Arnold Freeman HUPMAN

On The War Memorial Trail….The Mystery Of Who Placed Flowers At One Airman’s Grave Was Solved In A Story Spanning Two Continents

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April 18, 2026.  When we were in The Netherlands last year on our 2025 European War Memorial Tour, we visited the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, where Pieter placed 120 flags at the graves of soldiers he’d done research on over the years. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2025/06/23/on-the-war-memorial-trail-2025-faces-of-groesbeek-exhibition-part-1-flags-placed-at-120-graves/)

….There was a surprise when we visited the grave of WWII airman Arnold Freeman Hupman…

After placing flags of Canada and Nova Scotia, Pieter stands behind the grave of Arnold Freeman Hupman.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

One of the graves visited, and where Pieter placed flags of Canada and Nova Scotia, was that of WWII airman Arnold Freeman HUPMAN, of East Side of Ragged Island, Nova Scotia.

Arnold Freeman Hupman.  (Photo submitted by Marilyn Hupman)

Arnold was serving with 419 Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), and lost his lost his life, at the age of 30, when the Lancaster bomber he was in crashed on the outskirts of Arnhem on the night of June 16 to 17, 1944, after being shot down by a German nightfighter. (You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/02/09/on-the-war-memorial-trail-atlantic-canada-remembers-part-6/)

Arnold Hupman’s grave is between two of his crewmates: Donald Morissen and Edward Fahy. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

There was a surprise at his grave as we found a note from Saskia Peters, a member of the Faces To Graves Groesbeek Foundation Board, asking if whoever had been annually placing flowers at the grave to get in contact with her.   

Note left by Saskia Peters beside the graves of Hupman, Morissen, and Fahy.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

 ….The last flight of Lancaster X KB728 …

Map shows the plane’s path from Middleton St. George to Holten, Germany and then to where it crashed in Elden, The Netherlands.  (Map prepared by Wendy Nattress)

On the night of June 16, 1944, at 11:08 pm, Lancaster X KB728 took off from RAF Middleton St. George, England for a bombing operation against the synthetic oil plant at Sterkrade/Holten in Germany.  

On its return back to England in the early hours of June 17, 1944, the plane was attacked by a nightfighter and exploded following combat with nightfighter pilot Hans Schadowski of the 3./NJG 3 based at Vechta airfield in Germany, who was flying a Messerschmitt Bf 110 G-4.

The Lancaster crashed close to the Dutch Reformed Church at Elden in the province of Gelderland, 4 km (2.5 miles) southwest of Arnhem.

All seven crew members lost their lives. In addition to Flying Officer Arnold Hupman, the navigator on that flight, the other crew members were:

  • Pilot : RCAF Pilot Officer Donald MORISSEN of Winnipeg, Manitoba
  • Bomb Aimer: RCAF Pilot Officer Gerald Edgar QUINN of Montreal, Quebec
  • Wireless Operator/Air Gunner: RAF Pilot Officer Harold FLETCHER of Bolton, Lancashire, England
  • Air Gunner: RCAF Pilot Officer Clifford JOHNSTON of North Bay, Ontario
  • Air Gunner: RAF Pilot Officer Philip Joseph MCMANUS of Herne Hill, London, England
  • Flight Engineer: RAF Pilot Officer Edward FAHY of Rhyl, Flintshire, Wales

They were temporarily buried in the Netherlands Reformed Church Cemetery in Huissensedijk on June 29, and later reburied in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek.  (More information can be found in this English translation of an article by the late Willem Tiemans: https://airbornearnhem.nl/WillemTiemens/Elden%20bomber%20crash.htm)

….The mystery of who placed the flowers was solved by Saskia…

Almost a month later, we met Saskia when we were honoured by the Faces To Graves Groesbeek Foundation at one of their meetings, and asked if she had received any response. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2025/05/30/on-the-war-memorial-trail-pieter-and-daria-honoured-by-faces-to-graves-groesbeek-foundation/)

“…Yes!…” she replied and said she would follow up with a few photos and emails, which she did.  “….As I told you at our Research meeting, I have indeed found the person on May 4, who put the flowers at Arnold Hupman’s place for the past few years….”

She said she’d placed the sign at Arnold’s grave in mid-April. “…I had also asked the gardeners for permission and they were eager to help me keep an eye out if they saw anyone walking by his grave….”

