Prince Edward Island

On the War Memorial Trail ….. At The Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek

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December 25, 2017.  During lunch with members of the Royal Canadian Legion in The Netherlands, we mentioned that we would be going to the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek to lay flags at the graves of Prince Edward Island soldiers, and one from New Brunswick.  Although we had a list of 17 soldiers, only one was listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Legion Carleton, George Preston SMITH of Kinkora, who was with the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment.

Placing flags at the grave of a soldier from New Brunswick was at the request of our friend, Brenda Graves of North Tryon, in memory of her uncle Frank Edward MCGOVERN. He also was from the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment, and died February 26, 1945 at the age of 19. Brenda, who is researching her family history, unfortunately has only a poor quality photo of her uncle.  Can anyone help put a face to this name?

Just outside the cemetery, by the parking lot, is a banner asking people for help in the Faces to Graves Foundation Groesbeek project.  The project was begun by members of the Royal Canadian Legion in The Netherlands to create a virtual memorial for all who are buried at the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery or listed on the Groesbeek Memorial.  2,338 soldiers are buried here.

CIMG8926 Sep 15 2017 faces to grave banner at Groesbeek cemetery

Faces to Graves Foundation banner. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

Many of the war dead were brought to this cemetery from nearby Germany. Fallen Canadian soldiers from WWII, who were buried in German battlefields, were reinterred here (except for one who is buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery in Germany). General Harry Crerar, who commanded Canadian land forces in Europe, had ordered that Canadian dead were not to be buried on German soil.

CIMG8928 Sep 15 2017 Daria at Groesbeek cemetery

Daria at entrance to Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, with flowers to place at the grave of Frank Edward McGovern. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

CIMG8937 Sep 15 2017 Groesbeek cemetery grave of Brendas uncle FE McGovern

Grave of Frank Edward McGovern at Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

George Preston Smith (2)

George Preston Smith. (Photo courtesy of Canadian Virtual War Memorial)

Private George Preston SMITH was born September 3, 1923 in Kinkora, the son of William Wilfred and Mabel Smith.  A store clerk before enlisting on April 1, 1943, he served in England, France, and Belgium, before meeting his death in Belgium in an unfortunate accident on November 12, 1944.  Smith was accidentally killed while trying to take his Stengun out of the back of a military truck. The gun was under a pile of greatcoats. He grabbed it by the muzzle and gave it a hard pull, causing the cocking piece to be pulled back far enough. When he let it go, the cocking piece went forward again with enough pressure to push a round into the chamber and fire it.

On November 15, 1944, he was buried in the Civil Cemetery in Malden, Belgium.  In 1946, his remains were exhumed and he was reburied in the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery.

CIMG8940 Sep 15 2017 Groesbeek cemetery Pieter at the grave of George Preston Smith

Pieter by the grave of Private George Preston Smith. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

After paying our respects to McGovern and Smith, Pieter placed flags on two more graves of PEI soldiers.  We had been invited by Alice van Bekkum, of the Faces to Graves Foundation, to participate in a special ceremony, along with members of the Royal Canadian Legion in The Netherlands.  Wish Of A Lifetime Canada (see https://wishofalifetime.ca/), an organization that fulfills seniors’ dreams and shares their stories to inspire those of all ages, had granted a wish that had a PEI connection.

Harriet Jenereaux, born in West Point, PEI, now living in Nova Scotia, wanted to see the grave of her father, Sgt Edison Alexander SMITH, who is buried in the cemetery in Groesbeek.  Harriet and her husband Keith were flown to The Netherlands, members of the Royal Canadian Legion provided a colour party, and Alice van Bekkum paid for a bugler to play The Last Post at the grave.   (See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BgXkld9BUIA)

CIMG8948 Sep 15 2017 Groesbeek cemetery bugler with Yvonne and Berry Swarthoff providing colour parade

Bugler with Royal Canadian Legion’s colour party of Yvonne and Berry Swarthoff at Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Before Harriet arrived at the cemetery, Pieter made sure that Canadian and PEI flags were placed at her father’s grave, and that of her uncle, L/Cpl Ralph Schurman BOULTER, her mother’s brother.  Smith, aged 32, and Boulter, aged 28, were in the North Nova Scotia Highlanders, and were both killed in battle while crossing the Rhine on March 25, 1945.

CIMG8952 Sep 15 2017 Groesbeek cemetery Alice van Bekkum

Alice van Bekkum arranged for a photo of Smith to be placed by his grave. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

As Harriet neared her father’s grave, she called out to her husband Keith, “There’s Daddy!”  It was a poignant moment for us, the Dutch members of the Legion, an astonishing amount of reporters and press photographers, plus a representative of Phillips, the Dutch sponsor of Wish of a Lifetime.

CIMG8950 Sep 15 2017 Groesbeek cemetery Harriet Jenereux at her fathers grave

Harriet Jenereaux kneels at her father’s grave. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

After the ceremony and greeting Harriet, it was time for us to enjoy a cup of coffee and a piece of Dutch apple cake.  We’d return to place flags at the graves of the other 14 soldiers from PEI once all the commotion regarding Harriet’s visit had diminished.

Do you have relatives buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery?  If so, please consider participating in the Faces to Graves project by submitting photos and stories either through their website at http://facestograves.nl/index.html or by email to info@facestograves.nl.  Alternatively, you can contact us and we will forward your info for you.

