Frank Edward MCGOVERN

On The War Memorial Trail….The Faces Of Groesbeek Exhibition Part 6: A Few More Soldiers

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CIMG8928 Sep 15 2017 Daria at Groesbeek cemetery

Daria at entrance to Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, with flowers to place at the grave of Frank Edward McGovern. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

May 27, 2023. After a successful exhibition where photos were placed at more than 1,600 graves at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek for three weeks in 2021 to commemorate the Anniversary of the Liberation of The Netherlands, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, which oversees the cemetery, gave permission for photos to be placed by the graves every two years. 

…The Faces Of Groesbeek Exhibition 2023 included almost 2,000 photos…

This year, The Faces Of Groesbeek Exhibition ran from April 30 to May 21, 2023, with almost 2,000 photos, just over 350 more than 2 years ago!  All photos submitted by families and volunteer researchers were printed onto an aluminum backing, making them impervious to rain, and reusable.

The many volunteers from Faces To Graves Foundation Groesbeek, of which Alice van Bekkum is the Chair, worked tirelessly to make the exhibition possible.  They also organized the Liberation Day commemoration events. 

Pieter has been involved in finding photos of Canadians who are buried in all three Canadian War Cemeteries in The Netherlands since 2014, with many of their stories told on this blog.  

…Six More Soldiers Commemorated…

In Part 1, graves and photos of soldiers from Prince Edward Island were featured.  Part 2 featured Indigenous soldiers.  Part 3 featured soldiers from Nova Scotia, whose stories were told in the Atlantic Canada Remembers series from 2021.  Part 4 featured soldiers from New Brunswick, whose stories were told in the Atlantic Canada Remembers series from 2021. Part 5 featured soldiers from the North Nova Scotia Highlanders Regiment whose stories were told in the Battle of Bienen series.

The Faces Of Groesbeek Exhibition series concludes with Part 6, where the graves and photos of six more soldiers are featured.

IMG_8965 Edmond Coulombe from Alice

Edmond Coulombe. (Photo courtesy of Alice van Bekkum)

Edmond COULOMBE, of Fannystelle, Manitoba, was serving with the Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal, along with Alphonse ROBERT, when he was killed on March 30, 1945 during an attack on Gendringen, The Netherlands, near the German border, at the age of 22. You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/12/24/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-successful-search-for-a-photo-of-ww2-soldier-edmond-coulombe/

IMG_7652 May 16 2023 John Delipper from Ad

John Delipper. (Photo courtesy of Ad Scheepers)

JOHN DELIPPER of Russell, Manitoba was serving with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles.  Along with Tom CHASKE and James Edward DUFFY, he was part of a crew of soldiers being transported to repair a road in The Netherlands, but drowned on December 12, 1944, along with six other soldiers, when the vehicle they were in slipped off a dike and flipped over into a flooded field, pinning them under the vehicle. He was 37 years old. We were in contact with his grandson, Dwayne Delipper, during the search for a photo of Tom Chaske.

IMG_8923 JE Duffy from Alice

James Edward Duffy. (Photo courtesy of Alice van Bekkum)

James Edward DUFFY of Parrsboro, Nova Scotia was serving with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles.  Along with Tom CHASKE and John DELIPPER, he was part of a crew of soldiers being transported to repair a road in The Netherlands, but drowned on December 12, 1944, along with six other soldiers, when the vehicle they were in slipped off a dike and flipped over into a flooded field, pinning them under the vehicle. He was 23 years old.  His name was on the cemetery’s photo wish list, and was sent to Pieter a few months ago by the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 45 in Parrsboro, Nova Scotia.

