Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC)

On The War Memorial Trail….Remembrance Week 2025 – Reflections and Updates

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November 9, 2025.  When we write a story on the blog, we often receive additional information about the soldiers we’ve written about, about other soldiers buried in the same cemetery, or who served in the same unit. This Remembrance Week 2025 posting gives an update on three soldiers whose stories were previously told, one whose story is coming up in a future posting, and about our visit to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission office in Ottawa, Ontario.

Each year we also try to visit one or more war memorials in Canada. In this posting we feature a visit to the Memramcook Veterans Park in Memramcook, New Brunswick, and Beach Grove Memorial Forest in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island.

…A banner for WWII soldier Joseph ‘Ambroise’ Comeau….

Banner for WWII soldier Joseph ‘Ambroise’ Comeau. (Photo credit: Simone Comeau)

One of the WWII soldiers buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands, is Joseph ‘Ambroise’ COMEAU, from Lower Saulnierville, Nova Scotia. Ambroise was one of 5 soldiers from the North Nova Scotia Highlanders Regiment who drowned in a tragic accident in the Battle of Leer in Germany on April 28, 1945, aged 21.  His was one of the 383 graves we visited this spring during our 2025 European War Memorial Tour, and Pieter had placed flags of Canada and Nova Scotia, as well as an Acadian flag, by his grave.

When Simone Comeau recently sent us a photo of her uncle’s banner, she explained why it included both a Canadian and Acadian flag.  “…We had a choice as to which flag we wanted along with the flag of Canada so since you honoured the Acadian veterans this year in Holland and we are Acadians I figured it was only appropriate to do so….”

You can read Ambroise’s story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/05/17/on-the-war-memorial-trail-a-tragic-drowning-on-the-leda-river-in-germany-part-3/  and about our visit to his grave at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2025/09/04/on-the-war-memorial-trail-2025-faces-of-holten-exhibition-part-4-soldiers-who-drowned-during-operation-duck/

 ….The family of WWII soldier James ‘Jimmy’ Oliver Thomas framed the photo we sent…

Framed photo taken at the grave of James ‘Jimmy’ Oliver Thomas.  (Photo courtesy of Rodd Cooper)

During our visit to the various cemeteries during the 2025 European War Memorial Tour, we took photos of each grave at which Pieter placed flags, and later sent photos to the families of these soldiers.  Rodd Cooper, nephew of WWII soldier James ‘Jimmy’ Oliver THOMAS framed the photo we had emailed him, and emailed us back a photo of the framed picture with the family’s thanks.  We were deeply touched by this!

Born in St. Peters, Manitoba, Jimmy died in Germany on May 2, 1945, aged 33, a few days after being liberated from the Stalag VII-A POW Camp in Moosburg, Germany. He had been taken prisoner of war on May 22, 1943, while serving with the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada, during the breaking of the Hitler Line.

You can read Jimmy’s story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2024/02/18/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-wwii-soldier-from-manitoba-who-died-shortly-after-being-liberated-from-stalag-vii-a/  and about our visit to his grave at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2025/09/10/on-the-war-memorial-trail-2025-faces-of-holten-exhibition-part-5-indigenous-soldiers/

….WWII soldier Samuel George Engen was remembered by his great-niece Clover Rusk on National Indigenous Veterans Day…

In a November 8, 2025 Facebook posting, Clover Rusk remembered her great-uncle, Samuel George ENGEN of The Pas, Manitoba on National Indigenous Veterans Day….and thanked Pieter “…for dedicating his time to Indigenous war vets buried overseas…”

After a 3 year search by various family members, a photo was found by Clover earlier this year, in an album that had belonged to her great-grandfather Aaron, the older brother of Samuel.

The son of Louis Julius Engen and Mary Helen (nee Buck) Engen, and husband of Miriam Susan Pranteau, Samuel died April 23, 1945 in Germany, during the Battle for the Kusten Canal, aged 27, while serving with the Lake Superior Regiment.  

Samuel is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands, which we visited this past May, and where Pieter placed flags of Canada and Manitoba by his grave.  His story will be told in an upcoming posting.

….Flags were placed at the grave of WWII airman William Andrew Hood on our behalf…

Grave of William Andrew Hood.  (Photo credit: Robert van der Ende)

One of the cemeteries to visit on our 2025 European War Memorial Tour was Eindhoven General Cemetery in Eindhoven, The Netherlands, where WWII airman William Andrew HOOD, of Little Bras D’or, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, is buried. 

Eindhoven was near where we were for a family visit, and we had planned to go to the cemetery before we left for Belgium the following day.  But….by this time we were totally exhausted, and didn’t see how we could manage it.  Thankfully, Robert van der Ende volunteered to take flags of Canada and Nova Scotia and place them at William’s grave on our behalf.  We were very grateful for that act of kindness!  This was the only cemetery on our list that we didn’t personally visit.

