Winnipeg Free Press

On The War Memorial Trail…..Remembrance Week 2025 – The WWII Nursing Orderly Killed When 3 Tracked Vehicles Exploded Near A Field Dressing Station On Walcheren Island

/ On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / 2 Comments

December 4, 2025.  One of the hardest searches for a photo took several years, and, in spite of dedicated help in looking for family members to contact, newspaper and archive searches, and even a November 10, 2023 article in the Winnipeg Free Press (see a Picture of compassion Winnipeg Free Press Article re John Lewis Hughes Nov 10 2023), we struck out each time.

It was difficult to understand as the soldier in question came from a large family, was married, and had worked for 12 years in a hospital in his hometown. Only one niece responded, saying she remembered that her mother, the soldier’s sister, had a photo, but after she passed away, her effects were put in the basement and were later destroyed in a flood.  We had zero luck with the family of the soldier’s wife, who had remarried.  There was also no response from the local Legion branch, nor from the hospital where he had worked.

Eventually we ran out of leads to contact, and so, although we never gave up the search, we reluctantly put John Lewis HUGHES on our Cold Case List.  (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/our-cold-cases/) 

…. The Winnipeg Free Press article caught the interest of a local historian…...

Shortly after the Winnipeg Free Press article was published, we had been contacted by local historian Judy Gleich.   “…This project is of great interest to me...” she wrote. Her husband is from Eriksdale and “…I was born at E.M. Crowe Memorial Hospital and lived most of my life in the Lundar MB area…”  She explained that, unlike many small communities, “…there was no local paper in Eriksdale at that time….” and so there was no local coverage of soldiers from the area.  Like us, she also contacted someone she knew at the local Legion but no photo was found. 

Judy also told us that “…E.M. Crowe hospital is no longer run locally – but is under the umbrella of the Interlake Eastern Regional Health Authority…which covers about 1/5 of the province….” 

Judy explained why she was interested to help find a photo.  “…When I read the first article by Kevin Rollason and saw that one of the photos Pieter was looking for was of a veteran from Eriksdale– I was interested although I was not familiar with the Hughes family. I made a couple of phone calls and asked a couple of friends and came up with nothing.….”  (NOTE: A short photo appeal had initially been made in the Winnipeg Free Press in November 2022.)

“….After the second article by Kevin Rollason appeared in the Winnipeg Free Press with more information about the Hughes family it piqued my interest again. I figured if someone like Pieter was putting that much effort into this project that I would try to help him….”

…. The photo search led to a hockey photo 2 years after the Winnipeg Free Press article was published…...

Like us, Judy found that “…most of the older Hughes family members had passed on and we were getting nowhere with their families….” 

Then, two years later, Judy learned about a 1936 hockey photo.  “… Knowing several of the men on the team I was sure that some of their family members might have the photo…. A few more phone calls and BINGO – success at last….”  It was nothing short of a miracle! 

The man with the photo of the 1936 Eriksdale Hockey Team was John Forsyth, whose father Jim was a member of the team. 

Back Row L-R: Johnnie Mills, Bill Smith, Gordon Smith, Stan Mills, Johnnie Forsyth, Lawrence Whitney. Front Row L-R: Don Goodridge(?), Johnnie Hughes, Murray Cox, Jim Forsyth. (Photo courtesy of the Collection of Jim and Kay Forsyth)

We now knew what John Lewis Hughes looked like! (Photo courtesy of the Collection of Jim and Kay Forsyth)

….John was from Eriksdale in Manitoba…

Eriksdale is in the Interlake Region of central Manitoba, near the eastern shore of Lake Manitoba. (Map source: Google maps)

Born January 17, 1916 in Eriksdale, Manitoba, John was the son of Ebenezer George and Ellen (nee Rogan, previously married name Johanson) Hughes.  Both parents came from the United Kingdom – his father in 1911 and his mother in 1914 with two daughters who had been born in Wales.  6 more children were added to the Hughes family, in addition to John – 3 daughters and 3 sons. 

Before enlisting with the No. 3 Field Ambulance of the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps (RCAMC) on July 5, 1940, John had worked for 12 years as a medical orderly in the E.M. Crowe memorial hospital in Eriksdale.  On June 22, 1940, a few weeks before enlistment, he married Irene Goodwin. 

On October 5, 1940, John was transferred to No. 100 Canadian Militia Training Centre (CMTC) in Portage La Prairie, Manitoba.  He was then assigned to No. 100 Non-Permanent Active Militia (NPAM) Training Centre on November 15, 1940, while still attached to No. 100 CMTC.  (No. 100 CMTC and No. 100 NPAM were re-designated as No. 100 Canadian Army (Basic) Training Centre in February 1941.)

