Everett Samuel FRANCIS

On The War Memorial Trail…. Remembrance Week 2024 – Reflections and Updates

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November 10, 2024.  When we write a story on the blog, we often receive additional information, sometimes about the soldiers we’ve written about, sometimes about other soldiers buried in the same cemetery or who served in the same unit. Occasionally we have a chance to meet families who’ve contributed photos and information on soldiers.  Each year we also try to visit a war memorial featuring a soldier. In this posting we feature a visit to the Sagkeeng War Memorial in Fort Alexander, Manitoba.

…Richard Reeves visited the grave of WWII soldier Everett Samuel Francis….

gravestone Everett Francis photo taken by Richard Reeves

Grave of Everett Samuel Francis in St. Matthew’s Presbyterian Cemetery in Grand Falls, Newfoundland.  (Photo credit: Richard Reeves)

One of the very first stories that Pieter researched of the names listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion was that of WWII soldier Everett Samuel FRANCIS of Albany, Prince Edward Island.

On September 13, 1942, Everett was sent from Gander, Newfoundland, where his unit was based, to Long Branch, Ontario for a small arms training course.  He was on his way back to Gander aboard the railway ferry S.S. Caribou when it was torpedoed by German U-Boat 69 off the coast of Newfoundland on Wednesday, October 14, 1942.  101 survivors were rescued, but the captain, 30 crew, 57 service personnel, and 48 passengers were lost, including Everett. 

Everett and his wife, Janie Louise Mercer of Grand Falls, Newfoundland, were the parents of Greta, who had been born a few weeks earlier.  He was on his way home to meet his new-born daughter, who was to be christened in church on the Sunday after he was scheduled to return home, but never made it. He’s buried in St. Matthew’s Presbyterian Cemetery in Grand Falls, Newfoundland. 

In one of those interesting twists of fates, when Pieter was searching for a photo of Orville ‘Skip’ James REEVES, who was born in North Bay, Ontario, but was married to Mamie Thomas of Grand Falls, his nephew Richard Reeves not only provided a photo, but visited Everett’s grave on our behalf!  Watch for Skip’s story in a future posting.

You can read Everett’s story at:

….Nephew of WWII soldier Lt Arthur Affleck shared a memory of his last Sunday at church on Prince Edward Island…

Percy Affleck shared the following story about his uncle, Lt James ‘Arthur’ AFFLECK of Bedeque, Prince Edward Island:  “….The Affleck families of the Bedeque area were adherents of the United Church at Bedeque. (With a history dating back to the Methodist Church when part of the Affleck clan moved to Searletown from the Mt. Stewart area around 1858.)

According to Eldon Wright of Middleton, on his last Sunday at Church before shipping out for England, Arthur stood in full uniform on the church steps after the service and shook hands with everyone as they departed. At that era the Congregation would number in excess of 150 people and one can visualize the enthusiasm of the occasion, complete with good wishes. Arthur would have been fifth generation on the family tree dating to a marriage in Scotland in 1810…”

Arthur was killed in action by artillery shells on September 17, 1944, during the first day of the Battle of Boulogne (Operation Wellhit), a 5 day battle to take the port of Boulogne from German control. He’s buried in the Calais Canadian War Cemetery in Leubringhen, France, 14 km from Calais.

You can read Arthur’s story at:

….Family of WWII Pilot Elmer Bagnall Muttart donated medals to the Borden-Carleton Legion…

20241022_185910 medals for Elmer Muttart at Borden-Carleton Legion

Shadow box with a photo of WWII Pilot Elmer Bagnall Muttart and his medals.  (Photo credit: Kathy Henry)

Don Coutts, nephew of WWII Pilot Elmer Bagnall MUTTART of Cape Traverse, Prince Edward Island wrote us, saying that his brother Peter  “…has come across some of Elmer’s War Medals….” while going through their late mother’s boxes.  “…Do you think the Borden-Carleton Royal Canadian Legion would like them to display?…” 

The answer was yes, and a shadow box with a photo of Elmer and his medals is now on display on the Wall of Remembrance at the Borden-Carleton Legion.

