Gerald Burnell COOLEN

On The War Memorial Trail…..We Follow The Route Taken Into Germany By Canadian Troops In 1945

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

February 6, 2026. Last spring we were in The Netherlands and Belgium for the 80th Anniversary of Liberation Commemoration events. We placed flags at the graves of 383 soldiers in 14 cemeteries, plus visited a number of memorials, museums related to WWII, and even did a battlefield tour. 

We had one last adventure on our 2025 European War Memorial Tour – a trip to Germany to follow the route taken by Canadian troops during the winter of 1945.

We had been in Mook, near Groesbeek, in The Netherlands, as we’d been invited to attend a Faces To Graves Groesbeek meeting, at which we had been surprised with a Faces To Graves Groesbeek ‘coin’ and a certificate for the work done in researching soldiers, finding families, and sharing photos.  (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2025/05/30/on-the-war-memorial-trail-pieter-and-daria-honoured-by-faces-to-graves-groesbeek-foundation/) 

Route taken into Germany from Groesbeek to Kleve, Kalkar, Xanten, Bienen (now part of Rees), and Gendringen. (Map source: Michelin Maps)

Instead of returning to Zaltbommel, where we were staying, Pieter decided to drive into Germany and follow the route taken by Canadian troops in the winter of 1945.  We first travelled to Kleve, then went on to Kalkar, from there to Xanten, and then to Bienen, which is now part of Rees.  From Bienen we returned to The Netherlands and made a very brief stop in Gendringen. 

.…Our first stop was Kleve…

Canadian troops would have travelled along this route into Kleve.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Kleve was bombed heavily before being captured by Allied troops on February 11, 1945 during Operation Veritable, as the 21st Canadian Army Group and British troops fought their way through the difficult terrain of the Reichswald Forest.  The goal of Operation Veritable was to reach the Rhine, part of a pincer movement to allow Allied troops to advance towards Berlin. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Veritable)

The dense wooded area of the Reichswald Forest. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

When the Allies crossed the border into Germany they entered the Reichswald Forest, a densely wooded area, as we saw from the road. It wasn’t hard to understand how the Germans had turned the forest into a death trap during WWII. The already natural obstacles of a forested area were heavily reinforced by German troops and rigged with trenches, mortar pits, barbed wire, mines, and anti-tank ditches.

Two major roads provided the only means of an Allied approach, while inside the forest there were no surfaced roads. Zig-zagged paths snaked through the woods, making it ideal for preparing ambushes to trap Allied troops.

Canadian and British troops were forced to advance on a narrow front, with their movements further restricted by bad weather and mud….as well as German ambushes.

On this journey through Kleve and the road bordering the Reichswald, we remembered:

…..Kalkar was the scene of brutal battles in February 1945….

Canadian troops continued from Kleve towards Kalkar.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

About 10 km (6 miles) south-east of Kleve is Kalkar, scene of two terrible battles that Canadian troops participated in during Operation Veritable. 

First came the Battle of Moyland Wood, which lasted a brutal six days, from February 16–21, 1945, in which several Canadian Regiments, such as the Regina Rifle Regiment, Canadian Scottish Regiment, and Royal Winnipeg Rifles fought to clear German paratroopers from a key position near Kalkar.  (See https://legionmagazine.com/clearing-moyland-wood/) 

The goal of the Battle of Keppeln, fought on February 26, 1945, was to break the German Siegfried Line during Operation Blockbuster, the last part of Operation Veritable. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Blockbuster) Troops encountered heavy artillery and mortar fire in intense fighting from German paratroopers, and had to make their way through heavy mud and minefields.

The battle finally ended when Canadian troops used flame-throwing Wasp carriers to clear German-held houses in Keppeln. The village needed to be secured as part of a push towards Uedem. The capture of Keppeln allowed Canadian forces to clear the Kalkar Ridge and proceed towards the Hochwald Forest gap, and later to break through to the Rhine.

As we passed Kalkar on our way towards the Hochwald Forest, we remembered:

….The Hochwald Forest was where the Battle of Hochwald Gap was fought….