To Saskia’s disappointment, however, “….before we had the opening ceremony of The Faces of Groesbeek, there were still no flowers….”  We attended the Opening Ceremony on May 2, 2025 and Saskia was correct – the sign was still there, but no flowers.  (For our story on the Opening Ceremony, see  https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2025/07/19/on-the-war-memorial-trailwe-attended-the-ceremony-at-the-canadian-war-cemetery-in-groesbeek/)

 Then, on May 4, 2025, “….it was our National Remembrance Day.   I wasn’t on duty to host The Faces of Groesbeek, but I saw that no one was scheduled so I went anyway. Around noon, my colleagues came to ‘relieve me’ as they were scheduled for the afternoon....” 

Saskia should have gone home to rest at this point as she was scheduled to lay a wreath at the cemetery that evening with Alice van Bekkum, Chair of the Faces To Graves Groesbeek Foundation.  “…. But my heart said, ‘Go to Hupman’s grave one more time and ask for his help’….”

Saskia explained that as she “… walked back across the wide grassy area in the middle that runs from the Stone of Remembrance to the Sacrificial Cross.…” she noticed “…a man walking into the cemetery with a bouquet of flowers in his hands….”

After asking if the man had come to visit a particular grave, he said yes, but couldn’t remember where it was located, but explained that the grave was  “…. different from the others, the stones are closer together….” 

Saskia immediately knew he was looking for Arnold Hupman’s grave from this description.  The headstones of 3 graves were closer together than with other graves as, according to the crash reports, only 5 bodies were ever found – not the 7 that were known to be in the plane. It was surmised that the remains of 2 had burned beyond recognition in the crash.

“….Tears sprang to my eyes ….”  Saskia wrote.  “… I tell him that I think he is looking for the grave of the flying officer I stood by about a minute ago before, asking for help to find the person who has been putting flowers at his grave for years.  We walk together up the side to Hupman’s grave, the man enthusiastically confirming that this is indeed the grave he was looking for…..”

Frans Nijsen with Saskia Peters.  (Photo courtesy of Saskia Peters)

The mystery was solved! The man who had brought the brought the bouquet was Frans Nijsen, a resident of Berg en Dal, which is very close to the cemetery. 

Frans Nijsen beside the grave of Arnold Hupman. The flags of Canada and Nova Scotia had been placed several days earlier by Pieter. (Photo courtesy of Saskia Peters)

….The story of why the flowers were placed spanned two continents…

We were curious to know why a Dutch guy chose Arnold Hupman’s grave to place an annual bouquet. Perhaps Frans had been in the Royal Netherlands Air Force, as Pieter had been?  We wrote to him and asked. To our surprise, the answer circled back to a neighbouring Maritime province, not that far from where we live.

“….I work with a company called QPS, in the Netherlands and we have a Canadian office in Fredericton, New Brunswick…..”  Frans wrote.  “…. I’m a hydrographer, and I work for a software company that produces software to map the seabed and to produce maritime charts.  

I used to have a colleague, Graham Nickerson, who lives in Freddy. At some point he came over to our office in the Netherlands for training in our software, and when the weekend was almost there, I asked him what his plans were. He told me that he has a relative who was killed in action, shot down over Arnhem and that he was visiting his grave in Oosterbeek…. I learned that the cemetery in Oosterbeek is a British one and that there is a Canadian cemetery close to where I live now. I started looking on internet and found his grave at the cemetery in Groesbeek, which is 5 minutes from my home town, Berg en Dal.  

I invited him to come over, so I could bring him to the cemetery. In the meantime I did some more digging around and found that there is a small monument at the crash site….”

Memorial plaque for the crew of Lancaster X KB728 in Elden, The Netherlands. (Photo source: Facebook RAF Bomber Command Memorials, photo taken by Chris de Vries)

“…So, he came over, we visited the cemetery, which meant a lot to him, it was emotional for him to not have his relative buried close to home, but he was very happy how the cemetery…” cared for the graves.  “...After that I told him about the monument of the crash site and that I’m going to take him there. He was very surprised and interested in it…. He was very glad that the sacrifice was not unnoticed….” 