Elmer was the pilot aboard Halifax L9561 when it was shot twice by German night fighters on October 12, 1941, while the plane was on its way to a bombing raid on Bremen, Germany.  After ordering the crew to bail out, Elmer managed to steer the burning plane away from the Dutch village of Wons, in the province of Friesland, before it crashed in a farmer’s field, just outside the village.  He was the only casualty and is buried in Harlingen General Cemetery in The Netherlands.

You can read Elmer’s story at:

….We visited the Sagkeeng War Memorial in Fort Alexander, Manitoba…

CIMG6783 May 9 2024 Pieter at Sagkeeng War Memorial re P Laforte

Pieter by the Sagkeeng War Memorial in Fort Alexander, Manitoba.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

This past May we were in Winnipeg, and took a drive to the village of Fort Alexander on the Sagkeeng First Nation to visit the Sagkeeng War Memorial.  WWII Métis soldier Philip LAFORTE, who was born in Lac du Bonnet, Manitoba, is listed on this memorial.  

CIMG6785 May 9 2024 Sagkeeng War Memorial re P Laforte

WWII soldier Philip Laforte is listed on the Sagkeeng War Memorial in Fort Alexander, Manitoba.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

While serving with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles, Philip lost his life on April 7, 1945 during the crossing of the Schipbeek Canal in The Netherlands.  He’s buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands.

You can read Philip’s story at:

…. A Remembrance Plaque for WWII soldier Gerald Reginald Kelly was placed outside his former home in Sarnia …

Within a few hours one day we received two emails, both with a Sarnia, Ontario connection.  First, Don Coutts let us know about a memorial project in Sarnia, where Remembrance Plaques of soldiers would be placed outside their former homes during Remembrance Week. 

Then, Patrick Michiels of Belgium wrote to let us know that his family had adopted the grave of Private Gerald Reginald KELLY, who was from Sarnia, and is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Adegem, Belgium.  

What were the odds that this was a coincidence?  Since our friend Sandra Wallis lives in Sarnia, an email immediately went out to her, asking if she could find out if Gerald was one of the soldiers who had a Remembrance Plaque. 

IMG_8744 Gerald Kelly remembrance plaque in front of his house from Sandra

Remembrance Plaque honouring Gerald Kelly outside his former home in Sarnia. (Photo credit: Sandra Wallis)

IMG_8743 Nov 4 2024 Kellys house in Sarnia from Sandra

Gerald Kelly’s former home in Sarnia. You can see the Remembrance Plaque on the right.  (Photo credit: Sandra Wallis)

Sandra got in contact with Tom Slater and Tom St. Amand, two retired teachers, who spearheaded the Remembrance Plaque project, and learned that a plaque had been made for Gerald. Once it was in place at his former residence, she took photos of the house and the plaque.  These photos were shared with Patrick, and the two retired teachers are now in contact with him.

Gerald was serving with the Algonquin Regiment when he lost his life on September 14, 1944 during the Battle of the Leopold Canal.  He was killed as he tried to re-cross the Leopold Canal while trying to rescue a wounded sergeant.

Here are two articles about Sarnia’s Remembrance Plaque project:

…. Meeting families of two airmen from Halifax DT630 …

CIMG6764 May 8 2024 May 8 2024 Jamie Don Craig Pieter Sue Daria at Courtyard Marriott Winnipeg

Left to right: Jamie Nelson-Dixon, Don Dixon, Craig MacKenzie, Pieter, Sue MacKenzie, Daria. (Photo courtesy of Valkenburg Family)

After we wrote the story about Jack ‘Douglas’ MACKENZIE, of Winnipeg, Manitoba, the pilot of Halifax DT630 that was shot down by a night fighter over the province of Drenthe in The Netherlands on February 3, 1943, we were contacted by Yannic Wethly of Stichting Luchtoorlog Onderzoek Drenthe (Air Research Drenthe Foundation) in The Netherlands. “….We are still searching for the pictures of Warrant Officer Second Class Raymond Hepton ‘Ray’ Hill and Sergeant Eric ‘Raymond’ Marquand, both crew members of Halifax DT630….” he wrote.

Four men died when the plane went down, including Douglas and Ray, and all are buried in Sleen General Cemetery in The Netherlands. 

