Lincoln and Welland Regiment

On The War Memorial Trail….. The WWII Soldier Who Died While Reading A Dutch-English Dictionary

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August 5, 2023.  When we planned a visit to the Canadian War Cemetery in Bergen Op Zoom, The Netherlands in October 2019, Pieter asked for a list of soldiers from Prince Edward Island from Caroline Raaijmakers of the Faces To Graves Bergen Op Zoom Project. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2019/12/07/on-the-war-memorial-trail-our-2019-visit-to-the-canadian-war-cemetery-in-bergen-op-zoom/)

One of the soldiers whose grave we visited and placed flags at was that of Milton Evangeline LIVINGSTONE, born August 21, 1918 in Gladstone, Prince Edward Island, the only child of Joseph Henry and Agnes Lettie Livingstone of Murray Harbour, Prince Edward Island. 

Screenshot 2023-08-01 at 11-09-35 Murray River map satellite __ Canada Prince Edward Island

Map shows how close Gladstone, Murray Harbour, and Murray River are in Prince Edward Island. (Map source: https://satellites.pro)

… Milton made three attempts to actively serve…

After leaving school at the age of 17, Milton had various jobs, including on a farm, as a truck driver, and in a wholesale warehouse.  In 1940 he tried to enlist in the Canadian Army but was unsuccessful, as was his application to join the Royal Canadian Air Force.  Therefore, on April 6, 1942 he joined the 17th Armoured Regiment Reserve in Murray Harbour.  In the fall of 1942 he transferred to the Reserve in Charlottetown.

On March 2, 1943, he successfully enlisted with the No. 6 District Depot in Charlottetown.  By this time, he was married – to Mae Isabel Stymeist – and the father of Carol Christine, who had been born two months earlier, on December 31, 1942.

private livingstone Lincolns from Robert Catsburg

Milton Evangeline Livingstone. (Photo courtesy of Robert Catsburg, who had received it from the son of Marie van Elzakker-De Jong)

Milton was in Halifax, Nova Scotia he day after enlistment. The interviewer for his Personnel Selection Record noted that he “…seems to be a friendly and cheerful person….”  He “…plays softball, and reads a bit – mostly newspapers.  In his spare time he tinkers with machines…”  It was recommended that he be assigned to an infantry regiment.

On April 2, 1943, Milton was sent to No. 61 Canadian Army Basic Training Centre (CABTC) in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia.  His Personnel Selection Record was updated after he completed his basic training.  “…His progress was outstanding and he was therefore held over for two months as assistant instructor.  During this period he has done good and conscientious work and is recommended as capable and with NCO indications…”  (NCO refers to Non-Commissioned Officer.)

… Milton qualified as a Driver i/c and Driver Mechanic…

On August 6, 1943, Milton was transferred to No. 14 Infantry Training Centre (ITC) in Aldershot, Nova Scotia, remaining there until December 3, 1943 when he was sent to the S-5 Canadian Driving and Maintenance School (CD & M School) in Woodstock, Ontario, where he successfully completed a 6 week driving course to qualify as a Driver i/c Class III Wheeled Vehicles. (The term ‘Driver i/c’ refers to ‘Driver, internal combustion’.  Class III meant he was qualified to drive heavy trucks and armoured cars.)

After completing the driving course, Milton remained in Woodstock to take a Driver Mechanic I course, which he completed on March 15, 1944.  In addition to being a driver, he would also be responsible for minor vehicle repairs on vehicles in his unit.

… Milton left Canada for overseas service…

Milton returned to No. 14 Infantry Training Centre (ITC) in Aldershot on April 6, 1944 for final training and preparation before going overseas.

On May 1, 1944, he was on his way to the United Kingdom, arriving on May 7, 1944 and assigned to No 4 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit (CIRU).  He was sent for more training, resulting in a reclassification to Driver Mechanic MV ‘C’ on June 8, 1944.

On September 10, 1944 Milton was sent to France with the X-4 reinforcement troops of No. 2 Canadian Base Reinforcement Group (CBRG), part of the 13th Battalion.  On September 23, 1944 he was transferred to ‘C’ Company of the Lincoln & Welland Regiment, joining them while the Regiment was in the area of Maldegem, Belgium. 