William 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.  You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2023/09/19/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-wwii-airman-from-bras-dor-who-was-aboard-the-last-flight-of-halifax-jd215/

….We visited the CWGC office in Ottawa…

This year, Pieter became one of the volunteers across Canada participate in the National Volunteer Program.  He was assigned 4 cemeteries on Prince Edward Island to visit and gather information about the condition of Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) war graves, and to clean the grave stones as needed. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2025/08/08/on-the-war-memorial-trail-cwgc-volunteer-at-cape-traverse-community-cemetery/ and https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2025/09/28/on-the-war-memorial-trailthe-wwii-carpenter-buried-in-seven-mile-bay-who-does-not-have-a-cwgc-headstone/ for stories about two of the soldiers buried in a CWGC grave)

Left to right: Pieter Valkenburg, Julene Warren, Daria Valkenburg, Elizabeth Hale.  (Photo courtesy of Valkenburg Family Collection)

During a trip to Ottawa in October, we visited the CWGC office and met with two of the coordinators overseeing the volunteers:  Elizabeth Hale and Julene Warren.  It was a chance to put faces to names, and to learn more about the important work being done to look after war graves here in Canada.

….We visited the Memramcook Veterans Park in Memramcook, New Brunswick…

Our friend and fellow researcher, Etienne Gaudet, had invited us several times to visit his hometown of Memramcook, New Brunswick, and one Saturday in June we were able to do so.  Etienne proudly took us around the Memramcook Veterans Park, which commemorates those who served and are from the Memramcook area. 

Etienne Gaudet (left) with Pieter at Memramcook Veterans Park. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

A unique billboard highlighted the ships on which troops travelled to Great Britain, and the countries in Europe in which they fought. 

Etienne Gaudet (left) with Pieter at Memramcook Veterans Park. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Etienne also wanted us to meet 102 year old WWII veteran, Romeo LEBLANC, and we were delighted to have the opportunity to do so. 

Etienne Gaudet (left) and Pieter (right) with WWII veteran Romeo LeBlanc. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

….We visited the Beach Grove Memorial Forest in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island…

Pieter at the entrance to Beach Grove Memorial Forest in Charlottetown. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

This spring we received an email from Jim Little, saying he was writing a story about Private Frank LUTZ, an orphan from Prince Edward Island, who was badly wounded on February 20, 1945 during the Battle of Moyland Wood, while serving with the Canadian Scottish Regiment. He died on March 2, 1945, aged 19, and is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands. (See https://www.facestograves.nl/LifeStories/LUTZ%20Frank-JLE-bio-EN.pdf)

Jim wanted to know if Frank was listed on a cenotaph on the Island.  Yes, was the answer….he is listed on a Canadian Army memorial stone at Beach Grove Memorial Forest in Charlottetown.  The memorial forest honours WWII veterans from Prince Edward Island with granite stones that list their names and includes a tree for each person that is honoured.

Pieter walks along the path in Beach Grove Memorial Forest.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

The memorial stones are located along a path in the forest, which, during the war, had been used as a training facility for various regiments and units.  The stones honour those who died during the war while serving in the Royal Canadian Navy, Merchant Navy, Canadian Army, and Royal Canadian Air Force.  We found Frank’s name listed on the stone for the Canadian Army.

Frank Lutz was listed on one of the memorial stones for the Canadian Army. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

We ended up spending a long time in the forest, looking at each stone, as Pieter had researched so many of the names listed on each stone!

Thank you to Simone Comeau, Rodd Cooper, Etienne Gaudet, Clover Rusk, and Robert van der Ende. The work of remembrance of those who served continues.

The flags placed at William Andrew Hood’s grave were donated.  Our thanks go to: 

  • Alan Waddell, Constituent Assistant, on behalf of Heath MacDonald, MP for Malpeque, for the Canadian flag.
  • Kyle Graham, Research Officer, Military Relations, Nova Scotia Intergovernmental Affairs, on behalf of Premier Tim Houston, Province of Nova Scotia, for the Nova Scotia flag.

If you have a story to tell, please let Pieter know. You can 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/ 

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 Carpenter Buried In Seven Mile Bay Who Does Not Have A CWGC Headstone

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Postcard promoting CWGC’s National Volunteer Program included a photo of Pieter (top left) that Daria took at Cape Traverse Community Cemetery.

September 28, 2025. One of the cemeteries that Pieter was assigned when he became a volunteer under the National Volunteer Program for the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) was Seven Mile Bay (St Peter’s) Cemetery in Seven Mile Bay, Prince Edward Island.  There are 4 CWGC war graves at this cemetery. 

…3 soldiers buried in Seven Mile Bay are listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion…

Pieter at Seven Mile Bay (St Peter’s) Cemetery.  Can you spot the Confederation Bridge in the background?  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Three of the WWII soldiers buried in this cemetery are listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion in Borden-Carleton, Prince Edward Island.  Their stories have been previously told on this blog….