We were successful in finding a photo of Raymond Hepton ‘Ray’ HILL, who was from Montreal, Quebec, but did not find any surviving family. Both Ray and his brother died during WWII, there were no other siblings, and neither man was married. 

Like Douglas MacKenzie, Eric ‘Raymond’ MARQUAND, the bomb aimer on that flight, was from Winnipeg.  He had survived the crash and spent the remaining war years in prisoner of war camps before being liberated.  We were very happy when his niece, Jamie Nelson-Dixon, got in contact and provided a photo. 

When we were in Winnipeg this past May, we asked if Jamie, and Doug MacKenzie’s nephew, Craig MacKenzie, would like to meet us and each other.  They did, and we spent a wonderful afternoon together with Jamie’s husband Don and Craig’s wife Sue.

Raymond’s story will be coming up in a future posting, but you can read Douglas’ story at:

Thank you to Percy Affleck, Don Coutts, Don Dixon, Craig and Sue MacKenzie, Jamie Nelson-Dixon, Patrick Michiels, Richard Reeves, Tom Slater, and Sandra Wallis.  The work of remembrance of those who served continues. 

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/

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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The WWII Mariner From Kinkora Whose Ship Was Torpedoed In The Caribbean

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February 20, 2020. On the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion there are 3 men who lost their lives due to being on ships that were torpedoed.  Two of these stories have already been told….

In WWI, mariner James Graham FARROW (FARRAR) lost his life when the ship he was working on was torpedoed in the English Channel on March 19, 1916.  The steamer, ‘Port Dalhousie, had been ferrying needed supplies from Britain to troops in France, while using the cover of being a fishing vessel. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2019/01/20/the-mariner-whose-ship-was-torpedoed-in-the-english-channel/)

In WWII, Everett Samuel FRANCIS had the misfortune of being a passenger on the ferry S.S. Caribou when it was torpedoed off the coast of Newfoundland on Wednesday, October 14, 1942.  He was on his way back to his unit in Gander, and to meet his three week old daughter Greta, after being in Ontario for weapons training. Unfortunately, he was not one of the survivors. (See https://bordencarletonresearchproject.wordpress.com/2018/03/25/the-face-of-everett-samuel-francis/)

color photo Hughes, James Emmet

James Emmet Hughes. (Photo credit: courtesy “Around Kinkora Area” by G.K. Farmer.  Photo colourization by Pieter Valkenburg.)

Like James Graham FARROW (FARRAR), James Emmet HUGHES was a seaman in the Canadian Merchant Navy, not in the military.  Born in Kinkora on April 7, 1911, he was the son of Emmet Hughes and Mary Ann McKenna.

After joining the Waterman Steamship Agency of Mobile, Alabama, he was a trimmer aboard the Panamanian registered S.S. Ramapo, travelling between North America and England with badly needed supplies.  A trimmer works in the engine room on a coal-fired ship, such as the steamship Ramapo, responsible for loading of coal into the ship and delivering coal to the stoker or fireman. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_trimmer)

SS Ramapo under her former name Baron Wemyss.Courtesu of naviearmatori.net

S.S. Ramapo under her original name of Baron Wemyss. (Photo courtesy of http://www.naviearmatori.net)

Hughes made two successful runs to England but then on a routing of London-Bermuda-Philadelphia, it was torpedoed by German U-Boat 108, captained by Klaus SCHOLTZ, 180 miles north of Bermuda. While Canadian Merchant Navy records list the event as having occurred on ‘approximately February 12, 1942’, the date it had arrived in Bermuda, German records of ships torpedoed by U-boats record the date as being February 16, 1942.

According to German records, as transcribed into English on https://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/1338.html, the ship had an international crew complement of 40, none of whom survived. “At 15.56 hours on 16 February 1942 the unescorted Ramapo (Master Johan Magnus Ørn Lorentzen) was hit on port side amidships by one G7e torpedo from U-108, broke in two after a boiler explosion and sank 11 minutes later about 180 miles north of Bermuda. The U-boat surfaced and questioned 34 men in lifeboats, but the survivors were never found. The master, 37 crew members and two gunners were lost.”