“…Since his visit I made it my personal goal to visit this grave every year around the 4th of May to bring flowers. I have two young kids that I bring with me as well, and we try to explain what happened and why it’s important to honour the men and women who are buried at the cemetery. Every year I send a picture to Graham with fresh flowers at the grave…..This year I was there as well, and I bumped into Saskia. The rest is history….” 

Quite a story, in which serendipity certainly played a big part! As we near the 81st Anniversary of the Liberation of Europe, it’s a poignant reminder that those who gave their lives in war should never be forgotten.

Thank you to Saskia Peters and Frans Nijsen for unlocking the mystery behind the note, and for sharing the story about the flowers placed each May at the grave of Arnold Freeman Hupman.  Thank you to Wendy Nattress, who prepared the map showing the flight path for Lancaster X KB728.

Pieter’s research efforts to find photos and families of soldiers continue. Do you have a story to tell? Email Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com, or comment on the blog.    

© Daria Valkenburg

….Want to follow our research?…

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

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

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On The War Memorial Trail…. Remembrance Week 2024 –Remembering Those Who Served In The RCAF During WWII

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Remembrance_Day_2024_3840x2160

November 7, 2024.  As we reflect on the service and sacrifices made by so many who have served, both during conflicts and in peacetime, I took a look back at previous stories told over the years.  2024 commemorates 100 years of service for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) as a distinct military element, and so it seemed appropriate to dedicate this posting to stories previously told of those who served in the RCAF during WWII. 

…The Air Force Heritage Park in Summerside has a commemorative stone honouring Flight Officer Joe McIver….

IMG_20190807_101837076 Entrance to Air Force Heritage Park Summerside

Entrance to Air Force Heritage Park in Summerside. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Several years ago we visited the Air Force Heritage Park in Summerside to look at the commemorative stone honouring Flight Officer Joseph ‘Joe’ Charles MCIVER of Kinkora, Prince Edward Island.  Joe was the navigator aboard B24 Liberator MkVIII EV895 on November 18, 1944, when it went down near the Arctic Circle while on anti-submarine patrol looking for a suspected U-boat off Gardskagi, Iceland.  There were no survivors.

You can read his story at:

IMG_20190807_101038750 McIver Commemorative Stone Summerside

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

 … Pilot Elmer Muttart saved his crew and the Dutch village of Wons but sacrificed his own life to do so ….

The very first airman whose story was researched by Pieter was that of Elmer Bagnall MUTTART of Cape Traverse, Prince Edward Island, whose name is listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion.  Elmer was the pilot aboard Halifax L9561 when it was shot twice by German night fighters on October 12, 1941, while the plane was on its way to a bombing raid on Bremen, Germany. 

After ordering the crew to bail out, Elmer managed to steer the burning plane away from the Dutch village of Wons, in the province of Friesland, before it crashed in a farmer’s field, just outside the village. He was the only casualty and is buried in Harlingen General Cemetery in The Netherlands.  The rest of the crew spent the war years in prisoner of war camps before being liberated. On October 12, 2019, a memorial panel was placed near the crash site in Wons to honour Elmer and his crew, an emotional journey for all of us who attended.

You can read his story here:

 … Pilot Hubert Hall was a prisoner of war after his plane was shot down in 1942 ….

John ‘Hubert’ HALL of Summerside, Prince Edward Island, was the pilot aboard Wellington Z1203, which crashed in The Netherlands near Mijdrecht on the night of March 28/29, 1942.  Hubert spent the remainder of the war years as a prisoner of war in POW camp Stalag Luft III, located in present-day Żagań, Poland, before returning home to Canada.

You can read his story at:

… Navigator Bunky FitzGerald is in an unmarked grave after Halifax W1175 crashed off the Dutch coast….

Rowan Charles ‘Bunky’ FITZGERALD, of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, was the navigator aboard Halifax W1175 of the 405th Vancouver Squadron RCAF when it was hit by shellfire (flak) as the plane was returning from Bremen, Germany on the morning of June 28, 1942. 

The plane crashed into a sandbank in the Wadden Sea, off the Dutch coast between the Island of Texel and the mainland, 15.5 km from Harlingen, in the province of Friesland.  There were no survivors. Only one crew member’s body was identified, and was buried in Harlingen General Cemetery in The Netherlands. His grave is between 3 unknown graves, one of which may just contain the remains of Bunky FitzGerald. 