Frank Lewis ARSENAULT of Kinkora, Prince Edward Island, was serving in the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, Home War Establishment Unit, and based at the Petawawa Military Hospital in Ontario, when he drowned accidentally in the Ottawa River on September 30, 1942, aged 29.  His body wasn’t found until a month later.  He left behind a wife and 4 children.  (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2019/12/14/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-ww2-soldier-who-drowned-in-quebec/)

Leonard Stephen AVERY of Bedeque, Prince Edward Island, died accidentally in Ontario while on guard duty at the Chippewa Power Canal in Welland County on the evening of August 23, 1943, aged 19, when he was accidentally shot through the head while examining a rifle.  He was serving with the 1st Garrison Battalion of the Canadian Army, and stationed in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2019/11/26/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-ww2-soldier-who-was-accidentally-shot/  and https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2022/12/17/on-the-war-memorial-trail-a-photo-for-wwii-soldier-leonard-stephen-avery/)

John Daniel ‘Jack’ FERGUSON of Borden (now Borden-Carleton), Prince Edward Island, was serving in the Royal Canadian Navy Reserve, and on patrol duty out of Halifax, Nova Scotia.  After becoming ill while serving aboard the patrol ship ‘Ross Norman’, he was sent to Camp Hill Hospital in Halifax on August 19, 1942.  On August 30, 1942 he went into shock from peritonitis. Despite treatment, he died on September 6, 1942, aged 19. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2020/03/04/the-ww2-able-seaman-who-died-of-peritonitis/)

…1 soldier buried in Seven Mile Bay did not have a CWGC headstone…

Grave of John Peter ‘JP’ White.  (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

The fourth grave, that of John Peter ‘JP’ WHITE, was listed as a CWGC grave, but did not have the distinctive CWGC headstone, and the name of the soldier was unfamiliar to Pieter.  Instead, the headstone listed the soldier, and his wife, Frances (nee Smith), who had died 3 years earlier.

His curiosity aroused, Pieter decided to research the soldier and look for a family member.  It wasn’t long before he came in contact with JP’s niece, Alice Cash Blakeney, and we had a chance to meet her in Summerside.  “….My mother was his sister Martina, and she always referred to him as JP…”  Alice explained.

Pieter with Alice Cash Blakeney, who is holding a photo of her uncle, JP White. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

…JP grew up in Emerald Junction.…

The family homestead where JP White grew up.  (Photo courtesy of Alice Cash Blakeney and Estate of Bernadette White Adler)

Born in Emerald Junction, Prince Edward Island, on June 2, 1912, JP was the son of John Thomas and Janie Josephine (nee Cameron) White.  JP had 2 brothers and 4 sisters, and although their father was a carpenter, the family also ran a small farm.

Front row, left to right:  JP, Martina, Dave, Bernadette.  Back row, left to right: Matthew, Agnes, John Thomas, Janie Josephine, Mary Catherine. (Photo courtesy of Alice Cash Blakeney and Estate of Bernadette White Adler)

….JP enlisted in 1942…

After completing Grade 8, JP began working as a carpenter.  On February 4, 1942, he married Frances Teresa Smith in Charlottetown.   “…The Whites were noted as being great dancers, so it’s likely that JP met his wife Frances Smith at a dance….”  Alice reflected.

JP originally enlisted under the National Resources Mobilization Act (NRMA) at the No. 6a NRMA Clearing Depot in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island on August 27, 1942 and began basic training at No. 62 Canadian Army Basic Training Centre in Charlottetown. At the time, he stated he had been a carpenter for the past 10 or 12 years, having learned the trade from his father. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Resources_Mobilization_Act)

Just as JP was completing his basic training, tragedy struck on October 1, 1942. Alice said that “…JP’s wife died in childbirth….”

On October 30, 1942, JP was sent to A1 Canadian Artillery Training Centre (CATC) in Petawawa, Ontario for infantry training as a gunner. 

While in Petawawa, JP tried to enlist as ‘Active’, but was “…advised to remain…” under the NRMA, as he was considered “…unsuitable for operational duty…” due to bad knees.  

In January 1943, he was granted a 2 week furlough, allowing him to return home to Prince Edward Island. The furlough was then extended by another 11 days, after which he returned to Petawawa.

John Peter ‘JP’ White in January 1943 during his return to Prince Edward Island while on furlough. (Photo courtesy of Alice Cash Blakeney and Estate of Bernadette White Adler)

….JP was transferred to the 10th LAA for a short period in June 1943…

After qualifying as a Carpenter Group ‘B’ on April 26, 1943, JP was transferred to the 10th Light Anti-Aircraft (LAA) Regiment of the Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA) on June 15, 1943, and sent to Tracadie, New Brunswick. The 10th LAA was part of the 7th (Home Defence) Division and JP was posted to the 8th Light Anti-Aircraft Battery RCA in Saint John, New Brunswick.

