Halifax L9561

On The War Memorial Trail…..Found – Engine Part From The Last Flight Of Halifax L9561

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Politiek Farm on the left with the village of Wons on the right. (Photo courtesy of Remko de Jong)

July 29, 2025.  After visiting 4 cemeteries in Friesland on the last day of April during our 2025 European War Memorial Tour, we were hot and tired, and faced a long drive back to where we were staying.  (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2025/07/23/on-the-war-memorial-trail-our-visit-to-4-cemeteries-in-friesland/)

However, we continued on to the village of Bolsward, as Makkum resident Remko de Jong had been informed that part of the engine from the last flight of Halifax L9561, which had been found on the Politiek Farm in Wons, was being displayed at an exhibition in the De Tiid (The Times) Museum in Bolsward. 

Map shows the location of the Politiek farm, the crash site where Halifax L9561 came down, and location of the Memorial Panel placed in 2019 in Wons.  (Map courtesy of Remko de Jong)

When we were at Harlingen General Cemetery earlier that day, we placed flags at the grave of RCAF Flight Sergeant Elmer Bagnall MUTTART of Cape Traverse, Prince Edward Island, who died on the night of October 12, 1941, at the age of 23, when the plane he was piloting was attacked by German nightfighters, and crashed near the village of Wons.  Elmer’s story has been well documented on this blog over the past years. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2017/07/28/the-elmer-bagnall-muttart-story/)

The burning plane had crashed on the Politiek Farm, which we had visited in 2017. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2018/02/07/on-the-war-memorial-trail-at-the-politiek-farm-in-wons/)

….Part of the engine from Halifax L9561 was found in 2023…

On October 22, 2023, Remko de Jong had sent photos, informing Pieter of a surprise discovery….. A piece of the engine from the last flight of Halifax L9561 had been found on the Politek farm in Wons. “… This is the front section attached to the main engine with the three propeller blades. … This engine was found five weeks ago on the land where Elmer Muttart’s Halifax crashed….I don’t yet know what will happen to it or where it will be displayed….”  (NOTE: Translation from the original Dutch)

Engine part from Halifax L9561 found on the Politiek farm in 2023.  (Photo courtesy of Remko de Jong)

On October 30, 2023, Douwe Drijver of the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation informed Pieter that “…Mr. Cor Politiek from Wons recently informed us that a part of the Halifax had been found….” After photos were received, they were able to “….determine what was pulled from the clay. It’s the transmission from the engine to one of the propellers. The three blades were attached to this….”  (NOTE: Translation from the original Dutch) 

Any excitement about the find was tempered by uncertainty as to what would happen next. “…. If these are found at a depth of more than 30 centimetres, they are considered archaeological finds. This means they must be reported to the municipality or province. Mr. Politiek has since arranged this. There is now a chance that the transmission will be confiscated. Because the municipality responded with understanding, I advised everyone to do business with them….”  (NOTE: 30 cm is 11.8 inches)

….The engine part was sent to a museum in Bolsward…

Remko explained that the part had been found while using a metal detector, and that it was “….buried 1 to ½ metres below the ground…” on the Politiek farm.  “…Because of the depth at which the engine part was found, it was deemed the property of the province and therefore had to be sent to the museum in Bolsward….”  (NOTE: Translation from the original Dutch)

We heard nothing more about the find until this year, when Remko was informed that the engine would be displayed in an air exhibition at the regional museum in Bolsward towards the end of April.  He made an appointment for the three of us to visit the museum and to meet with the curator, as it turned out that no one in the museum was aware of the heroism displayed by Elmer Muttart in saving his crew and the village of Wons …. at the expense of his own life. 

Before we left for our trip, we shared the short documentary we’d made about the events that led up to a memorial panel being placed in Wons…..and we brought newspaper articles for the museum to have in its collection. See ‘He Died That We Might Live …the story of Halifax L9561(S1E2)’ …..

….The engine part was not on display in Bolsward…

When we arrived at the De Tiid Museum in Bolsward, we were met with disappointment.  The Air Exhibition did not display the engine part, nor did we see the curator.  Instead, one of the archivists, Nena Huizinga, came and showed us the engine part – which was on the floor in a closet, and not on display.

Nena Huizinga with Remko de Jong and Pieter beside the engine part sitting on the floor of a closet in De Tiid Museum in Bolsward.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Sketch of the engine part from Halifax L9561, as drawn by Daria Valkenburg

Nena explained that she had watched the video, and was interested in the newspaper articles, as the story about Halifax L9561 was not one that the archivists at the museum were familiar with.  She didn’t know why the engine part was not part of the Air Exhibition, but said she would find out what happened.

Pieter explaining to Nena Huizinga how the plane came down just outside Wons.  (Photo credit: Daria  Valkenburg)

….An explanation on why the engine part was not on display…

The next day, we received an email from Nena about the engine part and why it was sitting in a closet.  “….Today I asked the museum….why the engine block was not on display.…” It had originally been part of the Air Exhibition, but “…apparently it was too heavy and the engine block had fallen through the museum furniture….” on which it had been displayed.  “….It was also leaking oil….”  (NOTE: Translation from the original Dutch) 

She went on to explain that “…next week they will look at it again, and hope to find a solution so that it can still be included in the exhibition….” Remko is actively following up on this story but unfortunately, almost 3 months after our visit, the engine part is still not on display. 

This concluded our visit to Friesland.  We’ll continue to share the highlights of our adventures on the 2025 European War Memorial Trail on our journey of remembrance. 