IMG_7579 Cecil Goodreau from Ad

Cecil Edward Goodreau. (Photo courtesy of Ad Scheepers)

Cecil Edward GOODREAU of North Bay, Ontario, was serving with the 25th Armoured Delivery Regiment (Elgin Regiment) when he was killed in action during the Battle of Keppeln in Germany on February 26, 1945, at the age of 20. You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2022/06/17/on-the-war-memorial-trail-in-north-bay-remembering-ww2-soldier-cecil-edward-goodreau/

IMG_7656 May 16 2023 Frank McGovern from Ad

Frank Edward McGovern. (Photo courtesy of Ad Scheepers)

Frank Edward MCGOVERN of Chipman, New Brunswick, was serving with the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment when he was killed in action during the Battle of Keppeln in Germany on February 26, 1945, at the age of 19. You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2020/12/09/the-search-for-a-photo-of-frank-edward-mcgovern-moves-to-youtube/

IMG_8951 Anthony Petta from Alice

Anthony Petta. (Photo courtesy of Alice van Bekkum)

Anthony PETTA of North Bay, Ontario, was serving with the Algonquin Regiment when he was killed in action during the Battle of the Hochwald Gap in Germany on March 3, 1945, at the age of 29. You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2022/06/29/on-the-war-memorial-trail-in-north-bay-the-ww2-soldier-who-was-appointed-company-sergeant-major/

Thank you to Alice van Bekkum and Ad Scheepers for their kindness in taking these photos. A big thank you goes to all of the families who provided photos, making a project like the one in Groesbeek possible.

This concludes The Faces Of Groesbeek Exhibition series for 2023. In 2021, we featured 8 soldiers, and this year 36 soldiers were featured – 44 in total. Perhaps we will have more photos to share in 2025!

If you have a photo of a soldier buried at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek or one of the other cemeteries in The Netherlands, Pieter encourages you to email him at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or tweet to @researchmemori1. 

© Daria Valkenburg

…Previous postings about The Faces Of Groesbeek Exhibition at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek…

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

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On The War Memorial Trail In North Bay….. Remembering WWII Soldier Cecil Edward Goodreau

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June 17, 2022. Some families span generations of military service, as we discovered when researching the life of WWII soldier Cecil Edward GOODREAU of North Bay, Ontario. Not only did Cecil serve during WWII, but two of his brothers did as well:

  • Murrel Robert, who worked at National Grocers in North Bay before enlisting in 1942
  • William (Bill) Joseph, who worked at Rankin’s Grocery in North Bay before enlisting

Both Murrel and Bill returned home from the war. Cecil didn’t.

The three brothers followed in the footsteps of their father Henry (Harry) Goodreau, who enlisted in WWI and served in France. While in England he met and married Margaret Daisy. They had 2 boys born there before returning to Canada in March 1919 on a ship full of troops and their wives and children.

improved_photo(3) Cecil Goodreau

Cecil Edward Goodreau.  (Photo courtesy of the Goudreau family. Photo colourization by Pieter Valkenburg)

Cecil was born July 9, 1924 in Cache Bay, Ontario, the son of Harry Joseph and Margaret Daisy Goodreau.  He attended St Joseph’s Separate School in Sturgeon Falls, Ontario, and after the family moved to North Bay when he was 12, he was a student at St Mary’s School in North Bay. 

Before enlisting in Sudbury, Ontario on March 15, 1943, Cecil worked at the International Nickel Company (Inco) in Copper Cliff, Ontario. He was sent for training as a gunner at Camp Borden, Ontario before going overseas.  He left Canada on November 25, 1943 and arrived in the United Kingdom on December 1, where he became part of the Canadian Armoured Corps Reinforcement Unit (CACRU).

While in the United Kingdom, he attended Gunnery and Wireless courses in preparation for the D-Day landings on June 4, 1944 in Normandy.  Remarkably, he survived D-Day and on June 9, 1944 was transferred to the 27th Armoured Regiment (Sherbrooke Fusiliers). 

… Cecil lost his life during Operation Blockbuster in Germany….

On November 1, 1944, while still in France, he was wounded when he sustained shell fragment wounds to his head and face, as well as his knee and shin, in an infantry accident.  At the time of his death he was still carrying scars of the face and head shell wounds received in November.

Unfortunately, a few months later, Cecil was killed in action in Germany in the Battle of Keppeln on February 26, 1945 during Operation Blockbuster, the last part of Operation Veritable. He had been transferred to the 25th Armoured Delivery Regiment (Elgin Regiment) just the day before. 

Cecil was initially buried near Kalkar, Germany. (For more information, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Blockbuster and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Veritable)

… Cecil’s great-niece contacted us….