Screenshot_2020-02-18 Ramapo (Panamanian Steam merchant) - Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII - uboat net

Map showing location of sinking of Ramapo.  (Map courtesy of http://www.uboat.net)

As you can imagine, in that time period, it was a long time before families learned that something had gone wrong.  On March 31, 1942, six weeks after the incident, The Guardian reported that the Hughes family had received a message from the steamship company, advising that it believed the ship had been sunk and all hands lost.

J.E. Hughes Guardian 31 march 1942 page 1

Source: Page 1 article in the March 31, 1942 edition of The Guardian.

Aboard the S.S. Ramapo on February 16, 1942 were the following crew members, per www.uboat.net:

Nationality Name Age Position
Greek Artavanis, Marios, Merchant Marine 29 Oiler
British Bailey, Mills Sandilands, Merchant Marine 44 Third Engineer
British Birch, John, Merchant Marine 50 Trimmer
Canadian Boyd, Fred, Merchant Marine 35 Messman
Canadian Boyer, Clarence, Merchant Marine 41 Fireman/Wiper
Canadian Brackenbury, Walter, Merchant Marine 22 Fireman/Wiper
Canadian Courville, Roland, Merchant Marine 18 Trimmer
Chilean Delano, Miguel, Merchant Marine 31 Second Mate
British Finch, Thomas, Merchant Marine 20 Messman
Dutch Glimmerveen, Albertus, Merchant Marine 38 Chief Cook
Canadian Green, William, Merchant Marine 29 Oiler
Norwegian Gustavsen, Karl Gustav, Merchant Marine 50 Chief Steward
Swedish Haggberg, Eric, Merchant Marine 22 Able Seaman
Norwegian Hansen, Bernhard, Merchant Marine 23 Fireman/Wiper
British Harris, William John, RN 24 Able Seaman (DEMS gunner)
Norwegian Helmers, Thorleif Gärtner, Merchant Marine 43 Chief Mate
British Hendry, Frederick William, Merchant Marine 52 First Engineer
Argentinian Hernandes, P., Merchant Marine 26 Fireman/Wiper
Canadian Hughes, James Emmet, Merchant Marine 31 Trimmer
Norwegian Kjennerud, Jul, Merchant Marine 24 Able Seaman
Canadian Knickle, Fred, Merchant Marine 39 Able Seaman
Norwegian Kristensen, Toralf, Merchant Marine 21 Able Seaman
Canadian Lalonde, Germain, Merchant Marine 20 Able Seaman
French Lawrence, Felix, Merchant Marine 30 Messman
British Leary, Vincent, Merchant Marine 35 Second Engineer
Norwegian Lie, Hans Kristian Jensen, Merchant Marine 20 Able Seamn
Canadian Lord, Ian McLean, Merchant Marine 18 Radio Operator
Norwegian Lorentzen, Johan Magnus Ørn, Merchant Marine 35 Master
Canadian Manoff, Paul, Merchant Marine 23 Ordinary Seaman
American McAdoo, John Cornelius, Merchant Marine 37 Messman
Canadian McDonald, Charlie, Merchant Marine 25 Fireman/Wiper
British Nicholson, William, Merchant Marine 36 Boatswain (Bosun)
Norwegian Olsen, Andreas, Merchant Marine 50 Chief Engineer
Irish Reynolds, William, Merchant Marine 28 Fireman/Wiper
British Sinclair, Leslie, Merchant Marine 20 Ordinary Seaman
Norwegian Vesterhus, Nils Andreas, Merchant Marine 38 Third Mate
American Vitalis, Vasilios, Merchant Marine 29 Cook
Canadian Waddell, Wesley, Merchant Marine 23 Oiler
Canadian Wilson, Edgar John, Merchant Marine 23 Ordinary Seaman
British Winder, Harry, Royal Navy 22 Able Seaman (DEMS gunner)
       

James Emmet Hughes is listed on the Halifax Memorial in Point Pleasant Park in Halifax, Nova Scotia, along with other Canadian mariners whose bodies were never recovered.