Comments or stories?  You can share them by emailing us at memorialtrail@gmail.com, or commenting 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 ….. A Taste of Canada in The Netherlands

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December 22, 2017.  After travelling through Europe for weeks, and arriving in The Netherlands for the next phase of our war memorial tour, we were delighted to receive an invitation from the Royal Canadian Legion in The Netherlands for lunch at their home base in Lochem.  While we knew that the home base was in a restaurant called Mondani, we were completely astonished to see that it was a Canadian restaurant.  We eagerly went inside and found a piece of west coast Canada!

CIMG8916 Sep 13 2017 Mondani Restaurant in Lochem

Photo: Pieter outside the Canadian restaurant Mondani in Lochem, The Netherlands. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Owners Berry Swarthoff, of The Netherlands, and his wife Yvonne, from Dawson Creek, BC, opened their restaurant in 1991. With a pan-Canadian menu, including a seafood cocktail from Prince Edward Island, it’s a great place to meet and enjoy a taste of Canada.  They even serve Tim Horton’s coffee upon request.

CIMG8920 Sep 13 2017 Berry & Yvonne Swarthoff Mondani Restaurant in Lochem

Photo: Berry and Yvonne Swarthoff in their Canadian restaurant Mondani in Lochem, The Netherlands. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

The Royal Canadian Legion in The Netherlands, of which the Swarthoffs are members, is one of 5 branches in Europe.  Pieter and I were invited for lunch to meet with other members of the Legion, including Branch President Gerard Hendricks and Vice-President Martin Reelick.  Alice van Bekkum, president of the Faces to Graves project at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, was also present.  Of the 18 known PEI soldiers buried in Groesbeek, one is on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion.  Pieter intended to place flags on the graves of all 18 soldiers.

CIMG8925 Sep 13 2017 Daria & Pieter by Legion sign at Mondani restaurant in Lochem

Photo: Pieter and Daria by the Legion sign at Restaurant Mondani in Lochem, The Netherlands. (Photo credit: Berry Swarthoff)

CIMG8919 Sep 13 2017 Mondani Restaurant in Lochem Legion members

Photo: Left to right: Gerard Hendricks, Martin Reelick, Pieter Valkenburg, Alice van Bekkum. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

“…The main purpose of the Dutch branch of the Royal Canadian Legion is remembrance.  We have 40 to 50 events annually normally, and then every five years we have 65 extra commemorations...” said Hendricks.  “…Many families had daughters who were war brides, and many Canadian soldiers were stationed in The Netherlands after the war.  Plus, 85% of The Netherlands was liberated by Canadian troops.  Many friendships still survive.  So a Royal Canadian Legion branch here is most appropriate….”

The branch has members from the Dutch public, as well as Canadian embassy officials, Canadian expats, and even a Canadian pilot on exchange with the Dutch Air Force.

Since the Legion uses the Mondani restaurant as its home base, there are few fixed costs.  Travel costs, and the costs of flags for colour parties make up the bulk of the Legion’s expenses.  “…We travel across The Netherlands, and in April we were at Vimy Ridge for the 2017 commemoration ceremonies...” noted Hendricks.

To help with finances, the Canadian Embassy in The Hague hosts an annual fundraiser at the ambassador’s residence, plus the Legion sells T-shirts, bags, and hats to raise money.

The lunch was a Dutch one, not Canadian, but it was delicious, and we were enveloped in a warm atmosphere of friendship.  After the Dutch members of the Legion left, Berry, who surely knows what Canadians like, asked if we’d like a piece of lemon meringue pie.  Did we ever!  And it was delicious.  My mother, who was an excellent cook and baker, could not have made a better pie.

The visit to Lochem reminded us not only of home, but that so many people in Europe are grateful for the help Canada gave in the liberation of their countries.  We were very much looking forward to continuing our war memorial trail in Pieter’s country of birth.  As in Belgium, we would be joined by friends, old and new, who shared in honouring the soldiers who gave their lives during war.

Comments or stories?  You can share them by emailing us at memorialtrail@gmail.com or by commenting on this blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

….Want to follow our research?….

If you are reading this posting, but aren’t following our research, you are welcome to do so.  Our blog address: https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/

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

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

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On The War Memorial Trail….Two Campbell Brothers in WWI

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December 8, 2017. After visiting the Sanctuary Wood Cemetery, we stopped at the Battle of Mount Sorrel Monument, honouring the 15th Canadian Infantry at Observatory Ridge.  We had noticed this monument only because of a torn Canadian flag beside it!  We learned that the plaque was unveiled on October 22, 2011 before Canadian and Belgian dignitaries by members of the 15th Battalion Memorial Project.

IMG_20170910_133239840_HDR Sep 10 2017 Batttle of Mount Sorrel Monument

Battle of Mount Sorrel Monument, honouring the 15th Canadian Infantry at Observatory Ridge. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

While no one on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion was in the 15th Canadian Infantry, these soldiers were in the thick of things during the Battle of Mount Sorrel, in which George Albert Campbell and Charles Benjamin Murray Buxton lost their lives.

Buxton’s story was told in previous blog entries, and this blog entry is to tell what little we know about George ‘Albert’ CAMPBELL and how he lost his life.

george-albert-campbell-from-gerald-tingley.jpg

Private George Albert Campbell. (Photo courtesy of Gerald Tingley family collection)

Albert was born on July 8, 1895 in Wellington, PEI, the son of John George Campbell and Grace Emma, nee Barlow.  A fisherman and farmer before enlisting on April 6, 1915 with the 6th Canadian Mounted Rifles, he later transferred to the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles.