He spent the next months working as a carpenter, but starting in August 1943, he had medical issues, resulting in brief hospitalizations.  Health issues ended his assignment with the 10th LAA and on October 28, 1943 he was transferred to No. 6 District Depot in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

In a November 30, 1943 interview that was recorded in his Personnel Selection Record, he was described as “…a mature serious-minded soldier of steady judgement….”  It went on to state that JP “…wished to remain in the service and would prefer duty in his trade…” and that his knee condition “…should not impair his efficiency as a tradesman…”  It was recommended that he be transferred to a suitable Home War Establishment (HWE) for duty as a carpenter.

….JP was assigned to the Royal Canadian Engineers as a carpenter…

John Peter ‘JP’ White. (Photo courtesy of Alice Cash Blakeney and Estate of Bernadette White Adler)

On January 19, 1944, JP was transferred to No. 6 Field Company of the Royal Canadian Engineers in Debert, Nova Scotia.  He remained there until May 24, 1944 when he was granted 6 weeks of spring farm leave in order to return to Prince Edward Island and work on the family farm.  His father had died in 1936, meaning that JP and his brothers had to help out his mother.

Upon his return back to duty on July 29, 1944, he was assigned to No. 6 Engineer Survey and Works (ES&W) Company of the Royal Canadian Engineers in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and continued to work as a carpenter. 

Unfortunately, he had another medical issue on November 28, 1944, when he was hospitalized for 3 weeks in the Military Hospital in Debert, Nova Scotia with appendicitis.

He was discharged from hospital on December 19, 1944 and sent to No. 5 Casualty Retraining Centre (CRC) in Sussex, New Brunswick for 71 days for further recovery.  On January 19, 1945, he was hospitalized again, this time at the Sussex Military Hospital.

On March 8, 1945, he was deemed ‘fit for duty’.  A report on his condition in the Supplement To Personnel Selection Record stated that JP was “…pleasant and straightforward….” and had “…cooperated well and followed the training in all grades at this Centre making satisfactory recovery…”  He was assessed as remaining “…suitable for employment in RCE for base duties…” as a carpenter.

….JP enlisted in the Active Army in April 1945…

On March 21, 1945, JP was again sent to No. 6 District Depot in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in preparation for his change in status when he was deemed fit enough to enlist in the Active Army on April 5, 1945.   He returned to No. 6 Field Company of the Royal Canadian Engineers in Halifax on April 29, 1945, where it was noted that JP requested to return to No. 6 Engineer Survey and Works (ES&W) Company of the Royal Canadian Engineers.

No sooner had JP been assigned to No. 6 Engineer Survey and Works (ES&W) Company than he requested a 3 month leave of absence without pay for compassionate farm leave.  This was granted from June 28, 1945 until September 27, 1945.

When he returned back to duty, however, it was to No. 6 District Depot in Halifax.  On October 2, 1945, a few days after returning to duty, he applied again for farm leave without pay, which was granted until April 1946.

….JP died following an operation in December 1945…

JP never returned to his army duties.  While back on Prince Edward Island for the farm leave that had been granted to him, he was hospitalized in Charlottetown, and died following an operation on December 15, 1945, aged 33.

JP was buried alongside his wife Frances in Seven Mile Bay (St Peter’s) Cemetery in Seven Mile Bay, Prince Edward Island. 

A note on his death record noted that he would not receive a separate Commonwealth War Graves Commission headstone unless the family applied for it.  It further stated that ‘next of kin does not answer correspondence’. 

JP’s family was overwhelmed, not only by his death, but by the death of his mother in March 1946, leaving his brother Matthew, who lived in Charlottetown and had a family of his own, in addition to managing the farm, as the next-of-kin.

Pieter now knew what happened to JP, and resolved to ensure that his service is acknowledged when the Legion in Borden-Carleton places flags by graves of veterans during Remembrance Week 2025. No flag had been placed by his grave in previous years as no one at the Legion was aware that JP had served during WWII.  (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2024/11/03/on-the-war-memorial-trail-borden-carleton-legion-honours-veterans-by-placing-flags-at-their-graves/)

Thank you to Alice Cash Blakeney for providing the photos and information on her uncle. 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/

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…..CWGC Volunteer At Cape Traverse Community Cemetery

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CWGC Volunteer Pieter trying to activate the Work App at Cape Traverse Community Cemetery.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

August 8, 2025. Anyone who has visited a War Graves Cemetery managed by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) can attest to how well the graves are cared for and the incredible work done by the gardeners in ensuring that flowers and small shrubs are planted in each row of graves. 

And yes, the grass is kept green and well-watered, as we ourselves experienced while visiting one of the Canadian War Cemeteries in The Netherlands on a very hot day.  It wasn’t that I minded getting drenched, but I didn’t appreciate my carefully written spreadsheet of the graves to visit getting water-soaked!

We knew that the CWGC commemorates and cares for the graves of men and women of the Commonwealth that died during WWI and WWII, but were astounded to learn that this involves 1.7 million graves. Six member countries make up the CWGC– the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, India, and South Africa.