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. 

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On The War Memorial Trail…..Our Visit To 4 Cemeteries In Friesland

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July 23, 2025.  On a scorching hot sunny day, we travelled 2 hours to the province of Friesland, where we had planned to place flags at 4 cemeteries and to meet with Remko de Jong, a resident of Makkum, who coordinates the Christmas Eve Candle Lighting ceremony in his village and has shared photos with us for several years. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2023/12/31/2023-christmas-eve-candle-lighting-in-the-netherlands/)

….Flags placed at 11 graves in Harlingen General Cemetery…

Our first stop on the war memorial trail in Friesland was at Harlingen General Cemetery in Harlingen, where we placed flags at 11 graves, 9 of them the graves of Canadian airmen. 

Daria at Harlingen General Cemetery.  (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

Pieter snapped the above photo of me at Harlingen General Cemetery, one of the 4 small cemeteries we visited today in the province of Friesland.  You can see me with a clipboard with names of the men and the provinces they came from so we knew which graves to visit and which provincial flags to place.

Pieter placing flags of Canada and Prince Edward Island at the grave of Elmer Bagnall Muttart. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Our main reason for the trip to this cemetery was to place flags at the grave of RCAF Flight Sergeant Elmer Bagnall MUTTART of Cape Traverse, Prince Edward Island, who died on the night of October 12, 1941, at the age of 23, when the plane he was piloting was attacked by German nightfighters, and crashed near the village of Wons.  Elmer’s story has been well documented on this blog over the past years. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2017/07/28/the-elmer-bagnall-muttart-story/)

Grave of Elmer Bagnall Muttart.  (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

We also placed flags at the grave of an unknown airman, in tribute to Rowan Charles ‘Bunky’ FITZGERALD of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, who lost his life on June 28, 1942, when the plane he was on was attacked and crashed into the sea.  His body has never been identified.  It’s not known if he’s buried in an unknown grave in this cemetery, but we lay flags there as one crew member from Australia was identified and is buried in the row behind Elmer Muttart. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2022/10/12/on-the-war-memorial-trail-well-never-forget-uncle-bunky/)

We placed flags of Canada and Prince Edward Island at this unknown grave in honour of Rowan Charles ‘Bunky’ FitzGerald.  (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

In addition to visiting these two graves, we also placed flags at the graves of:

  • William Raymond James BROWN of Vancouver, British Columbia, died September 29, 1941 while serving in the RCAF
  • Donald Edward CAMPBELL of Rouleau, Saskatchewan, died June 26, 1943 while serving in the RCAF
  • Francis Arthur DAVIEAUX of Sioux Ste Marie, Ontario, died July 14, 1945 while serving in the Ontario Regiment
  • James MCDOWELL of Port Arthur (now part of Thunder Bay), Ontario, died May 16, 1943 while serving in the RCAF
  • Murray Hudley NESBITT of Toronto, Ontario, died May 13, 1943 while serving in the RCAF
  • John Beverley PLEASENCE of Chatham, Ontario, died July 22, 1942 while serving in the RCAF
  • William Maurice POPPLESTONE of Pilot Mound, Manitoba, died March 26, 1942 while serving in the RCAF
  • Thomas ‘Tommy’ Clayton REID of Toronto, Ontario, died July 22, 1945 while serving in the Sherbrooke Fusiliers
  • Robert WISHART of Hamilton, Ontario, died July 22, 1942 while serving in the RCAF

From Harlingen, we went towards Makkum, stopping at the Halifax L9561 Memorial Panel in Wons to place flags of Canada and Prince Edward Island in honour of the flight’s pilot and sole fatality, Elmer Bagnall MUTTART. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2019/11/18/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-memorial-panel-in-wons-is-unveiled/)

Pieter at the Memorial Panel in Wons, honouring the crew of the last flight of Halifax L9561.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

…..Flags placed at two graves in Makkum…

In Makkum we met with Remko de Jong for lunch, and he joined us in visiting the next 3 cemeteries.  First up was the Donia Protestant Church Cemetery (also known as Wonseradeel (Makkum) Protestant Churchyard) in Makkum.

38 airmen are buried in this cemetery, which is located by Lake Ijsselmeer in the province of Friesland.  Most of the airmen’s bodies were recovered from the foot of the dikes surrounding Makkum, pushed there from the sea by winds blowing in from the southwest. Others were recovered by fishermen from Makkum who brought the corpses to their home port for burial.  (See https://www.zzairwar.nl/dossiers/954.html for more information.)

One of the airmen buried in Makkum is RCAF Flying Officer John Francis Edward TABOR of Ottawa, Ontario, who lost his life when the plane he was in, Halifax LK879 crashed at sea on the night of December 16, 1944 into December 17, 1944.  Remko mentioned that he had a very poor quality photo of this airman and asked for help in finding a better photo.  Pieter will have to add this request to his research list!

Another of the Canadian airmen buried in Makkum is RCAF Air Gunner Sgt George David NISBET of Conquest, Saskatchewan, whose body was recovered from the sea on June 7, 1944, after being reported missing on May 24.  He was aboard flight Halifax W1217 which was shot down by a nightfighter.

….We placed flags at one grave in Witmarsum…

Remko de Jong and Pieter at the grave of Stanley Adolfson Bishop. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

From Makkum we travelled to the village of Witmarsum. Our destination was the Wonseradeel (Witmarsum) Protestant Churchyard, where we placed flags at the grave of Stanley Adolfson BISHOP of Quebec, an RCAF Flying Officer serving with 100 Squadron of the Royal Air Force, died May 28, 1943, aged 26, when Lancaster III ED821 HW-A was shot down over The Netherlands by a night fighter. Six of the crew perished, with one survivor who became a prisoner of war.

