Harry Henry DAVIS

On The War Memorial Trail….2025 Faces of Holten Exhibition Part 5: Indigenous Soldiers

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September 10, 2025.  Pieter Valkenburg has been involved in finding photos of Canadians who are buried in all three Canadian War Cemeteries in The Netherlands since 2014, with stories of many soldiers told on this blog. 

While in The Netherlands and Belgium for the 80th Anniversary of Liberation Commemoration events, he placed flags at the graves of 383 soldiers in 14 cemeteries. At the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands, flags were placed at 156 graves. Our visit coincided with The 2025 Faces Of Holten Exhibition, which ran for three weeks in May.

—-Recap…..

In Part 1, the graves and photos of soldiers who were killed near Posterenk in April 1945 were featured. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2025/08/24/on-the-war-memorial-trail-2025-faces-of-holten-exhibition-part-1-soldiers-killed-near-posterenk/)

In Part 2, the graves and photos of two soldiers whose names are listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion were featured. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2025/08/29/on-the-war-memorial-trail-2025-faces-of-holten-exhibition-part-2-the-soldiers-listed-on-the-cenotaph-in-borden-carleton/)

In Part 3, the graves and photos of soldiers killed in vehicle accidents were featured. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2025/09/01/on-the-war-memorial-trail-2025-faces-of-holten-exhibition-part-3-soldiers-killed-while-travelling-in-vehicles/)

In Part 4, the graves and photos of soldiers who lost their lives in the Battle of Leer during Operation Duck were featured. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2025/09/04/on-the-war-memorial-trail-2025-faces-of-holten-exhibition-part-4-soldiers-who-drowned-during-operation-duck/)

…8 Indigenous soldiers are commemorated…

Now, in Part 5, the graves and photos of 8 Indigenous soldiers, whose stories have previously been told on this blog, are featured.

Grave of John Culbertson. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

John CULBERTSON was born in Oshawa, Ontario, and grew up on the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory near Belleville, Ontario. While serving with the Royal Canadian Engineers, he was killed in Germany on April 30, 1944 during the Battle of Edewecht, aged 33. You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2023/02/04/on-the-war-memorial-trail-remembering-ww2-sapper-john-culbertson/

Grave of William ‘Willie’ Daniels.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

William ‘Willie’ DANIELS, from the Big River Reserve in Depton, Saskatchewan, was serving with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles when he was killed, aged 20, on April 22, 1945 as troops moved through Appingedam in The Netherlands at the very beginning of the Battle of the Delfzijl Pocket. You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/07/23/on-the-war-memorial-trail-remembering-ww2-soldier-william-willie-daniels/

Pieter by the grave of Harry Henry Davis. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Harry Henry DAVIS, from Selkirk, Yukon Territory, was serving with the Lake Superior Regiment (Motor) when he died in The Netherlands, aged 23, on January 15, 1945 from wounds received the day before after being shot while on patrol east of Kerkdriel.  You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2023/09/30/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-only-yukon-territory-soldier-buried-in-holten/

Grave of Stanley Owen Jones. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Stanley Owen JONES, from Massett, British Columbia, drowned on September 8, 1945 in Germany when the carrier he was in overturned in a ditch, while serving with the Canadian Scottish Regiment, aged 20. You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2022/09/05/on-the-war-memorial-trail-remembering-wwii-soldier-stanley-owen-jones/

Grave of Philip Laforte. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Philip LAFORTE, born in Lac du Bonnet, Manitoba, was serving with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles when he was killed on April 7, 1945 in The Netherlands, aged 33, as the Regiment crossed the Schipbeek, in order to establish a bridgehead as preparation for an assault on the city of Deventer by the 7th Canadian Brigade. You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2022/03/22/on-the-war-memorial-trail-remembering-ww2-soldier-philip-laforte/

Grave of Sanford Steven Saulis.  (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

Sanford Steven SAULIS, from Maliseet, New Brunswick, died of a brain hemorrhage in The Netherlands on August 10, 1945, aged 30, while serving with the 16th Field Company of the Royal Canadian Engineers. You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2023/02/27/on-the-war-memorial-trail-remembering-sanford-steven-saulis/

Grave of James ‘Jimmy’ Oliver Thomas. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

James ‘Jimmy’ Oliver THOMAS, born in St. Peters, Manitoba, died in Germany on May 2, 1945, aged 33, a few days after being liberated from the Stalag VII-A POW Camp in Moosburg, Germany. He had been taken prisoner of war on May 22, 1943, while serving with the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada, during the breaking of the Hitler Line. You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2024/02/18/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-wwii-soldier-from-manitoba-who-died-shortly-after-being-liberated-from-stalag-vii-a/

After sending photos of the grave to Rodd Cooper, great-nephew of Jimmy Thomas, he wrote us to say “…  I just wanted to express my infinite gratitude to you and your family on behalf of myself and my family for the work and the time you have invested in gathering the information not only for my resting family member but for the numerous others as well. 

