Dieppe Raid

On The War Memorial Trail….The WWII Soldier From Winnipeg Who Was Recognized For His Heroism During The Dieppe Raid But Died During The Battle Of The Scheldt

/ On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / 2 Comments

January 21, 2026. For the past several years, in the week before Remembrance Day, the Winnipeg Free Press newspaper features a soldier on one of the photo search lists that Pieter gets from the Canadian War Cemeteries in The Netherlands.  For the November 2025 feature, journalist Kevin Rollason asked if Pieter had a soldier on his list from Winnipeg, my home town.

Pieter said yes, and asked if Kevin would feature a soldier, buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Bergen Op Zoom, The Netherlands, who overcame a traumatic childhood and was recognized for ‘gallant and distinguished service’ during the Dieppe Raid (Operation Jubilee) on August 19, 1942, before losing his life on October 27, 1944, aged 22, during the Battle of the Scheldt. The search for a photo of the soldier was still active when Kevin’s story ‘Searching For A Hero’ was published on November 10, 2025.  (See Searching for a hero by Kevin Rollason)

Charles ‘Gordon’ ERICKSON was born July 27, 1922 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, the son of Frank and Helen (Ellen) Gordon (nee Grant) Erickson. According to their marriage record, Frank was born in USA, and Helen in Scotland. Gordon was the middle child, with an older sister, Hazel Francis, and a younger sister, Barbara ‘Nancy’.

….Gordon and his sister Nancy ended up in the care of the Children’s Aid Society…

It’s unclear exactly what happened, but before Gordon turned 5, the family had fractured.  A  Free Press Evening Bulletin notice from July 5, 1927 stated that Gordon and Nancy would be put into care of the Children’s Aid Society as of July 27, 1927.  The two children had been adopted by two different families. Unfortunately, both adoptions failed, putting them into care.

In the end, the two were separated from each other and didn’t reconnect until both were in service during WWII. The fate of their older sister Hazel was unknown to them.

Shortly after the Winnipeg Free Press article was published, Nancy’s son, Gordon Barker, contacted Pieter.  He explained that Frank “….worked on railroad and abandoned his wife and children, and it was believed that he returned to the USA.  Helen travelled to Minneapolis to look for him, had a nervous breakdown, and ended up in a mental institution, where she is thought to have died, circa 1966….”  

…. Gordon lied about his age upon enlistment…

Life was not easy for Gordon during his childhood.  When he enlisted on January 2, 1940 with the No. 5 General Hospital, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps (RCAMC), Canadian Active Service Force (CASF), he wrote that he was born in 1918.  This was later changed to 1919, which was still incorrect as he was born in 1922.

His next of kin was originally listed as his father, but this was then changed to his Children’s Aid Society Guardian, Joseph Dumas. When asked if he had ever worked before enlistment, he stated that, from 1932 up to the date of enlistment, he had worked as a farmhand at the Smallicombe farm in Holland, Manitoba, receiving a weekly wage of $6 and his ‘keep’ (food and a place to sleep).  He had finished Grade 8 and listed soccer, swimming, and softball as sports he enjoyed.

….Gordon left Canada for overseas service…

Gordon worked as a medical orderly at No. 5 General Hospital in Winnipeg for almost the entire month of January.  On January 29, 1940, he boarded a ship in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and with other members of his unit, left Canada for the United Kingdom on January 30, 1940, sailing from Halifax, and disembarking in Gourock, Scotland on February 9, 1940. 

No. 5 Canadian General Hospital in Taplow.  (Photo source: Eton Wick History)

Once in Great Britain, Gordon continued as a medical orderly, at the 600 bed No. 5 Canadian General Hospital in Taplow, Buckinghamshire, until March 28, 1941. This wartime hospital, which looked after wounded soldiers, was established by the Canadian Red Cross in 1940 and had been built on land donated by the Astor family at their Cliveden Estate.

….Gordon was transferred to the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada…

On March 28, 1941, Gordon was transferred to the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada and sent for advanced infantry training. Then, on January 15, 1942, he was assigned to No. 2 Division Infantry Reinforcement Unit (DIRU) for additional training in preparation for the upcoming Dieppe Raid.  On May 1, 1942, he returned to the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada. 

Map showing the Dieppe Raid. (Map source: https://cbf-fccb.ca/)

On August 18, 1942, Gordon travelled to France with the Regiment, and was part of the combined attack for the Dieppe Raid, known as Operation Jubilee, on August 19, 1942.  This was a disastrous Allied amphibious attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe in northern France. (See https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/military-history/second-world-war/dieppe-raid and https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/dieppe-raid)

In the battle plan, the South Saskatchewan Regiment was to land in the first wave of the attack on Green Beach to secure the beach at Pourville, the right flank of the operation. The Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada would then land in the second wave and move inland along the eastern bank of the Scie River to meet up with the tanks of the Calgary Regiment coming from Dieppe and capture the airfield at Saint-Aubin-sur-Scie. They would then clear the Hitler Battery and attack the suspected German divisional headquarters.