According to the CWGC website, “… 23,000 locations in over 150 countries and territories….” are covered with “…. over 2,000 ‘constructed’ war cemeteries the largest being Tyne Cot in Belgium….” – which we had visited in 2017.

….Who is commemorated in a CWGC grave?…

CWGC commemorates personnel who died between August 4, 1914 and August 31, 1921 for WWI and September 3, 1939 and December 31, 1947 for WWII, while serving in a Commonwealth military force or specified auxiliary organization.

CWGC also commemorates those who died in the same WWI and WWII time period as above, after they were discharged from a Commonwealth military force, if their death was caused by their wartime service.

Commonwealth civilians who died between September 3, 1939 and December 31, 1947 as a consequence of enemy action, Allied weapons of war, or while in an enemy prison camp are also commemorated.

….Pieter is now a volunteer under CWGC’s National Volunteer Program…

Not all Canadians who died during WWI or WWII are buried overseas. They may have died of illness or accidents and were buried in Canada, but still have a CWGC gravestone.  Recently the CWGC asked for volunteers across Canada to be part of the National Volunteer Program and visit local cemeteries and gather information about the condition of CWGC war graves.

Having visited so many CWGC cemeteries, as well as CWGC graves in municipal cemeteries, in Europe, Pieter applied and was accepted as a volunteer.  After receiving training on how to inspect headstones, how to report a grave in need of repair, and how to safely clean headstones where required, he was assigned 4 cemeteries in the South Shore area on Prince Edward Island.   The 4 cemeteries are:

  • Cape Traverse Community Cemetery (3 CWGC graves)
  • Tryon People’s Cemetery (2 CWGC graves)
  • Kelly’s Cross (St Joseph) Parish Cemetery (1 CWGC grave)
  • Seven Mile Bay (St Peter’s) Cemetery  (4 CWGC graves)

….There are 3 CWGC graves at Cape Traverse Community Cemetery…

Pieter with Rev Kent Compton outside the Free Church of Scotland in Cape Traverse. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg

Cape Traverse Community Cemetery, formerly known as the Free Church of Scotland Cemetery, was first on Pieter’s list. A sub-committee of the Cape Traverse Ice Boat Heritage Incorporated maintains the cemetery on behalf of the Free Church of Scotland.  “…The church is still responsible for the cemetery and owns the land….” explained Reverend Kent Compton. 

Jim Glennie (left) and Andrew MacKay (right) with Pieter Valkenburg (centre).  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

“…This is the third summer that we’re cutting the grass at the cemetery…” reflected Andrew MacKay. Andrew and Jim Glennie, two volunteers with the organization, said that the organization had been approached for help by older parishioners in the community.

….Three CWGC graves were inspected at Cape Traverse Community Cemetery…

There are 3 CWGC graves in this cemetery, whose stories have all been told over the years on this blog:

Andrew MacKay (left), Pieter Valkenburg (centre) and Jim Glennie (right) at the grave of Leigh Hunt Cameron.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

….The 6 step process of inspecting and cleaning a grave…

The first grave Pieter inspected and cleaned at the Cape Traverse Community Cemetery was that of Elmyr Kruger…..

Step 1 – Take a photo of Elmyr’s  grave before cleaning begins.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Step 2 – Take a photo of the graves that are around Elmyr’s grave.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Step 3 – Gently brush off dirt on Elmyr’s grave.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Step 4 – Wash Elmyr’s grave with water.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Step 5 – Gently brush dirt off of the sides and back of Elmyr’s grave.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Step 6 – Wash the sides and back of Elmyr’s grave with water.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

….Over 100 years old but a very clean grave now…

Rev Kent Compton and Pieter by the WWI grave of Elmyr Kruger.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

The grave of Elmyr Kruger has been in place in the cemetery since October 1918, and now looks almost like new after being cleaned! Rev Compton and Pieter visited Elmyr’s grave a few days after it was cleaned.

….Can you help with finding photos?…

While a photo of Harold ‘Lloyd’ Lefurgey was provided by family years ago, no photo has yet been found for Elmyr Kruger or Leigh Hunt Cameron.  If you can help with finding a photo, please email Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com or comment on the blog.

When asked about his new role as a CWGC volunteer, Pieter had a simple reply. “…It’s an honour for me to take care of those graves, which I’ve already visited several times as a member of the Borden-Carleton Legion Branch, when we place flags at the graves of veterans during Remembrance Week…” (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2024/11/03/on-the-war-memorial-trail-borden-carleton-legion-honours-veterans-by-placing-flags-at-their-graves/)

© 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/

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter Valkenburg: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ591TyjSheOR-Cb_Gs_5Kw. 

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

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

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

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

Will Bird account of what happened to George Preston Smith

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CIMG8945 Sep 15 2017 Groesbeek cemetery Pieter at Cross for remembrance

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

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

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

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

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

© Daria Valkenburg

…Want to follow our research?…

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

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

Subscribe to our YouTube Channel: On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter Valkenburg: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCJ591TyjSheOR-Cb_Gs_5Kw. 