John remained in Portage La Prairie until April 30, 1941, when he was transferred to what the service file termed Fort Osborne Military Hospital, RCAMC, in Winnipeg, Manitoba. This was likely Deer Lodge Military Hospital, as during WWII, Winnipeg’s military hospital function was not at Fort Osborne Barracks, which had moved in 1920. Deer Lodge Military Hospital took over the former hospital facilities from Fort Osborne at that time.

….John left Canada for overseas service….

On June 8, 1941, John was transferred to No. 1 Motor Ambulance Convoy, RCAMC, Active Force, and sent to Camp Shilo, Manitoba for final training before going overseas. 

With other members of his unit, John left Canada for the United Kingdom on June 19, 1941, sailing from Halifax, Nova Scotia, disembarking in Greenock, Scotland on July 2, 1941, before moving on to Sussex, England. 

Per the ‘Official History Of The Canadian Medical Services 1939-1945’, edited by Lt Col Dr W. R. Feasby,  the RCAMC “…..order of battle included not only the medical units of the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Divisions, and the 1st Army Tank Brigade, but also the following Corps Troops medical units: No. 18 Field Ambulance, No. 5 Field Hygiene Section, Nos. 4 and 5 Casualty Clearing Stations, No. 1 Motor Ambulance Convoy, and No. 1 Advanced Depot Medical Stores….”

The function of No. 1 Motor Ambulance Convoy was to transport wounded from main dressing stations to casualty clearing stations. Transport was by vehicles of the Motor Ambulance Convoy, supplemented by trucks for walking wounded or by railroad when available. 

John and his unit were kept busy with training and in transporting wounded soldiers who arrived in the United Kingdom for treatment. 

One of the largest operations came following the Dieppe Raid, known as Operation Jubilee, on August 19, 1942, a disastrous Allied amphibious attack on the German-occupied port of Dieppe in northern France, in which 505 Canadian soldiers were wounded and 916 lost their lives. (See and https://www.veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/military-history/second-world-war/dieppe-raid and https://thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/dieppe-raid)

Evacuation of casualties from Dieppe to England on August 19, 1942.  (Map source: ‘Official History Of The Canadian Medical Services 1939-1945’)

On the morning of August 19, 1942, the medical units under the 2nd Canadian Division were “… responsible for the reception and evacuation of casualties disembarked in the Portsmouth area, where the bulk of them was expected. Two sections of No. 1 Motor Ambulance Convoy were made available … for the transport of casualties from the Portsmouth area to No. 15 General Hospital at Bramshott, and from the Newhaven-Shoreham area to No. 1 at Horsham and No. 14 at Horley…”

On January 14, 1943, No. 1 Motor Ambulance Convoy, RCAMC, became a unit of the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps (RCASC).

….John was transferred to No. 10 Canadian Field Dressing Station….

On January 21, 1944, John was transferred to No. 10 Canadian Field Dressing Station, and later sent to France, arriving on July 10, 1944, a month after D-Day. As noted in the ‘Official History Of The Canadian Medical Services 1939-1945’ “…with the formation of the 2nd Canadian Corps in France, the medical services were greatly increased. For the coming attack it was decided to constitute a massed medical centre at the Secqueville-en-Bessin area. In addition, No. 6 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station was located at Cazelle, under command of 2nd Canadian Corps, with No. 10 Canadian Field Dressing Station sited alongside….”

The ‘coming attack’ referred to the Battle of the Falaise Pocket (also called Battle of the Falaise Gap), part of the Battle of Normandy, and which was fought between August 12 and 21, 1944. (see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Falaise_pocket)

In addition to a large number of battle casualties from engagement with German troops, a bombing error on August 14, 1944 resulted in more casualties when “… the Royal Air Force and the Royal Canadian Air Force bombed behind our own lines, causing 200 casualties…” placing enormous strain on Casualty Clearing Stations.  “…The bombing casualties arrived in a sudden rush about four o’clock….” making it impossible to find “…shelter for all the wounded…”

In addition to 537 admitted to the Casualty Clearing Stations, “….Nos. 9 and 10 Canadian Field Dressing Stations in the same area admitted 569 and were so rushed that it was necessary to open both No. 6 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station and No. 33 British Casualty Clearing Station at Cazelle where a further 694 casualties were taken for treatment….”

No. 10 Canadian Field Dressing Station, along with other medical units, moved just behind troops as they advanced through France, into Belgium, and then into The Netherlands.  John was very experienced by now and on September 11, 1944, he qualified as a Nursing Orderly ‘C’, which meant he was responsible for initial treatment in the most forward battlefield areas and stretcher-bearing, while working under the direction of medical officers.

…. John’s unit was assigned to British Commandos for an attack on Walcheren Island during the Battle of the Scheldt…...