You can read his story at:

… Pilot Lorne MacFarlane survived all his flights and returned home…

Pilot Lorne MACFARLANE, of Fernwood, Prince Edward Island, successfully flew 40 missions overseas and was then assigned to fly dignitaries, mail, and personnel between England and the front lines until the war ended.  After returning safely back to Canada, he was the Officer In Charge at RCAF No 1 Radio and Navigation School in Summerside, Prince Edward Island.

You can read his story at:

… Wireless operator Bob Dickie almost made it safely back to England…

Robert ‘Bob’ James DICKIE, of Carlton (now Borden-Carleton), Prince Edward Island, was the wireless operator aboard Lancaster JB312 on February 21, 1944 when it collided with another plane during a bombing sortie in Stuttgart, Germany.  Although badly damaged, the plane was able make it back to England, but then crashed as it approached the runway. There were no survivors. Bob is buried at Cambridge City Cemetery in England.

You can read his story at:

… Pilot Leonard Unwin’s plane crashed on Christmas Eve…

Pilot Leonard Arthur UNWIN, of Windsor, Ontario, was a flying instructor in Summerside, Prince Edward Island and Moncton, New Brunswick, before going overseas in May 1943.  On December 24, 1944, he left from his base in Belgium, one of the pilots in a section of 4 Typhoon planes on an armed reconnaissance in the Utrecht area in The Netherlands. While attacking a convoy of three German trucks in Woudenberg, the plane’s tailpiece broke off, the plane destabilized, and crashed. He’s buried in Woudenberg Municipal Cemetery in The Netherlands.

You can read his story at:

… Flight student Ralph McCutcheon lost his life in a training accident…

Flight student Ralph Gordon MCCUTCHEON, of Toronto, Ontario, but who was born in Buffalo, New York, USA, lost his life in a tragic accident that happened during his training at the No. 9 Service Flying Training School RCAF in Summerside, Prince Edward Island on the morning of June 11, 1942.  While training in a Harvard MK2 plane, it crashed in a farm field in North Tryon, Prince Edward Island.

You can read his story at:

… Gunner William Andrew Hood was aboard the last flight of Halifax JD215…

William Andrew HOOD, of Little Bras D’or, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, was the mid-upper gunner aboard Halifax JD215 when it was shot down over The Netherlands on June 29, 1943.  None of the crew survived. He’s buried in Eindhoven General Cemetery in Eindhoven, The Netherlands.

You can read his story at:

… Navigator Arnold Hupman was aboard Lancaster X KB728 VR-V when it exploded over Arnhem, The Netherlands…

Navigator Arnold Freeman HUPMAN, of East Side of Ragged Island, Shelburne County, Nova Scotia, lost his life when the Lancaster bomber he was in, Lancaster X KB728 VR-V, was attacked by a German night fighter and exploded on the outskirts of Arnhem, The Netherlands as it was returning from a bombing operation against the synthetic oil plant at Sterkrade in Germany on the night of June 16 to 17, 1944. There were no survivors, and all 7 crew members are now buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands.

You can read his story at:

… Pilot Douglas MacKenzie did not survive the last flight of Halifax DT630…

Jack ‘Douglas’ MACKENZIE,  of Winnipeg, Manitoba, was the pilot of Halifax DT630 (call sign VR-T), one of 8 heavy Halifax bombers sent on a night raid to Hamburg, Germany on February 3, 1943.  It was shot down by a night fighter over the province of Drenthe in The Netherlands. 4 men died, including Douglas, while 3 survived and spent the remainder of the war in prisoner of war camps.  He’s buried in Sleen General Cemetery in The Netherlands, along with the other 3 casualties of that flight.

You can read his story at:

… Pilot Dusty Millar’s spitfire ran out of fuel and crashed…

George Glenn ‘Dusty’ MILLAR, of Winnipeg, Manitoba, was killed on September 28, 1944 while flying a Spitfire Mark IX on patrol with his squadron over Nijmegen, The Netherlands. After Dusty reported on his radio that the plane was low in fuel, it crashed southeast of Weibosch near Schijndel, in the Dutch province of Noord-Brabant.  He is buried in Uden War Cemetery in The Netherlands.