During the Battle of Mount Sorrel, the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles were in a supporting position, occupying the strongpoint, dugouts, and trenches in Maple Copse and Zillebeke area, as noted in ‘With The Patricia’s In Flanders 1914-1918 Then & Now’ by Stephen K. Newman.

Newman goes on to explain in his book that “….the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles in Maple Copse held on despite heavy shelling that flattened the entire wood and made their old trenches untenable.  They waited for the reinforcements from 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles and the 9th Brigade.  The two eighteen pounder sacrifice guns of the 5th Battery Canadian Field Artillery hidden in the southern part of Sanctuary Wood did their job to the last man and were overrun.  The German success depended on their bulling through the Patricia line and moving the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles out of Maple Copse….”

Albert was in the midst of this battle, as a member of the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles.  According to the Canadian War Graves Register Circumstances of Death, he was killed in action in the vicinity of Maple Copse.

The War Diary of the unit for June 2, 1916 notes: “…A red letter day in the history of the battalion ever to be remembered by those who lived through it. The battalion went into the line in the night of the 31st of May /1st of June occupying a position in Brigade support at Maple Copse.

 ‘A’ company and two platoons of ‘B’ company at Maple Copse. Nothing of importance occurred until the morning of the 2nd of June when at about at 8.30 a.m., the enemy began a very heavy bombardment of the frontline and all the ground at Maple Copse and vicinity. Heavy bombardments continued till noon on the 3rd and continued again after 6 p.m…”

Unfortunately, Albert has no known grave, and his name is therefore listed on the Menin Gate Memorial.  It’s quite likely, however, that he might be buried in Maple Copse Cemetery in an unknown grave.

CIMG8858 Sep 10 2017 Maple Copse Cemetery

Entrance to Maple Copse Cemetery. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

Maple Copse was the name used by the British Army for a small plantation east of Zillebeke and just west of Sanctuary Wood.  It was used by medical staff as a dressing station, and burials took place here both before and after the Battle of Mount Sorrel.

The cemetery was destroyed by shellfire during the Battle of Mount Sorrel and when fighting resumed afterwards, with the gravestones destroyed and ending up in the rubble.  Of 256 named graves that were known to exist, only 26 could be definitely located.  Perhaps Albert is in one of these.  Of the 256 graves, 114 had soldiers from the United Kingdom and 142 from Canada.

Like he did with Buxton at the Sanctuary Wood Cemetery, Pieter put Canadian flags on 4 unknown graves from a Canadian Regiment, and then placed a PEI flag on one of these in memory of George ‘Albert’ Campbell.

CIMG8864 Sep 10 2017 Pieter by grave of unknown soldier at Maple Copse Cemetery

Pieter by the grave of an unknown soldier from a Canadian regiment at Maple Copse Cemetery. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

With the advances in DNA research, perhaps one day there will be the possibility to find out who the unknown soldiers are in Maple Copse and Sanctuary Wood cemeteries.  Wouldn’t that be a genealogical project to get involved with?

Unfortunately, we have very little information about his life prior to enlistment, but are grateful for the photo of Albert sent by a distant relative, Gerald Tingley.  If anyone has more information or photos, please help us honour Albert’s memory by sharing them.  (For previous blog entries that have mentioned Albert, see A Daytime Visit To Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres and A Visit To Sanctuary Wood.)

There are two Campbells on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion, one who died and one who survived, but with injuries.  George ‘Albert’ Campbell had a younger brother, William Galen CAMPBELL, born June 16, 1897 in Wellington, who enlisted on April 22, 1916 with the 5th Siege Battery as a gunner, shortly before his older brother died.  He later transferred to the 8th Siege Battery of the 3rd Brigade Canadian Garrison Artillery, and was poisoned by a mustard gas shell, during action near Lievin (Pas de Calais) in France on May 28, 1918.

The war diary of the 8th Siege Battery tersely noted what happened to the unit:

“27 May 1918: Intense gas bombardment on Lievin and many gas shells fell around Thelus and vicinity.

28 May 1918: Twenty nine other ranks of Lievin section admitted to hospital, gassed.

29 May 1918: Capt. Cunningham, Lt Messeray and 39 other ranks of Lievin section to hospital, gassed.”

Unlike his brother Albert, William Galen survived and married Ida May McNally on January 5, 1919.  On April 14, 1919 he was discharged from military service.  He passed away on April 24, 1954 in Charlottetown and is buried in the cemetery at the Free Church of Scotland in Cape Traverse.  We have no photo or further information on William Galen Campbell.

william-g-campbell-gravestone-free-church-of-scotland-cape-traverse.jpg

Grave of William Galen Campbell in the cemetery of the Free Church of Scotland in Cape Traverse. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

While our visit to Maple Copse Cemetery ended our Belgian visit to graves and memorials for the names on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion, we were interested in visiting some of the other memorials in the area.  So, in the next blog entry, we will continue on the war memorial trail in Belgium.

Comments or stories?  You can share them by emailing us at memorialtrail@gmail.com or by commenting on this blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

….Want to follow our research?….

If you are reading this posting, but aren’t following our research, you are welcome to do so.  Our blog address: https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/

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

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

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On The War Memorial Trail….A Visit To Sanctuary Wood

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November 19, 2017.  After visiting the Princess Patricia’s Light Infantry Memorial in Zonnebeke, Belgium, we went to Sanctuary Wood in Zillebeke to the Hill 62 Monument overlooking Mount Sorrel.  This memorial commemorates Canadian forces who served in Ypres Salient, especially during the Battle of Mount Sorrel in June 1916.