The road bordering the Hochwald Forest was bleak and lonely on the rainy day we drove on it.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

From Kalkar we turned off the road to go along the Hochwald Forest.  It was perhaps fitting that by this time it was raining, with bleak, grey skies, as so many tears would have been shed here during the winter of 1945.   We were alone on this road, with the Hochwald off in the distance, and the only colour coming from the red poppies growing in the field by the road.

Red poppies grew along the road bordering the Hochwald Forest.  (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

The Hochwald Forest was a second, separate defensive line located about 10 km (six miles) east/southeast of the Reichswald, stretching toward the Rhine.  It was where the Battle of Hochwald Gap, part of Operation Blockbuster, was fought between February 28 and March 1, 1945, the final push by Canadian troops towards the Rhine River. (For more information, see https://canadianbattlefieldtours.ca/operation-blockbuster/ and https://civilianmilitaryintelligencegroup.com/10742/the-battle-of-hochwald-gap-one-of-the-largest-armor-engagements-you-probably-have-never-heard-of)

On this bleak and lonely road bordering the Hochwald Forest, we remembered:

….Xanten is now the home of an archeological park…

We followed the road from Kleve to Xanten. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

After detouring onto the road along the Hochwald, we returned to the highway and travelled to Xanten, 26 km (16 miles) from Kleve.  The battle to capture Xanten, near the end of Operation Blockbuster, was the responsibility of Canadian troops of 2nd Canadian Infantry Division, in early March 1945.  (See https://legionmagazine.com/the-taking-of-xanten/)

Beginning on March 8, each brigade was accompanied by two squadrons of flame-throwing tanks, with enemy artillery positions attacked by air support. German troops were desperate to win against the Allies, and fought fiercely, but in the end they evacuated Xanten in the middle of the night on March 10 into March 11.

Poster advertising the upcoming Siegfried Spectacle in Xanten. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

Much of Xanten had been destroyed during WWII, but today it’s the site an archeological park, with no reminders of WWII – at least none that we saw. When we drove through the town, we noticed a large poster advertising a medieval festival to honour Siegfried, a hero of Xanten, billed as a reunion with knights, jugglers, and dragons! It was an odd note on this solemn journey we were taking, in which we remembered:

….In Bienen we looked for the memorial plaque honouring North Novies who died during the Battle of Bienen….

We travelled to Bienen from Xanten. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

From Xanten, we began the journey back into The Netherlands, with a slight detour along the way to Bienen, the scene of the Battle of Bienen on March 25, 1945. In 2023 we’d done a multi-part series on several soldiers from the North Nova Scotia Highlanders Regiment who had died in this battle. We wanted to see a memorial plaque, which was on a wall behind a church in Bienen.

Pieter beside the memorial plaque behind a church in Bienen. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Alice van Bekkum, Chair Faces To Graves Foundation Groesbeek, had told us that the memorial plaque by the church in Bienen, Germany, commemorating the lives lost by the North Nova Scotia Highlanders during the Battle of Bienen on March 25, 1945, was the “…first German/Canadian (Commonwealth) monument in Germany….”

It might have been raining while we were by the memorial plaque, but we made sure to remember:

….The final stop on our journey of remembrance was in Gendringen….

Pieter by the memorial in the cemetery in Gendringen.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

From Bienen, we returned to The Netherlands, stopping for a few moments in Gendringen, where 3 soldiers who had been researched by Pieter had lost their lives. Although it was still raining, we wanted to see the memorial, located in a cemetery in Gendringen. 

The text on the memorial means ‘so that we don’t forget’, or, as said more commonly during Remembrance Services in Canada, ‘lest we forget’.  While at the memorial, we remembered:

By now, it was well after 4 pm, with the rain making the skies very grey.  We were tired and still had a long drive back through heavy traffic to our hotel in Zaltbommel.  Luckily, Pieter is a genius at staying calm in traffic, and we arrived safely, in time to enjoy a quiet and relaxing dinner. 

This concludes the stories of the highlights of our 2025 European War Memorial Tour to commemorate the 80th Anniversary of the Liberation of Europe.