Things didn’t go as planned.  While the attack began on time (at 04:50 am) the South Saskatchewan Regiment landed west of the river, instead of in front of it. This didn’t pose a problem for the force aiming to clear the village and attack the cliffs to the west, but for the other force it meant they had to move through the village, cross the exposed bridge over the river before attempting to get on the high ground to the east.

The resulting delay gave the Germans had time to react and deploy, just as the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada came along in their landing craft as the second wave to attack on Green Beach.  As they reached 910 metres (1000 yards) off Green Beach, German shore batteries, machine guns, and mortars opened fire.  

….Gordon was wounded during the Dieppe Raid…

The main landing at Dieppe had been unsuccessful, and the failure of tanks to arrive made it impossible for the Regiment to gain its objectives. With increased German opposition and no communication with headquarters, the Regiment, which had advanced once reaching the beach, began to fight back to Pourville, carrying their wounded. They made it back and re-established contact with the South Saskatchewan Regiment, only to learn that there was an hour’s wait for the landing craft to return for re-embarkation.

Both the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada and the South Saskatchewan Regiment fought desperately during the wait, but there were too many casualties. At 11:00 am the landing craft began to arrive, taking grievous losses on the approach into the beach. More men were killed and wounded as they tried to board the landing craft under enemy fire. Five landing craft and one tank landing craft managed to rescue men from the shallows and cleared the beach with full loads, but within half an hour, no further rescues were possible.

Of 503 Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada who participated in the raid, 346 were casualties: 60 were killed in action, 8 died of wounds after evacuation, and 167 became prisoners of war (with 8 POWs dying from their wounds). 268 returned to England, 103 of them wounded.

Evacuation of casualties from Dieppe to England on August 19, 1942.  (Map source: ‘Official History Of The Canadian Medical Services 1939-1945’)

Gordon was one of the men wounded during re-embarkation.  He was evacuated to No. 15 Canadian General Hospital in Bramshott, United Kingdom, with a shrapnel wound to his left ear. According to his hospital file the “….wound penetrated to the bone….” with “…some slight retraction of eardrum… Probably slight concussion as result of artillery fire….”  He remained in hospital until August 31, 1942, when the wound healed, and he was able to return to duty.

For his actions during the Dieppe Raid, King George VI was “…graciously pleased to approve that ….”  Gordon “…be mentioned in recognition of gallant and distinguished services in the combined attack on Dieppe…”  On December 8, 1942, Gordon was promoted to Lance Corporal, remaining in the United Kingdom for further training.

…. Nancy’s son Gordon had a photo of his uncle…

Charles ‘Gordon’ Erickson.  (Photo courtesy of Gordon Barker)

Gordon and his sister Nancy were reunited while both were serving in England.  Her son Gordon explained that his mother had joined the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) on August 14, 1942, and served as a secretary for the military in London, England during the war, working on soldiers’ duty assignments and other administrative tasks. He had photos of both his mother and his uncle, who he was named after.

Nancy Erickson in England in 1942.  (Photo courtesy of Gordon Barker)

….Gordon was very highly regarded…

Gordon quickly received another promotion, to Corporal, on January 31, 1943.  In June 1943, he was sent to No. 5 (Battle) Wing Canadian Training School at Rowland’s Castle, Hampshire, England, for a 4 week Battle Drill course which trained Canadian soldiers in how to react when coming under enemy fire. (See https://www.southdowns.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2017/01/The-Canadian-Army-Battle-Drill-School-Stansted-Park-1942.pdf)

The course tried to mimic combat conditions, using obstacle courses and simulated battlefields, live rounds fired over the heads of students, controlled explosions, target practice, and dummies to bayonet.

One of Gordon’s instructors may have been Ralph Schurman BOULTER, whose story was previously told on this blog. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2023/03/07/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-battle-of-bienen-part-2-the-wwii-battle-drill-instructor-from-oleary/)

A September 21, 1943 interviewer wrote in Gordon’s service file that he had “….very high learning ability, a good appearance, and a pleasant personality….”  It further noted that Gordon requested “…any courses on supporting infantry weapons…”

….Gordon and the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada arrived in France in July 1944….

The Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada Regiment disembarked in Graye-sur-Mer and made their way towards Caen.  (Map source: Google maps)

Gordon and the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada Regiment continued training while in the United Kingdom, but on July 5, 1944, a month after D-Day, they left aboard USOS ‘Will Rogers’ from Newhaven, Sussex for Normandy, as part of the as part of the 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade, 2nd Canadian Infantry Division, arriving in Graye-sur-Mer, Calvados, France 2 days later. 

By July 12, 1944, Battalion headquarters was based in an orchard near Rots, France, and the troops were dispersed outside of Caen, with the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada sent to Carpiquet. The war diary for that day noted that “…the town was completely demolished. Battalion takes up defence position…”

The Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada Regiment were west of Caen in Carpiquet.  (Map source: Google maps)

….Gordon was injured during the Battle of Saint André-sur-Orne….

