffy. (Photo courtesy of Alice van Bekkum)

James Edward DUFFY of Parrsboro, Nova Scotia was serving with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles.  Along with Tom CHASKE and John DELIPPER, he was part of a crew of soldiers being transported to repair a road in The Netherlands, but drowned on December 12, 1944, along with six other soldiers, when the vehicle they were in slipped off a dike and flipped over into a flooded field, pinning them under the vehicle. He was 23 years old.  His name was on the cemetery’s photo wish list, and was sent to Pieter a few months ago by the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 45 in Parrsboro, Nova Scotia.

IMG_7579 Cecil Goodreau from Ad

Cecil Edward Goodreau. (Photo courtesy of Ad Scheepers)

Cecil Edward GOODREAU of North Bay, Ontario, was serving with the 25th Armoured Delivery Regiment (Elgin Regiment) when he was killed in action during the Battle of Keppeln in Germany on February 26, 1945, at the age of 20. You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2022/06/17/on-the-war-memorial-trail-in-north-bay-remembering-ww2-soldier-cecil-edward-goodreau/

IMG_7656 May 16 2023 Frank McGovern from Ad

Frank Edward McGovern. (Photo courtesy of Ad Scheepers)

Frank Edward MCGOVERN of Chipman, New Brunswick, was serving with the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment when he was killed in action during the Battle of Keppeln in Germany on February 26, 1945, at the age of 19. You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2020/12/09/the-search-for-a-photo-of-frank-edward-mcgovern-moves-to-youtube/

IMG_8951 Anthony Petta from Alice

Anthony Petta. (Photo courtesy of Alice van Bekkum)

Anthony PETTA of North Bay, Ontario, was serving with the Algonquin Regiment when he was killed in action during the Battle of the Hochwald Gap in Germany on March 3, 1945, at the age of 29. You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2022/06/29/on-the-war-memorial-trail-in-north-bay-the-ww2-soldier-who-was-appointed-company-sergeant-major/

Thank you to Alice van Bekkum and Ad Scheepers for their kindness in taking these photos. A big thank you goes to all of the families who provided photos, making a project like the one in Groesbeek possible.

This concludes The Faces Of Groesbeek Exhibition series for 2023. In 2021, we featured 8 soldiers, and this year 36 soldiers were featured – 44 in total. Perhaps we will have more photos to share in 2025!

If you have a photo of a soldier buried at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek or one of the other cemeteries in The Netherlands, Pieter encourages you to email him at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or tweet to @researchmemori1. 

© Daria Valkenburg

…Previous postings about The Faces Of Groesbeek Exhibition at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek…

…Want to follow our research?…

Follow our blog

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

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

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On The War Memorial Trail In North Bay….. The WWII Soldier Who Was Appointed Company Sergeant Major

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June 29, 2022. When we knew we would be travelling to North Bay, Ontario in May for an Author Talk at the North Bay Public Library, Pieter also wanted to help the Canadian War Cemeteries in The Netherlands fulfill their photo wish lists of six soldiers from the North Bay area.

Little did we know that a chance meeting with retired history teacher John Hetherington, organized by Don Coutts, to bring together like minded individuals interested in military research, would be the key to receiving one of these photos.

…A meeting that led to a photo of a WWII soldier….

IMG_20220518_195343443_BURST000_COVER May 18 2022 With John Hetherington photo by Don

John Hetherington with Daria and Pieter at the North Bay Public Library.  (Photo credit: Don Coutts)

John Hetherington takes groups to visit war memorials and cemeteries in Europe, and we were delighted to meet him one evening during our visit to North Bay.  After he and Pieter discussed the soldiers on the photo wish lists from the Canadian War Cemeteries in The Netherlands, John recalled that two nephews of Anthony PETTA, one of the soldiers on the list, had been on one of his tours, and had visited their uncle’s grave.

Leave it with me, he said.  He’d look up the contact information and call them.  He did, and within a few days, a photo was sent to Pieter by Anthony Repa, which was in turn sent to The Netherlands.

anthony petta colourized

Anthony Petta.  (Photo courtesy of Anthony Petta Family.  Photo submitted by Anthony Repa. Photo restoration and colourization by Pieter Valkenburg)

Antonio ‘Anthony’ PETTA was born November 8, 1915 in North Bay, Ontario, the son of Michael and Raffaela (nee Rota) Petta.  Before enlisting with the Algonquin Regiment in North Bay on May 12, 1941, he was employed as a freight handler with the Temeskaming and Northern Ontario Railroad.

