Prince Edward Island

On The War Memorial Trail…..The WWI Era ‘Course Of The Rhine’ Map of Germany

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July 3, 2020.  It’s always a pleasure to hear from readers.  After reading about Harold Keith Howatt’s travels to WWI Germany as part of the post-occupation forces, Helen MacEwen contacted us about a map that her father-in-law sent to his future wife in 1918.  “…I have been reading with interest your reports about the WWI Veterans and wondered if I could bring further information about my father-in-law’s last tour after the German surrender. His name was Sgt. Herbert ‘Herb’ S. MACEWEN from Stanley Bridge…”

Helen went on to describe the map.  “…I have a copy of the ‘COURSE OF THE RHINE: From Mayence to Cologne’. It is a fold-out map of the Rhine River within a hard-cover. It is very fragile but does mention the different towns that you mentioned in your stories…” (You can read Howatt’s account at The WW1 Soldier Who Went To Post WW1 Germany)  Today we know Mayence as Mainz.

CIMG4111 Jun 14 2020 Herbert MacEwan in uniform

Herbert MacEwen.  (Photo courtesy of Helen MacEwen collection)

Howatt was in the 8th Canadian Siege Battery during WWI, while MacEwen was in the 2nd Canadian Siege Battery.  Both batteries were later attached to the 2nd Brigade, the only Canadian Heavy Artillery Brigade that went to Germany.

We were intrigued and made arrangements to meet Helen and see the map.  It turned out to be a surprise, as it was a foldable, panoramic map in full colour, showing the area along the Rhine River between Mainz and Cologne.  To complete the surprise, the map was written in English, but published in Germany.  It was clear that this had to be a map that pre-dated WWI and was designed for tourists!

20200614_144359 Jun 14 2020 Pieter & Helen MacEwan with panoramic map of Rhine River

Pieter and Helen MacEwen with the foldable, panoramic map. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Ralf Gräfenstein, a historian in Berlin, found a document that might explain why a map published in Germany over 100 years ago would be in English. “…These maps were made in English for tourists from Britain and Overseas, who came before the beginning of WWI and after the war to the German Rhine area…” he explained.

Ralf referred me to a 2006 dissertation written by Thilo Nowack of the University of Bonn, entitled ‘Rhein, Romantik, Reisen. Der Ausflugs- und Erholungsreiseverkehr im Mittelrheintal im Kontext gesellschaftlichen Wandels (1890 bis 1970)’ and gave a reference to the chapters that would be of interest. (Translation of the dissertation: ‘Rhine, romance, travel. Excursion and recreational travel in the Middle Rhine Valley in the context of social change (1890 to 1970)’).

In the dissertation, it was explained that “… the Tourism Society of the Rhine Area was founded in 1904… with the goal “to promote and make traveling and the stay on the Rhine and its side valleys pleasant’…” in response to the view that “… the Rhineland had lost its attraction as a travel destination since the late 19th century…”  As part of the tourism promotion effort, “… posters, brochures and other booklets were used to advertise in German, English, French and Dutch…” and placed “…in train stations at home and abroad…”  Tourist promotion was economically important as “… the invention and expansion of steam shipping and railroads enabled an enormous increase in travel on the Rhine…”

It seems likely that Herbert MacEwen could have found the map in a shop or train station someplace in Germany, most likely Cologne.  It’s clearly a tourist map, with key destinations identified along the Rhine, with brief explanations and diagrams.

20200614_144505 EXCERPT Jun 14 2020 Portion of map between Cologne & Mehlem - Copy

An excerpt from the map, showing illustrations and descriptions.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Helen noted that “…Herb had sent this map to his girlfriend in Stanley Bridge. They married in 1921.  He states that they stayed near Mehlem-on-Rhine…”

At the top of the map Herb had written “… Arrived at the Rhine on December 12th, 1918.  I have marked the bridge on which we expect to pass over. We are at present guarding the bridgehead from this site…”  This confirms the entry in Harold Howatt’s account, which stated that they had arrived in Cologne on December 12.

