Fort Garry Horse – 10th Armoured Regiment

On The War Memorial Trail….. Atlantic Canada Remembers – Part 7

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February 22, 2021. We continue to feature more of the photos submitted by Atlantic Canadians of soldiers buried overseas. Pieter is ensuring that every email is acknowledged, and that the photos of soldiers buried in The Netherlands will be forwarded to the appropriate cemetery for their digital archives.  Thank you to the various members of Royal Canadian Legions in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick for their help.

The volunteers at all three Canadian War Cemeteries in Holten, Groesbeek, and Bergen Op Zoom are now active, and Pieter has received wish lists for photos from all three cemeteries.  Submissions for soldiers buried in municipal cemeteries are being held until Pieter gets the go-ahead that those volunteers are active again.

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

Ken Dennis of Yarmouth let us know about the Wartime Heritage Association website, which features some of the soldiers from the area who served in WW2.  One of the profiles, written by Flip Jonkman, was of a soldier on the photo wish list of the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten…. Brenton Leroy RINGER. (See http://wartimeheritage.com/whaww2ns2/wwii_ringer_brenton_leroy.htm)

Born on March 22, 1925 in Northfield, Nova Scotia, the son of Ralph and Alberta Ringer of Clementsport, he was an electrician’s helper when he enlisted, at age 18, with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders in Halifax on January 17, 1944.  He later transferred to the 10th Armoured Regiment on March 27, 1945, and lost his life on April 12, 1945 during the liberation of Heino, The Netherlands, when the Sherman tank he was in was hit on the road to Zwolle. 

There were 5 men in the tank, with one survivor.  The survivor knocked on the door of a nearby farmhouse to ask for help, the home of Flip Jonkman’s parents.  Flip was not born at the time, but always remembered the story, and in 2020, was instrumental in getting a memorial stone placed near the site of the attack.  (See the article in Dutch for more information: https://www.destentor.nl/raalte/vurige-wens-in-vervulling-voor-flip-jonkman-73-uit-heino-nu-gedenksteen-is-geplaatst~a694b86d/?referrer=https%3A%2F%2Fduckduckgo.com%2F)

Another of the names on the photo wish list for the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten was found on the Wartime Heritage Association website…. that of Louis Graham RICHARD. (See http://wartimeheritage.com/whaww2ns/wwii_richard_louis_graham.htm)

Born February 13, 1918, the son of Raphael Daniel and Mary Ann Richard of Londonderry, Nova Scotia, Louis was a store clerk before enlisting with the No 2 Canadian Armed Corps in Halifax on February 17, 1943 as a trooper.  On October 14, 1944 he was sent to the United Kingdom, and then on March 31, 1945 to Western Europe with the 9th Armoured Regiment (BC Dragoons).  

Louis was killed in action in The Netherlands during the Battle of Delfzijl Pocket on April 26, 1945, at the age of 27, and was temporarily buried in Wirdum in the province of Groningen, The Netherlands before being reburied in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten. (For more information on this battle, see https://www.canadiansoldiers.com/history/battlehonours/northwesteurope/delfzijlpocket.htm)

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

Percy Clayton Cromwell photo only

Percy Clayton Cromwell.  (Photo submitted by Ken Dennis)

Ken Dennis submitted a photo of Percy Clayton CROMWELL, explaining that “…I am a member of the Yarmouth Branch 61 Legion…” After receiving a wish list of photos from Pieter, he noticed one name from Yarmouth, Nova Scotia.  “…Having been shown this email, I decided to trace his local roots…”

“…He was a labourer, then for CP out of the Halifax area and upon enlisting moved his family to Yarmouth where they grew up….” CP refers to the Canadian Pacific Railway.

Percy was born in Yarmouth on February 12, 1914, the son of James Alfred and Annie May Cromwell.  He enlisted with the West Nova Scotia Regiment in Aldershot, Nova Scotia on May 14, 1940.

Percy was with the Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers when he drowned in The Netherlands on February 8, 1945.  He’d been on guard duty along a canal in the Dutch province of Brabant on a very dark, windy, and rainy night, and it would have been very easy to lose his bearings and accidentally fall into the canal.  His body was not found until March 12, 1945.  He left behind a wife, Lillian Beryl, and four children. 