…..Flags placed at two graves in Kimswerd…

Pieter outside Laurentiuskerk, where the cemetery in Kimswerd is located.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Our last cemetery stop was in the village of Kimswerd, to place flags at the graves of two airmen from 101 (RAF) Squadron, buried in the poorly maintained Wonseradeel (Kimswerd) Protestant Churchyard.  Both men were aboard Wellington III X3654 SR-K, in which all 6 crew members lost their lives.  

Thomas MCBRIDE of British Columbia, an RCAF Warrant Officer serving with 101 Squadron of the Royal Air Force, died August 18, 1942, aged 33.

Pieter and Remko de Jong by the grave of Earl Herbert Brown. To the left is the grave of Thomas McBride. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Earl Herbert BROWN of Ontario, an RCAF Pilot Officer serving with 101 Squadron of the Royal Air Force, also died August 18, 1942, aged 26.

This concluded our visit to the 4 cemeteries in Friesland, but the day was not yet over! The three of us next travelled to De Tiid (The Times) Museum in Bolswerd, to look at an engine part belonging to the last flight of Halifax L9561, found at the crash site where Elmer Bagnall MUTTART lost his life. 

Over the next postings, we’ll continue to share the highlights of our adventures on the 2025 European War Memorial Trail on our journey of remembrance.  Next up – the visit to Bolsward.

The research work continues for Pieter. If you have photos or information to share about soldiers buried in The Netherlands or Belgium, or can contribute a photo of John Francis Edward TABOR, 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. 

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On The War Memorial Trail….A Visit To Sleen General Cemetery

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June 15, 2025.  On April 26, 2025 we travelled to Schoonebeek in the province of Drenthe, The Netherlands, to meet Yannic Wethly, one of the volunteers at the Air Research Drenthe Foundation (Stichting Luchtoorlog Onderzoek Drenthe).  This non-profit organization researches WWII air crashes in the province and places information panels near the crash sites.

We’d been involved with a similar organization in the province of Friesland, Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation, to honour the crew of the last flight of Halifax L9561 in which the pilot, Elmer Bagnall MUTTART of Cape Traverse, Prince Edward Island, lost his life. This led to a memorial panel being placed outside the village of Wons on October 12, 2019. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2019/11/18/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-memorial-panel-in-wons-is-unveiled/)

Yannic had gotten in contact about the last flight of Halifax DT630, in which the pilot, Jack Douglas MACKENZIE of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and three other crew members, lost their lives.  We’ve stayed in touch, and were happy to meet Yannic in person at an excellent exhibition that the organization held in Schoonebeek, entitled ‘The Last Flight – The airwar around Schoonebeek’.

Pieter and Daria with Yannic Wethly of the Air Research Drenthe Foundation.  (Photo courtesy of Valkenburg Family)

After touring the exhibit, we were joined by Yannic’s father, and in the end we were in Schoonebeek for 2 hours!

….Our first flags were placed at 4 graves in Sleen General Cemetery…

The village of Sleen was not far away from Schoonebeek.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

From Schoonebeek we went to Sleen General Cemetery to honour the 4 airmen who lost their lives on February 3, 1943 during the last flight of Halifax DT630 (call sign VR-T), one of 8 heavy Halifax bombers sent on a night raid to Hamburg, Germany. 

The cemetery was outside the village of Sleen, and off of a narrow lane, with a farmer’s field on the other side of the cemetery.

Sign directing us to Sleen General Cemetery. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

We didn’t know what to expect once we turned into the tree-lined entrance to the cemetery. It was much larger than we thought, and very well-maintained. 

The tree-lined entrance from the road into Sleen General Cemetery provided an aura of serenity. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Out of a crew of 7, four men, all with the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), died and are buried in Sleen:

  • Pilot P/O Jack Douglas MACKENZIE of Winnipeg, Manitoba
  • Flight Engineer Sgt. William Peter DUTHIE of Winnipeg, Manitoba
  • Air Gunner W/O II Raymond Hepton HILL of Montreal, Quebec
  • Air Gunner W/O II Lennox Alwin GONNETT of Westmount, Quebec

You can read Jack Douglas MacKenzie’s story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2023/02/19/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-wwii-pilot-killed-at-the-controls-of-his-halifax-bomber/

After placing Canadian and provincial flags, Pieter paid his respects by the graves of the 4 airmen.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Canadian flags were placed at all four graves.  Manitoba flags were placed at the graves of Jack Douglas MacKenzie and William Peter Duthie.  Quebec flags were placed at the graves of Raymond Hepton Hill and Lennox Alwin Gonnett.