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On The War Memorial Trail….A Visit To Chester Farm Military Cemetery

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October 22, 2017.  After we paid our respects to Arthur Robinson at La Laiterie Military Cemetery in Belgium, we made our way to Chester Farm Military Cemetery, 5 km south of Ypres, where another WWI soldier, James Lymon CAMERON, is buried.  The cemetery, one of three in the area, is in a farming area.

CIMG8660 Sep 9 2017 Directional sign to Chester Farm Military Cemetery

Directional sign to Chester Farm Cemetery. Note the John Deere dealership. We are in a farming area, only 5 km south of Ypres. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

Chester Farm was the name given to a farm about 1 km south of Blauwepoort Farm, on the road from Zillebeke to Voormezeele.  The names of these two places may be almost unpronounceable, but we encountered them over and over again as scenes of many fierce battles.

CIMG8662 Sep 9 2017 Chester Farm Military Cemetery stone marker

Stone marker on gate of Chester Farm Military Cemetery. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

The cemetery opened in March 1915 and has 420 Commonwealth burials, 7 of them unidentified.  It’s in a beautiful location, surrounded by cows.  It seems fitting for an Islander to be in such a rural location.

CIMG8671 Sep 9 2017 Chester Farm Military Cemetery with cows in backgroung flags by Camerons grave

Chester Farm Military Cemetery, surrounded by cows. Pieter had already placed flags on the grave of James Lymon Cameron. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Private James Lymon Cameron was born December 30, 1892 in Victoria, Prince Edward Island, the son of Edward H. Cameron, a carpenter, and Susan Estelle Harrington of Hampton.  The family was Roman Catholic and worshipped at the church in Kelly’s Cross.

With such a background on the island, it was a mystery to us why no one seemed to know the family, until Pieter’s research revealed that the family must have moved around quite a bit for Edward’s work.  In a 1900 US census, the family was living in South Bend City, in the state of Washington, and James Lymon’s sister Ethel was recorded as having been born in New Hampshire in 1889.  He had an older sister Lucy who was born on Prince Edward Island, but was not listed in the 1900 census, suggesting that she was no longer alive, and a younger brother Otto, who was born on Prince Edward Island.

In a 1921 census from Vancouver, another younger brother, Edward, is recorded as having been born in the USA around 1906.  Ethel is living with her parents and brother.  She is recorded as married with the last name Gilbert, but her husband is not with her.

At the time that James Lymon enlisted on March 18, 1915 with the 47th Battalion (BC) CEF, the family was living in Vancouver, and he was employed as a marine oiler.  By October 1915 he was on his way to Europe, and transferred twice, first to the 30th Reserve Battalion, and then to the 7th Canadian Infantry Battalion (1st British Columbia).

On July 24, 1916, he was killed by enemy shell fire at ‘The Bluff’ at Ypres Salient during The Battle of The Bluff near St. Eloi.  The Bluff is a mound near St Eloi, south-east of Ypres, which was created from a spoil heap during the digging of the Ypres–Comines Canal before the war.

CIMG8666 Sep 9 2017 Chester Farm Military Cemetery Pieter by grave of James Lymon Cameron

Pieter by the grave of James Lymon Cameron at Chester Farm Military Cemetery. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

The war diary of the 7th Canadian Infantry Battalion for July 2, 1916, explained what happened in three terse lines:  “Bombardment of Front Line. Headquarters Shelled. Our retaliation effective.”

Unfortunately, this is all we know about James Lymon Cameron.  We don’t even know what he looked like.  If you can add any further information or provide a photo, please let us know.

In the next blog entry we visit Menin Gate in Ypres. Comments or stories?  You can share them by emailing us at memorialtrail@gmail.com or by commenting on this blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

….Want to follow our research?….

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

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

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

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On The War Memorial Trail….On The Road To Rouen

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October 1, 2017.  Leaving the Arras area, which we had thought was busy enough, was an experience, as now we encountered toll roads.  We soon learned to dread the words ‘gare de péage’.  While all the toll booths have iconic names, like the first one we pulled up at, named ‘Jules Verne’, they are now mostly automated, and you need cash or a debit or credit card.

…. ‘Gare de péage’ meant frustration in trying to pay a toll in Normandy….

If you are one of the modern people thinking ‘Dinosaur’, let me describe the experience.  First off, the box where you have to pay is designed to accommodate truckers, not people in dinky toy cars like the majority of cars used in Europe.  Most people do not have the rubber arms needed to reach up to drop the money in, so each toll booth encounter takes longer than it would if you paid an attendant, as car doors open and people try to squeeze out in the available space to drop their money in manually, or pay by card.  And of course, you need first to figure out WHERE you place your money as there is more than one slot.

If you use cash, as we did, you soon also learned that it’s best to have exact change, as otherwise you have to WAIT for change and then reach up to another slot to get your money.  Anyone in a hurry sometimes leaves their change behind!