… Milton rejoined the Regiment after being released from the field hospital…

Milton was sent to a Field Hospital on September 25, 1944.  There was no record of casualties that day and he was not on the wounded list, so perhaps he had an accident.  On October 14, 1944 he returned to ‘C’ Company of the Lincoln & Welland Regiment, which was in the area of Middeldorp, Belgium.

By the beginning of November, the Regiment had entered The Netherlands, moving from Bergen Op Zoom and towards the capture of Steenbergen.

The Regiment’s war diary for November 4, 1944 reported that “…The Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders of Canada took over Steenbergen and reported the town clear…”  The Regiment was given a chance to take a well-deserved rest.

The last entry in Milton’s service record is on November 6, 1944 with the notation ‘Deceased. Believed Killed In Action’. However, the war diary for that day reported “… everything quiet…”  Similarly, no report of fighting was recorded in ‘History of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment’ by Robert Louis Rogers. 

The mystery of what happened to Milton was finally solved in an account in ‘Five Days In November –The Liberation of Welberg and Steenbergen in WWII’ by Robert Catsburg, and translated from the original Dutch by Ineke Hardy.

… An eyewitness account of what happened on November 6, 1944…

Robert Catsburg explained to us that the account of what happened that day came from Lies de Jong, one of the daughters of the De Jong family.

“…On 6 November, a fatal accident took place at the home of the De Jong family on Oudlandsestraat. On their return, the De Jongs had found their house filled with Canadians of the Lincoln and Welland Regiment…  

 …The men were very well-behaved, and most of them slept in a small abandoned house at the back. During the day, they relaxed or carried out maintenance on the large tank parked beside the De Jong residence. A few men shared the house with the De Jongs…

…During the day, the officer slept in Grandpa’s box bed and at night, Grandpa took his place. The older De Jong daughters basked in the attention from the young soldiers. Daughter Marie had formed a friendship with one of them, Private Milton E. Livingstone…

…On 6 November, the two were sitting side by side at the table, looking up words in a dictionary in an effort to learn a little of each other’s language. A soldier of American origin (in the interview, Lies de Jong called him ‘the Texas man’) sat across from Marie and Milton, cleaning his weapon. Without warning, the weapon went off, and Milton Livingstone collapsed with a muffled groan. He was fatally injured….

…Marie watched in horror as her friend’s body was wrapped in a grey blanket, taken outside through the window, and removed by a truck. The chaplain of the regiment tried to counsel the family, but the language barrier defied his efforts. Marie kept the picture Milton Livingstone had given her until the day she died, in 2008…”

… Milton’s cause of death was not investigated or recorded…

It’s not difficult to imagine the effect this incident had on Marie and her family. What is difficult to understand is why a soldier would be cleaning a loaded gun in the house of civilians with young daughters, and not outside. Even more difficult to understand is why no court of inquiry was made, or even a reference to what happened in the war diary, regimental history, or Milton’s service file. 

The war diaries for the Regiment recorded soldiers who were absent without leave, who had accidentally hurt themselves while on duty, who disobeyed officers.  Shooting of a soldier?  Nothing.

We have come across other accidental shootings over the years, which have been documented in the war diaries of other Regiments. It appears that the handling of this incident was not standard practice.

A note in the December 1944 war diary for the Lincoln & Welland Regiment suggested that such shootings were not unusual:  “…serious disciplinary action will be taken in the case of personnel who are injured as a result of our own or enemy weapons.  Carelessness in this respect is causing a great wastage of personnel…” 

… Milton is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Bergen Op Zoom…

CIMG3398 Oct 7 2019 Bergen Op Zoom Milton Livingstone

Pieter beside the grave of Milton Evangeline Livingstone. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Milton was temporarily buried in Bergen Op Zoom before being reburied in the Canadian War Cemetery in Bergen Op Zoom in 1946. 

Thank you to Robert Catsburg for allowing us to quote from his book and for sharing the photo of Milton Livingstone.