Nancy Gribbons, daughter of Cecil’s niece Marie, wrote that “…My grandfather, Harry Goudreau, and Uncle Cecil were brothers.  My mother talked of Uncle Cecil staying with them all the time and that they all loved him.

When he was 18, Uncle Cecil moved from North Bay to stay with Harry and Grandma Helene at their home in Copper Cliff, Ontario.  Uncle Cecil worked at Inco mines before signing up in Sudbury to join the war. 

My grandparents helped many persons by letting them stay at their home while working at the Inco mines.  Inco was a large employer and people could make money to save.

In 1940 there was not a lot of work, especially in Northern Ontario, and men flocked to Sudbury to work in the mines.  It was a mining town, and still is.

Grandpa Harry never got over losing his brother Cecil.  He and Grandma Helen named their next child, a girl, Cecilla after him, and then the next and last was a boy and his name is Cecil Goudreau too. 

Uncle Cecil was so loved and was saving to buy a farm in Verner, a farming community between North Bay and Sudbury, near Sturgeon Falls and Cache Bay, where he was born….” 

…Memorial Plaque at Pro-Cathedral Of The Assumption Church in North Bay….

20220518_165029 May 18 2022 Procathedral

Pro-Cathedral of the Assumption Catholic Church in North Bay, Ontario.

After Nancy told us that Cecil’s name was listed on a memorial plaque at the Pro-Cathedral of the Assumption Catholic Church in North Bay, we asked Don Coutts if he could arrange a visit there to see it. 

Don contacted Karen Steel, Parish Administrator, who was present when we came to view the plaque.

20220518_154353 May 18 2022 Pieter Karen Steel Don Coutts by memorial plaque in Procathedral

Pieter with Karen Steel and Don Coutts beside the memorial plaque at the Pro-Cathedral of the Assumption Catholic Church. Pieter is pointing to Cecil’s name.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

20220518_154254 May 18 2022 Memorial plaque for Goodreau in Procathedral

Memorial plaque at the Pro-Cathedral of the Assumption Catholic Church. Cecil’s name is second from the bottom in the far left column.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

…Cecil’s nephew had a photo….

Nancy Gribbons contacted her uncle Johnny Goudreau, a retired veteran, who wrote “…Thank you for your work on this project….” Johnny and his wife Beverley contributed the photo of Cecil, noting that there was a “…difference in the spelling for our last name. Goudreau is how this branch of the family spells the last name….”

Cecil was initially buried near Kalkar, Germany, before being reburied in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands.

12903776_137245225378 Goodreau from Find A Grave

Cecil Edward Goodreau is buried at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands.  (Photo source: http://www.findagrave.com)

Thank you to Johnny and Beverley Goudreau and Nancy Gribbons for sharing anecdotes about Cecil Goodreau and his photo. Heartfelt thanks to Don Coutts and Karen Steel for arranging the visit to the Pro-Cathedral of the Assumption Catholic Church to view the memorial plaque. Thank you also to Judie Klassen and Shawn Rainville for researching the newspaper and genealogy archives. 

Our North Bay adventures continue in upcoming postings.  If you know of any soldiers from the North Bay area that are buried in The Netherlands please let Pieter know. You can mail him at memorialtrail@gmail.com, or comment on the blog.  

© Daria Valkenburg

… Stories about other soldiers who lost their lives on February 26, 1945 during Operation Blockbuster…

…Missed the previous postings about our North Bay Memorial Trail visit?…

…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/ 

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The Search For A Photo Of Frank Edward McGovern Moves To YouTube

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December 9, 2020.  In telling the stories of individual soldiers, sometimes it turns out that the connections between them leads to a bigger story.  In 2017, when we were in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands, we laid flags down at the graves of soldiers who had been identified by Dutch researchers as coming from Prince Edward Island.

We also laid flags down at the grave of Lance Corporal Frank Edward MCGOVERN, of Chipman, New Brunswick, at the request of our friend and neighbour Brenda Graves.  McGovern was her uncle.

CIMG3334 Oct 5 2019 Groesbeek Frank McGovern

Grave of Frank Edward McGovern in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

McGovern was born April 26, 1925, the son of Hugh and Wilma McGovern.  Brenda’s mother Pearl was Frank’s sister.  He enlisted with the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment, and was killed during the Battle of Keppeln on February 26, 1945.  Keppeln is in Germany, just over the Dutch border, and after WW2 ended, he was reburied in The Netherlands.