You can read his story at:

May we never forget the sacrifices made by these airmen, and their families, during WWII.  Unfortunately, while we live free in Canada, so many people today live in a war zone and are experiencing death, uncertainty, and insecurity in not knowing what will happen next.  Lest we forget is never more appropriate.

If you have a story to tell, please let Pieter know. You can email him at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or send a 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/ 

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On The War Memorial Trail….The Faces Of Groesbeek Exhibition Part 3: Atlantic Canada Remembers Soldiers From Nova Scotia

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CIMG9024 Sep 16 2017 Groesbeek Cemetery Pieter and Daria by A Gaudet grave

Pieter and Daria at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands in 2017. (Photo credit: Ad Scheepers)

May 20, 2023.  In 2021, to commemorate the Anniversary of the Liberation of The Netherlands, photos were placed at more than 1,600 graves at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek for three weeks.  The event was so successful that 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 includes almost 2,000 photos…

This year, The Faces Of Groesbeek Exhibition runs from April 30 to May 21, 2023, with almost 2,000 photos, just over 350 more than 2 years ago!  Photos are 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 this 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.

In 2021, following an interview on CTV Atlantic’s Live At 5 about the search for photos of WW2 soldiers buried in The Netherlands, the response led to an 11 part series on the blog called Atlantic Canada Remembers.  (See https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/dutch-canadian-man-on-a-mission-to-tell-stories-of-lost-soldiers-1.5266404)

…8 Soldiers From Nova Scotia Commemorated…

In Part 1, graves and photos of soldiers from Prince Edward Island were featured.  Part 2 featured Indigenous soldiers.  Now, in Part 3, eight soldiers from Nova Scotia, whose stories were told in the Atlantic Canada Remembers series from 2021, are featured.

COOLEN Gerald Burnell - X E 13 from Alice

Gerald Burnell Coolen. (Photo courtesy of Faces To Graves Groesbeek)

Gerald Burnell COOLEN, of Western Head, Nova Scotia, was serving with the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada when he was killed in Germany during the Battle of the Hochwald Gap on February 27, 1945, at the age of 21. You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/11/28/on-the-war-memorial-trail-atlantic-canada-remembers-part-11/

CROMWELL Percy Clayton - XVI E 12 from Alice

Percy Clayton Cromwell. (Photo courtesy of Faces To Graves Groesbeek)

Percy Clayton CROMWELL, of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, was serving with the Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers when he drowned in The Netherlands on February 8, 1945, 4 days before his 32nd birthday. You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/02/22/on-the-war-memorial-trail-atlantic-canada-remembers-part-7/

DOUCETTE Harry William - XVII H 03 from Alice

Harry William Doucette. (Photo courtesy of Faces To Graves Groesbeek)

Harry William DOUCETTE, of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, was serving with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders when he was killed on March 25, 1945, during the Battle of Bienen in Germany, at the age of 19. You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/02/09/on-the-war-memorial-trail-atlantic-canada-remembers-part-6/

SONY DSC

Arnold Freeman Hupman. (Photo courtesy of Faces To Graves Groesbeek)

Arnold Freeman HUPMAN, of East Side of Ragged Island, Nova Scotia, was serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force, 419 Squadron.  He lost his life, at the age of 30, when the Lancaster bomber he was in crashed on the outskirts of Arnhem on the night of June 16 to 17, 1944, after being shot down by a German nightfighter. You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/02/09/on-the-war-memorial-trail-atlantic-canada-remembers-part-6/

IMG_8956 Robert Nickerson from Alice

Robert Alan Nickerson. (Photo courtesy of Alice van Bekkum)

Robert Alan NICKERSON, of Halifax, Nova Scotia, was serving with the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion when he was killed on March 24, 1945 on his first jump from a plane over the Rhineland Forest in Germany, at the age of 23. You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/01/13/on-the-war-memorial-trail-atlantic-canada-remembers-part-2/

PORTER Burgess Allison - X F 10 from Alice

Burgess Allison Porter. (Photo courtesy of Faces To Graves Groesbeek)

Burgess Allison PORTER, of Grafton, Nova Scotia, was serving with the 4th Field Regiment of the Royal Canadian Artillery when he was killed on February 21, 1945 in Germany, at the age of 22. You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/03/16/on-the-war-memorial-trail-atlantic-canada-remembers-part-8/