Our trip is now long over, but the research work continues for Pieter.  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

….Want to follow our research?…

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

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

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

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

On The War Memorial Trail….The Faces Of Groesbeek Exhibition Part 3: Atlantic Canada Remembers Soldiers From Nova Scotia

/ On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / Leave a comment
CIMG9024 Sep 16 2017 Groesbeek Cemetery Pieter and Daria by A Gaudet grave

Pieter and Daria at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands in 2017. (Photo credit: Ad Scheepers)

May 20, 2023.  In 2021, to commemorate the Anniversary of the Liberation of The Netherlands, photos were placed at more than 1,600 graves at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek for three weeks.  The event was so successful that 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 includes almost 2,000 photos…

This year, The Faces Of Groesbeek Exhibition runs from April 30 to May 21, 2023, with almost 2,000 photos, just over 350 more than 2 years ago!  Photos are 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 this 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.

In 2021, following an interview on CTV Atlantic’s Live At 5 about the search for photos of WW2 soldiers buried in The Netherlands, the response led to an 11 part series on the blog called Atlantic Canada Remembers.  (See https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/dutch-canadian-man-on-a-mission-to-tell-stories-of-lost-soldiers-1.5266404)

…8 Soldiers From Nova Scotia Commemorated…

In Part 1, graves and photos of soldiers from Prince Edward Island were featured.  Part 2 featured Indigenous soldiers.  Now, in Part 3, eight soldiers from Nova Scotia, whose stories were told in the Atlantic Canada Remembers series from 2021, are featured.

COOLEN Gerald Burnell - X E 13 from Alice

Gerald Burnell Coolen. (Photo courtesy of Faces To Graves Groesbeek)

Gerald Burnell COOLEN, of Western Head, Nova Scotia, was serving with the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada when he was killed in Germany during the Battle of the Hochwald Gap on February 27, 1945, at the age of 21. You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/11/28/on-the-war-memorial-trail-atlantic-canada-remembers-part-11/

CROMWELL Percy Clayton - XVI E 12 from Alice

Percy Clayton Cromwell. (Photo courtesy of Faces To Graves Groesbeek)

Percy Clayton CROMWELL, of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, was serving with the Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers when he drowned in The Netherlands on February 8, 1945, 4 days before his 32nd birthday. You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/02/22/on-the-war-memorial-trail-atlantic-canada-remembers-part-7/

DOUCETTE Harry William - XVII H 03 from Alice

Harry William Doucette. (Photo courtesy of Faces To Graves Groesbeek)

Harry William DOUCETTE, of Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, was serving with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders when he was killed on March 25, 1945, during the Battle of Bienen in Germany, at the age of 19. You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/02/09/on-the-war-memorial-trail-atlantic-canada-remembers-part-6/

SONY DSC

Arnold Freeman Hupman. (Photo courtesy of Faces To Graves Groesbeek)

Arnold Freeman HUPMAN, of East Side of Ragged Island, Nova Scotia, was serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force, 419 Squadron.  He lost his life, at the age of 30, 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. You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/02/09/on-the-war-memorial-trail-atlantic-canada-remembers-part-6/

IMG_8956 Robert Nickerson from Alice

Robert Alan Nickerson. (Photo courtesy of Alice van Bekkum)

Robert Alan NICKERSON, of Halifax, Nova Scotia, was serving with the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion when he was killed on March 24, 1945 on his first jump from a plane over the Rhineland Forest in Germany, at the age of 23. You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/01/13/on-the-war-memorial-trail-atlantic-canada-remembers-part-2/

PORTER Burgess Allison - X F 10 from Alice

Burgess Allison Porter. (Photo courtesy of Faces To Graves Groesbeek)

Burgess Allison PORTER, of Grafton, Nova Scotia, was serving with the 4th Field Regiment of the Royal Canadian Artillery when he was killed on February 21, 1945 in Germany, at the age of 22. You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/03/16/on-the-war-memorial-trail-atlantic-canada-remembers-part-8/