In 2019, we again visited his grave when we were in The Netherlands.  In the spring of 2020, Pieter researched the story of Barney MCGUIGAN, and that’s when a connection was made.  He too was in the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment, and also died in the Battle of Keppeln on February 26, 1945.  (See On The War Memorial Trail…..The Search For Barney Reuben McGuigan)

In researching McGuigan’s story, Pieter learned that 28 soldiers from the North Shore Regiment were killed in action that day, in the same battle.

In the book ‘Fields Of Valour’ by Ken Smith, he explains that “… Keppeln was a small town in Germany’s western frontier and a part of the supposedly impenetrable Siegfried Line.  As an ongoing part of Operation Veritable, the North Shore Regiment was ordered to attack Keppeln on February 26, 1945.  No apparent fortifications or troop concentrations were noted, so it was assumed, wrongly, as it turned out, that the village, being so lightly held, would fall quickly....”

It was a trap, and the North Shore Regiment was caught in it, as the Germans waited patiently.  Smith describes what happened.  “.…Camouflaged expertly were the machine gun pits and the fearsome 88mm guns, some mounted on well hidden tanks….”  50 yards from their line, the Germans “…opened up on the North Shores…. The North Shores were cut to pieces, many getting killed outright, and scores of others suffering terrible wounds...”

Among those killed was Frank Edward McGovern.  Brenda has been looking for a photo of her uncle, with no success. Lou Daley, whose uncle Aloysius DALEY lost his life in the same battle, sent a newspaper clipping in which McGovern’s death was announced.  Unfortunately, Brenda has not been able to find the paper in which the notice was published, or who sent it in.

She contacted the Chipman Legion, again with no success.  She recently received an email from a Legion member, saying that “…I can’t get the info you requested because we had a pipe break in the Branch and all of our Archives and other info have been destroyed and irrecoverable.  We have no WW2 Veterans left….”

Brenda Graves

Brenda Graves during the filming of the On The War Memorial Trail video.

With one door closing after another, Pieter decided to feature Brenda’s quest for a photo on our new ‘On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter Valkenburg’ YouTube channel.  With so many roadblocks in finding family and photos, the YouTube channel is one way to reach an audience that might not read this blog or our newspaper articles, or hear Pieter on the radio.  You can watch the video here:

28 men from the North Shore Regiment were killed during the Battle of Keppeln…..

Per ‘Fields Of Valour’ by Ken Smith, the following are the 28 men from the North Shore Regiment killed on February 26, 1945 during the Battle of Keppeln:

  • Richard Paul BEAZLEY
  • Gerald Albert BECK
  • Thomas Clinton BEERS
  • Aloysius John DALEY
  • Eldon Alexander DUCHER
  • Thomas Mitchell GEMMELL
  • George Luckett GRAHAM
  • William Edward HARBOUR
  • Albert Percival HEBERT
  • Emidia Austin HICKEY
  • Frederick Clarence HULL
  • Donald Charles JAGOE
  • John Albert LAFAVE
  • Hubert Ivan LUTES
  • Donald Rae MACPHERSON
  • Frank Edward MCGOVERN
  • Barney Ruben MCGUIGAN
  • Elbridge Wellington MILLER
  • Reginald Vincent MOOERS
  • Ervin Alfred MUNROE
  • Gerald Bruce MURRAY
  • Willard Bruce PARKER
  • Millard Arthur PATTERSON
  • John Giddeon PAYNTER
  • Patrick John POWER
  • Waldo Leroy RICHARDSON
  • Carol Kenneth TITFORD
  • Raoul VADEBONCOEUR

Thank you to Brenda Graves for sharing information about her uncle, and to post-production editor Wendy Nattress, who made the YouTube video a reality. If you have photos or information to share about Frank Edward McGovern or any of the other men killed in the Battle of Keppeln, please email Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or tweet to @researchmemori1.    