The Battalion was ordered to capture the village of Saint André-sur-Orne, located south-west of Caen. They reached it on July 20, 1944, with rain hindering operations. The Allies faced stiff resistance as they began Operation Spring, a major bombardment that took place on the night of July 24-25, to capture the heights of Verrières Ridge, which overlooks the area between Caen and Falaise. (See https://www.canadiansoldiers.com/history/battlehonours/northwesteurope/verrieresridge.htm)

Part of Operation Spring was the Battle of Saint André-sur-Orne, a village on the starting line of the offensive.  It was captured by the Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada (6th Infantry Brigade, 2nd Infantry Division) Canadians to the north.

At some point during the battle, Gordon was wounded and evacuated to the United Kingdom for treatment.  He remained in the United Kingdom from July 26 to September 23, 1944, after which he returned to his Regiment on September 24, 1944.  By now, the Regiment had left France and was in the vicinity of Sint-Job-in-‘t-Goor, in the province of Antwerp, Belgium.

Gordon arrived just after a failed offensive, where Canadian and British troops had tried to secure an undamaged bridge over the Turnhout-Schoten Canal on September 23, 1944. Due to fierce German resistance Allied troops were unable to prevent the enemy from blowing up the bridge.

….The Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada were involved in the Battle of the Scheldt….

The Regiment next began preparing to participate in the upcoming Battle of the Scheldt, which began officially on October 2 and lasted until November 8, 1944.  The Battle of the Scheldt’s objective was to free up the way to the Port of Antwerp in Belgium for supply purposes. Canadians suffered almost 8,000 casualties (wounded and dead) in what turned out to be the battle with the most Canadian casualties in The Netherlands. (See https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/second-world-war/scheldt)

Map shows location of South Beveland and Walcheren Island  in The Netherlands.  (Map source: http://www.canadiansoldiers.com)

The War Diary for October 25, 1944 stated that at 9 pm they were ordered to move the next day to an area “…in the Beveland Causeway…” 

The Beveland Causeway, also known as the Sloedam, was a narrow land link between South Beveland and Walcheren Island in The Netherlands, crucial for gaining access to the port of Antwerp, and the site of brutal, costly battles in 1944 as Canadian forces fought to secure it against German defenders. This narrow strip, bracketed by marshes, was a heavily defended bottleneck, becoming the focus of fierce assaults. 

The War Diary for October 26, 1944 described the challenges faced as they moved into position and were attacked by 88 mm German guns.  “…Enemy 88 mm lays direct fire on crossroads as Battalion embusses…..”  There were no casualties at this point, but one vehicle was damaged.  However, as they moved along the road onto the Beveland Causeway, the convoy was “…mortared as it proceeded…” resulting in a few non-fatal casualties.  At 3 pm they were ordered to reverse direction towards the village of Yerseke.

….Gordon lost his life during the Battle of the Scheldt….

The Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada moved back from the Beveland Causeway towards Yerseke. (Map source: Google maps)

The War Diary for October 27, 1944 continued to document the struggles faced by the Battalion as they entered Yerseke and took up positions north of the village.  The day was “…overcast, visibility poor, light mist, light rain….Battalion enters Yerseke at first light…”  They were ordered to cross the canal at a “…small footbridge one company at a time…” The plan was for “…two companies to form bridgehead while two companies push out to take Wemeldinge…”

Things didn’t go according to plan.  “…It was found impossible to cross footbridge due to mortars and one 88 mm gun….”  At 6:30 pm, Plan B called for “…companies to take up positions along canal bank.  Battalion will try crossing by assault boat at 2100 hours…”

While waiting for the assault boats, the men were hit by “…enemy mortars and shells….6 wounded, 2 killed…”  The crossing by assault boats didn’t go well, as the 10:30 pm report in the War Diary recorded. “…Battalion attack across canal repulsed by enemy mortar and heavy machine gun fire.  Two companies landed on island … All boats but one sunk, that one boat retired two companies to East bank under heavy fire…”

22 year old Gordon was among the fatalities that day, likely one of the two men killed while waiting for the assault boats to arrive.  

….Gordon is buried in Bergen Op Zoom…

Grave of Charles ‘Gordon’ Erickson in the Canadian War Cemetery in Bergen Op Zoom, The Netherlands with a Christmas Eve candle.  (Photo courtesy of Caroline Raaijmakers)

Gordon was temporarily buried on October 31, 1944 in the cemetery in Sint-Maartensdijk, before being reburied in the Canadian War Cemetery in Bergen Op Zoom, The Netherlands on September 5, 1945. 

Gordon’s younger sister, Nancy Erickson Vincent, survived the war, had two sons, and lived in Espanola, Ontario until her death in 2014.  His older sister, Hazel Francis Erickson Kerr, lived in St Thomas, Ontario, but had died by the time she was found by Nancy’s son Gordon Barker in 2006.

By then, Nancy had fallen ill with dementia. “….I didn’t tell her that I found her sister because her sister had already passed away by that time….” he said. “…With the dementia and everything going on, I didn’t want to cause her any more pain…” 

Thank you to Shawn Rainville for newspaper searches, and to Judy Noon of the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 39 in Espanola, Ontario for contacting Gordon Barker.  A big thank you goes to Gordon Barker for providing photos and information, and to Kevin Rollason for writing a newspaper article highlighting the search for a photo. 