Anthony’s Occupational History Form indicated that he spoke English and Italian fluently, not surprising as both his parents had been born in Italy.  He also indicated that after the war he hoped to take a Commercial Agriculture Course and become a chicken farmer.

On July 12, 1941, he was sent for training at Camp Shilo in Manitoba, followed by a promotion to Acting Corporal and a transfer to Newfoundland on August 8, 1942.

On February 16, 1943, he requested a demotion to Private and was sent to Debert, Nova Scotia, a camp that prepared soldiers for overseas service. The demotion lasted one day, and he was reappointed Acting Corporal.  On April 6, he was confirmed as Corporal, and the following day, received another promotion, to Lance Sergeant.

By July 2, 1943 he was in the United Kingdom. While in the United Kingdom, he was promoted to Acting Sergeant on February 28, 1944, and then promoted again, this time to Sergeant, on May 28, 1944.

His stay in the United Kingdom ended when he left for Normandy, France with the Algonquin Regiment on July 20, 1944. On July 25, 1944, all four companies of the Algonquin Regiment landed on Juno Beach where, in the following days, they supported the 4th Canadian Armoured Division in closing the Falaise Gap. From there they fought to secure many bridgeheads over canals in The Netherlands and into Germany.

From November 5 to 8, 1944 the Algonquin Regiment had a rest period in the area around Steenbergen, in preparation for Operation Blockbuster, which began in February 1945, part of the final push towards the Rhine.   (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Blockbuster)

According to his service record, while in Europe Anthony was appointed Acting Company Sergeant Major (CSM) with the rank of Acting Warrant Officer 2. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Company_sergeant_major)

….The Battle of Hochwald Gap was fierce and under wet and muddy conditions….

On February 26, 1945, Anthony’s regiment advanced towards the Hochwald Gap, the scene of what became a fierce battle. (See https://civilianmilitaryintelligencegroup.com/10742/the-battle-of-hochwald-gap-one-of-the-largest-armor-engagements-you-probably-have-never-heard-of)

The war diary for the Algonquin Regiment for February 27, 1945 noted that they were huddled beside the tanks which had brought them forward.  Unfortunately, one company and part of another were missing, as the tanks carrying them had bogged down.

The objective for the Algonquin Regiment was a rounded hill which filled the western end of the gap between the Hochwald and the Balberger Wald.

The war diary for the Algonquin Regiment for March 2, 1945 explained that “… ‘D’ Company managed to mount two platoons on the available tanks, and with one platoon on foot, started for their objective. The two platoons on tanks managed to get as far forward as the Lake Superior Regiment position, but by this time 5 of the 8 tanks had been knocked out.  The infantry therefore debussed and the tanks returned to the protective cover of the hill….

The third platoon of ‘D’ Company joined the small force of Lake Superior Regiment holding the furthest position forward.  ‘A’ Company then tried to get forward to join ‘D’ Company, but they were pinned down by murderous fire from both flanks and were being shelled at every moment. It was decided to abandon this effort as casualties had been very heavy.  A/CSM Petta was killed in this action….

Lt Hamilton, taking part in his first action, was also killed. Captain T. P. Richardson, Acting Commander ‘A’ Company, who was with CSM Petta, was missing, believed killed….”

It was later confirmed that Captain Richardson had died.  Although the official records state that Anthony Petta died on March 3, 1945, the war diary indicates that he had died a day earlier.  His brother Alexander ‘Leslie’ was also in the Algonquin Regiment and survived the war.

…Tanks helped protect infantry regiments…

A 46 minute YouTube video on the Battle of Hochwald Gap explained the fierce battle that took place.  While this video depicts the tank battle, it shows the horrifying conditions troops were up against.  Infantry units like the Algonquin Regiment depended on the tank regiments for protection.

…The photo at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek that triggered John’s memory…

n346 Maurice Petta and Anthony Repa by John Hetherington

Anthony Repa, left, and Maurice Petta, right, by the grave of Anthony Petta at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek in April 2010.  (Photo courtesy of John Hetherington)

After meeting us, John did look for the photo of the two nephews, and sent it to us.  When Anthony Repa sent us the photo of his uncle, he also gave permission to include the 2010 photo taken of himself and his cousin in Groesbeek.