© Daria Valkenburg

…Want to follow our research?…

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

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

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Tulips Placed At Each Grave At The Canadian War Cemetery In Groesbeek

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speldje bevrijding

May 5, 2020.  While events planned for the 75th Anniversary of the Liberation of The Netherlands were cancelled due to social distancing to prevent further outbreaks of coronavirus, organizations and individuals have found ways to mark the occasion.  One group from BC, the Dutch Canadian Liberation 2020 Society, planned many commemorative events.  (See https://www.dutchcanada2020.com/about-us/ )

When these had to be cancelled, the Society decided to pay for tulips to be placed at the graves at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands.  Most of the soldiers buried in this cemetery fell during the fighting on the Lower Rhine between February 8 and March 26, 1945.  In addition, the names of 1,103 soldiers reported missing between August 1944 and May 1945 are listed on the Groesbeek Memorial, with only a few found since the memorial was put up.  The rest are still listed as MIA (Missing In Action).

The Cemetery was closed on the first two days in May while volunteers placed tulips in vases beside each grave.

Tulips arriving at groesbeek on may 1st spanjers

Tulips arrive at the Cemetery on May 1.  (Photo credit: Piet Spanjers)

close up of tulip by grave in groesbeek spanjers

Each grave had a vase of tulips placed by volunteers.  (Photo credit: Piet Spanjers)

Memorial Wall scheepers

Vases of tulips line the bench along the Memorial Wall.  (Photo credit:  Scheepers family)

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Grave of L/Cpl Ralph Schurman BOULTER, North Nova Scotia Highlanders, from West Point. (Photo credit:  Scheepers family)

heneberry 1 scheepers

Grave of PEI soldier Sapper Joseph Edmond HENNEBERY, Corps of Royal Canadian Engineers, from Morrell. (Photo credit: Scheepers family)

DCIM100GOPROGOPR0100.JPG

Grave of L/Cpl Frank Edward MCGOVERN, North Shore Regiment, born in Chipman. (Photo credit:  Scheepers family)

Our thanks to Ad and Noor Scheepers for taking photos, including those of the graves of:

  • Ralph Schurman BOULTER, who came from West Point, Prince Edward Island
  • Joseph Edmond HENNEBERY, who came from Morrell, Prince Edward Island
  • Frank Edward MCGOVERN, born in Chipman, New Brunswick

You can read (or re-read!) about our 2019 and 2017 War Memorial tour visits to the cemetery here:

·       https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2019/12/04/on-the-war-memorial-trail-our-2019-visit-to-the-canadian-war-cemetery-in-groesbeek/

·     https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2017/12/30/on-the-war-memorial-trail-pei-soldiers-buried-in-the-canadian-war-cemetery-in-groesbeek/

·        https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2017/12/25/on-the-war-memorial-trail-at-the-canadian-war-cemetery-in-groesbeek/

In an unrelated commemorative gesture, a group of Dutch farmers used tractors to spell out ’75 Jaar Vrijheid’ (75 Years of Freedom) in the shape of a torch. They were given a citation by Dutch authorities for not respecting social distancing rules! (Watch them make this tribute in a 42 second video at https://www.nu.nl/280619/video/boeren-vormen-fakkel-met-trekkers-in-wei-en-ontsteken-vrijheidsvuur.html?jwsource=em)

No photos have yet been found for Joseph Edmond HENNEBERY and Frank Edward MCGOVERN. Can you help? If you have information to share about any Canadian soldiers buried in The Netherlands, please contact Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com or comment on the blog.  UPDATE:  A photo of Joseph Edmond Hennebery was subsequently submitted.

© Daria Valkenburg

….Want to follow our research?….

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

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

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

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On The War Memorial Trail…..Our 2019 Visit To The Canadian War Cemetery In Groesbeek

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December 4, 2019.  While in The Netherlands this fall, we visited the three Canadian War Cemeteries and laid down flags of Canada and PEI for the names listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion, as well as other Islanders who have been identified by Dutch researchers. The second Canadian War Cemetery we visited on the 2019 trip was in Groesbeek.  (See On the War Memorial Trail ….. At The Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek and On the War Memorial Trail ….. PEI Soldiers Buried In The Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek for accounts of our 2017 visit.)