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/

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On The War Memorial Trail….. The WWII Soldier From Flin Flon Who Was Born In Stonewall

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September 10, 2022. Sometimes a photo request that Pieter receives brings back childhood memories… and is the impetus for choosing which name to research out of dozens on a list.  That was the case when we looked at the list of photo requests from the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands, and I saw that one of the soldiers, Neville William NISBET, was listed as being from Flin Flon, Manitoba.

“That’s a soldier you have to research!”  I said to Pieter.  “I’ve been to Flin Flon!”

Big deal, Pieter thought.  Since I was born in Winnipeg, it was no surprise to him that I’ve been to places in Manitoba.  But he had no idea how far north Flin Flon was and how the name captured the imagination of two young kids – my brother and me – when we travelled there with our parents, and had a photo taken at the statue at the edge of town.

Ca 1967 Daria Mom Gary by statue in Flin Flon

Daria (by red arrow) with her brother and mother by the statue of Flintabbatey Flonatin in 1967.  (Photo courtesy Valkenburg Family Photos)

Flin Flon, located in northern Manitoba, is named after Josiah Flintabbatey Flonatin, a science fiction character from the 1905 book The Sunless City, by British writer J.E. Preston Muddock. (See https://www.erbzine.com/mag18/sunless.htm)  When a mining prospector found and read a copy of the book in a cabin near the future town site in 1915, he named his claim Flin Flon, and that became the name of the town.

……Neville Nisbet was not born in Flin Flon!…

When Pieter began his research, however, he learned that Neville wasn’t born in Flin Flon, but in Stonewall, just outside of Winnipeg, Manitoba.  Neville was born on August 7, 1916, son of William J. and Lillian (nee Bennett) Nisbet.

According to the May 13, 1936 edition of the Stonewall Argus newspaper, Neville left Stonewall to take a position in Herb Lake (near Snow Lake) in northern Manitoba with Laguna Gold Mines Ltd. 

By the time of his enlistment in Winnipeg at No. 10 District Depot on June 22, 1944, Neville was living in Flin Flon, where he was employed as a millwright with Hudson Bay Mining and Smelting Company.  He had married Hazel Umpherville in Flin Flon on December 8, 1938, and by 1944 they had two children.

….Neville’s son provided a photo…

Neville’s son Don provided a photo, explaining that “…we have very few pictures of my father….  Thanks for your work on this project…”

img187 Neville Nisbet from Brenda Fleming

Neville Nisbet.  (Photo courtesy of the Nisbet Family)

…Neville’s military service began in Manitoba and ended in Germany…

After enlisting, Neville was sent to #103rd Canadian Infantry Basic Training Centre (CIBTC) in Winnipeg.  On September 16, 1944, he was transferred to A15 Canadian Infantry Training Centre (CITC) in Shilo, Manitoba.

On January 5, 1945, Neville was transferred to the No. 2 Transit Camp in Debert, Nova Scotia in preparation for going overseas on January 11, 1945. He arrived in the United Kingdom on January 18, 1945 and was attached to the Canadian Infantry Training Regiment (CITR).

He was sent to northwest Europe on March 18, 1945, and then transferred to the Lincoln and Welland Regiment on April 6, 1945.  The Regiment was near Delden, The Netherlands and had just captured the Twentecanal.

On April 7, 1945, the Regiment left Delden to join the rest of the Division already advancing into Germany.

…The Regiment fought for control of Bad Zwischenahn….

The War Diary for the Lincoln and Welland Regiment for April 25, 1945 noted that the Regiment “…was to come under command of 4th Canadian Armoured Brigade at 0700 hour tomorrow. The Brigade’s objective was to be the town of Bad Zwischenahn…” (See https://www.canadiansoldiers.com/history/battlehonours/northwesteurope/badzwischenahn.htm)

badzwischenahn

Map shows the path taken by the Lincoln and Welland Regiment. Neville Nisbet lost his life just outside Bad Zwischenahn. (Map courtesy of http://www.canadiansoldiers.com)

The War Diary entry for May 1, 1945 recorded that “…the emissary had been sent into the town of Bad Zwischenahn and the town had surrendered…” and that the Regiment was to be part of the 10th Brigade.  They were ordered to begin the move through Bockhorn and Neuenburg.

