Imperial Army’s 77th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery

The WW1 Soldier Who Went To Post WW1 Germany

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April 29, 2020.  In an earlier posting, the observations made by Harold Keith HOWATT of Augustine Cove towards the end of WW1 were recorded.  (See One Soldier Records His Observations During The Last Few Days Of World War I) Howatt was in the 8th Canadian Siege Battery during WW1 and came home after the war.

8th Siege Battery photo

On October 30, 1918, as Howatt’s unit travelled towards Belgium from France in the last days of the war, the Brigade was inspected by Lt-General Sir Arthur  Currie.  (Harold Howatt collection.  Photo from ‘Purely Personal’ issue of November 30, 1918.)

After the official hostilities ended on November 11, Howatt was in Belgium with his unit, and hoped he could go to Germany with the Army of Occupation.  He got his wish.

On November 17, 1918, Howatt’s unit was informed it would be attached to the 2nd Brigade, the only Canadian Heavy Artillery Brigade going to Germany.

Before the march into Germany, however, Howatt wrote, on November 19, 1918, how happy he was to have a real bath… “...Wonderful to relate, we had a bath parade to the bath at one of the mines. It was a rather long walk but a great bath when we got there, a shower bath with lots of warm water…”

Screenshot Map of route to Germany at DuckDuckGo

Route from Mons, Belgium to Mehlem (near Bonn), Germany taken by Howatt’s unit. (Map courtesy of http://www.duckduckgo.com)

On November 20, the unit was on the move. “…Breakfast at 5 o’clock this morning, then we fell in at 6:30 and marched up to the square.  Here we formed up and started for Germany, the lorries ahead, then the signallers and B.C.A.s, then the guns with the gun crews walking behind….” (B.C.A. is an acronym for Battery Commander Assistant, the position held by Howatt.) “...We stopped at a town called Jemappes, about four kms west of Mons.  We were billeted in a big factory, away up in the top story...”  The unit stayed there for a week.

On November 28, 1918, Howatt and his unit were on their way again.  “…Up this morning at 5:30, had two cups of coffee, then breakfast, and away.  We travelled in the lorries through town after town.  Had great fun waving our hands to all the pretty girls as we passed…”  Pretty girls weren’t all that caught Howatt’s interest. “…We stopped in one town for a few minutes and we were talking to a Canadian infantry corporal.  His company was guarding trainloads of munitions left by the Germans.  They had big munitions works in the town, and there were over 300 cars of shells and high explosives in the railway yards…”  Howatt didn’t identify this town, but mentioned that they stopped overnight in Ligny, and he was billeted in a farmhouse with a Belgian family.

The next day, November 29, Howatt continued his account.  “…Left Ligny this morning at about eight o’clock and arrived here in Namur about twelve.  All along the road are abandoned German lorries, tractors, and motorcars.  They must have left hundreds and hundreds behind them.  I don’t know whether these cars have broken down or whether the petrol gave out.  I saw one yard full of lorries….”

Namur postcard

Postcard showing the citadel in Namur. (Harold Howatt collection.)

The unit stopped in Namur for a rest break, giving Howatt time to explore the town.  “…Namur is quite a place.  The forts are on a high cliff or hill behind the town.  The town has been badly smashed up in some places….”

On December 1, the unit was moving ahead again.  “…We started about seven.   The road ran along the bank of the Meuse, and on the other side are enormous cliffs towering high in the air…..”  While Howatt, as part of the advance party, arrived in Huy around noon to secure accommodations “….the guns did not get in until nearly dark.  Just as we were waiting around for supper Mr. Goodwin came around and said that the B.C.A.s and signallers had to clear the mud off the wheels…”  Howatt, along with a small group, cleared off one gun, but noted that a number of men disappeared, rather than going out in the dark to tackle this task!

The next day, rather than continuing on, the unit was put to work cleaning the guns. On December 4, the unit moved further along to Hamoir, where they stopped for another few days.  On December 8, the unit travelled as far as Petit-Thier “…only 3 kms from the border.  It is a very small place…”

On December 9, Howatt recorded that “…At last we are where we have been trying to get for over four years.  ‘In Germany’ This morning, at about eight o’clock we crossed the frontier, the first Canadian Siege Battery to enter Germany….”

He noted that the mood in Germany was not the same as in Belgium.  “…About the only difference we noted on crossing the frontier was the absence of flags and any demonstrations on the part of the people.  They still came out when we passed and just looked at us without a word or smile.  One or two we met on the road saluted us.  The people do not seem to fear us, in fact I think they welcome us, hoping the presence of the troops will restore order, and result in a more even distribution of food. The country we passed through today was desolate….” That night they stopped in a small village, Mirfeld, where Howatt was “…billeted in a schoolroom...”