CIMG3371 Oct 5 2019 Groesbeek

Pieter at the entrance to Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

We visited the cemetery on a rare sunny and dry day during our time in The Netherlands…. it rained 19 out of 21 days! We hadn’t been as lucky when we went to Holten!  (See On The War Memorial Trail…..Our 2019 Visit To The Canadian War Cemetery In Holten)

As in 2017, we were joined by Pieter’s former colleague in the Dutch Foreign Service, Ad Scheepers, and his wife Noor, who live in Groesbeek.  Pieter and Ad served together in New Delhi and both are passionate in their gratitude to the Allied troops that liberated The Netherlands during WWII.

cimg3321-oct-5-2019-groesbeek-william-weatherbie.jpg

Pieter with Noor and Ad Scheepers by the grave of William Weatherbie.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Since our 2017 visit, no additional names of soldiers from PEI have been uncovered, so we placed flags at the graves of the same 17 Islanders.  Unlike in 2017, however, photos of several of these soldiers have now been provided by family members.  In alphabetical order, here are the known soldiers from PEI that are buried in the cemetery:

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

We also placed a Canadian flag at the grave of one soldier from New Brunswick, the uncle of our neighbour Brenda Graves:

  • L/Cpl Frank Edward MCGOVERN, North Shore Regiment, born in Chipman

Photos have still not been found for:

  1. Joseph E. HENNEBERY, born in Morell, who died on April 20, 1945. (UPDATE: Photo has been found)
  2. Barney Ruben MCGUIGAN, born in St. Peter’s, son of Thomas and Sadie McGuigan, who died on February 26, 1945. (UPDATE: Photo has been found)
  3. Frank Edward MCGOVERN, born in Chipman, who died on February 26, 1945.

After placing the flags, we met with Alice van Bekkum and her husband Leendert at De Oude Molen (The Old Windmill) cafe.  Alice is the Chair of the Faces To Graves Project in The Netherlands, which is trying to find a photo for every Canadian soldier buried in one of the Dutch cemeteries for a digital archive.

CIMG3374 Oct 5 2019 Groesbeek De Oude Molen

At De Oude Molen, left to right: Ad Scheepers, Leendert van Bekkum, Alice van Bekkum, Pieter Valkenburg, Daria Valkenburg, Noor Scheepers.

During the 75th Anniversary of the Liberation of The Netherlands commemoration in May 2020, the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek has received permission from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to place photos of Canadian soldiers by their gravestones for two weeks.  Pieter is trying to ensure all of the Island soldiers have a photo, but as you can see above, there are 2 Islanders without photos, plus one from New Brunswick.

Thank you to Ad and Noor Scheepers for joining us on the memorial trail at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek!  If anyone has more information to share on any of the soldiers listed above, or know of more Islanders buried in the cemetery in Groesbeek, please contact Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or tweet to @researchmemori1.    

© Daria Valkenburg

…Want to follow our research?…

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

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

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On the War Memorial Trail ….. At The Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek

/ On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / 3 Comments

December 25, 2017.  During lunch with members of the Royal Canadian Legion in The Netherlands, we mentioned that we would be going to the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek to lay flags at the graves of Prince Edward Island soldiers, and one from New Brunswick.  Although we had a list of 17 soldiers, only one was listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Legion Carleton, George Preston SMITH of Kinkora, who was with the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment.

Placing flags at the grave of a soldier from New Brunswick was at the request of our friend, Brenda Graves of North Tryon, in memory of her uncle Frank Edward MCGOVERN. He also was from the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment, and died February 26, 1945 at the age of 19. Brenda, who is researching her family history, unfortunately has only a poor quality photo of her uncle.  Can anyone help put a face to this name?

Just outside the cemetery, by the parking lot, is a banner asking people for help in the Faces to Graves Foundation Groesbeek project.  The project was begun by members of the Royal Canadian Legion in The Netherlands to create a virtual memorial for all who are buried at the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery or listed on the Groesbeek Memorial.  2,338 soldiers are buried here.

CIMG8926 Sep 15 2017 faces to grave banner at Groesbeek cemetery

Faces to Graves Foundation banner. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

Many of the war dead were brought to this cemetery from nearby Germany. Fallen Canadian soldiers from WWII, who were buried in German battlefields, were reinterred here (except for one who is buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery in Germany). General Harry Crerar, who commanded Canadian land forces in Europe, had ordered that Canadian dead were not to be buried on German soil.