Gordon Barker in Bogor, Indonesia. (Photo courtesy of Gordon Barker)

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

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On The War Memorial Trail…..Remembrance Week 2025 – The WWII Nursing Orderly Killed When 3 Tracked Vehicles Exploded Near A Field Dressing Station On Walcheren Island

/ On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / 2 Comments

December 4, 2025.  One of the hardest searches for a photo took several years, and, in spite of dedicated help in looking for family members to contact, newspaper and archive searches, and even a November 10, 2023 article in the Winnipeg Free Press (see a Picture of compassion Winnipeg Free Press Article re John Lewis Hughes Nov 10 2023), we struck out each time.

It was difficult to understand as the soldier in question came from a large family, was married, and had worked for 12 years in a hospital in his hometown. Only one niece responded, saying she remembered that her mother, the soldier’s sister, had a photo, but after she passed away, her effects were put in the basement and were later destroyed in a flood.  We had zero luck with the family of the soldier’s wife, who had remarried.  There was also no response from the local Legion branch, nor from the hospital where he had worked.

Eventually we ran out of leads to contact, and so, although we never gave up the search, we reluctantly put John Lewis HUGHES on our Cold Case List.  (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/our-cold-cases/) 

…. The Winnipeg Free Press article caught the interest of a local historian…...

Shortly after the Winnipeg Free Press article was published, we had been contacted by local historian Judy Gleich.   “…This project is of great interest to me...” she wrote. Her husband is from Eriksdale and “…I was born at E.M. Crowe Memorial Hospital and lived most of my life in the Lundar MB area…”  She explained that, unlike many small communities, “…there was no local paper in Eriksdale at that time….” and so there was no local coverage of soldiers from the area.  Like us, she also contacted someone she knew at the local Legion but no photo was found. 

Judy also told us that “…E.M. Crowe hospital is no longer run locally – but is under the umbrella of the Interlake Eastern Regional Health Authority…which covers about 1/5 of the province….” 

Judy explained why she was interested to help find a photo.  “…When I read the first article by Kevin Rollason and saw that one of the photos Pieter was looking for was of a veteran from Eriksdale– I was interested although I was not familiar with the Hughes family. I made a couple of phone calls and asked a couple of friends and came up with nothing.….”  (NOTE: A short photo appeal had initially been made in the Winnipeg Free Press in November 2022.)

“….After the second article by Kevin Rollason appeared in the Winnipeg Free Press with more information about the Hughes family it piqued my interest again. I figured if someone like Pieter was putting that much effort into this project that I would try to help him….”

…. The photo search led to a hockey photo 2 years after the Winnipeg Free Press article was published…...

Like us, Judy found that “…most of the older Hughes family members had passed on and we were getting nowhere with their families….” 

Then, two years later, Judy learned about a 1936 hockey photo.  “… Knowing several of the men on the team I was sure that some of their family members might have the photo…. A few more phone calls and BINGO – success at last….”  It was nothing short of a miracle! 

The man with the photo of the 1936 Eriksdale Hockey Team was John Forsyth, whose father Jim was a member of the team. 

Back Row L-R: Johnnie Mills, Bill Smith, Gordon Smith, Stan Mills, Johnnie Forsyth, Lawrence Whitney. Front Row L-R: Don Goodridge(?), Johnnie Hughes, Murray Cox, Jim Forsyth. (Photo courtesy of the Collection of Jim and Kay Forsyth)

 

We now knew what John Lewis Hughes looked like! (Photo courtesy of the Collection of Jim and Kay Forsyth)

….John was from Eriksdale in Manitoba…

Eriksdale is in the Interlake Region of central Manitoba, near the eastern shore of Lake Manitoba. (Map source: Google maps)

Born January 17, 1916 in Eriksdale, Manitoba, John was the son of Ebenezer George and Ellen (nee Rogan, previously married name Johanson) Hughes.  Both parents came from the United Kingdom – his father in 1911 and his mother in 1914 with two daughters who had been born in Wales.  6 more children were added to the Hughes family, in addition to John – 3 daughters and 3 sons. 

Before enlisting with the No. 3 Field Ambulance of the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps (RCAMC) on July 5, 1940, John had worked for 12 years as a medical orderly in the E.M. Crowe memorial hospital in Eriksdale.  On June 22, 1940, a few weeks before enlistment, he married Irene Goodwin. 

On October 5, 1940, John was transferred to No. 100 Canadian Militia Training Centre (CMTC) in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba.  He was then assigned to No. 100 Non-Permanent Active Militia (NPAM) Training Centre on November 15, 1940, while still attached to No. 100 CMTC.  (No. 100 CMTC and No. 100 NPAM were re-designated as No. 100 Canadian Army (Basic) Training Centre in February 1941.)

John remained in Portage La Prairie until April 30, 1941, when he was transferred to what the service file termed Fort Osborne Military Hospital, RCAMC, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. This was likely Deer Lodge Military Hospital, as during WWII, Winnipeg’s military hospital function was not at Fort Osborne Barracks, which had moved in 1920. Deer Lodge Military Hospital took over the former hospital facilities from Fort Osborne at that time.

….John left Canada for overseas service….