SPRAY Stanley - I A 12 from Alice

Stanley Spray. (Photo courtesy of Faces To Graves Groesbeek)

Stanley SPRAY, of Digby, Nova Scotia, was serving with the Royal Canadian Artillery when he lost his life in a tragic vehicle accident near Nijmegen, The Netherlands on July 23, 1945, at the age of 32. You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/02/22/on-the-war-memorial-trail-atlantic-canada-remembers-part-7/

WITHERALL Benjamin James - II D 01 from Alice

Benjamin James Witherall. (Photo courtesy of Faces To Graves Groesbeek)

Benjamin James WITHERALL, of North Sydney, Nova Scotia, was serving with the Highland Light Infantry of Canada when he killed on the front line on a ridge between Nijmegen and Arnhem on December 27, 1944, at the age of 20. You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/01/07/on-the-war-memorial-trail-atlantic-canada-remembers-part-1/

Thank you to Alice van Bekkum and Ad Scheepers for sending these photos. In Part 4, the graves and photos of soldiers from New Brunswick whose families contacted us for the Atlantic Canada Remember series in 2021 will be featured.

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…

…Want to follow our research?…

Follow our blog

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.

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

On The War Memorial Trail….. Atlantic Canada Remembers – Part 11

/ On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / Leave a comment

November 28, 2021. In Part 11, two stories from the many photos submitted about Atlantic Canadian soldiers buried overseas are featured. Pieter continues to ensure that photos of soldiers buried in The Netherlands are forwarded to the appropriate cemetery for their digital archives.

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

Gerald Coolen from Gerry Smith

Gerald Burnell Coolen.  (Photo submitted by Gerry Smith)

After seeing a November 9, 2021 interview on CTV Atlantic Live at 5, Sherry Muise wrote us about her uncle, Gerald Burnell COOLEN, born June 19, 1923 in Western Head, Nova Scotia, the son of Eben Burnell Coolen and Dorothy Belle (nee Guest) Coolen.  “…I recently saw your interview on CTV News Atlantic and wanted to share this information with you.

Private Gerald Coolen was my mother’s (June) brother. In June of 2010, we learned that his service medals had somehow become for sale on Ebay.  The Legion in Berwick was able to secretly buy them back and a repatriation of the medals ceremony was held in Berwick. Private Coolen’s sister Eleanor and 3 nieces and a nephew were able to attend. The medals remain on display at the Legion Branch in Berwick….” (To watch the CTV interview, see: https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/video?clipId=2318376&jwsource=em)

On July 16, 1940, Gerald enlisted with the West Nova Scotia Regiment in Aldershot, Nova Scotia, giving a false birthdate of June 16, 1921 as he was underage.  He was discharged on May 5, 1941 at the request of his parents.  On September 15, 1941 he married Gladys Mary Rafuse in Liverpool, Nova Scotia.

Once he was of age, Gerald re-enlisted on January 31, 1942, this time at the No 6 District Depot in Halifax.   An interviewer described him as “…young and strong…” with an “…open and pleasant manner…”

After training in Yarmouth and Aldershot in Nova Scotia, Gerald was transferred to the North Nova Scotia Highlanders and sent overseas to the United Kingdom.  He arrived on June 12, 1942 and was attached to the Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit (CIRU).

….Gerald Coolen was transferred to the Black Watch….

On December 16, 1944 he was sent to northwest Europe, and then on December 30, 1944 he was transferred to the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada.

On February 25, 1945 2nd Canadian Division troops began taking their positions in the muddy fields south-west of Calcar, Germany. The goal?  Clear the Rhine River in Xanten, Germany in an operation codenamed Operation Blockbuster.  (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Blockbuster)

Five infantry battalions participated as part of the 2nd Canadian Division: Le Régiment de Maisonneuve, The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada, The South Saskatchewan Regiment, Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal, and The Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada.