Pieter by Jack MacKenzie’s grave in Sleen General Cemetery. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

The three surviving crew members – 2 from the RCAF and 1 from the Royal Air Force (RAF) – spent the remainder of the war years in prisoner of war camps:

  • Navigator Sgt. William Nelson GARNETT, RCAF
  • Bomb Aimer Sgt. Eric Raymond MARQUAND, RCAF
  • Rear Air Gunner F/Sgt. Alexander Henry MILTON, RAF

Sleen General Cemetery was the first of 14 cemeteries that we visited during our trip, and the first 4 graves, out of a total of 383 graves, at which Pieter placed flags. All of the flags placed on our war memorial tour had been donated, as mentioned in an earlier posting. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2025/06/04/on-the-war-memorial-trail-flags-and-pins-received-for-our-2025-european-war-memorial-tour/)

Thank you to the following for the donation of flags placed at the graves in Sleen General Cemetery:

  • Mario Henry and his brother Etienne Henry, who donated the Quebec flags
  • Wayne Ewasko, MLA for Lac Du Bonnet, Manitoba, Interim Leader of the Official Opposition, Province of Manitoba, who donated the Manitoba flags
  • Alan Waddell, Constituent Assistant, on behalf of Heath MacDonald, MP (Member of Parliament) for Malpeque, PEI, who donated the Canadian flags

Over the next several postings, we’ll continue to share the highlights of our adventures on the 2025 European War Memorial Tour.  Next up on our journey of remembrance is the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, where Pieter placed flags at 120 graves.

Now that we’re back home, 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…. Remembrance Week 2024 – Reflections and Updates

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

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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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On The War Memorial Trail….. Presentation ‘Up Close With A Halifax Bomber’

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Crapaud Hall Nov 7 2023 Presentation title page

November 9, 2023.  On November 7, 2023, we gave a presentation at Crapaud Hall in Crapaud, Prince Edward Island: ‘Up Close With A Halifax Bomber’ about our tour of a Halifax bomber and a summary of two Island airmen who lost their lives in one: Elmer Bagnall MUTTART and Rowan ‘Bunky’ Charles FITZGERALD.

70% of Canadians in Bomber Command flew in a Halifax bomber, which explained why so many of the casualties that Pieter has researched over the years were in a Halifax.  It was one of the reasons why Pieter was so interested in touring a Halifax bomber at the National Air Force Museum of Canada in Trenton, Ontario.  (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2023/09/23/on-the-war-memorial-trail-if-only-it-still-flew/)

When Connie MacKinnon asked if we would do a presentation at Crapaud Hall in Crapaud, Prince Edward Island, giving an overview of our tour was what we chose as the topic.

image_6487327 Nov 7 2023 Daria presenting at Crapaud Hall

Daria was the presenter for ‘Up Close With A Halifax Bomber’.  (Photo credit: Connie MacKinnon)

Elmert Muttart

Elmer Bagnall MUTTART was the pilot aboard Halifax L9561 when it was shot down on October 12, 1941 just outside the village of Wons, The Netherlands.  He was the sole fatality. You can read about him here: https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2020/01/31/he-died-that-we-might-live-video-is-now-on-youtube/

Bunky FitzGerald

Rowan ‘Bunky’ Charles FITZGERALD was the navigator aboard Halifax W1175 when was hit by shellfire and crashed into a sandbank in the Wadden Sea, off the Dutch coast, on June 28, 1942.  There were no survivors. You can read about him here: https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2022/10/12/on-the-war-memorial-trail-well-never-forget-uncle-bunky/

Nov 7 2023 Pieter and Daria answer questions at Crapaud Hall

Pieter joined Daria during the question and answer period following the presentation.  (Photo credit: Connie MacKinnon)

A lively question and answer period followed the presentation, with several attendees also sharing stories. It was an enjoyable experience for all of us!

CIMG6616 Nov 7 2023 Daria & Pieter With Edison Smith photo Kathy Henry

Daria and Pieter with Edison Smith.  (Photo credit: Kathy Henry)

Among the attendees was Edison Smith, grandson of WWII soldier Edison Alexander SMITH, who lost his life on March 25, 1945 during the Battle of Bienen in Germany. We very much appreciated the opportunity to meet him in person.  (You can read Edison Smith’s story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2023/03/04/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-battle-of-bienen-part-1-the-wwii-soldier-whose-body-shielded-a-wounded-major/)

Do you have a story to share?  Please contact Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or send a 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….. ‘If Only It Still Flew!’

/ On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / 4 Comments

September 23, 2023.  After researching the story of WWII pilot Elmer Bagnall MUTTART of Cape Traverse, who sacrificed his life in order to save his crew and the Dutch village of Wons after his Halifax bomber was fatally targeted by a nightfighter on October 12, 1941, seeing an actual Halifax bomber plane was on Pieter’s bucket list.

20230914_140657 Sep 14 2023 Pieter outside Natl RCAF Museum in Trenton

Pieter outside the National Air Force Museum of Canada in Trenton, Ontario.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

…Pieter crossed an item off his bucket wish list!…

Pieter’s wish became a reality earlier this month when we travelled to the National Air Force Museum of Canada in Trenton, Ontario.  Elmer Muttart and his crew of Halifax L9561 were among the first to fly in the new Halifax bomber, Mark I.  The one in Trenton was a Mark VII, which had many modifications to make it safer. 

CIMG6456 Sep 14 2023 Pieter by Halifax Bomber

Pieter by the Mark VII Halifax bomber.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

…The Halifax bomber was very versatile, once the initial design flaws were corrected…

Although designed during WWII, the original Halifax was intended for daytime flights – a foolish decision on the part of the British Ministry of Defence, given that there was nothing wrong with the eyesight of German pilots. 

It quickly became clear that sorties needed to be done at night.  However, flames from the exhaust emitted a red glow, making the bombers easy to spot by German pilots.  A cost-cutting measure by the Ministry of Defence resulted in using engines that were NOT recommended for the heavy Halifax bomber.  This meant that the bombers were slower than other planes, such as the Lancaster, and could not reach higher altitudes.  They were ‘sitting ducks’ and there were many losses of planes and airmen that could have been avoided had the safety of airmen been top of mind. 