On June 8, 1941, John was transferred to No. 1 Motor Ambulance Convoy, RCAMC, Active Force, and sent to Camp Shilo, Manitoba for final training before going overseas. 

With other members of his unit, John left Canada for the United Kingdom on June 19, 1941, sailing from Halifax, Nova Scotia, disembarking in Greenock, Scotland on July 2, 1941, before moving on to Sussex, England. 

Per the ‘Official History Of The Canadian Medical Services 1939-1945’, edited by Lt Col Dr W. R. Feasby,  the RCAMC “…..order of battle included not only the medical units of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Divisions, and the 1st Army Tank Brigade, but also the following Corps Troops medical units: No. 18 Field Ambulance, No. 5 Field Hygiene Section, Nos. 4 and 5 Casualty Clearing Stations, No. 1 Motor Ambulance Convoy, and No. 1 Advanced Depot Medical Stores….”

The function of No. 1 Motor Ambulance Convoy was to transport wounded from main dressing stations to casualty clearing stations. Transport was by vehicles of the Motor Ambulance Convoy, supplemented by trucks for walking wounded or by railroad when available. 

John and his unit were kept busy with training and in transporting wounded soldiers who arrived in the United Kingdom for treatment. 

One of the largest operations came following the Dieppe Raid, known as Operation Jubilee, on August 19, 1942, a disastrous Allied amphibious attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe in northern France, in which 505 Canadian soldiers were wounded and 916 lost their lives. (See https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/military-history/second-world-war/dieppe-raid and https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/dieppe-raid)

Evacuation of casualties from Dieppe to England on August 19, 1942.  (Map source: ‘Official History Of The Canadian Medical Services 1939-1945’)

On the morning of August 19, 1942, the medical units under the 2nd Canadian Division were “… responsible for the reception and evacuation of casualties disembarked in the Portsmouth area, where the bulk of them was expected. Two sections of No. 1 Motor Ambulance Convoy were made available … for the transport of casualties from the Portsmouth area to No. 15 General Hospital at Bramshott, and from the Newhaven-Shoreham area to No. 1 at Horsham and No. 14 at Horley…”

On January 14, 1943, No. 1 Motor Ambulance Convoy, RCAMC, became a unit of the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps (RCASC).

….John was transferred to No. 10 Canadian Field Dressing Station….

On January 21, 1944, John was transferred to No. 10 Canadian Field Dressing Station, and later sent to France, arriving on July 10, 1944, a month after D-Day. As noted in the ‘Official History Of The Canadian Medical Services 1939-1945’ “…with the formation of the 2nd Canadian Corps in France, the medical services were greatly increased. For the coming attack it was decided to constitute a massed medical centre at the Secqueville-en-Bessin area. In addition, No. 6 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station was located at Cazelle, under command of 2nd Canadian Corps, with No. 10 Canadian Field Dressing Station sited alongside….”

The ‘coming attack’ referred to the Battle of the Falaise Pocket (also called Battle of the Falaise Gap), part of the Battle of Normandy, and which was fought between August 12 and 21, 1944. (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falaise_pocket)

In addition to a large number of battle casualties from engagement with German troops, a bombing error on August 14, 1944 resulted in more casualties when “… the Royal Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force bombed behind our own lines, causing 200 casualties…” placing enormous strain on Casualty Clearing Stations.  “…The bombing casualties arrived in a sudden rush about four o’clock….” making it impossible to find “…shelter for all the wounded…”

In addition to 537 admitted to the Casualty Clearing Stations, “….Nos. 9 and 10 Canadian Field Dressing Stations in the same area admitted 569 and were so rushed that it was necessary to open both No. 6 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station and No. 33 British Casualty Clearing Station at Cazelle where a further 694 casualties were taken for treatment….”

No. 10 Canadian Field Dressing Station, along with other medical units, moved just behind troops as they advanced through France, into Belgium, and then into The Netherlands.  John was very experienced by now and on September 11, 1944, he qualified as a Nursing Orderly ‘C’, which meant he was responsible for initial treatment in the most forward battlefield areas and stretcher-bearing, while working under the direction of medical officers.

…. John’s unit was assigned to British Commandos for an attack on Walcheren Island during the Battle of the Scheldt…...

John Lewis Hughes was killed on Walcheren Island (top left), near Westkappelle, on November 2, 1944.  (Map source: ‘Official History Of The Canadian Medical Services 1939-1945’)

On October 21, 1944, a number of Canadian medical units were “…put under command of the 4th Special Service Brigade….” of the Royal Marines (United Kingdom) “…for training to support the amphibious operation of the brigade….” No. 17 Light Field Ambulance Company, Nos. 8 and 9 Canadian Field Surgical Units, No. 5 Canadian Field Transfusion Unit, and No. 10 Canadian Field Dressing Station were involved.

Operation Infatuate, part of the Battle of the Scheldt, was the codename for the attack on German batteries on Walcheren Island in The Netherlands, located at the mouth of the Scheldt River. German fortification of the island blocked Allied access to the captured port of Antwerp, Belgium. The Belgian port was crucial in order to supply advancing Allied armies as they moved towards Berlin.