SPRAY Stanley - I A 12 from Alice

Stanley Spray. (Photo courtesy of Faces To Graves Groesbeek)

Stanley SPRAY, of Digby, Nova Scotia, was serving with the Royal Canadian Artillery when he lost his life in a tragic vehicle accident near Nijmegen, The Netherlands on July 23, 1945, at the age of 32. You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/02/22/on-the-war-memorial-trail-atlantic-canada-remembers-part-7/

WITHERALL Benjamin James - II D 01 from Alice

Benjamin James Witherall. (Photo courtesy of Faces To Graves Groesbeek)

Benjamin James WITHERALL, of North Sydney, Nova Scotia, was serving with the Highland Light Infantry of Canada when he killed on the front line on a ridge between Nijmegen and Arnhem on December 27, 1944, at the age of 20. You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/01/07/on-the-war-memorial-trail-atlantic-canada-remembers-part-1/

Thank you to Alice van Bekkum and Ad Scheepers for sending these photos. In Part 4, the graves and photos of soldiers from New Brunswick whose families contacted us for the Atlantic Canada Remember series in 2021 will be featured.

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?…

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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….. Atlantic Canada Remembers – Part 6

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February 9, 2021. We continue to feature more of the photos submitted by Atlantic Canadians of soldiers buried overseas. Pieter is ensuring that every email is acknowledged, and that the photos of soldiers buried in The Netherlands will be forwarded to the appropriate cemetery for their digital archives. 

Currently, only the volunteers at the Canadian War Cemeteries in Holten and Groesbeek are active.  Submissions for Bergen Op Zoom and for any soldiers buried in municipal cemeteries are being held until Pieter gets the go-ahead that volunteers are active again.

Soldiers buried at the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands

Howard Armstong

Howard W. Armstrong. (Photo submitted by Marion Fryday-Cook)

Marion Fryday-Cook, President of The Royal Canadian Legion, Nova Scotia/Nunavat Command, submitted a photo of Howard W. ARMSTRONG of Chester, Lunenburg County, Nova Scotia, explaining that “…This is the information gathered by Branch 44 in Chester, NS for our Command’s Veterans Recognition Service Book. Howard’s family still reside in Chester…” 

Howard was with the Fort Garry Horse – 10th Armoured Regiment, and lost his life on September 5, 1945 due to an accidental death after a misstep on a dark and unlit street in Amsterdam led to him falling into a canal and drowning.

Douglas Jury1

Douglas Jury. (Photo courtesy of the Jury Family)

On behalf of the Jury family, Dara Legere of Branch 4 of The Royal Canadian Legion in Joggins, Nova Scotia, submitted a photo of Douglas JURY, writing “…I have attached a photo of Sapper Douglas Jury of Joggins, NS who is buried in Holten Cemetery, Holland. Douglas Jury was related to my family. My mom’s sister Mary was married to Douglas’s brother Roy. There were three Jury brothers who served in WW2, Douglas, Roy, and William. William was taken prisoner by the Germans shortly after D-Day and was forced to work in the coal mines in Germany…”

Douglas was with the Royal Canadian Engineers, 18th Field Company, and lost his life on August 17, 1945. Dara explained that “…Douglas remained in Holland after the war ended, repairing dykes and bridges, etc with the Canadian Engineers. The vehicle he was travelling in rolled off one of the dykes and he was trapped under it and drowned. Such a sad story….”

Soldiers buried at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands

Harry William Doucette

Harry William Doucette.  (Photo courtesy of the Doucette Family)

On behalf of the Doucette family, Cyrille LeBlanc and Andre Boudreau of Legion Branch 155 in Wedgeport, Nova Scotia submitted a photo of Harry William DOUCETTE. Cyrille wrote that he “….was a private in the North Nova Scotia Highlanders, Royal Canadian Infantry Corps. He was born May 25, 1925 in Bell Neck, Sainte-Anne Catholic Parish, Yarmouth County, Nova Scotia.

Private Doucette was the son of John and Celina Mary Doucette. He had eight brothers and one sister. Two brothers served in the RCAF during World War II.  He completed Grade 8 at the age of fourteen and left school to work as a lumber-man in the woods. He enjoyed reading western and veteran stories.  