John Lewis Hughes was killed on Walcheren Island (top left), near Westkappelle, on November 2, 1944.  (Map source: ‘Official History Of The Canadian Medical Services 1939-1945’)

On October 21, 1944, a number of Canadian medical units were “…put under command of the 4th Special Service Brigade….” of the Royal Marines (United Kingdom) “…for training to support the amphibious operation of the brigade….” No. 17 Light Field Ambulance Company, Nos. 8 and 9 Canadian Field Surgical Units, No. 5 Canadian Field Transfusion Unit, and No. 10 Canadian Field Dressing Station were involved.

Operation Infatuate, part of the Battle of the Scheldt, was the codename for the attack on German batteries on Walcheren Island in The Netherlands, located at the mouth of the Scheldt River. German fortification of the island blocked Allied access to the captured port of Antwerp, Belgium. The Belgian port was crucial in order to supply advancing Allied armies as they moved towards Berlin.

“…Training for the operation against Walcheren continued until the end of October when units embarked at Ostend and began to move towards their objective. At three o’clock on the morning of 1 November the flotilla of landing craft sailed out of Ostend harbour….” Ostend is in Belgium.

“…Just before dawn, they met their supporting warships, turned and bore down on Westkapelle. The assault was to be made in daylight on either side of a gap blown in the Westkapelle dyke, and just before “H” hour (9.45 a.m.) the guns of Warspite, Roberts, and Erebus opened up and flights of rocket-firing Typhoon aircraft went to work on the shore batteries….”

In ‘Towards Victory In Europe: The Battle For Walcheren’, J. O. Forfar, Medical Officer, 47 Marine Commando,  explained that “…Commander Pugsley and Brigadier Leicester had been informed on leaving Ostend that due to fog in England the Lancaster bombers which were to carry out a preliminary bombardment of the Walcheren defences while the assaulting craft moved in were grounded…” 

The two men decided to go ahead with the operation, which resulted in high casualties, but the Battle for Walcheren was ultimately successful.  “…The Germans had sown sea mines in the approaches to the island; the beaches were laced with barbed wire, landmines, and covered by machine guns firing from cement pill boxes. Five minutes before they were due to touch down the two landing craft which had been prepared as hospital ships were sunk by mines.  Immediately after this the assault began…” with shelling from cannons at the battery in Dishoek.

“…One section of No. 17 Canadian Light Field Ambulance landed with No. 41 Commando on the left of Westkapelle gap and another section with No. 48 Commando on the right of Westkapelle gap. Of the 25 close support naval craft engaged in the operation only six were left by mid-afternoon, and 172 of those on board had been killed and 210 wounded. Casualties among those who got ashore in the face of stiff enemy resistance were heavy….”  The medical teams had to work in close proximity of the fighting.

…. No. 10 Field Dressing Station set up on the beach on the afternoon of November 1, 1944…...

Beach dressing station of No. 10 Field Dressing Station being set up by personnel of No. 10 Field Dressing Station at Westkapelle. (Photo source: Provincial Archives of Alberta, Donald Carson fonds, PR2011.0001/14)

“…Casualties on the left of the gap were given first aid and collected into a shell hole on the edge of the dyke until Westkapelle was clear, when they were moved into a house in the village. On the other side of the gap the casualty collecting post was set up on the inside of the sea wall, and casualties were held until No. 10 Canadian Field Dressing Station came ashore at 2 pm and set up a beach dressing station….”

Most of those wounded on November 1, 1944 were taken off the Island during the night and returned to No. 6 Canadian Field Dressing Station at Ostend. Meanwhile the medical teams prepared for the next day.

…. John was killed in the afternoon of November 2, 1944 …...

No. 8 Canadian Field Surgical Unit, a medical operation team of around 10 people, was attached to No. 10 Field Dressing Station, and was the field hospital located behind the No. 10 Field Dressing Station. 

The November 2, 1944 War Diary entry for No. 8 Canadian Field Surgical Unit relates what happened when they came ashore with landing tracked vehicles, which the diary writer referred to as Alligators. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Landing_Vehicle,_Tracked)  “…The morning of November 2nd dawned bright and clear….About 0900 the Alligators moved to the beach and there we met the rest of our unit.  I was relieved to find in spite of many harrowing experiences they were all quite safe. We off loaded the vehicles onto the beach….The beach head was under intermittent fire but the greatest worry we had was mines…”

Tragedy struck in the early afternoon.  “…A salvo of shells hit 3 Alligators in front of the dugout and the Alligators caught on fire.  Each Alligator had 7 tons of ammunition on board and this all exploded during the next ¾ of an hour. About 20 men were killed, including the Quartermaster and one Other Rank of No. 10 FDS….”  The ‘Other Rank of No. 10 FDS’ was John Lewis Hughes.