20200614_143410 Jun 14 2020 note on map saying unit was guarding bridge head

Herb MacEwen’s note at the top of the map.  (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

A bridgehead is the strategically important area of ground around the end of a bridge over a body of water.  (For more information, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bridgehead)

On December 13, Harold Howatt had noted that “….the Canadian troops marched across the Rhine, reviewed as they crossed the bridge by General Plumer and General Currie…” The bridge crossed was the Hohenzollern Bridge in Cologne. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hohenzollern_Bridge)

To our amazement, Pieter found a video from the Imperial War Museum of this march across the Hohenzollern Bridge: https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/1060008233.

Herb MacEwen was discharged on May 18, 1919.   His daughter-in-law Helen told us that “…he would be 21 years old.  He apparently, ‘conveniently,’ put his birthdate down as older than fact when he joined the Army…”

The individual stories of our soldiers enrich the sometimes dry facts of history, and it was wonderful to learn of the shared history of Herb MacEwen and Harold Howatt.

For more information on the post WWI occupation of the Rhineland, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Occupation_of_the_Rhineland

For more information on General Sir Herbert Plumer, who commanded the Army of Occupation, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Herbert_Plumer,_1st_Viscount_Plumer

For more information on General Sir Arthur Currie, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arthur_Currie

Thank you to Helen MacEwen for sharing the story of Herb MacEwen and Course Of The Rhine Map from the early 20th Century.  If you have a story to share, 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…..A Face For WWII Soldier Joseph Hennebery!

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May 31, 2020.  Last year, a request was made for photos and information on PEI soldiers from WWII who were buried in The Netherlands.  (See Photos and Info Requested For WW2 Soldiers From PEI Buried In The Netherlands)  One of these soldiers, buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, was Joseph ‘Joe’ Edmund HENNEBERY. 

He was born in Morell on July 7, 1919, the son of Edmund Joseph and Mary ‘May’ Hennebery, and was a sapper with the Royal Canadian Engineers – 33rd Field Company, and served in the UK, France, and The Netherlands.  He died in The Netherlands on April 20, 1945, aged 25, along with two other men, Pte L. A. CROSS, a cook in the platoon, and Sapper A. COLVIN, following an accident on April 18 while off duty.

When we were in The Netherlands last fall, Pieter placed flags at his grave.  “It’s always much more meaningful when I’m standing at a grave and have an idea what the person looked like.”  After our return, a chance encounter with Hennebery’s niece, Teresa Hennebery, resulted in a photo of her uncle, finally giving a face to the name listed on the grave.  “He looks exactly like my father” Teresa explained. “Joe is my father’s brother.”

improved colour photo Joseph Hennebery

Joseph ‘Joe’ E. Henneberry.  (Photo courtesy Hennebery Family Collection.  Photo restoration and colourization by Pieter Valkenburg)

“The Hennebery Family from Morell Rear (now called Green Meadows) was very committed to the World War II war effort.  At one point seven of the twelve children in the family were serving in the Canadian Army or Air Force.  Sadly, Joe was the only one of the Hennebery siblings that did not come home.”

In 2000, Teresa visited his grave with family members.  “…That was the first time anyone from the Hennebery family visited Joe Hennebery’s grave.  It was a very emotional and impactful trip…”

20200529_184532 Hennebery family visiting grave

In 2000, Joe Hennebery’s sister-in-law Mary visited his grave, and posed for a photo with her sisters. Left to right: Laura Brazel, Mary Hennebery, Evelyn McAliney.  (Photo courtesy Hennebery Family Collection)

20200529_185216 Teresa ahd Mary Hennebery

Teresa and Mary Hennebery at Joe Hennebery’s grave in 2000.  (Photo courtesy Hennebery Family Collection)

On behalf of the Hennebery family, Teresa wrote that “…The family appreciates the efforts of the Dutch people to commemorate and remember those Islanders and Canadians who gave their lives for our freedom. ‘Dying for freedom is not the worst thing that could happen; being forgotten is.’…”

Joe Hennebery is not the only family member buried in a Dutch cemetery.  Michael Joseph ‘Joe’ MCKENNA, the brother of Teresa’s mother Mary, is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten. “…My mother and I were in Holland in May 2000 for a commemoration ceremony for her brother (also named Joe) who was killed in Rha a couple of weeks before my other Uncle Joe died.  It was so beautiful and the people of Rha treated us like Royalty...”