Later models of the bomber, such as the Mark VII we toured, had these issues corrected, and our tour guide, Tim Whitehouse, an RCAF veteran, explained that the Halifax was beloved by the RCAF. “…5,797 were built over the years, along with 7,374 Lancasters...”

The RCAF found that the Halifax bomber was very versatile.  “…They were flown by Bomber Command, Coastal Command, and 100 Group…”  We’d not heard of 100 Group before.  “…This was the electronic countermeasures group.  For example, they jammed German radar….”

20230914_130746 Sep 14 2023 Tim Whitehouse and Pieter by Halifax bomber

Pieter with our guide, Tim Whitehouse, beside the Halifax Bomber we toured. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

 …The outside of the plane was huge …

We didn’t know what to expect, but the overwhelming sense we got was just how BIG the Halifax bomber was when we saw it inside the museum building.  Huge on the outside, it was quite cramped and narrow once you got inside. 

CIMG6461 Sep 14 2023 see the steps to get into the plane and guns

The tail turret in the foreground, but take a look at the step-stool, which shows where we entered the plane, and the small entry way.  Can you imagine doing that while carrying a parachute and in a flight suit?  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

 …Getting into the plane required agility …

Getting into the plane was a challenge.  How air crew did it in woolen flight suits and carrying their parachutes and other gear is a testament to their agility!  There was a tiny entrance near the bottom of the plane which we had to crawl through. 

20230914_121954 Sep 14 2023 The hatch to get in and out of the bomber

This is the small space from which we entered and exited the plane.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

20230914_122334 Sep 14 2023 Daria in belly of Halifax bomber

Once I got into the plane, I found that I was not agile enough to tour the cockpit or the rear gunner areas.  The flash of light at the bottom right is the entrance! The hexagonal shape was used to drop off secret agents behind the front. (Photo credit: Tim Whitehouse)

With help, I was able to get into the plane, but was unable to manage the steep step up to get into the cockpit area.  So I sat in the belly of the plane and had a nice rest. We asked Tim what the hexagonal shape was, as it looked like an escape hatch.

Tim explained that this feature was not in the early versions of the Halifax bomber, but was added later.  It wasn’t an escape hatch like we thought, but we weren’t too far wrong.  It was an exit out of the plane, used to drop off secret agents behind the front!

…Pieter in the pilot’s seat was a dream come true …

While I sat, Pieter and Tim continued the tour, beginning with the cockpit area.

20230914_123226 Sep 14 2023 Pieter in the pilot seat of a Halifax bomber

Pieter in the pilot’s seat of a Halifax bomber! (Photo credit: Tim Whitehouse)

It was an emotional moment when Pieter sat in the pilot’s seat. “…I was overwhelmed by the instruments and how complex it was to operate this heavy plane with no computers….” 

20230914_125111 Sep 14 2023 Pilot control panel for Halifax bomber

The pilot’s control panel in the Halifax bomber. (Photo credit: Tim Whitehouse)

He kept thinking about the young men that flew these planes.  “…45% made the ultimate sacrifice in the first years of the war...” he told me.  But oh, how he wished that the plane still flew!  Luckily, the tour was the next best thing.

… ‘Where’s the ignition switch?’I asked …

After seeing what the control panel looked like, I asked him where the pilot turned the key into the ignition, as I didn’t see one.  OK, obviously I’ve never been in the cockpit of a plane, as I soon learned there is no key!  Starting a plane as complex as a Halifax bomber was not an easy task, and required each engine to be started separately, with a lot of steps that had to occur before that. 

For a sense of what is involved, you can watch this short video on the Halifax Bomber – Engine Start Sequence:

… Several crew members sat BELOW the pilot …

Pieter next toured the area BELOW the pilot where the navigator had his table and charts.  The wireless operator sat directly under the pilot.  The flight engineer sat behind the pilot and the  bomb aimer also sat below past the navigator in the nose of the plane.

CIMG6458 Sep 14 2023 Pilot sat on top navigator below

The small window at the top was where the pilot sat.  The windows below indicate where other crew members sat.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Exif_JPEG_420

The table used by the navigator, in the level below where the pilot and co-pilot sat.  (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

20230914_124329 Sep 14 2023 Pieter the bomb aimer

The bomb aimer also sat in the level below the pilot and co-pilot. This ‘bomb aimer’ got distracted! (Photo credit: Tim Whitehouse)

20230914_125156 Sep 14 2023 Pieter comes out of the bomb aimers position

Pieter coming out of the bomb aimer’s position.  The pilot’s seat is to the left. (Photo credit: Tim Whitehouse)

… The rear gunner sat in the tail turret …

After touring the front of the plane, Pieter moved to the back of the plane where the rear gunner sat in the tail turret, with the guns in front of him.   

20230914_125739 Sep 14 2023 Inside the rear gun tail turret

The rear gunner control panel.  (Photo credit: Tim Whitehouse)

20230914_125919 Sep 14 2023 Pieter in rear gunner position in tail turret

Pieter in the rear gunner’s seat.  (Photo credit: Tim Whitehouse)

… There were no ejection seats if you needed to quickly exit the plane …

We could only wonder at the bravery of the aircrew and marvel at Elmer Muttart’s piloting skills that he was able to keep a burning plane steady enough for the crew to safely exit on October 12, 1941– at night and while under attack.  There were no ejection seats!  There were several escape hatches on the plane, but normally the crew left the same way we did – through that little trap door!  The rear gunner had an alternate escape hatch through the window of the tail turret.