CIMG8771 Sep 9 2017 Sign to Sanctuary Wood

Sign at the entrance to Hill 62 (Sanctuary Wood) Memorial. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

The road leading to the memorial, Canadalaan (literally Canada Avenue, but also known colloquially as Maple Avenue), once formed part of the Canadian front line.  After the war, the avenue was planted with maple trees as a mark of respect for the Canadian sacrifice.

Two of the men listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion lost their lives here, during the Battle of Mount Sorrel: Charles ‘Charlie’ Benjamin BUXTON of the Princess Patricia’s Light Infantry, and George ‘Albert’ CAMPBELL of the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles.  Both men have no known grave and are listed on the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres. (See A Daytime Visit To Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres )

Before going to Sanctuary Wood Cemetery and Maple Copse Cemetery, places where perhaps our two soldiers are lying in an unmarked grave, we wanted to know more about what exactly happened here during the defence of Ypres in 1916.  The first thing that struck is was how close Ypres was.  We could see it clearly from the memorial!

CIMG8775 Sep 9 2017 Sanctuary Wood Ypres can be seen from Hill 62

The spires of buildings in Ypres can be clearly seen from Sanctuary Wood. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Sanctuary Wood, also known as Hill 62, was the place where Canadian troops fought as a national unit for the first time.  During the battle, which was fought between June 2 and June 4, 1916, 8,430 soldiers were killed, wounded, or missing.

We were curious why it was called Hill 62, and a bit bemused to realize it was called that because the hill was 62 metres above sea level!

Hill 62 and nearby Mount Sorrel were the only places of a higher elevation that were not controlled by the Germans….and they wanted it.  Canadian troops were almost alone in defending this territory, having only the support of British artillery.  The rest of the British troops were preparing for the Battle on the Somme in July 1916.

So what happened?  On June 2, 1916, the Germans attacked the Canadian positions with artillery and the detonation of 4 large mines under Mount Sorrel.  You can imagine the deadly effect this had in the trenches.

As per the map of the battle, Buxton’s unit (PPCLI) was at Sanctuary Wood, and suffered 400 losses.  Campbell’s unit was a support brigade at Maple Copse, and by the end of the day 59 were killed, 272 wounded, and 50 missing. Buxton and Campbell were among the casualties.

battle of mount sorrel map

Map of Battle of Mount Sorrel on June 2, 1916. (Credit: http://www.canadiansoldiers.com)

It only seemed right to place the photos and plaques we had of these men, which we’d taken to Menin Gate earlier in the day, here at Sanctuary Wood Memorial.

CIMG8897 Sep 11 2017 Photos & Plaques of Buxton & Campbell at Sanctuary Wood

Plaques and photos for George Albert Campbell and Charles Benjamin Buxton. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

CIMG8894 Sep 11 2017 Pieter at Sanctuary Wood with photos and plaques of Buxton & Campbell

Pieter holds the photos and plaques of Buxton and Campbell at the Sanctuary Wood Memorial. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

We decided we had to visit both Sanctuary Wood Cemetery and Maple Copse Cemetery and learn exactly what happened to each man, but that would have to wait for another day.  It was getting late, and we wanted to get to Ypres for the Last Post ceremony at Menin Gate.

Comments or stories?  You can share them by emailing us at memorialtrail@gmail.com or by commenting on this blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

….Want to follow our research?….

If you are reading this posting, but aren’t following our research, you are welcome to do so.  Our blog address: https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/

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

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

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….A Visit To Tyne Cot Cemetery

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November 10, 2017.  While we were in Zonnebeke, we made a stop on the war memorial trail at Tyne Cot Cemetery.  In France, unless it was a big cemetery or memorial, like Vimy Ridge or Beau Hamel, there were few visitors.  In Belgium, to our surprise, members of car and motorcycle clubs visited the various cemeteries and memorials as part of their touring schedules.  During our visit to Tyne Cot Cemetery, a club for a car named Burton stopped on their own war memorial rally tour.

The Burton is a Dutch sports car based on French 2CV technology. The Burton is an open, nostalgic-looking sports car built on the chassis of the 2CV with a modern fibreglass body and built from a kit. Of course, car-mad Pieter couldn’t resist taking a few photos as he made his way from the parking lot to the cemetery.

IMG_20170909_151921275 Sep 9 2017 Burton car in Tyne Cot cemetery parking lot

Burton sports car in the parking lot of Tyne Cot Cemetery in Zonnebeke. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

Tyne Cot Cemetery is the largest Commonwealth War Cemetery in the world, with 11,956 graves, of which 1,011 are Canadian.  Most were killed during the Battle of Passchendaele.  In addition, 34,957 soldiers with no known grave, who died after August 15, 1917, have their names engraved on the cemetery walls.  Those soldiers with no known grave who died before August 15, 1917 are listed on the Menin Gate Memorial (See A Daytime Visit To Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres).

IMG_20170909_153120338 Sep 9 2017 Tyne Cot Cemetery graves with wall of those with no known grave

Names of soldiers with no known grave, who died after August 15, 1917 are engraved on the walls of Tyne Cot Cemetery. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

Surprisingly, with the large number of war dead in Tyne Cot, no one from the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion is buried or commemorated there.  But if you are on a war memorial trail, it would be a shame to miss seeing the largest cemetery.

IMG_20170909_153208728 Sep 9 2017 Tyne Cot Cemetery graves

Tyne Cot Cemetery in Zonnebeke. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

As we made our way to the cemetery and the visitors centre, we passed by a grassy area of plastic poppies with messages from the public in Britain. This was an initiative of the Royal British Legion’s Passchendaele 100 Memorial, who collected the poppies and brought them to the cemetery.  Some of the messages commemorated a loved one, others were very general in nature.  It certainly made for a colourful display!