“…Training for the operation against Walcheren continued until the end of October when units embarked at Ostend and began to move towards their objective. At three o’clock on the morning of 1 November the flotilla of landing craft sailed out of Ostend harbour….” Ostend is in Belgium.

“…Just before dawn, they met their supporting warships, turned and bore down on Westkapelle. The assault was to be made in daylight on either side of a gap blown in the Westkapelle dyke, and just before “H” hour (9.45 a.m.) the guns of Warspite, Roberts, and Erebus opened up and flights of rocket-firing Typhoon aircraft went to work on the shore batteries….”

In ‘Towards Victory In Europe: The Battle For Walcheren’, J. O. Forfar, Medical Officer, 47 Marine Commando,  explained that “…Commander Pugsley and Brigadier Leicester had been informed on leaving Ostend that due to fog in England the Lancaster bombers which were to carry out a preliminary bombardment of the Walcheren defences while the assaulting craft moved in were grounded…” 

The two men decided to go ahead with the operation, which resulted in high casualties, but the Battle for Walcheren was ultimately successful.  “…The Germans had sown sea mines in the approaches to the island; the beaches were laced with barbed wire, landmines, and covered by machine guns firing from cement pill boxes. Five minutes before they were due to touch down the two landing craft which had been prepared as hospital ships were sunk by mines.  Immediately after this the assault began…” with shelling from cannons at the battery in Dishoek.

“…One section of No. 17 Canadian Light Field Ambulance landed with No. 41 Commando on the left of Westkapelle gap and another section with No. 48 Commando on the right of Westkapelle gap. Of the 25 close support naval craft engaged in the operation only six were left by mid-afternoon, and 172 of those on board had been killed and 210 wounded. Casualties among those who got ashore in the face of stiff enemy resistance were heavy….”  The medical teams had to work in close proximity of the fighting.

…. No. 10 Field Dressing Station set up on the beach on the afternoon of November 1, 1944…...

Beach dressing station of No. 10 Field Dressing Station being set up by personnel of No. 10 Field Dressing Station at Westkapelle. (Photo source: Provincial Archives of Alberta, Donald Carson fonds, PR2011.0001/14)

“…Casualties on the left of the gap were given first aid and collected into a shell hole on the edge of the dyke until Westkapelle was clear, when they were moved into a house in the village. On the other side of the gap the casualty collecting post was set up on the inside of the sea wall, and casualties were held until No. 10 Canadian Field Dressing Station came ashore at 2 pm and set up a beach dressing station….”

Most of those wounded on November 1, 1944 were taken off the Island during the night and returned to No. 6 Canadian Field Dressing Station at Ostend. Meanwhile the medical teams prepared for the next day.

…. John was killed in the afternoon of November 2, 1944 …...

No. 8 Canadian Field Surgical Unit, a medical operation team of around 10 people, was attached to No. 10 Field Dressing Station, and was the field hospital located behind the No. 10 Field Dressing Station. 

The November 2, 1944 War Diary entry for No. 8 Canadian Field Surgical Unit relates what happened when they came ashore with landing tracked vehicles, which the diary writer referred to as Alligators. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landing_Vehicle,_Tracked)  “…The morning of November 2nd dawned bright and clear….About 0900 the Alligators moved to the beach and there we met the rest of our unit.  I was relieved to find in spite of many harrowing experiences they were all quite safe. We off loaded the vehicles onto the beach….The beach head was under intermittent fire but the greatest worry we had was mines…”

Tragedy struck in the early afternoon.  “…A salvo of shells hit 3 Alligators in front of the dugout and the Alligators caught on fire.  Each Alligator had 7 tons of ammunition on board and this all exploded during the next ¾ of an hour. About 20 men were killed, including the Quartermaster and one Other Rank of No. 10 FDS….”  The ‘Other Rank of No. 10 FDS’ was John Lewis Hughes.

Caroline Raaijmakers, Chair of the Faces To Graves Bergen Op Zoom Committee, told us that  “….on the same spot….” where John was killed, “…Doctor Captain Frank Sidney Manktelow was Wounded In Action on 2-11-1944 and he died on 3-11-1944…..” 

Dr. Frank Sidney MANKTELOW, of Pointe aux Trembles, Quebec, son of Frederick Sidney and Mary Jane (nee MacKay) Manktelow, and husband of Laura Francise (nee Quinn) Manktelow, was serving with the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps when he died, at the age of 30.

Both men were initially buried in a temporary cemetery in Zoutelande on Walcheren Island.

 …. John is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten…...

Pieter stands behind the grave of John Lewis Hughes in Holten, The Netherlands.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

On September 9, 1946, John was reburied in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands.  We visited his grave this spring when we were in The Netherlands for our 2025 European Memorial Tour, and Pieter placed flags of Canada and Manitoba by his grave. His was one of 383 graves in 14 cemeteries that we visited on this trip.

….Hughes Hill in northern Manitoba named in John’s honour…..

Hughes Hill in northern Manitoba was named after John ‘Jack’ Lewis Hughes.  (Map source: Mapcarta)

Hughes Hill in northern Manitoba, northeast of Wither Lake, was named after him in 1995.