Halifax Memorial

Halifax Memorial in Point Pleasant Park in Halifax, Nova Scotia. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

Research continues on this and other stories.  If you have information or photos to share about James Emmet Hughes, the sinking of the Ramapo, or any of the crew members, 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/

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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In Memoriam

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In_memoriam

August 14, 2019.  Over the past years, the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph Research Project has been telling the stories of the soldiers listed on the cenotaph.  Along the way, we’ve also introduced you to the families who have contributed photos and stories of these men.

Sadly this summer, three participants in the project have passed away.  We’d like to acknowledge their help and support by honouring their memories.

Harry Norton & Pieter

Harry Norton, left, with Pieter Valkenburg. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

On May 18, 2019, Harry Norton, brother of WW2 soldier Ernest Murray NORTON, passed away in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. (See link to obituary: https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/obituaries/harry-hv-norton-24050/) The poignant story of Ernest Murray Norton, who was killed in Italy, was told in the blog posting The Last Valentine From A WWII Soldier.

CIMG9470 Oct 24 2017 Follet home in Ajax Terry Greta Pieter

Terry and Greta Follett with Pieter. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

On July 17, 2019, Greta Follett, daughter of WW2 soldier  Everett Samuel FRANCIS, passed away in British Columbia.  The story of how her father, on his way to meet baby Greta for the first time, lost his life when his ship, the SS Caribou, was torpedoed off the coast of Newfoundland, was one of the first that Pieter researched.  (See The Cenotaph Research Project Begins)  At the time of that first article, we didn’t have a photo of Everett Samuel Francis. That changed once Greta learned about the project, and later we were able to visit and meet her and husband Terry.  (See The Face of Everett Samuel Francis)

CIMG9481 Oct 25 2017 Pieter with Helen Elgin & Don Coutts in Toronto

Pieter (standing left) with Elgin Coutts (seated), Elgin’s wife Helen (centre) and son Donald (standing right) during a visit in 2017. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

On August 7, 2019, Elgin Coutts, brother-in-law of WW2 pilot Elmer Bagnall MUTTART, passed away in Toronto, Ontario. (See link to obituary: https://www.theguardian.pe.ca/obituaries/elgin-coutts-24809/) The story of Elmer Bagnall Muttart, who died after his plane was shot down over The Netherlands, has unfolded over the years, and began with this posting: The Elmer Bagnall Muttart Story.  This October, a memorial panel to honour Muttart and his crew will be placed near the crash site in Wons, The Netherlands.  (See Update For Those Intending To Go To The Netherlands For The Memorial Panel Unveiling In Wons To Honour the Crew of Halifax L9561)

We extend our condolences to the families of Harry Norton, Greta Follett, and Elgin Coutts, and thank them for their participation in and contributions to the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph Research Project.  If you have information and photos to share on the names on the Cenotaph, please contact Pieter at dariadv@yahoo.ca or comment on the blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

 

On the War Memorial Trail …..The Face of Everett Samuel Francis

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March 25, 2018.  The very first article published in the County Line Courier about the Cenotaph Research Project told the stories of Vincent CARR and Everett Samuel FRANCIS.  At the time the article ran, we only had a photo for Vincent Carr.  When the Cenotaph Research Project blog began, we updated the story and provided a PDF of the original newspaper article in a blog entry, which you can read here (See The Cenotaph Research Project Begins).

As mentioned in the original article, Everett Samuel Francis was born February 2, 1921 in Albany, the son of Lester L. Francis and Annie Mary “Mae” MacDonald, and husband of Janie Louise Mercer of Grand Falls, Newfoundland. Before the war, he worked for Wilfred Inman of Albany as a farm labourer.  He enlisted on July 15, 1940, serving with the P.E.I. Highlanders.

Everett Samuel Francis head shot

Everett Samuel Francis. (Photo credit: courtesy Greta Follett family collection)

On September 13, 1942, he was sent from Gander, Newfoundland, where his unit was based, to Long Branch, Ontario for a small arms training course.  He was on his way back to Gander aboard the railway ferry S.S. Caribou when it was torpedoed by German U-Boat 69 off the coast of Newfoundland on Wednesday, October 14, 1942.  101 survivors were rescued and taken to Sydney, but the captain, 30 crew, 57 service personnel, and 48 passengers were lost, including Francis.  He’s buried in St. Matthew’s Presbyterian Cemetery in Grand Falls, Newfoundland.