On December 10, while trying to find a place to stay in Büllingen, the unit ran into opposition.  “…At first they were going to put us in the station house, but the old station master kicked about it, saying he had a telegram from a conference in Aix-la-Chapelle saying that station houses were not to be used for billeting troops...”  The Canadians found other accommodation.

By December 12, they had reached Cologne, and the next day, December 13, “….the Canadian troops marched across the Rhine, reviewed as they crossed the bridge by General Plumer and General Currie.  It was an inspiring sight to see the Canadians cross to the east bank of the Rhine….. The people here do not seem to be very hostile, in fact many are quite friendly but it must have been a bitter pill for these proud Prussians to swallow to have to witness the occupation of their city by the hated Canadians….”

On December 16, the unit travelled to its final destination in Germany.  “….We started about 1:30 pm for Bonn or somewhere near.  We passed through Bonn…. and arrived about dusk in a little town called Mehlem.  We are billeted in an old theatre….”

The 2nd Canadian Brigade stayed in Mehlem until January 28, 1919, when the Canadian Army of Occupation was relieved by the British 84th Brigade Royal Garrison Artillery.  Canadian troops moved back to Belgium and then onwards towards demobilization and home. Howatt was discharged on May 18, 1919.

There is an Island link between the Canadian Brigade, which Howatt was part of, and the British Brigade! One of the members of the British Army of Occupation was Lt. Henry “Harry” Warburton STEWART, one of the names listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion.  Stewart died in hospital while in Germany and is buried in Cologne.  (For an account of our visit to the cemetery and his story, see On the War Memorial Trail ….. In Cologne)

Henry Warburton Stewart

Henry “Harry” Warburton Stewart. (Photo courtesy B. Stewart family collection)

At the time we visited Cologne we did not have access to the war diaries for Stewart’s unit.  Thanks to the coronavirus pandemic we got a lucky break.  The National Archives in the United Kingdom has offered free access to its digitized records while the Archives are closed to the public. Pieter was able to get the war diaries, so we now have confirmation why Stewart was in Germany.

His unit, the 77th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery, became part of the 84th Brigade Royal Garrison Artillery, sent to relieve the Canadians.  According to the war diary, on January 29, 1919 “….a party of the 77th Siege Battery arrived in Namur…”  Unlike Howatt’s unit, which travelled by road, this unit “…. travelled to Mehlem by train...”  No mention is made of where in Mehlem the 77th Siege Battery was billeted.  Stewart must have fallen ill shortly after arriving in Mehlem as he ended up in hospital in nearby Bonn and died on February 11.

Unfortunately, as yet, we have not yet found a photo of Harold Howatt.  As well, the service file for Henry Warburton Stewart has not yet been digitized by the National Archives and is not available online. Can you help?  If so, please let Pieter know.  You can email him at dariadv@yahoo.ca or comment on the blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

On the War Memorial Trail ….. In Cologne

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February 26, 2018.  After visiting the graves of all the names listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion who were buried or listed on monuments in France, Belgium, and The Netherlands, we had one visit and one country left for this trip… to the Cologne Southern Cemetery, located in the Südfriedhof Cemetery in Cologne, Germany, and the grave of WWI soldier Lt. Henry Warburton STEWART.

This trip almost proved to be my undoing.  After a long drive to Cologne, we finally found the cemetery, located at an intersection of tram lines in a busy part of Cologne.  Pieter was in a rush to get moving after the long car ride, and sprinted ahead to find the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery.

Südfriedhof Cemetery is a very large public cemetery, the largest we’ve ever been in, with many paths and turns.  Only one small sign at the entrance indicates that there is a Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery located here.  Once inside the cemetery, we soon learned that there are no directional markers to it.

CIMG9274 Sep 24 2017 Cologne Pieter at entrance to Sudfriedhof cemetery

Sign at the entrance to Südfriedhof Cemetery with a map of the cemetery, and a very small sign behind Pieter’s head giving an indication that there is also a Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery located here. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

With Pieter long gone, I slowly hobbled my way on the gravel paths, trying to figure out where to go.  Most cemeteries are in clear lines, but this one was like a maze.  It was beautifully maintained, but quite dark and to my mind, a bit depressing.  As it was a Sunday, there were many people in the cemetery.  When we’d been in cemeteries in South America, many were like parks, with wide paths, park benches, and children laughing and playing.  People sat on benches and visited with each other. Outside the entrance, there were kiosks selling ice cream, balloons, and flowers.  Not this cemetery.  It was quiet and people talked very softly to each other.  Occasionally I saw people tending the graves of their family members.