Thank you to Teresa Hennebery for sharing her family photos, which will be forwarded by Pieter to the researchers at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek.  If you have 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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Dutch Kings Day Is A Reminder Of The Upcoming Liberation Of The Netherlands Anniversary

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kings day

April 27, 2020.  Today is Kings Day (Koningsdag) in The Netherlands, the national holiday in that country, equivalent to our Canada Day on July 1.  It celebrates the birthday of the Dutch King Willem-Alexander.  Normally there are lots of activities, but with social distancing due to the coronavirus, events have been cancelled, and people have been asked to celebrate at home.

20200427_124326 Apr 27 2020 Pieter with Dutch flag

On a windy Island, Pieter has to hang on to the Dutch flag for dear life! (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Here on the Island, a proud Dutch-born Pieter put out the Dutch flag by our garage and held on to it long enough to take a photo before the wind whipped it around the pole.  The day is a reminder of next week’s 75th Liberation of The Netherlands on May 5.  Most events have been cancelled or curtailed, but the day will still be marked.

NFA03_dou-201-1_W

Cartoon found on geheugenvannederland.nl

Alice van Bekkum, Chair of the Face To Graves Foundation Groesbeek, has advised that stories and photos collected on those buried at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek are now online at www.facestograves.nl. She will be interviewed by CBC Calgary reporter Erin Collins on May 5.  (For more information see: Press Release Digital Monument May 2020)

Readers of this blog are aware of Pieter’s efforts to help the Foundation and other researchers with photos and stories about Prince Edward Island soldiers buried in The Netherlands. (See Photos and Info Requested For WW2 Soldiers From PEI Buried In The Netherlands)

Of the Islanders buried in Groesbeek, photos for all but two have been found.  Still missing photos are two who lost their lives in 1945:

  1. Joseph Edmond HENNEBERY, born in Morell, was with the Royal Canadian Engineers -33rd Field Company. He died on April 20, 1945, aged 25.  UPDATE: Photo found!
  2. Barney Ruben MCGUIGAN, born in St. Peter’s, son of Thomas and Sadie McGuigan, was with the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment. He died on February 26, 1945, aged 17.  UPDATE: Photo found!

If you have photos or information to share about Henneberry, McGuigan, or other 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/

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…..The WWII Seaman Who Was Hit By A Tram

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April 5, 2020. Sometimes strange mishaps happen.  You’d expect that a seaman serving in Halifax, Nova Scotia would either be safe or, at worst, lose his life at sea.  But that’s not what happened to Singleton Charles JEFFERY!

20191221_154309 Singelton Jeffery newspaper from Mitch MacDonald

Singleton Charles Jeffery.  (Photo courtesy of May 17, 1941 edition of The Charlottetown Guardian, submitted by Mitch MacDonald. )

Jeffery was born on May 13, 1917 in Bayfield, New Brunswick, the son of Stephen and Alice Jeffery, and grew up in Cape Traverse.  After his father died, his mother remarried, to James Campbell.  A fisherman on the Island in pre-war years, he also worked as a seaman for Imperial Oil in Halifax, transporting oil, before enlisting with the Royal Canadian Naval Reserve in Halifax on May 5, 1940, Jeffery was also one of the few servicemen listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion who was married and had children.  He married a few months after enlistment and, with his wife Mildred Catharina, had two children: Betty Patricia and Diane May.

While Jeffery served aboard Navy ships in the Atlantic Ocean, his family lived in Halifax, where he was based.  On the evening of December 1, 1943, while stationed at the H.M.C.S. ‘Stadacona’ navy base as a patrolman, he was fatally hit by a tram in Halifax.  (For more information on H.M.C.S. ‘Stadacona’, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CFB_Halifax#Stadacona)

A Board of Inquiry on December 27, 1943 found that: “…There was contributory negligence on part of the street car operator and the deceased.  The operator was negligent in that he did not bring the street car to a full stop or slow down to a minimum speed and ring his bell to indicate to the would-be passengers that he was not making the regular stop…”

The Board noted that Jeffery was negligent in “…that he crowded so close to the street car tracks at a point twenty to thirty feet south of the regular stop that he was struck…”  The Board found that although Jeffery had “…consumed a considerable quantity of beer (ten glasses)…” he was not found to be drunk, but his “…judgment may have been impaired by effects of the beverage..”  An autopsy showed that he had a full stomach, indicating that he had eaten, and not just been drinking.