….A great deal of research happened before a photo was found…

Many people assume that it’s easy to find family and photos of soldiers who are buried overseas.  Unless you are lucky enough to stumble across someone else’s research, or a media appeal is seen by the right person with a photo, it can be an onerous and long drawn out process.  

The search for a photo of John Lewis Hughes took several years.  Thank you to Judie Klassen for going above and beyond to find family and reference material, to Shawn Rainville for newspaper searches, and to Judy Gleich for continually contacting people from Eriksdale.  Thank you to Robert Catsburg for sending the war diary entry for November 2, 1944 and to both Robert Catsburg and Caroline Raaijmakers for excerpts from Dutch accounts.

Thank you to John Forsyth for the hockey photo that included a photo of John.  And a big thank you to Kevin Rollason of the Winnipeg Free Press for writing the article about the photo search. 

The flags placed at John’s grave were donated.  Our thanks go to: 

  • Alan Waddell, Constituent Assistant, on behalf of Heath MacDonald, MP for Malpeque, for the Canadian flag.
  • Brad Robertson, Chief of Protocol, Government of Manitoba, on behalf of Wab Kinew, Premier of Manitoba, for the Manitoba flag. 

The work of remembrance of those who served continues as do our adventures on the next leg of our 2025 European War Memorial Tour.

If you have a story or photo to share, please contact Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com or comment on the blog. 

© Daria Valkenburg

….Want to follow our research?…

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

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 WWII Soldier From Central Blissville Killed Along The Goch-Calcar Road

/ On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / 6 Comments

June 9, 2024. Most of the time, Pieter has good success in finding photos of soldiers named on photo wish lists from the three Canadian War Cemeteries in The Netherlands.  This past winter, however, he ran into one frustration after another.  In most cases, while family of soldiers were found, no one had photos. A few times, family members were found, but did not respond to inquiries. 

..…An old TV program inspired one photo search …..

Pieter was getting a bit discouraged.  It didn’t help that I was not well for much of the winter and spent most of the time reading and watching comedies on TV.  Since we’d been doing research on airmen who had been POWs I began watching Hogan’s Heroes, a comedy about POWs assigned to form a special operations unit in a POW camp run by the Luftwaffe to help prisoners escape and to perform acts of sabotage against the German war effort. A very funny satire and I’m sure that laughing over the antics these men got up to helped me recover more quickly. 

So, when Pieter began looking at his photo wish lists again, he asked if I had any thoughts on which soldier to research.  I didn’t until I noticed a soldier named Carter, who came from a place named Central Blissville.  That’s the guy, I told Pieter.  When he asked why, I told him there was a character on the show named Sgt Carter and who could resist a place named Blissville? Pieter shook his head, but went with my suggestion and within a day had a photo!

Before telling the story of the Canadian soldier named Carter, take a look at this excerpt from Hogan’s Heroes, featuring the fictional American soldier named Carter, portrayed by Larry Hovis, impersonating the German commandant of the POW camp… 

..…The non-fictional Private Carter enlisted in 1941…..

Donald Roy Carter from facebook page Jeremy Carter

Donald Roy Carter.  (Source: Jeremy Carter)

The non-fictional Donald Roy CARTER was born August 4, 1923 in Central Blissville, Sunbury County, New Brunswick, son of Roy William and Josephine ‘Ina’ Helen Carter.  However, when he enlisted at the No. 7 District Depot in Fredericton, New Brunswick, on May 3, 1941, he stated that his birthdate was May 27, 1922.  Since a soldier in active service needed to be 19 years old, Donald fudged his date of birth.

On May 22, 1941, Donald was sent to No. 70 Canadian Army (Basic) Training Camp (CABTC) in Fredericton, New Brunswick for basic training. After completing his basic training, he was transferred to the A22 Canadian Army Medical Corps Training Centre at Camp Borden in Ontario.  Here Donald received advanced training to prepare him as a stretcher bearer, with three key responsibilities when dealing with the wounded in a war zone: stop the bleeding, treat for shock, and evacuate. 

….Donald left Canada for overseas service….

On September 6, 1941, Donald was given embarkation leave of just over a week, and then he found himself on his way to the United Kingdom on October 9, 1941. Upon arrival in Greenock, Scotland on October 19, 1941, he was assigned to No. 1 General Holding Unit.

A Holding Unit was a reinforcement pool where soldiers brought over from Canada received additional training.

On December 13, 1941, Donald was transferred to the 11th Field Ambulance, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps (RCAMC). A field ambulance was a mobile medical unit which was usually found serving with an infantry division during WWII.

….Donald survived Operation Jubilee – the Dieppe Raid….

Allied Forces had plans for an amphibious attack on the German-controlled port of Dieppe in Normandy, France in 1942, in what would become known as Operation Jubilee, also called the Dieppe Raid.  (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dieppe_Raid)

Loading-wounded-on-landing-craft.-Source-Global-News-768x447

Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps personnel treating casualties during rehearsal in England for raid on Dieppe. (Photo Source: Global News)

As part of the preparations, the 11th Field Ambulance underwent training on the Isle of Wight. An exercise on June 4, 1942 included practice in moving casualties from an assault landing craft to an advanced dressing station. They also practiced opposed and unopposed beach landings. Two final, large, exercises took place along the Dorset Coast on June 11-12, 1942 and June 22-24, 1942.