We were reluctant to leave the plane, but all good things come to an end, and our adventure as Halifax bomber crew members left us with an even deeper respect for those brave men who flew during the war. 

Thank you to our excellent tour guide, Tim Whitehouse, for making the experience so memorable, and to the National Air Force Museum of Canada for allowing tours of the plane.

Do you have a story to tell? Pieter encourages you to email him at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or tweet to @researchmemori1.    

© Daria Valkenburg

…Previous stories about aircrew who lost their lives in a Halifax bomber….

…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. 

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In Memoriam To Delbert Carr And Pam Alexander

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In_memoriam

July 29, 2023. Over the past years, the On The War Memorial Trail Research Project has been telling stories of those who have served our country.  In the course of Pieter’s research, we’ve had the privilege of meeting many of the families who contributed photos and stories. 

When Pieter first began researching the names on the Cenotaph outside the Legion in Borden-Carleton, Prince Edward Island in 2015, two of the first stories were that of WWI soldier Vincent Earl CARR and WWII pilot Elmer Bagnall MUTTART.

…Delbert and Helen Carr provided the first photo for the Cenotaph Research Project…

We were very sorry to hear of the passing of Delbert Carr, nephew of WWI soldier Vincent Earl Carr.  (See https://www.saltwire.com/prince-edward-island/obituaries/delbert-louis-carr-90441/

CIMG3083 Aug 31 2019 Pieter with Helen & Delbert Carr

Pieter with Helen and Delbert (seated) Carr of Tryon. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

When Pieter began his research into the 48 names on the Cenotaph in Borden-Carleton, we carried a photo of the names with us in the hope that someone would recognize a name.  We had no luck 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?  With that photo, Pieter delved into Vincent Carr’s military records and learned that he died on October 30, 1917 during the Battle of Passchendaele. 

That was the first story we wrote about, which was published in the County Line Courier newspaper in October 2016. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2017/07/28/the-cenotaph-research-project-begins/)

In 2017, we visited the grave where Vincent Carr is buried in Belgium (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2017/11/03/on-the-war-memorial-trail-of-passchendaele-and-surrounding-area/) and that visit led to a mystery that wasn’t solved until two years later. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2019/09/01/the-three-ww1-soldiers-who-were-buried-together-at-passchendaele/)

…Pam Alexander was the daughter of Halifax L9561 navigator Reg Alexander…

The story of WWII pilot Elmer Bagnall MUTTART, who died after his plane was shot down over The Netherlands on October 12, 1941, has unfolded over several years, and began with this posting, one of the first stories on our blog: https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2017/07/28/the-elmer-bagnall-muttart-story/. 

Earlier this month, Don Coutts notified us that his mother Helen Coutts, Elmer’s sister, had passed away at the age of 101. (See https://www.humphreymiles.com/obituaries/Helen-Muttart-Coutts?obId=28481417)  An In Memoriam article was posted last week. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2023/07/22/in-memorium-to-helen-nee-muttart-coutts/)

We were then saddened to learn that Pam Alexander, who was so much a part of this research file, had passed away in England on April 7, 2023.  It wasn’t until Pam’s husband published her obituary earlier in July that we knew of her passing.  (See https://www.theguardian.com/science/2023/jul/12/pam-alexander-obituary?CMP=share_btn_fb&fbclid=IwAR1twqhqrZC2cWxeDZShwYudyGpk1VcMnnG-HpYfzqJb-qiMFQB5L0rlDtw and https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pam_Alexander)

When Pieter began researching Elmer’s story, he soon learned about Reg Alexander, the navigator on Elmer’s last flight, Halifax L9561.  This led him to the daughter of Reg, Pam Alexander, who he first got in contact with in October 2016.

Pam explained that “…My father did speak with Mr Muttart’s parents after the war but may not have given them all the details, which I only discovered when he was in his eighties. As children we had visited the Canadian War Memorial in Runnymede regularly in November in remembrance of my father’s pilot, who was known as ‘Happy’ Muttart….” 

She had visited Harlingen General Cemetery, where Elmer is buried, with her father.  “…The wreath my father placed said ‘From a grateful and admiring member of the crew and his family’…”

Oct 12 2019 Pam Alexander Harlingen General Cemetery from Sikko Drijver

Pam Alexander (identified by red arrow) at Harlingen General Cemetery in Harlingen, The Netherlands, on October 12, 2019.  (Photo credit: Sikko Drijver)

Pam and her husband Roger Booker, and Pam’s sister Carolyn, attended the commemoration events and unveiling of the memorial panel in Won in October 2019, and so we had a chance to finally meet her in person. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2019/11/18/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-memorial-panel-in-wons-is-unveiled/)

Our deepest condolences go to the families of Delbert Carr and Pam Alexander. 

Do you have a story to tell? Pieter encourages you to email him at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or tweet to @researchmemori1.    

© Daria Valkenburg

…Previous In Memoriams….

…Want to follow our research?…

Follow our blog

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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In Memoriam To Helen (nee Muttart) Coutts

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In_memoriam

July 22, 2023. Over the past years, the On The War Memorial Trail Research Project has been telling stories of those who have served our country.  Along the way, we’ve also introduced you to many of the families who contributed photos and stories.

Last week, we received word from Don Coutts that his mother Helen Coutts, sister of WWII pilot Elmer Bagnall MUTTART, passed away at the age of 101. (See https://www.humphreymiles.com/obituaries/Helen-Muttart-Coutts?obId=28481417)

The story of Elmer Muttart, who died after his plane was shot down over The Netherlands on October 12, 1941, has unfolded over several years, and began with this posting, one of the first stories on our blog: https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2017/07/28/the-elmer-bagnall-muttart-story/. 