The honour and respect you have brought and given to these men cannot be measured.  The gift that you have given my family and I is profound and we truly can’t thank you enough.  

Because of your work and dedication, my family and the future generations of my family, will be able to pay the respect to my Great Uncle Jimmy for his service and sacrifice by remembering him and telling his story.  

The gift you have given us is immeasurable.

On behalf of myself and the Thomas Family, Thank You….” 

We were immeasurably touched by his kind words. Pieter replied, saying that “…it’s important that we never forget the soldiers….and the families… who sacrificed so much for our ongoing freedom.  I’m grateful that the country of my birth continues to remember and honour their Allied liberators….” 

Grave of Leo Francis Toney. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

Leo Francis TONEY, born in Wolfville, Nova Scotia, was serving with the South Saskatchewan Regiment, when he was killed on Saturday, April 7, 1945, aged 21, while trying to cross the Schipbeek in The Netherlands at  a bridgehead that had been formed at a weir on the border of the municipalities of Bathmen and Holten. You can read his story at https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/05/22/on-the-war-memorial-trail-remembering-ww2-soldier-leo-francis-toney/

After sending a photo of the grave to Della Maguire, niece of Leo Toney, she wrote to say “…thank you so much, I looked at that picture all day. I am so grateful…”

Pieter holds onto the personalized Lnu flag from the Toney family at the grave of Leo Francis Toney. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

….All of the flags placed at graves were donated…

All of the flags placed at graves were donated.  Our thanks go to: 

  • Alan Waddell, Constituent Assistant, on behalf of Heath MacDonald, MP for Malpeque, for the Canadian flags.
  • Armel ‘Mel’ Lanteigne, President of the Caraquet Legion in New Brunswick for the New Brunswick flag.
  • Kyle Graham, Research Officer, Military Relations, Nova Scotia Intergovernmental Affairs, on behalf of Premier Tim Houston, Province of Nova Scotia, for the Nova Scotia flag.
  • Don Coutts on behalf of the Muttart and Coutts families in memory of Flight Sergeant Elmer Bagnall Muttart for the Ontario flag.
  • Wayne Ewasko, MLA for Lac Du Bonnet, Manitoba, Interim Leader of the Official Opposition, Province of Manitoba, for the Manitoba flag.
  • Della Maguire on behalf of the Toney/Smith Family in memory of Pte Leo Toney for the Lnu (Mi’kmaw) flag.
  • Conrad Saulis in memory of Sapper Sanford Steven Saulis, courtesy of Grand Chief Ron Tremblay, for the Wolastoqey Nation flag

Thank you to Rodd Cooper and Della Maguire for their heartfelt and kind words.  The comments we’ve received from families as we’ve shared photos showing how their loved ones were honoured during the commemoration events made all the hard work of visiting the cemeteries and placing flags worthwhile.

The 2025 Faces of Holten Exhibition concludes with Part 6, where the graves of a few of the many soldiers killed in The Netherlands and Germany will be featured as we continue with our 2025 European War Memorial Tour.

Pieter encourages readers with photos to come forward so that eventually all the known graves of Canadians buried in Holten will have a photo displayed by their grave. Email him at memorialtrail@gmail.com.

© 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/

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On The War Memorial Trail….. ‘The Only Yukon Territory Soldier Buried In Holten’

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September 30, 2023. With an extensive photo wish list from the Canadian War Cemeteries in The Netherlands, it can be difficult for Pieter to determine who will be next in line for his research.  But when we learned there is one soldier from the Yukon Territory buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, and he was on the photo wish list, we knew he was a priority.

Henk Vincent, one of the research volunteers at the Information Centre in Holten, explained that “…Harry Davis is the only Yukon Territory soldier buried in Holten, which is not surprising when you realize that although the Yukon Territory is about the size of Spain in terms of area, it had less than 10,000 inhabitants in 1945….”