On August 18, 1942, Donald was among the members of the 11th Field Ambulance that assembled at Newhaven, with one bearer section (1 Medical Officer and 18 other ranks) detached to the Royal Regiment of Canada at Portsmouth. They all sailed toward Dieppe at about 9:30 pm. 

Unfortunately, Operation Jubilee was a disaster, particularly for the Canadian soldiers, and the medical unit attached to the Royal Regiment of Canada. 3,623 of the 6,086 Allied forces who landed were killed, wounded, or taken prisoner of war. This included 5,000 Canadians, who suffered a 68 percent casualty rate, with 3,367 killed, wounded, or taken prisoner.

Donald, however, survived and safely returned to the United Kingdom on August 19, 1942, where he remained until shortly after D-Day.

….Donald returned to Normandy in July 1944….

On July 3, 1944, Donald and the 11th Field Ambulance, now part of the 21st Army Group, returned to Normandy, France as the Battle of Normandy continued following the advances made on D-Day on June 6, 1944. 

As the 2nd Canadian Corps advanced in July, the 11th Field Ambulance moved along with them, as part of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Division (along with other medical units).  11th Field Ambulance was tasked with providing support to the 4th Canadian Brigade. During battle on July 18-19, 1944 they treated casualties, before making preparations to move forward on July 20, 1944 for Operation Spring at Verrieres Ridge on July 25, 1944.

normandymapspring

Map shows troop locations for Operation Spring.  (Map source: http://www.canadiansoldiers.com)

Donald survived the fight along the Verrieres Ridge, most likely because the 11th Field Ambulance was not at the front, but was held in reserve in Caen for the 2nd Canadian Motor Ambulance Convoy. (See https://www.canadiansoldiers.com/history/battlehonours/northwesteurope/verrieresridge.htm)

Then, during Operation Totalize on August 7-11, 1944, an offensive designed to break through the German defences south of Caen and toward Falaise, the 11th Field Ambulance was under command of the 2nd Canadian Armoured Brigade.  (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Totalize)

….Donald had limited participation in the Battle of the Scheldt….

scheldt2

Map shows location of South Beveland, The Netherlands.  (Map source: http://www.canadiansoldiers.com)

As the Allied forces moved from Normandy into Belgium, and then into The Netherlands for the Battle of the Scheldt,  three Field Ambulances of the 2nd Canadian Division were used in Operation Vitality, the battles for South Beveland for a month from October 2, 1944. 

Each Field Ambulance unit operated an advanced dressing station and a casualty collection post. 11th Field Ambulance evacuated casualties directly to No. 6 Canadian General Hospital in Antwerp, Belgium. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_the_Scheldt and https://www.oorlogzeeland.nl/index.php/slag-om-de-schelde/scheldeslag-information-in-english)

However, Donald missed much of the action as he was not on active service between October 16 and November 12, 1944.  This effectively ended his time with the 11th Field Ambulance.

….Donald was transferred into the Infantry….

On November 24, 1944 Donald was transferred to the Canadian Infantry Corps, as part of the X4 Reinforcement for the 13th Battalion.  Then, on December 4, 1944 he was assigned to the Essex Scottish Regiment, joining them in Mook, The Netherlands.

On February 16, 1945, the Essex Scottish Regiment left The Netherlands and crossed the border into Germany, at Kleve.  The following day, the war diary reported that the battalion “…moved off to an assembly area between Kleve and Calcar….” in preparation for an attack on the Goch-Calcar Road, which was subsequently delayed until February 19, 1945.

….Heavy fighting along the Goch-Calcar Road proved deadly….

Victory-37 Map Moyland Wood and the Goch Calcar Rd

Moyland Wood and the Goch-Calcar Road, 16-21 February 1945 (Map source: HyperWar: The Victory Campaign [Chapter 18] ibiblio.org)

The war diary for February 19, 1945 noted that the attack on the Goch-Calcar Road resulted in the Regiment fighting “….under a heavy hail of shrapnel and small arms fire. Casualties were fairly heavy….Communications were difficult. Vehicles became bogged in the soft mud, casualties were difficult to evacuate, and guns and ammunition could not get up where they were required….”

The battle raged on into the night and then after midnight communications were lost.  The war diary entry for February 20, 1945 continued with an account of the battle.  “… The early hours of the morning were grim ones. Isolated company groups fought on, short of ammunition, burdened with casualties which could not be easily evacuated, and lacking the support of the anti-tank weapons with which to deal with the Mark IV tanks the enemy had marshalled for his counter-attack….”

The casualties for the battle numbered “…13 officers and 235 other ranks…” of which about 50 were fatalities.  Among those killed on February 20, 1945 was Private Donald Roy Carter, who lost his life at the age of 21.

 ..…Donald is buried in Groesbeek …..

Donald was temporarily buried near Calcar, Germany, before being reburied the following year in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands.

grave stone donald carter from find a grave

Grave of Donald Roy Carter in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands.  (Photo source: http://www.findagrave.com)

Do you have photos or information to share? 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/

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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