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)

We met Helen and Elgin Coutts and their son Don in 2017. A few years later, Helen’s husband Elgin passed away. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2019/08/14/in-memoriam/)

On October 12, 2019, a memorial panel to honour Elmer Muttart and his Halifax L9561 crew was placed near the crash site in Wons, The Netherlands. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2019/11/18/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-memorial-panel-in-wons-is-unveiled/) 

Two short documentaries were made by us about the memorial panel and how it became a reality. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2020/01/31/he-died-that-we-might-live-video-is-now-on-youtube/)

The group who came for the unveiling of the memorial panel also visited Elmer’s grave in Harlingen General Cemetery. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2019/10/15/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-visit-to-harlingen-general-cemetery/)

CIMG3431Oct 12 2019 Pieter Annie Lee Don Oranje Hotel Leeuwarden

Left to right: Pieter Valkenburg, Annie Lee MacDonald, Don Coutts with flower bouquets for the visit to Elmer Muttart’s grave. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Among the remembrances were flower bouquets placed by us, family friends Annie Lee and Elmer MacDonald, and Don Coutts, Elmer’s nephew, on behalf of the Coutts family.  Don also placed small flags of Canada and Prince Edward Island by his uncle’s grave.

Thank you to Don Coutts for letting us know about his mother’s passing.  Our deepest condolences go to him and his wife Nora, and to his brother Peter and his wife Kathie, and their family.

Do you have a story to tell? Pieter encourages you to email him at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or tweet to @researchmemori1.    

© Daria Valkenburg

…Want to follow our research?…

Follow our blog

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. 

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We Hear From Readers About ‘No Soldier Buried Overseas Should Ever Be Forgotten’

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Front cover OnTheWarMememorialTrailinEurope

March 13, 2022. Once ‘No Soldier Buried Overseas Overseas Should Ever Be Forgotten’ was published, we were delighted to receive a number of photos and emails.  And we were able to meet in person with a few people. (For the original posting about the book, see https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2022/02/19/new-book-no-soldier-buried-overseas-should-ever-be-forgotten/)

…Some of the feedback we’ve received….

PXL_20220221_163612516~3 Feb 21 2022 Brien Robertson with book photo by Moira

Brien Robertson reads the book.  (Photo credit: Moira Robertson)

Brien and Moira Robertson wrote “…We received No Soldier… today and have been reading it ever since. Such a wonderful journey telling of your travels and memorializing those lost in the tragedy of wars. And here we go again, thinking about what could happen in Ukraine. Reading the book brings home the thought that all wars are really civil wars. Lives lost for nothing. Great job telling the story so not to forget those lost. We are proud to be your friends….”

IMG_1581 Feb 18 2022 Mindy Patrick with Daria

Mindy Patrick and Daria with the book.  (Photo courtesy of Valkenburg family collection)

Mindy Patrick wanted a book for her father, a veteran who served in the US Coast Guard.

DSCN2378 Feb 22 2022 Don and Nora Coutts at North Bay Public Library

Don and Nora Coutts at the North Bay Public Library in Ontario. (Photo taken by Brad Jacobs)

Don Coutts, nephew of WW2 pilot Elmer Bagnall MUTTART, who is featured in the book, explained he ordered copies for himself and for the North Bay Public Library in North Bay, Ontario, where his wife Nora is Head of Children’s Services and Deputy CEO.

(See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2019/10/17/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-presentations-at-hannemahuis-in-harlingen/ for comments made by Don during the presentation in The Netherlands in 2019 to honour his uncle and the crew of Halifax L9561.)

Alexander Tuinhout of the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation: Original comment in Dutch: “…We hebben het boek “No Soldier Buried Overseas Should Ever Be Forgotten” besteld en inmiddels ook al uit Canada ontvangen. Hoewel we nog geen tijd hebben gehad om alles te lezen is de eerste indruk voortreffelijk! Zo’n publicatie is een monument op zich en zeker een felicitatie waard!…”

(English translation by Pieter: “…We ordered the book ‘No Soldier Buried Overseas Should Ever Be Forgotten’ and have already received it from Canada. Although we haven’t had time to read everything yet, the first impression is excellent! Such a publication is a monument in itself and certainly worth congratulating!…”)

The Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation organized the memorial panel to honour Elmer Bagnall MUTTART and the crew of Halifax L9561.  During the events in October 2019, Alexander gave a presentation on the crew and what happened on October 12, 1941.  You can watch part of his presentation in the documentary made about the events.

IMG_0360 Feb 23 2022 Henk Vincent

Henk Vincent, a volunteer at the Holten Cemetery Information Centre, with the book.  (Photo courtesy of H. Vincent)

The work done by the Holten Cemetery Information Centre to remember Canadian soldiers buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands is ongoing.  Pieter is one of the volunteers helping with photo wish lists for a digital archive.  (For more information on the Info Centre, see https://www.canadesebegraafplaatsholten.nl/en/home/)

IMG_6170 (1) Feb 25 2022 Alan McIvor

Alan McIvor, nephew of WW2 Flight Officer Joseph ‘Joe’ Charles McIver, wrote a book on his uncle’s service. (Photo courtesy of A. McIvor)

Alan McIvor wrote “…Congratulations on your book, “NO SOLDIER BURIED OVERSEAS.”  Good work.  I am sure it was a labour of love but lots of work, research, writing and editing…”

Alan’s uncle, WW2 Flight Officer Joseph ‘Joe’ Charles MCIVER of Kinkora, Prince Edward Island, was one of the names listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion – the research project that launched this blog.