Anthony went on to share that he has visited the cemetery in Groesbeek “…three times. The first, I was 23, in 1968 and backpacked around England, Belgium and Holland for 2 weeks. The second trip, I was with my wife and young son in 1987. The third was on John’s tour in 2010.

On the second trip, my wife and son and I were taking a Rhine River cruise which originated in Nijmegen.  We booked into a hotel in Nijmegen and after I asked the desk clerk if there was a bus to Groesbeek, he directed us to a bus stop.  As we waited at the stop, a bus came from the direction of the cemetery and stopped. 

The female driver said something to us in Dutch. I told her we were Canadian and she then said in English that this was the last bus and that she was finished her shift. She then asked where we wanted to go.  I said the Groesbeek Cemetery as my uncle was buried there.  She told us to get on the bus, turned the bus around and drove us to the cemetery.  I offered to pay the fare but she declined.

When we arrived she told us to take as long as we wanted to, that she would wait.  After we paid our respects she drove us back to the hotel.

I have told countless people about this experience. I have many wonderful memories of my travels, one of my fondest, is the kindness she showed us on that day….”

…The Memorial Plaque from St. Rita Roman Catholic Church…

St. Rita Plaques - Petta death

Part of the memorial plaque originally placed by St. Rita Roman Catholic Church. (Photo courtesy of Karen Steel)

We thought we had reached the end of the research for Anthony Petta when we were contacted by 92 year old Don Unger, who said he grew up in the neighbourhood around St. Rita’s Roman Catholic Church and remembered seeing a memorial in the church yard.  The memorial “….mentions Anthony Petta and other Italian boys who served…” he told Pieter.

The church was closed in 2010, but we asked Don Coutts, who lives in North Bay, if he could see if the memorial was still in the yard.  It wasn’t.

Don then went to the Pro-Cathedral of the Assumption and asked Karen Steel if she had any information.  Karen explained that “…the plaques were donated to the North Bay Museum…” but she sent us “…a copy of the plaque information that I took for historical purposes before the plaques were taken to the museum.  I always knew someday someone would be looking for this information!…”

The July 23, 1946 edition of the North Bay Nugget newspaper had a picture of the war memorial when it was dedicated.  The text under the picture said “…His Excellency R. H. Dignan, assisted by Rev R. F. Venti, officiated at the unveiling of a splendid war memorial at St. Rita’s Park on Sunday.  Dedicated to the memory of four members of the parish who gave their lives in the Second World War, the memorial is also in honour of those who served during the war. 

The four corners are dedicated to Sgt Joe Demarco of the RCAF, Sgt A. Petta, Pte Gordon Hogan, and Cpl William Lafontaine, all of whom gave their lives during the recent conflict. The honour roll is also inscribed on the memorial. The dedication ceremony was an impressive one…”img church memorial for petta North Bay Nugget Jul 23 1946

Thank you to Don Coutts, John Hetherington, and Anthony Repa.  Thank you also to Judie Klassen and Shawn Rainville for researching the newspaper and genealogy archives.  Thank you to Karen Steel and Don Unger for the information on the memorial from St. Rita’s Church. Thanks also go to the North Bay Nugget newspaper as it had extensive coverage of WWII soldiers from the time period and the newspaper archive is digitized.

Our North Bay adventures continue in upcoming postings.  If you know of any soldiers from the North Bay area that are buried in The Netherlands please let Pieter know. You can mail him at memorialtrail@gmail.com, or comment on the blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

….Previous stories told about soldiers who lost their lives during the Battle of Hochwald Gap ….

Two previous stories were told about soldiers who lost their lives during the Battle of Hochwald Gap.  Clarence Wilfred Wakegijig was in a tank regiment that supported the infantry.  Gerald Coolen, like Anthony Petta, was in an infantry regiment.  To read the stories about Clarence and Gerald, see:

…Missed the previous postings about our North Bay Memorial Trail visit?…

…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 In North Bay….. The North Bay Cenotaph In Memorial Park

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CIMG5568 May 18 2022 Pieter and Don at North Bay Memorial

Pieter and Don Coutts by a section of the Wall of Honour in Memorial Park in North Bay, Ontario.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

June 8, 2022. Whenever we visit a place, the local Cenotaph or monuments are always on the ‘must see’ list. North Bay, Ontario has the largest municipal war memorial in Canada. The 2000 installation of the Honour Wall listed the names of 636 men and women from the area that lost their lives. 