Frank Lewis Libby photo only

Francis Lewis Libby. (Photo from the New Brunswick Military Recognition Booklet)

Kent Caldwell, a member of the Royal Canadian Legion in New Brunswick, sent an entry on Francis ‘Frank’ Lewis LIBBY from one of the annual issues of the New Brunswick Military Recognition Booklet, explaining that the photo was a copy from a newspaper clipping.  The entry stated that “…Francis served with the Calgary Highlanders in England and Northwest Europe.  He was killed in The Netherlands in 1945…” 

Francis was born February 21, 1918 in Milltown, New Brunswick, the son of Clifford and Mary Christine Libby.  Before enlisting on July 25, 1941, he worked at the Canadian Cottons Plant in Milltown.  On October 4, 1941, he married Dorothy Louise Caswell.  He and Dorothy had a son Francis Brian in 1944 while he was overseas in Europe, and where he transferred to the Calgary Highlanders in September 1944. Francis lost his life on January 5, 1945 after being killed along the Dutch-German border. He was temporarily buried in Nijmegen, before his reburial, on July 30, 1945, in Groesbeek.

Hiram Albion Lord photo only

Hiram Albion Lord. (Photo from the New Brunswick Military Recognition Booklet)

Kent Caldwell, a member of the Royal Canadian Legion in New Brunswick, also sent an entry on Hiram Albion LORD from one of the annual issues of the New Brunswick Military Recognition Booklet, explaining that the photo was a copy from a newspaper clipping.  The entry stated that “…Hiram served with the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment during the Second World War and was killed in action in 1945…” 

Born November 7, 1924 in Lords Cove, Deer Island, New Brunswick, the son of Minnie Smith, Hiram was a fisherman before enlisting on November 4, 1943 and served in Canada until his arrival in the United Kingdom on July 21, 1944.   On August 17, 1944 he went with his unit to Western Europe and lost his life on January 8, 1945 near Nijmegen, The Netherlands.

Stanley Spray

Stanley Spray. (Photo submitted by Royal Canadian Legion Branch #20 in Digby)

Donna Flaherty, President of Royal Canadian Legion Branch #20 in Digby, Nova Scotia, submitted a photo of Stanley SPRAY, writing “…This picture hangs on our Memorial Wall….”

Born April 24, 1913 in Nottinghamshire, England, the son of Edgar and Edith Spray, Stanley immigrated to Canada, and settled in Digby, Nova Scotia, where he ran a small farm and worked for J. J. Wallis as a printer before his enlistment on July 6, 1940 with the 52nd Anti-Tank Battery.  He was married to Alda May and the father of two daughters, Jean Carolyn and Joan Carol. 

He received several promotions, and was a battery quartermaster sergeant with the Royal Canadian Artillery when WW2 ended.  Stanley lost his life in a tragic vehicle accident near Nijmegen, The Netherlands on July 23, 1945, when he was catapulted out of the back of an army truck that collided with an oncoming military vehicle.

Thank you to Kent Caldwell, Ken Dennis, and Donna Flaherty for sharing photos and anecdotes.  Atlantic Canadians remember their loved ones who are buried overseas. If you have a higher resolution photo of Percy Clayton Cromwell, Frank Lewis Libby, or Hiram Albion Lord, please send it in to us.

More photos and stories in Atlantic Canada Remembers – Part 8! To share photos or information, please email Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com, or comment on the blog. 

© Daria Valkenburg

…..Previous postings in the Atlantic Canada Remembers series….

Missed the previous postings in this series? See:

…..Want to follow our research?….

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

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On The War Memorial Trail….. Atlantic Canada Remembers – Part 6

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

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

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

Howard Armstong

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

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

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

Douglas Jury1

Douglas Jury. (Photo courtesy of the Jury Family)

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

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

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

Harry William Doucette

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

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

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

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

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

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

Arnold Hupman

Arnold F Hupman.  (Photo submitted by Marilyn Hupman)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Austin Boutilier photo from Judy MacKenzie

Austin Ephraim Boutilier. (Photo submitted by Judy MacKenzie)

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

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

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

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

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

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

© Daria Valkenburg

…..Previous postings in the Atlantic Canada Remembers series….

Missed the previous postings in this series? See:

…..Want to follow our research?….

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

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

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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