On May 2, 1945, under weather that was cloudy with rain, the War Diary entry stated that forward movement was hampered due to encountering heavy resistance, with artillery and sniper attacks.  At some point during that day, Neville lost his life, aged 28.

…Neville was buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten….

Neville was initially buried east of Bad Zwischenahn, Germany, before being reburied in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands on March 16, 1946.

Headstone of Neville Nisbet

Neville Nisbet’s grave at the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten.  (Photo courtesy of Canadian Virtual War Memorial)

….Nisbet Lake in northern Manitoba is named in his honour…..

Screenshot 2022-09-06 at 12-10-30 Nisbet Lake _ Nisbet Lake Manitoba Canada North America

Nisbet Lake in northern Manitoba.  (Map source: google)

Nisbet Lake in northern Manitoba was named after Neville in 1974.

…Another soldier who lost his life near Bad Zwischenahn…

John ‘Jack’ Langford WALKER, who was with the 21st Canadian Armoured Regiment (The Governor General’s Foot Guards), died near Bad Zwischenahn on April 30, 1945.  You can read his story here: https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2022/07/13/on-the-war-memorial-trail-in-north-bay-the-ww2-soldier-who-lost-his-life-on-the-day-hitlers-death-was-announced/

Thank you to Don Nisbet for providing a photo, and thank you to Judie Klassen for help in finding family and newspaper articles.  If you have a story to tell, please let Pieter know. Email him at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or tweet to @researchmemori1. 

…Want to follow our research?….

If you are reading this posting, but aren’t following the blog, you are welcome to do so.  See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/ or email me at dariadv@yahoo.ca and ask for an invitation to the blog. 

Front cover OnTheWarMememorialTrailinEuropeDaria’s book ‘No Soldier Buried Overseas Should Ever Be Forgotten‘ is available in print and e-book formats.  For more information see https://nosoldierforgotten.com/

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© Daria Valkenburg

On The War Memorial Trail….. Remembering WW2 Soldier Eli Ambrose Snake

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December 13, 2021. After an interview about the photo quest for soldiers buried in the Canadian War Cemeteries in The Netherlands ran on APTN, Pieter was contacted by Carolyn Henry about her great-uncle Eli SNAKE, who is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands.

(To read the APTN article, see https://www.aptnnews.ca/national-news/dutch-born-p-e-i-man-on-a-mission-to-find-photos-of-first-nations-soldiers-killed-overseas-in-wwii/)

Carolyn explained that “….I saw your article on the APTN Facebook page. Here is a picture of my great-uncle Eli Snake (my dad’s mother’s brother) from Munsee Delaware First Nation. My dad spoke about him often as if he was a hero in our family….”

Eli Snake family

Eli Snake (circled) in 1937 with his family, including his brother Gordon (far left), sister Rose Ann (seated) and brother William (far right).  Children are Rose’s children Marilyn, Bruce, Arnold, and Leo.  (Photo courtesy of Carolyn Henry).

Eli Ambrose SNAKE was born November 29, 1919 on the Munsee Reserve, the son of Eli and Marjorie (nee Peters) Snake.  Munsee-Delaware Nation, also known as Lenni Lenape, is one of several subgroups of Delaware, the Unalachtigo, the Unami, and the Minisink (later known as the Munsee), located in southwest Ontario. (For more information see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Munsee-Delaware_Nation)

Prior to joining the Canadian Army, Eli worked as a farm labourer.  He enlisted on May 6, 1942 at the No.1 District Depot in Chatham, Ontario, after having earlier completed 60 days of basic training at the #12 Basic Training Centre, also in Chatham.  Eli had originally enlisted on November 15, 1941 in London, Ontario, under the National Resources Mobilization Act.

In October 1943, he was described in his Personnel Selection Record as “… quiet and well-built…” and who “…likes the Army… and gets along well with other fellows...”