On December 29, 1943, during the Board of Inquiry, a witness who had been on the tram at the time of the accident testified that he did NOT hear the conductor sound the bell as the tram approached the stop. According to the customary practice, the tram operator was supposed to ring a bell if he was NOT going to stop and pick up passengers.  In his opinion, he believed that Jeffery “…thought the street car was going to stop and he started to go in front of it in order to cross the street….”

Another witness at the December 29, 1943 Board of Inquiry testified that he and another sailor had also been hit by the tram, but were not seriously injured.  He too explained that he was of the opinion that since the tram operator was slowing down “…we had the idea that he was stopping…” When asked if the tram operator had rung his bell to indicate he was not stopping, the answer was no.

A colleague of Jeffery had been with him at the Canteen testified that although both of them had drunk beer, neither was drunk.  He explained that after leaving the Canteen, Jeffery “…intended going to the Nova Scotian to a dance…”

In response to the inquiry by the Department of National Defence into the incident, on February 2, 1944, the Nova Scotia Light and Power Company, which operated the tram, wrote that according to the tram operator: “…when approaching the Navy entrance to the Wet Canteen, he noticed a group of sailors out on the streets and about the tracks. He sounded the gong and slowed down; the sailors cleared away for the passing of the tram, and he continued at slow speed.  When approximately 20 feet south of the point where the main group of sailors were standing, a man stumbled forward and struck the side of the right front corner post of the tram.  He was spun around and fell to the pavement on the western side of the tram tracks. Another sailor standing alongside the party who was struck attempted to grab him as he stumbled, but failed to reach him in time….”

While the Board of Inquiry had multiple witnesses testify that the tram operator’s actions gave the impression that he was going to stop and pick up the waiting servicemen, the final opinion by the District Pensions Advocate of the Department of Pensions and National Health of the Veterans Bureau concluded that “…I am of the opinion that the injuries sustained by Jeffery were due to his own negligence in either standing too close to the tram track and failing to remove himself when he should have seen the tram proceeding towards him, or in stepping closer to the track after the front of the tram had safely passed him.  I think it is significant that the front of the tram did not hit Jeffery.”

A victim of a tragic accident, Jeffery is buried at the Bedford Gate of Heaven cemetery in Nova Scotia, which we visited.

CIMG7699 Jul 10 2017 Pieter by Jeffery gravestone

Pieter by the grave of Singleton Charles Jeffery at the Bedford Gate Of Heaven Cemetery. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Pieter is still looking for a better photo of Singleton Charles Jeffery, as well as photos and information on the names listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion.  If you have an item to share 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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The WWII Soldier From Emerald Junction Who Lost His Life In Italy

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March 10, 2020. Among the names listed on the Cenotaph outside of the Borden-Carleton Legion are 4 that died in Italy during WWII.  One of these men was Ernest Murray NORTON (see The Last Valentine From A WWII Soldier).  This posting is about a young man who lost his life during the Battle of Moro.

George Alfred DUNN was born February 11, 1915 in Roseville, the son of Joseph J. Dunn and Mary Ellen Jones.  Dunn didn’t have an easy life.  His mother died when he was six.  His father died when Dunn was only 9 years old, and he was brought up by his uncle, William Dunn, of Emerald Junction.

A woodsman before enlisting with the Carleton & York Regiment in St. Stephen, New Brunswick on September 8, 1939, he received training in Woodstock, New Brunswick and then went to Europe with the first Canadian contingent, sailing to England on December 8, 1939 aboard the S.S. ‘Monarch of Bermuda’, and arriving on December 17.

Alfred Dunn

George Alfred Dunn. (Photo source: http://www.ancestry.com. Photo colourization: Pieter Valkenburg)

On May 8, 1941, he was temporarily attached for a month to the Guards Depot while at a Drill Instructors Course. Upon completion, he was sent to No.1 AFW RCOC in Aldershot for a few weeks while he completed a PT No. 32 Course. On October 18, 1941 he was promoted to Acting Lance Corporal. (NOTE: RCOC refers to Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps, a unit provisioning troops with the means to fight, such as uniforms, weapons and equipment.  AFW refers to Army Field Workshop.)

On May 16, 1942, he was promoted to Corporal, then on November 1942 he received another promotion, to Lance Sergeant, and was sent for more training.  On June 16, 1943 he was sent to Italy, and then, on August 25, 1943, he was promoted to Sergeant.