IMG_20170909_152308460 Sep 9 2017 plastic poppies in field in Tyne Cot cemetery in Zonnebeke

Plastic poppies with messages from the British public on display at Tyne Cot Cemetery. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

We learned that a Victoria Cross recipient from the 27th (City of Winnipeg) Battalion is buried here, James Peter ROBERTSON, a private who was killed on November 6, 1917 during the final phase of the Battle of Passchendaele.  When his platoon was blocked by barbed wire and a German machine gun, he dashed to an opening in the enemy position, and rushed the gun, killing four German soldiers and turning the machine gun on the rest of the Germans.  This allowed the platoon to continue towards its objective.  Afterwards, when two Canadian snipers were wounded in front of their trench, he went out and carried one in, while under fire.  Unfortunately, he was killed as he returned with the second man.  With Daria being from Winnipeg, Pieter of course visited the grave of this soldier and placed flags.

IMG_20170909_152917733 Sep 9 2017 grave opf JP Robertson in Tyne Cot cemetery

Grave of Victoria Cross recipient James Peter Robertson, buried at Tyne Cot Cemetery in Zonnebeke. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

 We are continually humbled by the depth of sacrifice from the soldiers.  Like in northern France, you can’t go very far before you encounter another cemetery or memorial.  As we continued on the War Memorial Trail, we thought of the two other soldiers from the Cenotaph project who died in this area, George Campbell and Charles Buxton, and whose names are on the Menin Gate Memorial.

As Buxton was with the Princess Patricia’s Light Infantry, our next stop was the Princess Patricia’s Light Infantry Memorial in Zonnebeke.  Comments or stories?  You can share them by emailing us at memorialtrail@gmail.com or by commenting on this blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

….Want to follow our research?….

If you are reading this posting, but aren’t following our research, you are welcome to do so.  Our blog address: https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/

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

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

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…We Visit Passchendaele and Surrounding Area

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November 2, 2017.  After hearing so much about Passchendaele and the terrible 100 days of fighting over a mere 8 km of territory in 1917, we had to go and see the area for ourselves.  245,000 allied soldiers alone were casualties, not to mention Belgian citizens and German soldiers. We kept thinking, “How could it be worth such a heavy sacrifice?”

We followed two routes in this area, the Ypres Salient Route, and No Man’s Land Route (Niemandsland Route in Flemish).

CIMG8738 Sep 9 2017 sign saying Ypres Salient Route

Signs along the road marked the routes you could follow on the war memorial trail in Belgium. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

One soldier on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion, Vincent CARR, died on October 30, 1917 during the Battle of Passchendaele.  His story was told earlier in this blog.  (See links to The Cenotaph Research Project Begins and The WWI Names On The Cenotaph).  He’s buried at Cement House Cemetery in Langemark, and our first stop on the war memorial trail in the Passchendaele area was there.

CIMG8723 Sep 9 2017 Pieter at Cement House Cemetery with flags

Pieter at the entrance to Cement House Cemetery. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Cement House was the military name given to a fortified farm building on the Langemark-Boesinghe (now called Boezinghe) road.  There are 3,952 WWI Commonwealth graves, 2,225 of them unidentified.  There are an additional 22 WWII graves, 5 of which are unidentified.

After placing the flags on Carr’s grave, we saw that the graves on either side of him were Canadians from the same Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade unit as Carr, and that they died on the same day.  It seemed only right to take a photo of all three graves and pay tribute to R. BELLAS, our Vincent CARR, and J. B. WILLSON.

IMG_20170909_131617502 Graves of Bellas Carr Willson in Cement House Cemetery

The graves of R. Bellas, V. Carr, and J. B. Willson in Cement House Cemetery. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

After leaving Cement House Cemetery, we stopped at the St. Julien Memorial (Sint Juliaan in Flemish), a Canadian War Memorial commemorating the Canadian First Division’s participation in the Second Battle of Ypres in World War I.  This was a nasty battle where the troops faced the first poison gas attacks along the Western Front on April 22, 1915.  The memorial is commonly known as the Brooding Soldier, the name given to the statue sculpted by Frederick Chapman Clemesha, an architect from Regina who was also a WWI veteran.

Unfortunately, the heavens opened as we arrived in the parking lot.  We waited a few minutes in the hope that the rain would stop, but no luck.  There was a big tour bus beside us and no one got out of it either.  After ten minutes the bus left (guess they had to stay on schedule).  At that point Pieter said, rain or not, he was going to the memorial.  Only his cousin François was willing to join him!  Mieke and I stayed in the car.

cimg8733-sep-9-2017-pieter-by-brooding-soldier-monument-st-juliaan-memorial-in-langemark.jpg

St. Julien Memorial in Langemark. (Photo credit: François Breugelmans)

The sculpture is a stone tower, topped by the head and shoulders of a soldier, whose head is bowed.  The soldier is in the pose of a serviceman standing with ‘reversed arms’ – resting his hands on the rifle butt and the rifle pointing with its barrel to the ground. This pose is a gesture of mourning and respect for the fallen.

The memorial is inscribed as follows: THIS COLUMN MARKS THE BATTLEFIELD WHERE 18,000 CANADIANS ON THE BRITISH LEFT WITHSTOOD THE FIRST GERMAN GAS ATTACKS THE 22ND-24TH OF APRIL 1915. 2,000 FELL AND HERE LIE BURIED.