PEI is not alone in charging heavy tolls.  We left 7.70 euros at Jules Verne, only to encounter another toll booth 6 minutes later!  At this one we picked up a ticket which cost us another 5.70 euros half an hour later.  The count so far … 13.40 euros.  In Canadian dollars it comes to about $19.75, and the day was just beginning.

…. We were on the right street but in the wrong community!….

It took us just over 2 ½ hours to get to Rouen from Mont St. Eloi, and, following the GPS instructions to the St. Sever Cemetery, arrived at Boulevard Stanislas Girardin, only to find it was in downtown Rouen.  No cemetery in sight!  The streets are extremely narrow, jam packed with cars and pedestrians and most of the streets one way traffic only.  We finally gave up trying to figure out what had gone wrong and stopped in front of a short driveway into a huge government building behind a walled gate, and asked a passerby for help.

The poor man looked at our sheet from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission and finally said, very kindly, that we were on the right street, but not in Rouen.  The cemetery was in a nearby community.  Sure enough, when we looked at the cemetery location instructions, it said it was “situated on the eastern edge of the southern Rouen suburbs of Le Grand Quevilly and Le Petit Quevilly.”  But what we didn’t understand was why we’d been directed downtown when we had the right street.

The man explained that it was in either Le Grand Quevilly or Le Petit Quevilly, he wasn’t sure which.  So, the GPS got reprogrammed for Le Grand Quevilly.  The word “suburb” was a misnomer.

While this discussion had been going on, traffic was backing up as people wanting to get into or out of the government driveway were held up as we were blocking the road.  Not one person honked or showed any impatience!  We thanked the man for his help, and then slowly backed up onto the traffic, and made our way out of town.

…. A car salesman steered us in the right direction to the cemetery….

Le Grand Quevilly was a short distance away, but it was not the location of the cemetery.  We pulled into a car dealership to ask directions, only to find out that France shuts down for lunch break.  Everything was locked up, but we found a salesman in a tent on the lot, reading his emails.

“I’m from a different country,” he said, when we asked about the cemetery.  Then he made us laugh when he went on to say, “I’m from Paris.”  But he was very effective at finding someone who could help us and that’s when we learned that we wanted to be in Le Petit Quevilly, and how to get there.

In Le Petit Quevilly, on a street by the same name as in Rouen (what are the odds?), we were able to find St. Sever Cemetery Extension, the location where Bazil Cormier is buried.

CIMG8598 Sep 7 2017 sign directing us to St Sever Cemetery Extension

Sign to the St. Sever Cemetery in Le Petit Quevilly. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

According to the information provided by the Canadian War Graves Commission, during WWI, Commonwealth camps and hospitals were stationed on the southern outskirts of Rouen.  Most hospitals remained there during the war.  A number of those who died in the hospitals were buried in other cemeteries, but the majority were buried at St. Sever Cemetery.  In September 1916, the Extension, where Bazil Cormier is buried, began.

In WWII, Rouen was again a hospital centre, and several Commonwealth soldiers who were prisoners of war during the German occupation are buried in the Extension.

…. St. Sever Cemetery Extension was huge….

St. Sever Cemetery Extension is the largest cemetery we’ve been to so far, with 8,348 WWI Commonwealth burials, 10 of them unidentified, 328 WWII Commonwealth burials, 18 of them unidentified, and 8 foreign nationals.

With such a large cemetery, it was not easy to find Cormier’s grave.  Luckily, in this cemetery, several gardeners from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission were on site.  While Pieter went to look in the Grave Register, I looked at the graves, trying to find the row in which Cormier was buried.  One gardener asked if I needed help.  When I explained who we were looking for, he asked if I had the paper with the burial information.  I explained it was on the other side of the cemetery with Pieter, who was comparing it to the information in the Grave Register.

Just to let you know how great these workers are, the gardener immediately went over to the other side of the cemetery and then spent the next few minutes looking for the grave, which of course was as far away as possible from where we were!

CIMG8587 Sep 7 2017 Pieter at the grave of Bazil Cormier at St Sever Cemetery Extension

Pieter at the grave of Bazil Cormier in St. Sever Cemetery Extension in Le Petit Quevilly. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

…. Bazil Cormier lost his life during the Battle of Amiens….

According to his Attestation papers, Private Bazil CORMIER was born January 6, 1898 in Tignish, the son of Joseph Cormier and Marie Arsenault.  A farmer before enlisting with the 105th Draft Regiment on December 4, 1916, he died of wounds received in the Battle of Amiens near Cachy on August 12, 1918, at the age of 21.  At the time of his death he was with the 26th New Brunswick Battalion.

The War Graves Register Circumstances of Death notes that “…During operations east of Amiens, on the morning of August 8th 1918, he was hit in the head by a machine gun bullet. He was immediately dressed by a comrade and carried out, but succumbed to his wounds at No. 4 General Hospital, Rouen, four days later...”  According to the active/casualty document in his file, however, he was transported to the No. 5 General Hospital, not the No. 4 General Hospital, where he died.