On December 6, 1943, Canadian forces, along with British, Indian, and New Zealand infantry divisions, began a series of large-scale assaults on major crossing points along the Moro River in Eastern Italy, with the objective of securing a large bridgehead along the defensive line. The intention was to breach the German Army’s Winter Line defensive system and advance to Pescara—and eventually Rome. (For more information see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moro_River_Campaign)

According to the War Diary of the Carleton & York Regiment for January 1944, the unit was in Ortona, Italy on January 1.  The weather was “dull and cloudy all day with rain during the evening” the report read, which went on to summarize what happened on December 31, 1943.  “The transport finds the going pretty heavy on account of the mud.  ‘A’ Company, who suffered the greatest during the Battle of Point 59 was brought back to a rear position where ‘B’ Company was and ‘B’ Company was placed at the front.” One of those wounded on December 31, 1943 was Sgt Dunn.  According to the casualty report, he received “shrapnel wounds to the right leg and multiple wounds to the face” while in action.

On January 2, 1944, Dunn died of injuries received in action during the Battle of Moro (Point 59). He’s buried at Moro River Canadian War Cemetery in Italy.

grave stone Sgt. G.A. Dunn (find a grave)

Grave of George Alfred Dunn at Moro River Canadian War Cemetery.  (Photo source: http://www.findagrave.com)

According to his obituary in the ‘Charlottetown Guardian’ of February 3, 1944, page 5, Dunn was part of a family that was in service, with a brother who had died a few months earlier.  “…He was a true friend and had a kind word and a cheerful countenance for every one…” it said.

Obituary G.A. Dunn, Charlottetown Guardian 03 february 1944 page 5

Obituary from the Charlottetown Guardian of February 3, 1944.

No family of George Alfred Dunn has been found as yet, unfortunately.  If you have information or photos to share 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/

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 Able Seaman Who Died Of Peritonitis

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March 4, 2020. On the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion a few men lost their lives during wartime due to illness and are buried on home ground here on Prince Edward Island.  One of these men was John Daniel ‘Jack’ FERGUSON.  He was born October 27, 1922 in Borden (now Borden-Carleton), Prince Edward Island, the son of James Henry Ferguson and Margaret Ann Fraser.

When WWII broke out, Jack was anxious to serve and tried to enlist in Halifax but was refused due to his young age.  Instead he joined the Merchant Marines before successfully enlisting in the Royal Canadian Navy Reserve on May 5, 1941.  He was then placed on patrol duty out of Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Unfortunately, he became ill while serving aboard the patrol ship ‘Ross Norman’, and sent to Camp Hill Hospital in Halifax from the sick bay at H.M.C.S. ‘Stadacona’ on August 19, 1942.  His temperature kept spiking and lowering, with no known diagnosis able to be determined, even after blood tests. According to the medical report “….Each elevation in temperature was accompanied by a severe chill….”

On August 30, 1942 he went into shock and at that point a diagnosis of peritonitis was made. (Per Wikipedia, peritonitis is inflammation of the lining of the inner wall of the abdomen and cover of the abdominal organs. Symptoms may include severe pain, swelling of the abdomen, fever, or weight loss.)  An operation was made, with two blood transfusions, and Jack appeared to improve over the next two days before worsening again.  Sadly, he died at 10:30 pm on September 6, 1942, just shy of his 20th birthday.

He was buried, with full naval honours, at St Peter’s Roman Catholic Cemetery in Seven Mile Bay.  A notice in the Summerside Journal, on 14 September 1942, page 2, recorded that “….A detachment from H.M.C.S. Queen Charlotte at Charlottetown attended and acted as pallbearers and guard of honor. Mr. Patrick Martin, president of the Summerside branch of the Canadian Legion, represented the veterans at the service….”

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Gravestone for John Daniel “Jack” Ferguson at St. Peter’s Cemetery in Seven Mile Bay.  (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

Unfortunately, no photo or family of Ferguson has been found as yet.  If you have information or photos to share about John Daniel ‘Jack’ Ferguson 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/

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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The WWII Mariner From Kinkora Whose Ship Was Torpedoed In The Caribbean

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February 20, 2020. On the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion there are 3 men who lost their lives due to being on ships that were torpedoed.  Two of these stories have already been told….