On February 26, 1945, Gerald’s regiment advanced towards the Hochwald Gap, the scene of what became a fierce battle. (See https://civilianmilitaryintelligencegroup.com/10742/the-battle-of-hochwald-gap-one-of-the-largest-armor-engagements-you-probably-have-never-heard-of)

The Black Watch war diary entry for February 27, 1945 noted that “…Weather – cloudy and cold, clear in afternoon…..”  The Regiment was over an hour late in moving out and then “…moved at a rate of 3 mph owing to the congestion of vehicles on roads due to the awful conditions – the roads being badly cratered in many places. … Enemy fire killed two men from A Company…”

These are the only two deaths recorded on February 27, 1945 in the Black Watch diary, the day that the service records for Gerald indicate that he was killed in action.

Gerald was initially buried in Bedburg Military Cemetery in Germany, before being reburied in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands in 1946.

Sherry went on to note that “…Pte Coolen’s widower never remarried and they did not have children. The last few years of Aunt Gladys’s life she resided in a private care home.  Thank you for all of your efforts in this research project….”

….The Battle of Hochwald Gap was fierce and under wet and muddy conditions….

This is the same event in which Clarence Wilfred WAKEGIJIG, who served with the Canadian Grenadier Guards, lost his life a few days later.  (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/08/09/on-the-war-memorial-trail-remembering-ww2-soldier-clarence-wilfred-wakegijig/)

A 46 minute YouTube video on the Battle of Hochwald Gap explained the fierce battle that took place.  Watching it made it clear to us that it was a miracle that anyone survived at all, a testament to the determination and courage of those who were in the midst of it.

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

Samuel Glazier Porter

Samuel Glazier Porter.  (Photo submitted by Don Hulsman)

Don Hulsman submitted a newspaper photo found in the archives in Fredericton, New Brunswick of Samuel Glazier PORTER, born December 7, 1918 in Dow Flat, Victoria County, New Brunswick, son of George and Amy Porter.

He enlisted in August 1942 in Fredericton, New Brunswick, and underwent basic training, followed by advanced training in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and then spent time in St. John, New Brunswick.  In September 1944 he was transferred to the PEI Highlanders and had additional training in Vernon, British Columbia before going overseas to the United Kingdom in January 1945.

Once in the United Kingdom, he was transferred to the Canadian Infantry Training Regiment (CITR).  On March 28, 1945 he was sent to north-west Europe as part of the troop reinforcements, and transferred to the Carleton & York Regiment on April 2, 1945.

Unfortunately, on April 15, 1945, while with the Carleton & York Regiment, he lost his life as the unit advanced to the Apeldoorn Canal in The Netherlands.  He was one of 6 soldiers initially buried along the main road to Posterenk, a village near Zutphen.  Samuel was later reburied in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten.

…The Posterenk Memorial…

In September 2017, Pieter and I visited the village of Posterenk with Edwin van der Wolf, one of the research volunteers at the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten.

CIMG9297 Sep 25 2017 Edwin and Pieter with CYR list

Edwin van der Wolf and Pieter in Posterenk in 2017.  Pieter holds up a list of the 6 Carleton & York Regiment soldiers who were temporarily buried in the village.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

The village prepared a list of 6 soldiers to commemorate from the Carleton & York Regiment.  Unfortunately, not all soldiers who died are included.

Posterenk list of 6 CYR members

List of 6 Carleton & York Regiment soldiers temporarily buried in Posterenk in 1945.

As well, a memorial stone is inscribed in the village windmill:

CIMG9295 Sep 25 2017 Posterenk windmill

Windmill in Posterenk.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

CIMG9300 Sep 25 2017 Sign Posterenk freed by CYR Apr 13 1945

Translation of memorial stone on the windmill: Posterenk freed by the Carleton & York Regiment of Canada on April 13, 1945. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

To read about two more soldiers who lost their lives in the area of Posterenk, see:

Thank you to Don Hulsman, Sherry Muise, and Gerry Smith and for sharing photos and anecdotes to ensure that Atlantic Canadians who are buried overseas are not forgotten.

If you can help with a better photo of Samuel Porter, or have photos or information to share about other Canadian soldiers buried in The Netherlands, 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/

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/

Screenshot_2021-02-27 On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter Valkenburg

You are 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.