 He enlisted in Halifax at age 18 October 6, 1943, and served in Canada from October 4, 1943 to October 13, 1944; in the United Kingdom from October 14, 1944 to November 23, 1944 and in France, Belgium, Netherlands, and Germany from November 24, 1944 to March 25, 1945.  He was killed in action against the enemy in Germany March 25, 1945 at age 19….”

Harry William lost his life during the Battle of Bienen in Germany, in which  44 members of the North Nova Scotia Highlanders lost their lives and 68 were wounded.  In 2000 a memorial plaque was placed in Bienen to honour those who lost their lives in this battle.  (See http://wikimapia.org/17003812/Commemorative-plaque-of-Battle-of-Bienen)

Cyrille went on to explain that “…Private Doucette was remembered and honoured May 5, 2020, September 12, 2020 and November 11, 2020 – the 75th anniversary year of the liberation of The Netherlands….”  He also was kind enough to include a link to a YouTube video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GR3SowfKA_E

Arnold Hupman

Arnold F Hupman.  (Photo submitted by Marilyn Hupman)

Marilyn Hupman sent a photo and information on her grandfather, Flying Officer Arnold F. HUPMAN, writing that “… He was the only boy of 7 children, born and raised in East Side of Ragged Island, Shelburne County, Nova Scotia. 

Margaret Nickerson and he married and had 3 sons, Arnold, Robert and Arthur.  Arthur is the only surviving child.  My father, Arthur, was 7 years old when he last saw his father, just before he went overseas. 

From the stories I heard as a child he was asked to stay in Canada and teach pilots, but being a true Canadian he said no that he signed up to fight and he was going over.

Our family is very proud of our Grandfather and the rest of the family that fought. The only loss was F.O. A.F. Hupman….”

Arnold lost his life when the Lancaster bomber he was in crashed on the outskirts of Arnhem on the night of June 16 to 17, 1944, after being shot down by a German nightfighter. All 7 members of the crew of Lancaster VR-V lost their lives.  They were temporarily buried in the Netherlands Reformed Church Cemetery in Huissensedijk on June 29, and later reburied in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek.   

In addition to Arnold Hupman, the other crew members were: Donald MORISSEN, Gerald QUINN, Harold FLETCHER, Clifford JOHNSTON, Philip MCMANUS, and Edward FAHY. (More information can be found in this English translation of an article by the late Willem Tiemans: https://airbornearnhem.nl/WillemTiemens/Elden%20bomber%20crash.htm)

Soldiers buried at the Canadian War Cemetery in Bergen Op Zoom, The Netherlands

Austin Boutilier photo from Judy MacKenzie

Austin Ephraim Boutilier. (Photo submitted by Judy MacKenzie)

Judy MacKenzie submitted a photo of her great-uncle, Austin Ephraim BOUTILIER, who was killed in action in Belgium during the Battle of the Scheldt on September 29, 1944, aged 26, while serving with the Black Watch Regiment.  (See https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/second-world-war/scheldt)

Judy MacKenzie explained that “…He was gone long before I was born. His father was Ansil Boutilier. He was married to Hannah Hershman. They lived in Tantallon, Nova Scotia. They would have been my great grandparents. I remember stories that he joined the military before he was old enough.  However, if he was 26 when he died, that would appear to be untrue. All of Austin’s siblings are gone. Several of Austin’s siblings fought in the war, including my grandfather, who married Austin’s sister. Everyone else made it home, some with shrapnel in them….”

Judy’s uncle, Ernest ‘Ernie’ MacKenzie, wrote that “…our Uncle Austin is buried at Bergen op Zoom Canadian War Cemetery. We did visit Austin’s grave in 2011….” 

According to the Field Service record, Austin was initially buried in Belgium on September 30, 1944 “…on the south side of the road between Ryckevorsel towards St. Leonard...” before being reburied in Bergen Op Zoom in The Netherlands.

Thank you to André Boudreau, Marion Fryday-Cook, the Doucette family, Marilym Hupman, Cyrille LeBlanc, Dara Legere, Ernie MacKenzie, and Judy MacKenzie for sharing photos and anecdotes.  Atlantic Canadians remember their loved ones who are buried overseas.

More photos and stories in Atlantic Canada Remembers – Part 7! If you have photos or information to share, please email Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or tweet to @researchmemori1. 

© Daria Valkenburg

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