In WWI, mariner James Graham FARROW (FARRAR) lost his life when the ship he was working on was torpedoed in the English Channel on March 19, 1916.  The steamer, ‘Port Dalhousie, had been ferrying needed supplies from Britain to troops in France, while using the cover of being a fishing vessel. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2019/01/20/the-mariner-whose-ship-was-torpedoed-in-the-english-channel/)

In WWII, Everett Samuel FRANCIS had the misfortune of being a passenger on the ferry S.S. Caribou when it was torpedoed off the coast of Newfoundland on Wednesday, October 14, 1942.  He was on his way back to his unit in Gander, and to meet his three week old daughter Greta, after being in Ontario for weapons training. Unfortunately, he was not one of the survivors. (See https://bordencarletonresearchproject.wordpress.com/2018/03/25/the-face-of-everett-samuel-francis/)

color photo Hughes, James Emmet

James Emmet Hughes. (Photo credit: courtesy “Around Kinkora Area” by G.K. Farmer.  Photo colourization by Pieter Valkenburg.)

Like James Graham FARROW (FARRAR), James Emmet HUGHES was a seaman in the Canadian Merchant Navy, not in the military.  Born in Kinkora on April 7, 1911, he was the son of Emmet Hughes and Mary Ann McKenna.

After joining the Waterman Steamship Agency of Mobile, Alabama, he was a trimmer aboard the Panamanian registered S.S. Ramapo, travelling between North America and England with badly needed supplies.  A trimmer works in the engine room on a coal-fired ship, such as the steamship Ramapo, responsible for loading of coal into the ship and delivering coal to the stoker or fireman. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coal_trimmer)

SS Ramapo under her former name Baron Wemyss.Courtesu of naviearmatori.net

S.S. Ramapo under her original name of Baron Wemyss. (Photo courtesy of http://www.naviearmatori.net)

Hughes made two successful runs to England but then on a routing of London-Bermuda-Philadelphia, it was torpedoed by German U-Boat 108, captained by Klaus SCHOLTZ, 180 miles north of Bermuda. While Canadian Merchant Navy records list the event as having occurred on ‘approximately February 12, 1942’, the date it had arrived in Bermuda, German records of ships torpedoed by U-boats record the date as being February 16, 1942.

According to German records, as transcribed into English on https://www.uboat.net/allies/merchants/ship/1338.html, the ship had an international crew complement of 40, none of whom survived. “At 15.56 hours on 16 February 1942 the unescorted Ramapo (Master Johan Magnus Ørn Lorentzen) was hit on port side amidships by one G7e torpedo from U-108, broke in two after a boiler explosion and sank 11 minutes later about 180 miles north of Bermuda. The U-boat surfaced and questioned 34 men in lifeboats, but the survivors were never found. The master, 37 crew members and two gunners were lost.”

Screenshot_2020-02-18 Ramapo (Panamanian Steam merchant) - Ships hit by German U-boats during WWII - uboat net

Map showing location of sinking of Ramapo.  (Map courtesy of http://www.uboat.net)

As you can imagine, in that time period, it was a long time before families learned that something had gone wrong.  On March 31, 1942, six weeks after the incident, The Guardian reported that the Hughes family had received a message from the steamship company, advising that it believed the ship had been sunk and all hands lost.

J.E. Hughes Guardian 31 march 1942 page 1

Source: Page 1 article in the March 31, 1942 edition of The Guardian.

Aboard the S.S. Ramapo on February 16, 1942 were the following crew members, per www.uboat.net:

Nationality Name Age Position
Greek Artavanis, Marios, Merchant Marine 29 Oiler
British Bailey, Mills Sandilands, Merchant Marine 44 Third Engineer
British Birch, John, Merchant Marine 50 Trimmer
Canadian Boyd, Fred, Merchant Marine 35 Messman
Canadian Boyer, Clarence, Merchant Marine 41 Fireman/Wiper
Canadian Brackenbury, Walter, Merchant Marine 22 Fireman/Wiper
Canadian Courville, Roland, Merchant Marine 18 Trimmer
Chilean Delano, Miguel, Merchant Marine 31 Second Mate
British Finch, Thomas, Merchant Marine 20 Messman
Dutch Glimmerveen, Albertus, Merchant Marine 38 Chief Cook
Canadian Green, William, Merchant Marine 29 Oiler
Norwegian Gustavsen, Karl Gustav, Merchant Marine 50 Chief Steward
Swedish Haggberg, Eric, Merchant Marine 22 Able Seaman
Norwegian Hansen, Bernhard, Merchant Marine 23 Fireman/Wiper
British Harris, William John, RN 24 Able Seaman (DEMS gunner)
Norwegian Helmers, Thorleif Gärtner, Merchant Marine 43 Chief Mate
British Hendry, Frederick William, Merchant Marine 52 First Engineer
Argentinian Hernandes, P., Merchant Marine 26 Fireman/Wiper
Canadian Hughes, James Emmet, Merchant Marine 31 Trimmer
Norwegian Kjennerud, Jul, Merchant Marine 24 Able Seaman
Canadian Knickle, Fred, Merchant Marine 39 Able Seaman
Norwegian Kristensen, Toralf, Merchant Marine 21 Able Seaman
Canadian Lalonde, Germain, Merchant Marine 20 Able Seaman
French Lawrence, Felix, Merchant Marine 30 Messman
British Leary, Vincent, Merchant Marine 35 Second Engineer
Norwegian Lie, Hans Kristian Jensen, Merchant Marine 20 Able Seamn
Canadian Lord, Ian McLean, Merchant Marine 18 Radio Operator
Norwegian Lorentzen, Johan Magnus Ørn, Merchant Marine 35 Master
Canadian Manoff, Paul, Merchant Marine 23 Ordinary Seaman
American McAdoo, John Cornelius, Merchant Marine 37 Messman
Canadian McDonald, Charlie, Merchant Marine 25 Fireman/Wiper
British Nicholson, William, Merchant Marine 36 Boatswain (Bosun)
Norwegian Olsen, Andreas, Merchant Marine 50 Chief Engineer
Irish Reynolds, William, Merchant Marine 28 Fireman/Wiper
British Sinclair, Leslie, Merchant Marine 20 Ordinary Seaman
Norwegian Vesterhus, Nils Andreas, Merchant Marine 38 Third Mate
American Vitalis, Vasilios, Merchant Marine 29 Cook
Canadian Waddell, Wesley, Merchant Marine 23 Oiler
Canadian Wilson, Edgar John, Merchant Marine 23 Ordinary Seaman
British Winder, Harry, Royal Navy 22 Able Seaman (DEMS gunner)
       

James Emmet Hughes is listed on the Halifax Memorial in Point Pleasant Park in Halifax, Nova Scotia, along with other Canadian mariners whose bodies were never recovered.

Halifax Memorial

Halifax Memorial in Point Pleasant Park in Halifax, Nova Scotia. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

Research continues on this and other stories.  If you have information or photos to share about James Emmet Hughes, the sinking of the Ramapo, or any of the crew members, 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/

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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“He Died That We Might Live” Documentary Is Now On YouTube

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January 31, 2020. Over the past few years, readers of this blog will be familiar with the story of one name on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion – that of WWII pilot Elmer Bagnall MUTTART, who lost his life on October 12, 1941 when the bomber he was piloting was shot down over Wons, The Netherlands. Muttart was the only casualty, as he was able to keep the plane in the air and steady long enough for the crew of Halifax L9561 to parachute out, and to avoid the village of Wons.  On October 12, 2019, a memorial panel to honour the crew on their last flight together was unveiled in Wons.  (See On The War Memorial Trail…..The Memorial Panel In Wons Is Unveiled!)

Pieter had brought his video camera for the events of October 12, 2019 to document the events. His cousin François Breugelmans took over the filming whenever Pieter was engaged in one of the events.  Several of us took photos.

Wendy Nattress

Wendy Nattress.  (Photo credit: Graeme Nattress)

All this footage was turned over to post-production editor Wendy Nattress, a volunteer who spent countless hours editing our raw material and turned it into a short documentary, which can be seen on YouTube.  Wendy told us that “It has been a real honour working on this project.  Thank you for the work you are doing and for letting me be a part of it!”

Wendy’s young son Oli did several illustrations depicting the events of the night of October 12, 1941, and volunteered his time and talent for this documentary.

Oli Nattress

Oli Nattress painting one of the illustrations used in the video.  (Photo credit: Wendy Nattress)

We would not have been able to produce the video “He Died That We Might Live … the story of Halifax L9561” without the goodwill and support of volunteers like Wendy and Oli for this project.  We hope you enjoy the video which commemorates one event during WWII that changed the lives of so many people.