The location of the statue is where the Canadian position was when they were attacked by gas.  None of the troops had gas masks.  They tried to protect themselves as best they good, and some pressed handkerchiefs soaked with urine around their mouths.  As we now know, this did little good.

A few minutes after the Pieter and François came back into the car and we pulled away from the parking lot, it stopped raining and the sun came out.  It was like a message had been received!

Although it was after 2 pm, and three of us were hungry and tired, we had a few more stops before Pieter would allow us to have a rest and lunch!  We grumbled that he had forgotten we were volunteers on this journey, not military recruits!  Our war memorial route continues in the next blog entry.

As yet, we have not been able to find any information on Vincent Carr’s wife, Bessie Carr, who came from Summerside, and died in 1918, a year after her husband.  Can you help?  If you are related to R. Bellas or J. B. Willson, we’d like to hear from you as well.  Comments or stories?  You can share them by emailing us at memorialtrail@gmail.com or by commenting on this blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

….Want to follow our research?….

If you are reading this posting, but aren’t following our research, you are welcome to do so.  Our blog address: https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/

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

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

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On The War Memorial Trail….A Daytime Visit To Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres

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October 26, 2017.  Menin Gate (Menenpoort in Flemish) is a large archway, with a bridge over a moat that surrounds the city of Ypres. Between October 1914 and September 1918 hundreds of thousands of Commonwealth soldiers marched through it on their way to the battlefields.  300,000 of them died, and 90,000 have no known grave.

Ypres was at the centre of a road network and essential for the Germans to capture in order to take the English Channel ports through which British support came into France during World War I. For the Allies, Ypres was important as it became the last major Belgian town that remained out of German control.

Five major battles occurred around Ypres. During the First Battle of Ypres the German army’s advance to the east of the city was stopped.  Eventually, however, the Germans surrounded the city on three sides, bombarding it throughout much of the war. The Second Battle of Ypres was the second German attempt to take the city in April 1915. The third battle, which we know as the Battle of Passchendaele, occurred over five months in 1917. The fourth and fifth battles occurred during 1918.

Today, Menin Gate is a memorial to 54,616 Commonwealth soldiers who died before August 16, 1917 and have no known grave, about 6,983 of them Canadians.

CIMG8681 Sep 9 2017 Ypres Menin Gate Memorial

Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Two of those Canadians are listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion: Charles Benjamin Murray BUXTON and George ‘Albert’ CAMPBELL.  So, of course, we went to find their names on the Menin Gate Memorial.

CIMG8683 Sep 9 2017 Ypres Inscription at entrance to Menin Gate Memorial

Inscription on the Menin Gate Memorial. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Inside the archway is a Hall of Memory, with stairwells on either side of the archway, and panels listing the names of each of these soldiers.  One wall by the stairwall lists the names of Canadian soldiers, and we first found Charles Buxton, listed under the names of those from the Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry.  Pieter stood by the wall listing his name and held up Buxton’s photo and a plaque that he’d asked Kevin Peddle of Prince County Trophy and Awards in Summerside to make for him.

CIMG8688 Sep 9 2017 Ypres Pieter with plaque and photo of Buxton at Menin Gate Memorial

Pieter at Menin Gate Memorial, holding up a photo of Charles Buxton and a memorial plaque. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

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Memorial Plaque for Charles Buxton that Pieter had made. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

Buxton - Cropped

Charles Buxton. (Photo: courtesy of John Marchbank Collection)

We then searched for the listing for George Albert Campbell under the Canadian Mounted Rifles, and repeated the procedure, holding up a picture of Campbell and a memorial plaque.

CIMG8703 Sep 9 2017 Ypres Pieter with plaque and photo of Campbell by name on Menin Gate

Pieter at Menin Gate Memorial, holding up a photo of George Albert Campbell and a memorial plaque. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

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Memorial Plaque for George Albert Campbell that Pieter had made. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

George Albert Campbell - Cropped

George Albert Campbell. (Photo: courtesy of Gerald Tingley Collection)

If you were paying attention at the beginning of this entry, you read that 90,000 WWI Commonwealth soldiers have no known grave, but only 54,616 are listed on Menin Gate. Why?  When the memorial was completed, it was too small to contain all the names of the missing and unidentified soldiers, as had originally been planned. An arbitrary cut-off point of August 15, 1917 was chosen and the names of 34,984 British soldiers missing after this date were inscribed on the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing instead. The names of missing and unidentified soldiers from New Zealand and Newfoundland are listed on separate memorials.

With advances in DNA and stories about finding skeletons in various graves in fields, we wondered what happened if a soldier was identified.  Any remains are reburied in a cemetery, and if the soldier can be identified the name is removed from the Menin Gate Memorial.

We were glad we had the opportunity to visit Menin Gate Memorial in the morning, before it got busy and before the Last Post Ceremony in the evening, which we would come back to attend.

We also wanted to visit Maple Copse Cemetery, where Campbell is believed to be buried, and Sanctuary Wood, where Buxton lost his life during a battle, and have a chance to tell their stories in the spot where they were last.

First, though, we decided to visit areas in and around Passchendaele, beginning with Lt.  John McCrae’s field hospital bunker, the subject of the next blog entry. Comments or stories?  You can share them by emailing us at memorialtrail@gmail.com or by commenting on this blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

….Want to follow our research?….