It was very humid, and as I made my way, hoping not to get lost, I could feel my hair curling and frizzing.  My arthritic hip was aching and walking with a cane on gravel meant moving even more slowly than usual.  After close to a km of walking, I finally saw what I believed to be a sign to the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery.  The sign said “Graves of the Victims of the War from 1914-1918”.

CIMG9284 Sep 24 2017 Cologne sign at Sudfriedhof cemetery directing one to the victims of WW1

Sign pointing to the graves of WWI victims. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

I took that path and came into an area of the cemetery surrounded by hedges, making a rather dark cemetery look even drearier.  To my surprise, however, the WW1 victims were German soldiers who had died during the war.  It took me a long time afterwards to realize that to their families, they were just as much victims as Allied soldiers.

Only one young man was in this part of the cemetery, planting flowers by a grave.  I hesitantly asked if he knew where the Commonwealth War Graves Cemetery was.  He looked at me for quite a few minutes and at first I thought he wasn’t going to answer, but then figured out that he was as surprised to find me in that part of the cemetery as I was.  “Just follow the path and you will come to the gate for the English soldiers” he said.  We wished each other a good day and I kept on.

Finally, I found the gate to the Cologne Southern Cemetery and discovered it was the back door gate, not the entrance.  Pieter was waiting by the grave of Henry Warburton Stewart, and had already put down the flags and written in the cemetery register.  He’d forgotten who had the camera, otherwise he probably would have already gone back to the car!

IMG_20170924_113711423 Sep 24 2017 grave of Henry Warburton Stewart at Cologne Southern Cemetery

Grave of Henry Warburton Stewart at Cologne Southern Cemetery. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

The story of Henry Warburton Stewart is a sad one, as he survived WW1, only to die of pneumonia after contracting Spanish flu in Germany, far away from his comrades.  Born in Strathgartney on April 15, 1884, the son of Robert Bruce Stewart and Ann, nee Warburton, he was a civil engineer when he enlisted as a private with the 29th Battalion (Tobin’s Tigers) in Vancouver on November 30, 1914.

Henry Warburton Stewart

Henry Warburton Stewart. (Photo courtesy B. Stewart family collection)

After serving in the trenches of France for two years, he was discharged with excellent recommendations by the Canadian Army on March 9, 1917 in England and commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Imperial Army’s 77th Siege Battery Royal Garrison Artillery.  Since we have not been able to get access to the war diaries of this unit, we presume that he was sent to Germany as part of the post-occupation forces and there fell ill, dying on February 11, 1919 at No. 2 Canadian Field Hospital in Bonn.  He was buried with military honours at Poppelsdorf Cemetery in Bonn.

In 1922, it was decided that the graves of Commonwealth soldiers who had died in Germany should be brought together in one of four cemeteries within Germany.  Stewart was reburied in Cologne Southern Cemetery.

CIMG9281 Sep 24 2017 Cologne Pieter at entrance to Cologne Southern Cemetery in Sudfriedhof cemetery

Pieter at the entrance to Cologne Southern Cemetery, located in Südfriedhof Public Cemetery in Cologne. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Unlike the portion of the cemetery where the German soldiers rest, Cologne Southern Cemetery is open and airy.

IMG_20170924_114611116_HDR Sep 24 2017 View of graves in Cologne Southern Cemetery

Commonwealth war graves in Cologne Southern Cemetery. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

After paying our respects to Lt. Stewart, we slowly made our way back towards the car.  Pieter noticed a pastry shop across the road and suggested we mark the end of our war memorial tour with a piece of cake and a cup of coffee.

CIMG9286 Sep 24 2017 Cologne time for a fruit tart and coffee at Van der Put cafe after Sudfriedhof cemetery

Coffee break at Van der Put café in Cologne.

So, after four European countries and 7,000 km on the rental car, the research now continues on Canadian soil.  We had an amazing adventure and met many wonderful people dedicated to helping to remember the wartime sacrifices of Canadian and other Allied soldiers.  We are humbled and grateful to play a small part in this.

Unfortunately, we know little about Stewart’s service in the Imperial Army as those records are not digitized and are at The British National Archives.  If anyone has more information, please let us know.  As well, photos are still needed for many of the names on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion.   Please share your photos, comments, or stories by emailing us at memorialtrail@gmail.com or by commenting on this blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

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