For a short video of the story behind the memorial panel see:

If anyone has a story or photo to share about any of the names on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion, 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/

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.

“He Died That We Might Live” Pamphlet Presented To Tryon & Area Historical Society

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December 23, 2019.  The Tryon & Area Historical Society helped us to raise funds in Canada towards the Halifax L9561 Memorial Panel that was unveiled in the Dutch village of Wons on October 12, 2019.  (See On The War Memorial Trail…..The Memorial Panel In Wons Is Unveiled!)

Pieter presented Jack Sorensen, Chair of the Tryon & Area Historical Society with a copy of the pamphlet, prepared by the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation of Friesland in The Netherlands. The pamphlet describes the last flight of Halifax L9561, a WWII bomber piloted by Flight Sgt Elmer Bagnall MUTTART of Cape Traverse, which was shot down on October 12, 1941.

IMG_20191223_110251297_HDR Dec 23 2019 Pamphlet to TAHS

Jack Sorensen, left, and Pieter Valkenburg, right, with the Dutch and English versions of the pamphlet commemorating the last flight of Halifax L9561 on October 12, 1941. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

With 2019 almost at an end, Pieter and I wish all of you the very happiest of holidays as we prepare for new stories and continued research related to the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph Research Project, part of the On The War Memorial Trail Research Project.

Happy Holidays from Daria and Pieter

If anyone has a story or photo to share about any of the names on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion, 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/

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

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

On The War Memorial Trail…..The WWII Soldier Who Drowned In Quebec

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December 14, 2019.  In uncovering the stories of the names on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion, perhaps one surprise has been how often an accident or illness can take the life of a soldier.  Being based in Canada during wartime was no guarantee of safety!   An accidental drowning in Quebec took the life of one WWII soldier from Prince Edward Island, Frank Lewis ARSENAULT.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Frank Lewis Arsenault.  (Source: ‘Around Kinkora Area’ by G. K. Farmer)

Born on August 14, 1913 in Kinkora, Frank Lewis (baptized as Francis Louis) was the son of John Hubert Arsenault and Elizabeth Jane, the husband of Grace Elizabeth Gaudet, and the father of four children: George Edmund, Mary Elisabeth, Martha Marie, and Joseph Henry.

A farm labourer before enlisting with the 8th Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery Artillery Unit on June 13, 1941 in Charlottetown, he was transferred a week later to the 2nd Heavy Anti-Aircraft Battery Artillery Unit and sent to Petawawa, Ontario.  However, two and a half years before he enlisted, Frank Lewis had rheumatic fever, which left him with joint pains that made it difficult to do many activities, such as standing on his feet or carrying a rifle for long periods of time.  This led to him being reclassified within a few weeks of arrival in Petawawa, and transferred to the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, Home War Establishment Unit, on September 7, 1941, and based at the Petawawa Military Hospital.

On September 30, 1942, Frank Lewis, along with two other soldiers, R. Marino and E. J. Arsenault, received a pass from the Petawawa Military Camp where they were stationed.  They went by car to Le Passe, and then by ferry to Fort-Coulonge and had dinner at Bascheau’s Restaurant, where they were last seen alive.  Pte Marino’s body was found the next day in the Ottawa River.  Their car was found in the river on October 20 in the area of the dock on the Quebec side of the river.  The bodies of E. J. and Frank Lewis Arsenault were found in the Ottawa River on October 25.  However,  death was determined to have occurred on September 30 and this was the date listed on Frank Lewis’s death certificate.

Screenshot_2019-12-14 fort coulonge to petawawa map - Google Search

The distance between Petawawa and Fort-Coulonge is about 69 km.  Source:  Google maps https://www.google.ca/maps

Frank Lewis was buried at St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Cemetery, Seven Mile Bay in Prince Edward Island.  His father was still alive and living in Kinkora, but his mother was deceased.  His wife and children were living in Pembroke, Ontario at the time.

gravestone-frank-l.-arsenault-1.jpg

Gravestone of Frank Lewis Arsenault at St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Cemetery in Seven Mile Bay. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

It’s unknown how the accident happened, but most likely the car went off the road in the dark and went into the river.  If anyone has more information or photos to share for Frank Lewis Arsenault, 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/

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.