The Battle of Amiens, also known as the Third Battle of Picardy, was the opening phase of the Allied offensive which began on August 8, 1918, later known as the Hundred Days Offensive, that ultimately led to the end of the First World War.  This is the same battle in which James CAIRNS lost his life on August 9, 1918.

CIMG8592 Sep 7 2017 Pieter at grave of B Cormier in St Sever Cemetery Extension

Pieter by the grave of Bazil Cormier. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

As with too many of the WWI soldiers, we have no photo or further information about Bazil Cormier.

The cemeteries we’d been to in the past days had all been in the countryside.  St. Sever Cemetery Extension was in an urban setting, and bordered the Rouen Soccer Club, which caught the interest of soccer fan Pieter.

CIMG8590 Sep 7 2017 next to St Sever Cemetery Extension is the soccer club of Rouen

The Rouen Soccer Club was on the other side of the fence of the St. Sever Cemetery Extension. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

We couldn’t leave the cemetery without giving flag pins to the gardeners, one of whom spoke English and told Pieter that he had just graduated from horticultural college and loved his job.  The head gardener, who had helped us in the beginning, was unfortunately out on an errand, so we were not able to say goodbye to him.

CIMG8596 Sep 7 2017 Pieter with a CWGC gardener at St Sever Cemetery Extension

Pieter with a young CWGC gardener at St. Sever Cemetery Extension. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

In the next blog entry we make our way to Bayeux, which has a connection with Pieter’s genealogical research as well as the Cenotaph research project. Do you have photo or info on Bazil Cormier?  Comments or stories?  You can share them by emailing us at memorialtrail@gmail.com or by commenting on this blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

….Want to follow our research?….

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

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

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

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On The War Memorial Trail….Reflections on the Cemetery Visits in the Arras Area

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October 1, 2017.  After visiting the cemeteries and Vimy Memorial to honour the memories of the soldiers on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion who perished in the area around Arras, we went to our “local” café for the past few days, L’Eurostar Café Brasserie, for a well-deserved rest and final meal before leaving the area.

IMG_20170904_185344129 Sep 4 2017 Pieter at LEurostar Cafe in Arras enjoying a Leffe beer

Pieter enjoying Leffe blond beer at L’Eurostar Café Brasserie in Arras. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

In France, dinner is not served before 7 pm.  Normally that wasn’t a problem for us as we would arrive at a restaurant completely exhausted long after 7 pm, but after the success in finally finding Manitoba Cemetery we arrived back in Arras in the late afternoon, and decided to have an early dinner before packing up to leave the area in the morning.

We arrived at the café at 5:45 pm only to be told the kitchen didn’t open before 7 pm.  We were too tired to go back to the hotel and come back later, so we ordered an appetizer, camembert cheese of course in honour of our host country, and a drink and relaxed until the chef appeared, right on the dot of 7 pm.

Since we had all this time to relax and reflect on our journey so far, I asked Pieter how he felt.  He said that, for him, “…visiting the graves made things come full circle.  You start off with a name on the Cenotaph.  Then you begin the research and read up on what happened.  Hopefully you get a photo and personal stories.  Now we’ve ended up where the person died after a very short life….”

Pieter thought a bit before he continued, “….on the one side, I feel sorry they died so young.  On the other hand I feel honoured to be there to pay respects to them.  It makes me want to know more about them, now that I’ve visited their grave or memorial….”

We both agreed that for the soldiers without a photo the picture is not complete.  “…When I stand by a grave at the cemetery and have a photo so I know how the person looked, then I can feel a connection…” Pieter explained.

“…It’s especially sad for soldiers like Arthur Collett, buried in Grandcourt Road Cemetery, and James Cairns, buried in Manitoba Cemetery, that they are buried in cemeteries that get very few visitors. They are just a number….“ Each identified grave lists the soldier’s name, unit, rank, and identification number.

We both also agreed that the gardeners and maintenance staff at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission do a fantastic job of keeping up the cemeteries.  Over the past days, we’ve handed out Canadian flag pins to anyone we’ve seen driving around in the white vans with CWGC written on them and they have been enthusiastically received.  Up to now, we hadn’t seen anyone in a cemetery itself, but the work they do in sometimes very difficult locations, such as Grandcourt Road Cemetery, is to be commended.

When Pieter began this project, World War I was just history to us, no different than the various dates and historical facts we learned in school over the years.  Now it’s become a story with real people, and along the way, we are meeting wonderful people who work hard to preserve the history that we have largely forgotten.

In the next blog entry we visit the ruins of Mount St. Eloi church before going on to Rouen to St. Sever Cemetery Extension. Do you have photos or information about James Cairns?  Does anyone know the family members who visited the grave of Ted Arsenault of Abrams Village? Comments or stories?  You can share them by emailing us at memorialtrail@gmail.com or by commenting on this blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

….Want to follow our research?….

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

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

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

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