Exif_JPEG_420

Cenotaph in Memorial Park in North Bay, Ontario. You can see the Wall of Honour in the background. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

…Soldiers buried in The Netherlands on the photo wish lists by Dutch researchers…

The names of 6 WWII soldiers from the North Bay area who are buried in The Netherlands were on photo wish lists from Dutch researchers, and four of these were on the Cenotaph:

  • Albert Joseph COTE
  • Cecil Edward GOODREAU
  • Anthony PETTA
  • John Langford ‘Jack’ WALKER

DSCN2391 A J Cote name is at the very bottom

Albert Joseph Cote, buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten. (Photo credit: Don Coutts)


CIMG5565 May 18 2022 North Bay Memorial Cecil Goudreau

Cecil Edward Goodreau, buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)


CIMG5564 May 18 2022 North Bay Memorial Anthony Petta

Anthony Petta, buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)


DSCN2395 J L Walker name

John Langford ‘Jack’ Walker, buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten. (Photo credit: Don Coutts)

All four of these soldiers will be featured in upcoming stories on this blog.  For a list of all known soldiers from the North Bay area who are buried in The Netherlands, see https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2022/05/15/on-the-war-memorial-trail-author-talks-in-north-bay/

….End Polio Now Tulips….

DSCN2414 May 18 2022 Tulips at North Bay Memorial Don Coutts

‘End Polio Now’ Tulips by the Cenotaph in Memorial Park in North Bay, Ontario. (Photo credit: Don Coutts)

While at the Cenotaph, we were surprised to learn that the tulips gracing the monument were ‘End Polio Now’ tulips.  Pieter grows several varieties of tulips in our yard, but this is one we had never heard of, so we asked Don Coutts for more information.

“… In the Fall of 2020, I had seen an article in The Guardian of how the Rotary Clubs on Prince Edward Island and Atlantic Canada had raised funds for Rotary International’s project to eradicate Polio in the world by selling the End Polio Now Tulip Bulb Boxes.

Around 1985 Rotary International took on a project to eradicate Polio throughout the world. My wife Nora’s uncle, Tom Elliott, was quite involved with the Rotary International in getting the project started. Tom was a senior manager with the North Bay Public District Health Unit at the time. At the present time, there are only a handful of Polio cases in the world.

In 2020, proceeds of $43,192 were made by Rotary Clubs on PEI and in the Atlantic Provinces, plus sales of the bulbs that had been made to the public separately. With matching grants, including the Melinda and Bill Gates’ Foundation for the Polio Eradication Programme, the total amount of money raised was $154,715.00 US Dollars.

 In 2021, members of our Rotary District 7010 Rotary Clubs in Ontario bought 665 Tulip Bulb Boxes. The proceeds were $10,267.60 and with matching grants the amount became $30,802.00 Canadian Dollars.

The three (3) Rotary Clubs in North Bay bought 132 Tulip Bulb Boxes and donated many. Other Rotary Clubs in the District bought the Tulip Bulbs and donated them to various organizations as well. 

There is only one supplier of the Tulip Bulbs in the world—–they come from Holland (this was music to Pieter’s ears!) Veseys Seed Company was involved and is the sole Canadian Distributor.  There are twenty-five (25) Tulip Bulbs in each box. (For more information, see https://www.veseys.com/ca/end-polio-now-tulip-76289.html)

Once Polio has been eradicated, the supplier of the Tulip Bulbs in Holland will no longer produce them….”

I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that the ‘End Polio Now’ Tulips will be on Pieter’s bulb purchase list for this fall! 

Thank you to Don Coutts for taking us to the Cenotaph.  More North Bay adventures are coming up in the next posting.

Missed the previous posting about North Bay?  See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2022/06/07/on-the-war-memorial-trail-in-north-bay-adventures-in-north-bay/

If you know of any soldiers from the North Bay area that are buried in The Netherlands please let Pieter know. You can mail him at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or send a tweet to @researchmemori1.  

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