If you are reading this posting, but aren’t following our research, you are welcome to do so.  Our blog address: https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/

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

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

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On The War Memorial Trail….A Visit To Chester Farm Military Cemetery

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October 22, 2017.  After we paid our respects to Arthur Robinson at La Laiterie Military Cemetery in Belgium, we made our way to Chester Farm Military Cemetery, 5 km south of Ypres, where another WWI soldier, James Lymon CAMERON, is buried.  The cemetery, one of three in the area, is in a farming area.

CIMG8660 Sep 9 2017 Directional sign to Chester Farm Military Cemetery

Directional sign to Chester Farm Cemetery. Note the John Deere dealership. We are in a farming area, only 5 km south of Ypres. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

Chester Farm was the name given to a farm about 1 km south of Blauwepoort Farm, on the road from Zillebeke to Voormezeele.  The names of these two places may be almost unpronounceable, but we encountered them over and over again as scenes of many fierce battles.

CIMG8662 Sep 9 2017 Chester Farm Military Cemetery stone marker

Stone marker on gate of Chester Farm Military Cemetery. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

The cemetery opened in March 1915 and has 420 Commonwealth burials, 7 of them unidentified.  It’s in a beautiful location, surrounded by cows.  It seems fitting for an Islander to be in such a rural location.

CIMG8671 Sep 9 2017 Chester Farm Military Cemetery with cows in backgroung flags by Camerons grave

Chester Farm Military Cemetery, surrounded by cows. Pieter had already placed flags on the grave of James Lymon Cameron. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Private James Lymon Cameron was born December 30, 1892 in Victoria, Prince Edward Island, the son of Edward H. Cameron, a carpenter, and Susan Estelle Harrington of Hampton.  The family was Roman Catholic and worshipped at the church in Kelly’s Cross.

With such a background on the island, it was a mystery to us why no one seemed to know the family, until Pieter’s research revealed that the family must have moved around quite a bit for Edward’s work.  In a 1900 US census, the family was living in South Bend City, in the state of Washington, and James Lymon’s sister Ethel was recorded as having been born in New Hampshire in 1889.  He had an older sister Lucy who was born on Prince Edward Island, but was not listed in the 1900 census, suggesting that she was no longer alive, and a younger brother Otto, who was born on Prince Edward Island.

In a 1921 census from Vancouver, another younger brother, Edward, is recorded as having been born in the USA around 1906.  Ethel is living with her parents and brother.  She is recorded as married with the last name Gilbert, but her husband is not with her.

At the time that James Lymon enlisted on March 18, 1915 with the 47th Battalion (BC) CEF, the family was living in Vancouver, and he was employed as a marine oiler.  By October 1915 he was on his way to Europe, and transferred twice, first to the 30th Reserve Battalion, and then to the 7th Canadian Infantry Battalion (1st British Columbia).

On July 24, 1916, he was killed by enemy shell fire at ‘The Bluff’ at Ypres Salient during The Battle of The Bluff near St. Eloi.  The Bluff is a mound near St Eloi, south-east of Ypres, which was created from a spoil heap during the digging of the Ypres–Comines Canal before the war.

CIMG8666 Sep 9 2017 Chester Farm Military Cemetery Pieter by grave of James Lymon Cameron

Pieter by the grave of James Lymon Cameron at Chester Farm Military Cemetery. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

The war diary of the 7th Canadian Infantry Battalion for July 2, 1916, explained what happened in three terse lines:  “Bombardment of Front Line. Headquarters Shelled. Our retaliation effective.”

Unfortunately, this is all we know about James Lymon Cameron.  We don’t even know what he looked like.  If you can add any further information or provide a photo, please let us know.

In the next blog entry we visit Menin Gate in Ypres. Comments or stories?  You can share them by emailing us at memorialtrail@gmail.com or by commenting on this blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

….Want to follow our research?….

If you are reading this posting, but aren’t following our research, you are welcome to do so.  Our blog address: https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/

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

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

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On the War Memorial Trail in Belgium and a Visit to La Laiterie Military Cemetery

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October 16, 2017.  After leaving France and arriving in De Panne, Belgium, on the North Sea coast, we were joined by Pieter’s cousin François Breugelmans and his wife Mieke de Bie, who live in Antwerp.  It gave us a chance to visit as well as continue the war memorial trail.

For most of our time in Belgium we had a break from driving, as François took over that task.  This was great as many of the roads in the area are very narrow, more suited to one way traffic, not two way traffic.

CIMG8641 sep 9 2017 Francois on a narrow road

A typical road in Belgium! (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

The thing that struck us the most was that all of the cemeteries and memorials we had to visit in Belgium were not far from Ypres.  Our first cemetery in Belgium was La Laiterie Military Cemetery, where Arthur Clinton ROBINSON is buried.  Named after a dairy farm, the cemetery is right on a busy road, next to a cement business.  It’s very well kept and has 751 Commonwealth WW1 graves, 180 of them unidentified.

CIMG8659 Sep 9 2017 Daria and Mieke outside La Laiterie Military Cemetery

Daria Valkenburg and Mieke de Bie outside La Laiterie Military Cemetery. (Photo credit: François Breugelmans)

CIMG8647 Sep 9 2017 At Robinsons grave in La Laiterie Cemetery see cement factory

Placing the flags at the grave of Arthur Clinton Robinson in La Laiterie Military Cemetery. Note the cement factory beside the cemetery. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

When we began this project, we thought it would be easy to get a photo and information on Private Robinson as we knew his nephew John Robinson and John’s wife Hazel had done extensive genealogical research.  Unfortunately, John and Hazel had been unable to find any photos and very little information.  Arthur Clinton Robinson was born July 20, 1896 in Tryon, the son of Albert James Robinson and Flora P. Scruton, a nurse from New Hampshire who died on June 23, 1901 from tuberculosis.