Map of Canada with border

Yukon is in northern Canada.  (Map source: http://www.babysits.ca)

Yukon is not only in the far northern part of Canada, but on the opposite coast from where we live in Prince Edward Island.

The search for a photo of Harry Henry DAVIS, born December 9, 1921 in Selkirk, Yukon Territory, son of Harry and Grace (nee Woods) Davis, began with an online search. 

…Chief Roberta Joseph from the Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin First Nation commemorated Harry …

A CBC article from November 8, 2022 immediately came up: ‘Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin soldiers honoured at annual event in Dawson City’, in which Chief Roberta Joseph “…shared a story that her grandmother would tell her every Remembrance Day when she was growing up.

‘She would always remember her cousin Harry Davis,’ Joseph said. ‘She would always talk about how he sacrificed his life for his platoon. He passed away in World War Two. He let his platoon go ahead so that they could escape the enemy and he stayed behind by throwing a grenade and got caught up in that.’…”  (See https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/tr%CA%BCond%C3%ABk-hw%C3%ABch%CA%BCin-soldiers-honoured-at-annual-1.6644908)

image001 Band logoFrom this one article, we learned that Harry Davis was Indigenous. His mother was a member of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in (loosely translated as ‘people of the river’), a First Nation whose members are descendants of the Hän-speaking people who have lived along the Yukon River for millennia. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tr%CA%BCond%C3%ABk_Hw%C3%ABch%CA%BCin_First_Nation)

 …The Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin First Nation provided a photo of Harry …

Chief Joseph was contacted, and shortly afterwards, a photo of Harry Davis was received from Sue Parsons, Collections Manager, Heritage, of the Tr’ondëk Hwëch’in Government.  “…I received a request to forward the attached photograph of Harry Davis to you.  Mähsi…” she wrote.  Sue explained that the photo was courtesy of Martha Kates private collection, “…a family member of Harry Davis….”

harry-davis-600-kates-collection-2006-1_1_-restored-3

Harry Henry Davis.  (Photo courtesy of Martha Kates Private Collection)

Harry was orphaned young, as his father died in 1926, and his mother in 1927.  Henk noted that “…Harry grew up in the First Nations Reservation of Fort Selkirk in the Yukon Territory, located on the Yukon River, a few hundred kilometres from the Arctic Circle….”  His half-sister, Mary Isabel Harriet, was listed as his only remaining direct relative on the Estate Form after his death.

…Harry enlisted in 1942…

After finishing school Harry worked in the Triangle Cafe in Dawson City, Yukon Territory.  At the time of his enlistment with the No. XI District Depot on February 19, 1942 in Dawson, he was working as a driver for Yukon Consolidated Gold Corporation.

On March 16, 1942, Harry was sent to No. 110 Canadian Army Basic Training Centre (CABTC) in Vernon, British Columbia for his basic training.  A few weeks later, however, he ended up in the Vernon Military Hospital for almost a month with measles, followed by mumps.

After being discharged from hospital on May 7, 1942, and completing his basic training, Harry was transferred to A-4 Canadian Artillery Training Centre (CATC) in Brandon, Manitoba on June 10, 1942, for training as a gunner.  

…Harry was sent overseas and assigned to the 8th LAA Regiment…

On July 22, 1942 Harry was on his way to the United Kingdom, on ‘Special Duty’, arriving a week later, and attached to No. 3 Canadian Artillery Reinforcement Unit (CARU), where he received more training.

On November 27, 1942, Harry was assigned to the 8th Canadian Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery.  On January 6, 1943 Harry qualified as a driver i/c (W), meaning he was qualified to drive heavy trucks and armoured cars. 

On July 20, 1944, Harry left with the 8th Canadian Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment for France aboard the Malayan Prince.  (See https://uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/1768.html)

According to the war diary for July 26, 1944, “… we arrived at the anchorage at Juno Beach, off Courselles-Sur-Mer, at 1600 hours.  We don’t expect to get off ship until sometime tomorrow so everyone is taking advantage of the fine weather and sun bathing on the decks…”

The interlude didn’t last, as the war diary for July 27, 1944 stated that “…during the early hours of the morning we were treated to quite an anti-aircraft barrage some miles inland…” After landing, the Regiment moved up through France.