On November 3, 1943 he was transferred to the No 1 Training Brigade in Debert, Nova Scotia, in preparation for being sent for overseas service the following month.  On December 21, 1943 he arrived in the United Kingdom and taken on strength as part of No 3 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit (CIRU).

On January 11, 1944 he was transferred to the Lincoln & Welland Regiment. By July 25, 1944 he was with his Regiment in France and then later further into Northwest Europe.

…Operation Elephant was a battle to capture the island of Kapelsche Veer….

By January 1945 the Regiment was in The Netherlands, preparing for Operation Elephant on January 25, 1945.  The objective of this battle, also known as the Battle of Kapelsche Veer, was to clear a small island, Kapelsche Veer, north of the Maas River in The Netherlands.

The island was flat, cold, windy, and water-logged during a January winter, and offered no cover against German paratroopers who already held a defensive position between two brick houses (codenamed ‘Grapes’ and ‘Raspberry’) there.  Troops were issued white snowsuits and trained in French-built canoes in preparation for an attack to capture the island.

…Eli Snake lost his life on January 28, 1945….

The Lincoln and Welland Regiment war diary for January 28, 1945 noted that it was “….clear and cold…”

The struggle to clear the island was continuing from the day before with no respite. Rising temperatures had turned ice into mud.  At 23:50 on January 27, the war diary noted that “…one tank was reported bogged down….” blocking the tank behind it.

At 1 am in the morning of January 28, there was “…heavy mortaring of forward company positions from the north bank of the River Maas…”  One tank had moved forward, but ran into heavy fire with many casualties.

At noon the war diary noted that “… ‘D’ Company came under heavy mortar fire but continued to advance…” At 12:30 pm Lt Thompson “…took 30 rafts to relieve the situation…. where the enemy was making an effort to split our forces…”

At some point in all this on January 28, 1945, Eli was killed in action.  He was initially buried in ‘s’Hertogenbosch before his reburial in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands.

Grave of Eli Snake

Grave of Eli Snake at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek.  (Photo credit: Ad Scheepers)

Thank you to Carolyn Henry for contacting us about Eli Snake, and to Ad Scheepers for taking the photo of Eli’s grave at the cemetery.  If you have information to share about Eli SNAKE or other Canadian soldiers, please contact Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or send a tweet to @researchmemori1.

© Daria Valkenburg

… More about Operation Elephant…

To learn more about Operation Elephant, see:

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….. Remembering WWII Soldier Ronald Sidney Waterhouse

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November 3, 2021.  Recently, Cheryl Topping of Nova Scotia wrote to Pieter about a WWII soldier on the photo wish list from the Canadian War Cemetery in Bergen Op Zoom, saying that she was “…a descendant of Ronald Sidney Waterhouse. He was my grandmother’s brother….”  Cheryl followed up with photos and contacted Ronald Sidney’s daughter, Merrilyn O’Brien.

Ronald Sidney Waterhouse frame

Ronald Sidney Waterhouse.  (Photo courtesy Cheryl Topping Family Collection)

Ronald Sidney WATERHOUSE was born March 21, 1913 in Toronto, Ontario, the son of Harold Victor and Ellen Elizabeth (nee Payne) Waterhouse.

…A young father enlists….

When he enlisted with the No. 6 District on August 24, 1942 in Sydney, Nova Scotia, he was already married, to Nina Meredith MacLeod, and the father of Merrilyn Ronalda, who was born July 18, 1942 in Sydney.

Nina and baby Merrilyn Waterhouse-1

Nina Waterhouse with daughter Merrilyn. (Photo courtesy Cheryl Topping Family Collection)

His enlistment record indicated that he played softball and rugby, and had been a travelling salesman.  Both his father and brother Harold Henry were in the police force in Toronto, with his father identified as a detective.

In September 1942 Ronald was sent to #61 Canadian Army Basic Training Centre in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, and then in November 1942 to the Canadian Armoured Corps Advanced Training Centre (CACATC) in Borden, Ontario.