CIMG8928 Sep 15 2017 Daria at Groesbeek cemetery

Daria at entrance to Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, with flowers to place at the grave of Frank Edward McGovern. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

CIMG8937 Sep 15 2017 Groesbeek cemetery grave of Brendas uncle FE McGovern

Grave of Frank Edward McGovern at Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

George Preston Smith (2)

George Preston Smith. (Photo courtesy of Canadian Virtual War Memorial)

Private George Preston SMITH was born September 3, 1923 in Kinkora, the son of William Wilfred and Mabel Smith.  A store clerk before enlisting on April 1, 1943, he served in England, France, and Belgium, before meeting his death in Belgium in an unfortunate accident on November 12, 1944.  Smith was accidentally killed while trying to take his Stengun out of the back of a military truck. The gun was under a pile of greatcoats. He grabbed it by the muzzle and gave it a hard pull, causing the cocking piece to be pulled back far enough. When he let it go, the cocking piece went forward again with enough pressure to push a round into the chamber and fire it.

On November 15, 1944, he was buried in the Civil Cemetery in Malden, Belgium.  In 1946, his remains were exhumed and he was reburied in the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery.

CIMG8940 Sep 15 2017 Groesbeek cemetery Pieter at the grave of George Preston Smith

Pieter by the grave of Private George Preston Smith. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

After paying our respects to McGovern and Smith, Pieter placed flags on two more graves of PEI soldiers.  We had been invited by Alice van Bekkum, of the Faces to Graves Foundation, to participate in a special ceremony, along with members of the Royal Canadian Legion in The Netherlands.  Wish Of A Lifetime Canada (see https://wishofalifetime.ca/), an organization that fulfills seniors’ dreams and shares their stories to inspire those of all ages, had granted a wish that had a PEI connection.

Harriet Jenereaux, born in West Point, PEI, now living in Nova Scotia, wanted to see the grave of her father, Sgt Edison Alexander SMITH, who is buried in the cemetery in Groesbeek.  Harriet and her husband Keith were flown to The Netherlands, members of the Royal Canadian Legion provided a colour party, and Alice van Bekkum paid for a bugler to play The Last Post at the grave.   (See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgXkld9BUIA)

CIMG8948 Sep 15 2017 Groesbeek cemetery bugler with Yvonne and Berry Swarthoff providing colour parade

Bugler with Royal Canadian Legion’s colour party of Yvonne and Berry Swarthoff at Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Before Harriet arrived at the cemetery, Pieter made sure that Canadian and PEI flags were placed at her father’s grave, and that of her uncle, L/Cpl Ralph Schurman BOULTER, her mother’s brother.  Smith, aged 32, and Boulter, aged 28, were in the North Nova Scotia Highlanders, and were both killed in battle while crossing the Rhine on March 25, 1945.

CIMG8952 Sep 15 2017 Groesbeek cemetery Alice van Bekkum

Alice van Bekkum arranged for a photo of Smith to be placed by his grave. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

As Harriet neared her father’s grave, she called out to her husband Keith, “There’s Daddy!”  It was a poignant moment for us, the Dutch members of the Legion, an astonishing amount of reporters and press photographers, plus a representative of Phillips, the Dutch sponsor of Wish of a Lifetime.

CIMG8950 Sep 15 2017 Groesbeek cemetery Harriet Jenereux at her fathers grave

Harriet Jenereaux kneels at her father’s grave. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

After the ceremony and greeting Harriet, it was time for us to enjoy a cup of coffee and a piece of Dutch apple cake.  We’d return to place flags at the graves of the other 14 soldiers from PEI once all the commotion regarding Harriet’s visit had diminished.

Do you have relatives buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery?  If so, please consider participating in the Faces to Graves project by submitting photos and stories either through their website at http://facestograves.nl/index.html or by email to info@facestograves.nl.  Alternatively, you can contact us and we will forward your info for you.

Comments or stories?  You can share them by emailing us at memorialtrail@gmail.com, or commenting 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/

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.