…Allied patrols across the Maas River were dangerous …

On September 19, 1944, Harry was transferred to the Lake Superior Regiment (Motor), joining them as the Regiment advanced “…through France, Belgium and the south of the Netherlands…”

Henk noted that during “… the winter of 44/45, the Lake Superior Regiment, together with other Canadian regiments, was tasked with guarding the northern front line, in this case the Maas River. Patrols were also regularly deployed across the Maas to reconnoitre enemy positions. This often led to violent confrontations with the Germans….”

Screenshot 2023-06-01 at 07-58-01 kerkdriel maps at DuckDuckGo

Harry Davis was badly wounded during a patrol near Kerkdriel.  (Map source: DuckDuckGo)

The Lake Superior Regiment was in the area of ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Netherlands in January 1945.  The Regiment’s war diary for January 14, 1945 recorded that at 2:00 am “…a recce patrol under the command of Lt. D.A. Johnson left to cross the Maas in two boats.  The first boat contained a beach party of 1 N.C.O., 1 sergeant, and 6 men, the second boat contained the recce group of 1 officer, 1 sergeant, and 5 men…”    N.C.O. refers to non-commissioned officer.

“…Due to a heavy fog on the river, the beach party became lost and returned to the start point after some difficulty with the strong current.…” The recce group landed, but the beach party was nowhere to be found. 

Lt Johnson decided to proceed with the patrol anyways.  As the group moved east towards the town of Kerkdriel, they “…heard an enemy patrol coming down the road toward them…”  The group moved to “…the east side of a house in the hope that the enemy patrol would continue down the road, and could be engaged …”

Instead, they were ambushed.  “…The enemy patrol, however, came through a copse to the left and rear of our patrol, who immediately engaged them, killing one and wounding two others…”

…Harry was the patrol’s only casualty …

There was one casualty from the recce party.  “…One of our men K-76942 Pte DAVIS H.H., was killed and had to be left behind. Lt. Johnson and the remaining scout made a run for it and managed to escape and contacted the covering party. Artillery fire was called down and the patrol returned to our side without further mishap….”

However, Harry hadn’t been killed.  He was badly wounded and taken prisoner of war.  Unfortunately, he died the following day, Monday, January 15, 1945.  He was 23 years old.

…Harry’s sister received a letter with a statement from Lt Johnson…

A February 26, 1945 letter from Colonel R.T.E. Hicks-Lyne, Acting Director of Records for Adjutant-General, to Harry’s sister Mary, quoted a statement from Lt Johnson: “…Private Davis received a burst of 9 m.m. automatic fire, which ignited a # 80  smoke Grenade, carried on his belt. I, the patrol commander, was approximately six feet away from him as at the time. After the explosion I attempted to engage the enemy from the opposite  side of the haystack; coming back Lance Sergeant Burrison said: ‘Davis is dead, a grenade is burning in his side.’ As it was an extremely dangerous situation we decided to get out as fast as possible…” 

Colonel Hicks-Lyne went on to note that “…This statement is also corroborated by Sergeant Burrison, who was also with your brother at the time…”

…Harry is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten…

Harry was temporarily buried in the Catholic Cemetery in Kerkdriel. We had wondered who had initially buried him – the Canadians or the Germans.  Henk explained that “…since Harry Davis became a prisoner of war on January 14, 1945 and died on January 15, while Kerkdriel was only liberated on April 23, we can assume that he was buried by the Germans…”

On August 2, 1946, Harry was reburied in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands.

Grave of Harry Henry Davis in Holten from CVWM

Grave of Harry Henry Davis at the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten. (Photo courtesy of Canadian Virtual War Memorial)

….Davis Lake in Yukon Territory is named in Harry’s honour…..

Screenshot 2023-09-29 at 17-00-29 Davis Lake · Yukon Y0B 1J0

Davis Lake in Yukon Territory is named after Harry Henry Davis.  (Map source:  Google maps)

Harry has been honoured by having Davis Lake in Yukon named after him. (116I01- 66° 10’ 37”- 136° 24’ 57”)

Thank you to Roberta Joseph and the Trʼondëk Hwëchʼin government for providing a photo of Harry. Thank you also to Henk Vincent for additional information on the patrols made along the Maas River and letting us know that Harry Davis was the only soldier from the Yukon buried in Holten.

Do you have a story to tell? Pieter encourages you to 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/

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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