In a January 29, 1943 interview, it was noted that Ronald had completed Basic and Advanced CAC training and that he wished to apply to the Canadian Provost Corps. He was described as having a “...good appearance, straight forward manner...” It noted that he was a “…strong, healthy normal man in all respects...” with a “…sound practical education…” and a “…good position in civilian life…”

In March 1943 he was transferred to #3 CACRU (Canadian Armoured Corps Reinforcement Unit) to go overseas, arriving in the United Kingdom on March 17. Over a year later, on August 11, 1944, he was transferred to the Canadian Fusiliers Regiment.  On September 18, 1944, he was in France with the Regiment, part of the Canadian Infantry Corps.

…The Lincoln and Welland Regiment was in the Battle of the Scheldt….

On September 29, 1944, Ronald was transferred to the Lincoln and Welland Regiment.  Unfortunately, on November 2, 1944 he was killed in action during the Battle of the Scheldt. This was a series of military operations that took place between October 2 and November 8, 1944, to open up the port of Antwerp, Belgium and fought in northern Belgium and southwestern Netherlands. (See https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/second-world-war/scheldt)

Map Bergen op Zoom · Netherlands

Map showing location of Antwerp, Bergen Op Zoom, and Steenbergen.  (Map source: Google)

The war diary for the Lincoln and Welland Regiment for November 2, 1944 indicates the Regiment was in Bergen Op Zoom, The Netherlands, and that it was a bright and warm day….

“… 17:00 …final orders were issued.  The general plan being that the Lincoln & Welland Regiment on the left and the Algonquin Regiment on the right would attack and hold positions along the road…”  This was to provide protective cover for troops advancing towards Steenbergen.

“…20:05… A Company reached their objective… and were under semi-automatic and shell fire. They suffered heavy casualties...” One of the casualties was Ronald Sidney Waterhouse.

A short video featuring old newsreel coverage of the Battle of the Scheldt can be seen here:

Ronald Sidney was initially buried in Bergen Op Zoom, and later received a permanent headstone at the Canadian War Cemetery there.

temporary grave marker from service file

Initial grave marker in Bergen Op Zoom for Ronald Sidney Waterhouse.  (Photo source:  military service file)

…A daughter’s reflections….

His daughter Merrilyn wrote to explain that “…I was only 2 years old when my Dad died so I never really knew him….  My Mother said that my Dad was a great guy and he seemed to be happy (always smiling) in a lot of old pictures that I have.  He worked for Lever Brothers….”

Merrilyn went on to explain what happened after her father left to go overseas.  “…My Mother and I lived for the first 8 years of my life with my maternal grandparents in Sydney.  When I was 8 years old my Mother married Herman F. Slade. My half-brother, Barry James, was born in 1955.  We moved to Yarmouth, Nova Scotia in 1955.  Barry presently lives in Guelph, Ontario.  My Mother and Barry moved to Guelph to be closer to her brother, Rev. Merrill MacLeod….”  

Nina died in 1982.  Merrilyn now lives in Massachusetts, USA.   

Thank you to Merrilyn O’Brien and Cheryl Topping for sharing photos of Ronald Sidney Waterhouse.  If you have photos and information to share about Canadian soldiers buried in The Netherlands, please contact Pieter 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/

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On The War Memorial Trail….. 7 Indigenous Soldiers Buried in Adegem Canadian War Cemetery

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August 18, 2021. After reading the posting about WWII Soldier Clarence Wilfred Wakegijig, Pieter was contacted by Willy van Ee of Sas-van-Gent, The Netherlands, who explained that he is the son of Indigenous soldier Walter MEKAJI of the Sagamok Anishnawbek First Nation and Hendrike Herber of The Netherlands.  “…My father also came from Wikwemikong and met my mother in Utrecht during the liberation of The Netherlands…”

Willy’s compelling story has been extensively told.  See:

In a translation of Willy’s email exchange with Pieter, he wrote “…I live 20 km from the Adegem Canadian War Cemetery in Belgium.  Every year, on the second weekend of September, there is a ceremony with many VIPs, and a lot of people.  This year it’s on September 12. I’ve been going there for about 40 years, because of a veteran from Vancouver Island, Art BRIDGE, who has visited us a number of times.  His friend L MORGAN is buried there....”   Most likely, Willy is referring to Lionel Albert MORGAN, son of Reuben and Pearl Morgan, of Toronto, Ontario, who died on September 8, 1944 while serving with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise’s).