(See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2019/08/17/the-ww2-flight-officer-whose-plane-went-down-while-on-patrol-near-the-arctic-circle/)

CIMG5511 Feb 25 2022 Daria with Susan & Charlie

Daria visits with Susan and Charlie Choi. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Last fall, Charlie CHOI, who was 4 years old when the Korean War started in June 1950, shared his memories in a 3 part series.  If you missed these postings, please see:

CIMG5506 Feb 21 2022 Daria with Mary Ann Greiner

Daria with Mary Ann Greiner.  (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

Mary Ann Greiner has an abiding interest in military history. Pieter and I were able to meet with her and her husband Rick, a US army veteran.

20220303_202843 Mar 3 2022 John Davis photo by Susan

John Davis is the author of ‘Outside Time Looking In’, which features two alternative history stories.  (Photo credit: Susan Choi)

John Davis is the author of ‘Outside Time Looking In’, featuring two alternative history stories, and which I’ve read with great interest.  (See https://www.lulu.com/en/us/shop/john-davis/outside-time-looking-in/paperback/product-18rekkpk.html?page=1&pageSize=4)

Thank you to everyone who sent in comments and photos with themselves with the book, and for your support. Email Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or tweet to @researchmemori1.

© Daria Valkenburg

…Book trailer and website….

Thanks to the amazing talents of Wendy Nattress, who does the post-production editing for the On The War Memorial Trail YouTube Channel, we have a book website: see https://nosoldierforgotten.com/.  The website has a book description, preview pages, and ordering information.

Wendy also prepared a short book trailer…

…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/

goodreads-badge-add-plus-71eae69ca0307d077df66a58ec0688984 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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2021 Christmas Eve Candle Lighting In The Netherlands

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December 26, 2021.  Social distancing and the threat posed by the omicron variant altered many of the activities we like to participate in during the holidays.  In The Netherlands, a Christmas Eve tradition is to light candles by the graves of Allied soldiers and Dutch resistance fighters who are buried in one of the War Cemeteries or in a municipal cemetery.  For the second year in a row, the annual event still occurred, but without the public.

…A corrected gravestone for Barney Reuben McGuigan….

Alice van Bekkum, Chair of the Faces to Graves project for the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, wrote us that because of Covid no volunteers or children were allowed to place the candles. Instead, candles were placed by board members of the organization responsible for the Christmas candles.  (See https://www.lichtjesavondgroesbeek.nl/)

Alice wanted to let us know that Fred Hulsman, a member of the Faces To Graves Research Team who lives near the cemetery, took a photo of the corrected gravestone for WW2 soldier Barney Reuben McGuigan, of Sturgeon, Prince Edward Island.

Barney had lied about his age when enlisting and his original gravestone did not reflect his age of 16 years at the time of his death.  After Pieter and members of Barney’s family contacted the Commonwealth War Graves Commission with proof of Barney’s birth record, the correction was made.

The correction was amazing timing (a Christmas miracle?) as a photo of Barney was recently uncovered! (See https://bordencarletonresearchproject.wordpress.com/2021/12/23/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-photo-search-for-barney-mcguigan-is-successful/)

B R Mc Guigan with candle and corrected gravestone

Grave of Barney McGuigan with his correct age at death.  (Photo credit: Fred Hulsman)

…A candle placed at the Halifax L9561 memorial in Wons…

Remko de Jong, a resident of Makkum, coordinates the candle lighting ceremony in his village. He wrote to Pieter on December 24, and explained that “…Unfortunately, again this year candles were placed without an audience…..”   Instead, candles were placed by Remko and his family and photos were taken by his son Robin. (For the 2020 candle lighting in Makkum, see:  https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2020/12/29/christmas-eve-candle-lighting-in-makkum/)

Graves in Makkum

Candles placed at the graves of airmen buried in the Donia Protestant Church Cemetery in Makkum.  (Photo credit: Robin de Jong)

In addition to the candles placed at the graves at 38 airmen who are buried in the Donia Protestant Church Cemetery in Makkum, located by Lake Ijsselmeer in the province of Friesland, a candle was placed at the Halifax L9561 memorial in Wons.

This memorial, unveiled in October 2019, honours the crew of Halifax L9561.  WW2 pilot Elmer Bagnall MUTTART of Cape Traverse, Prince Edward Island lost his life on October 12, 1941, but the rest of the crew were able to safely bail out of the burning plane.  (For a short documentary on the unveiling of the memorial panel and the crew of Halifax L9561, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71Rzg07kPw0&list=PLaJcEVojJra-ZwR6rvb-THj8Zr2QbUXLT&index=2)

Candle placed at Wons memorial by Robin de Jong

Candle placed at the memorial panel in Wons, honouring the crew of Halifax L9561. (Photo credit: Robin de Jong)

…Over 7,600 Canadian soldiers are buried in The Netherlands!…

Kudos to the Dutch, who never forget the sacrifices made by Allied soldiers! There are over 7,600 Canadian soldiers buried in The Netherlands!  Thank you to Remko de Jong for sharing his son’s photos, and to Alice van Bekkum for advising about the correction to the gravestone for Barney McGuigan.

If you have a story or photo to share about Canadian military personnel buried in The Netherlands, 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/

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

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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