A farmer before the war, Arthur Clinton Robinson enlisted in the 26th (New Brunswick) Battalion on November 20, 1914, and was in Europe by spring of the following year.  On March 27, 1916 he was killed in action when shell fire hit the trenches southeast of Kemmel, which itself is only10 km south west of Ypres.

CIMG8649 Sep 9 2017 grave of Arthur Clinton Robinson in La Laiterie cemetery

Grave of Arthur Clinton Robinson at La Laiterie Military Cemetery. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

In 1917, after Arthur Clinton’s death, his father Albert remarried, to Mary Mooney, and they had a family of their own.  John Robinson is descended from this second marriage and thought that it was likely that no one kept anything from the previous family, since no one was alive by the time of the remarriage.

Pieter wrote in the guest register this time, and then we left to find Chester Farm Cemetery, our next destination.

CIMG8656 Sep 9 2017 Pieter writes in guest register at La Laiterie Cemetery Francois and Mieke in back

Pieter writes in the Guest Register at La Laiterie Military Cemetery while his cousins examine the cemetery register. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

In the next blog entry we continue our war memorial tour in the area around Ypres, Belgium. If you have a photo or info on Arthur Clinton Robinson, please let us know.  Comments or stories?  You can share them by emailing us at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or tweet to @researchmemori1.

© Daria Valkenburg

…Want to follow our research?…

If you are reading this posting, but aren’t following our research, you are welcome to do so.  Our blog address: https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/

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

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 Calais Canadian War Cemetery

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October 8, 2017.  Following a restful night in Caen, we made our way to the final cemetery we were visiting in France, the Calais Canadian War Cemetery in Leubringhen, 14 km from Calais, where Lt. James Arthur AFFLECK is buried.  This is the second WWII grave we visited in France.

Calais was liberated by the Canadian 1st Army early in September 1944 as they advanced up the French coast into Belgium, in pursuit of retreating German forces.  Most of the burials in the Calais Canadian War Cemetery are from this period of fighting.  There are 704 Commonwealth burials from WWII, of which 30 are unidentified.  594 of these burials are of Canadian soldiers. There also are 6 Czech and 19 Polish war graves.

After the earlier struggles we had getting to the Commonwealth War Cemeteries in France, this cemetery was surprisingly easy to find.  It was the first one we were at that had a sign on the highway, and it was conveniently located right off of the highway exit to Leubringhen, a village that’s halfway between Calais and Boulogne.  There was even a parking area!

CIMG8630 Sep 8 2017 sign for Calais Cdn War Cemetery

Sign off of the highway exit directing us to Calais Canadian War Cemetery. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

James Arthur Affleck was born April 15, 1920 in Bedeque, Prince Edward Island, the son of Robert Bruce Affleck and Mary Eliza MacCallum.  A farmer before he enlisted with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders on March 3, 1942, he was killed in action by artillery shells on September 17, 1944, during the first day of the Battle of Boulogne (Operation Wellhit), in a 5 day battle to take the port of Boulogne from German control.

Arthur Affleck

Lt. James Arthur Affleck. (Photo courtesy of Percy Affleck Family Collection)

In ‘No Retreating Footsteps: The Story of the North Nova Scotia Highlanders’, published in 1954, author Will Bird tells what happened on September 17, 1944 on pages 222 and 223:

“… L/Cpl K. L. Miller was with Sgt. P. J. Whalen as A Company went up to attack.  They rode almost over the crest of the first hill, then began crawling inside a hedge and used it for cover until they came to a gap and some large craters.  There was barbed wire around a number of buildings, and a far one seemed to have been used for a garage.  Direct bomb hits had crashed the first two buildings to wreckage.  The next was a pillbox but heavy mortar fire descended and forced everyone to take shelter in the craters.  Sgt. Whalen was killed and before the barrage let up three others had lost their lives. Miller worked along a distance toward the pillbox and was told the officer, too, had been killed…. The officer killed during the heavy shelling was Lt. Affleck and it was his first battle….”

The path from the parking area to the cemetery is lined with trees and is hauntingly beautiful and gives the appearance of the peace that those who died in battle deserve – well, except for the fierce wind.  It was a reminder of the windy areas back on Prince Edward Island!

CIMG8629 Sep 8 2017 walkway to Calais Cdn War Cemetery

Grassy walkway from the parking lot to Calais Canadian War Cemetery. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

CIMG8617 Sep 8 2017 Pieter outside Calais Cdn War Cemetery

Pieter at the entrance to Calais Canadian War Cemetery. We were taking bets on how long the rain would hold off. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

The sky was black but the rain held off long enough for Pieter to plant flags by Lt. Affleck’s grave.

CIMG8621 Sep 8 2017 Pieter at Afflecks grave at Calais Cdn War Cemetery

Pieter at the grave of Lt. James Arthur Affleck in Calais Canadian War Cemetery. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

As we were going back to the car, however, the downpour began!   Luckily, we were only 74 km from our destination of De Panne, a coastal town that would be our base in Belgium.

In the next blog entry we return to the WWI war memorial trail, this time in the area around Ypres, Belgium. Do you have photo or info on James Arthur Affleck?  Comments or stories?  You can share them by emailing us at  memorialtrail@gmail.com or by commenting on this blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

….Want to follow our research?….

If you are reading this posting, but aren’t following our research, you are welcome to do so.  Our blog address: https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/

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

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

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