Map showing Adegem Canadian War Cemetery

Willy wanted to let Pieter know that he believed that 7 Indigenous soldiers are buried in Adegem Canadian War Cemetery.  He visited the cemetery and sent the names:

No photo available

  • Maurice BELLEGARDE, son of Moise and Margaret Bellegarde, of Abernethy, Saskatchewan. Died November 3, 1944 while serving with the Regina Rifle Regiment.
Jacob Shelby Brant

Jacob Shelby Brant. (Photo source: Canadian Virtual War Memorial)

  • Jacob Shelby BRANT, born February 12, 1925 in Hagersville, Ontario, son of Austin and Bessie Brant.  Died September 11, 1944 while serving with the Lincoln and Welland Regiment, aged 19.
Harvey Dreaver

Harvey Dreaver. (Photo source: Canadian Virtual War Memorial)

  • Harvey DREAVER, born November 29, 1914 in Leask, Saskatchewan, son of Joseph and Evelyn Dreaver of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Husband of Mary Dreaver of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Died October 6, 1944 while serving with the Regina Rifle Regiment, aged 29.

No photo available

  • Joseph HENRY, son of Thomas and Philomene Henry. Husband of Alice Henry, of Roseau River Reserve, Manitoba.  Died October 2, 1944 while serving with the Algonquin Regiment, aged 22.
Roland David Riel

Roland David Riel. (Photo source: Canadian Virtual War Memorial)

  • Roland David RIEL, born December 8, 1925 in St Vital (now Winnipeg), Manitoba, son of Henry and Yvonne Mary Eugenie Riel.   Died October 15, 1944 while serving with the Regina Rifle Regiment, aged 18.
Kenneth Scribe

Kenneth Scribe. (Photo source: Canadian Virtual War Memorial)

  • Kenneth SCRIBE, son of John and Jessie Scribe, of Norway House, Manitoba. Died October 11, 1944 while serving with the Highland Light Infantry of Canada, aged 23.

No photo available

  • Charles William Myers ST GERMAINE, son of John and Lillian St. Germaine, of Rama, Ontario. Died September 16, 1944 while serving with the South Saskatchewan Regiment, aged 23.

Thank you to Willy van Ee for sharing his story and letting us know about the soldiers buried in Adegem Canadian War Cemetery.  If you have photo or information to share about any of the men mentioned in this posting, or other Canadian soldiers, please contact Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or send a tweet to @researchmemori1.

© Daria Valkenburg

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

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

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On The War Memorial Trail…..Our 2019 Visit To The Canadian War Cemetery In Bergen Op Zoom

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December 7, 2019.  While in The Netherlands this fall, we visited the three Canadian War Cemeteries and laid down flags of Canada and PEI for the names listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion, as well as other Islanders who have been identified by Dutch researchers. The third Canadian War Cemetery we visited on our 2019 trip was in Bergen Op Zoom, near the Belgian border.  As no one listed on the Cenotaph is buried in this cemetery, we had not visited it before.

….Oops!  Wrong cemetery!….

On this trip, however, we decided to lay flags down at the graves of 6 soldiers from Prince Edward Island and 1 from Nova Scotia.  Our first surprise was that there are two war cemeteries, side by side, and of course we went to the wrong one, which turned out to be a British War Cemetery.  Luckily, a teacher visiting with a group of high school students noticed the bag we carried the flags in, and asked if we thought we were in the Canadian War Cemetery.  If so, it was further down the road.  Thank goodness the Dutch are not shy!

….We finally arrive at the Canadian War Cemetery!….

CIMG3382 Oct 7 2019 Bergen Op Zoom Pieter at Cdn War Cemetery

Pieter at the entrance to the Canadian War Cemetery in Bergen Op Zoom.  Our Sobey’s bag saved us from wandering around the wrong cemetery!  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

We weren’t alone in the cemetery as there were more teachers, supervising schoolchildren carrying roses.  With our Sobey’s bag filled with flags, we were easily picked out as visitors!  A teacher told us that 2,600 schoolchildren would be visiting the Canadian and British War Cemeteries, each carrying a rose to place at a designated grave, until October 28, the day of liberation for this part of The Netherlands.