One of the most rewarding aspects of this project is meeting the families behind the soldiers listed on the Cenotaph.  At the time the article was published in October 2016, we had no photo, nor could we find family on Prince Edward Island.  So we were delighted when helpful Islanders found a connection that led us to Francis’ daughter Greta May Follett, who lives in Ontario with her husband Terry.

Greta told us that she was born on September 24, 1942, and her father had been granted leave to meet his baby daughter when he lost his life.  Although she never had a chance to meet her father, she did have a few photos and so we were able to put a face and story to this name on the Cenotaph.

Everett Francis and Janie Mercer marriage P8242352

Everett Samuel Francis and Janie Louise Mercer on their wedding day, in Grand Falls, Newfoundland. (Photo credit: courtesy Greta Follett family collection)

An October 20, 1942 letter written to Francis’ mother by the Herbert J. Scott, Minister of St. Matthew’s Presbyterian Church in Grand Falls, Newfoundland, explained that Greta was to be christened in church on the Sunday after Francis was to have returned home. 

Reverend Scott explained that “During the short time that your boy was in this country, he had greatly endeared himself to all who knew him, and his loss is keenly felt here.  As a soldier, his fidelity to duty and earnest desire to rise in the ranks enlisted the commendation of his Officers.  Col. C.C. Thompson of his regiment thought much of him and said, if Everett had been spared, he might have gone far in the ranks.” (Note: Newfoundland was not part of Canada in 1942.)

Greta’s mother never remarried.  Greta herself was raised by her maternal grandmother Greta Mercer.  When we had a chance to visit them at their home in Ontario, we were warmly welcomed and experienced the hospitality Newfoundland is famous for!

CIMG9470 Oct 24 2017 Follet home in Ajax Terry Greta Pieter

Terry and Greta Follett with Pieter. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Do you have any photos or memories of Everett Samuel Francis to share?  Perhaps a school photo?  Photos are still also needed for many of the names on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion.  Please share your photos, comments, or stories 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. 

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

The Cenotaph Research Project Begins

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CIMG5472 B&W Aug 5 2015 WWI and WWII memorial at Borden Carleton Legion.JPG

July 28, 2017.  The Cenotaph Research Project began in summer 2016 quietly by enlarging a photo of the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion in Prince Edward Island and showing it to Islanders in the hope that someone would recognize a name.  In the meantime, Pieter started searching the surnames at the Canadian Virtual War Memorial (www.veterans.gc.ca) and Library and Archives Canada Military Service Files (http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/Pages/military-heritage.aspx) to try and identify the names.  We didn’t have first names, only surnames and an initial.

The search was made more difficult as we soon learned that many Islanders were known by their second name.  The initial on the Cenotaph sometimes referred to the second name or a nickname.  For example, Alfred became Fred and F was the initial he was identified by.

We had no luck with photos until one day Helen Carr mentioned that her husband’s uncle, Vincent CARR, was listed on the memorial.  Did we want a photo of him?  We did, and went to visit Helen’s husband Delbert.  With that photo, Pieter delved into Carr’s military records and learned that he died at Passchendaele.

We had the basis of an article to write, and decided to include someone from WWII whose photo we didn’t have.  Pieter chose Everett Samuel FRANCIS, who died off the coast of Newfoundland when the ship he was on, SS Caribou, was torpedoed.

After the article ran, Helen Carr came to the rescue once again, by finding a relative of Francis, who then was able to put us in touch with Francis’s daughter Greta, who lives in Ontario.  We learned that Francis was on his way to Newfoundland to meet his three week old baby daughter Greta for the first time when he died.  Luckily, Greta had photos of her father and shared them.

We hope you enjoy this first article that ran in October 2016, “Putting A Face And Story To The Names On The Cenotaph” in the County Line Courier.   CLC Page 6-7 Putting a Face and Story to the Names on the Cenotaph

If you have photos or documents you’d like to share, please email them to memorialtrail@gmail.com.  Comments or stories?  You can share them by email 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. 

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