….Canadian flags placed at 7 graves….

One of the most recent photos Pieter received of PEI soldiers buried in The Netherlands was that of Lawrence Adolphus SWEENEY, provided by his nephew David Perry.  Placing flags by a grave when you have a photo of the person makes this small event more meaningful.

Lawrence Sweeney from David Perry

Lawrence Sweeney.  (Photo courtesy of David Perry)

CIMG3392 Oct 7 2019 Bergen Op Zoom Lawrence Sweeney

Pieter by the grave of Lawrence Sweeney, buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Bergen Op Zoom. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

In alphabetical order, here are the known soldiers from PEI that are buried in the cemetery:

  • Pte James Walter AULD, Algonquin Regiment, from O’Leary Station
  • Tpr Alvah Ray LEARD, Sherbrooke Fusiliers Regiment – 27th Armoured Regiment, from Northam
  • Pte Milton Evangeline LIVINGSTONE, Lincoln and Welland Regiment, from Murray River
  • Bdr Hugh Allister MACDONALD, Royal Canadian Artillery – 02 Anti-Tank Regiment, from Georgetown
  • L/Cpl Roy SMITH, Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada, from O’Leary
  • Pte Lawrence Adolphus SWEENEY, Lincoln and Welland Regiment, from Souris

Canadian and Nova Scotia flags were placed at the grave of one soldier from Nova Scotia, who had mistakenly been recorded as being from PEI by the Cemetery:

  • Pte Elmer D. SCHOFIELD, Lincoln and Welland Regiment, from North Alton

Unfortunately, no photo has been found for one PEI soldier:

  • James Walter AULD, born in Glenwood, son of James and Margaret Auld of O’Leary Station. He died on November 1, 1944, aged 21.

….A visit with Caroline Raaijmakers….

The weather in Bergen Op Zoom was cloudy, but it was dry.  We had just missed a rainfall, as we found out while walking through the cemetery.  The ground was saturated and my shoes were soaking wet by the time we finished, giving me an excuse to go to the car and change my shoes and warm up.  In the meantime, Caroline Raaijmakers of the Faces To Graves Bergen Op Zoom Project dropped by to invite us over for coffee and a stroopwafel (a delicious Dutch treat).

CIMG3411 Oct 7 2019 Bergen Op Zoom Pieter & Caroline Raaijmakers

Pieter with Caroline Raaijmakers at the Canadian War Cemetery in Bergen Op Zoom.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Caroline explained that most of the burials in the British and Canadian War Cemeteries in Bergen Op Zoom are due to casualties from the Battle of the Scheldt (For more information, see https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/history/second-world-war/scheldt#scheldt03).  We learned that information on this battle, in which 6,300 Canadian lives were lost, is in the Liberation Museum Zeeland in nearby Nieuwdorp, which will be on our list of places to visit next trip.  (See https://liberationroute.com/the-netherlands/spots/l/liberation-museum-zeeland-(spot221))

CIMG3413 Oct 7 2019 Bergen Op Zoom holding up poster at Carolines house

Holding up a poster for the 75th Anniversary of the Liberation of the province of Brabant on October 28, 2019.  (Photo credit: Caroline Raajmakers)

Pieter gave Caroline a large Canadian flag, which was provided by Senator Mike Duffy for this war memorial trip.  Flags had also been provided for Pieter to give to the cemeteries in Harlingen, Holten, and Groesbeek, which he did.

Thank you to Senator Mike Duffy for the large Canadian flag, to the office of Malpeque MP Wayne Easter for the small Canadian flags placed by the graves, and to John Wales of the North Nova Scotia Highlanders Regimental Museum in Amherst for the Nova Scotia flag. If anyone has more information to share on any of the soldiers listed above, or know of more Islanders buried in the cemetery in Bergen Op Zoom, 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/ 

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

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