Caroline Raaijmakers, Chair of the Faces To Graves Bergen Op Zoom Committee, told us that  “….on the same spot….” where John was killed, “…Doctor Captain Frank Sidney Manktelow was Wounded In Action on 2-11-1944 and he died on 3-11-1944…..” 

Dr. Frank Sidney MANKTELOW, of Pointe aux Trembles, Quebec, son of Frederick Sidney and Mary Jane (nee MacKay) Manktelow, and husband of Laura Francise (nee Quinn) Manktelow, was serving with the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps when he died, at the age of 30.

Both men were initially buried in a temporary cemetery in Zoutelande on Walcheren Island.

 …. John is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten…...

Pieter stands behind the grave of John Lewis Hughes in Holten, The Netherlands.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

On September 9, 1946, John was reburied in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands.  We visited his grave this spring when we were in The Netherlands for our 2025 European Memorial Tour, and Pieter placed flags of Canada and Manitoba by his grave. His was one of 383 graves in 14 cemeteries that we visited on this trip.

….Hughes Hill in northern Manitoba named in John’s honour…..

Hughes Hill in northern Manitoba was named after John ‘Jack’ Lewis Hughes.  (Map source: Mapcarta)

Hughes Hill in northern Manitoba, northeast of Wither Lake, was named after him in 1995.

….A great deal of research happened before a photo was found…

Many people assume that it’s easy to find family and photos of soldiers who are buried overseas.  Unless you are lucky enough to stumble across someone else’s research, or a media appeal is seen by the right person with a photo, it can be an onerous and long drawn out process.  

The search for a photo of John Lewis Hughes took several years.  Thank you to Judie Klassen for going above and beyond to find family and reference material, to Shawn Rainville for newspaper searches, and to Judy Gleich for continually contacting people from Eriksdale.  Thank you to Robert Catsburg for sending the war diary entry for November 2, 1944 and to both Robert Catsburg and Caroline Raaijmakers for excerpts from Dutch accounts.

Thank you to John Forsyth for the hockey photo that included a photo of John.  And a big thank you to Kevin Rollason of the Winnipeg Free Press for writing the article about the photo search. 

The flags placed at John’s grave were donated.  Our thanks go to: 

  • Alan Waddell, Constituent Assistant, on behalf of Heath MacDonald, MP for Malpeque, for the Canadian flag.
  • Brad Robertson, Chief of Protocol, Government of Manitoba, on behalf of Wab Kinew, Premier of Manitoba, for the Manitoba flag. 

The work of remembrance of those who served continues as do our adventures on the next leg of our 2025 European War Memorial Tour.

If you have a story or photo 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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Happy Holidays From The Valkenburgs – And Our Year In Review!

/ On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / 2 Comments

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December 24, 2024.  2024 was another busy year for us, and we remain committed to the On The War Memorial Trail research project.  As of today, since this project began, Pieter has been able to cross 312 photo search requests from the three Canadian War Cemeteries in The Netherlands off of their photo search lists.  In addition, he has found photos for an additional 101 soldiers, with some WWII soldiers buried in Belgium, France, Italy, and the United Kingdom, airmen buried in municipal cemeteries, several soldiers from WWI, and soldiers from Prince Edward Island that survived WWI or WWII. I have written stories for many of these soldiers, with many more stories still to come.

While a few long-standing searches for photos were successful, allowing Pieter to complete his files for those soldiers, many files still remain open.  In most cases, family members were found, but no photo was available for one reason or another. 

The files in which Pieter has had zero luck in finding photos have been placed on the Cold Case Files page on the On The War Memorial Trail website.  We started this page last year and have been lucky to have a few names were cleared off of the list. Perhaps 2025 will see more names taken off of this list!  (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/our-cold-cases/)

New research files were added, and Pieter was able to finish his research for many files from 2023.  As always, there is a lag between him completing his work and me documenting his research, but that is on my very optimistic ‘to do’ list for this winter.

Pieter’s new project, to upload photos to the Canadian Virtual War Memorial website, which began in the fall of 2023, was continued into 2024.  He advises that he plans to continue this project into 2025.

This year, we were able to meet several families, which we very much appreciated – this year in Manitoba, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island.  We are grateful that so many families have come forward to share photos and information, and are thankful for help from the media in helping to find photos.  What follows in the rest of this posting is a summary of what happened in 2024 with this research project.

…Pieter awarded the Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation….

On August 19, 2024, Pieter was presented with the Minister of Veterans Affairs Commendation from The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Veterans Affairs, in a ceremony held in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island. The Commendation had been awarded on January 24, 2024, with the presentation ceremony held in August. (See https://veterans.gc.ca/en/about-vac/who-we-are/department-officials/minister-veterans-affairs/minister-veterans-affairs-commendation/valkenburg-pieter-anthonie and https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2024/08/25/on-the-war-memorial-trail-pieter-awarded-the-minister-of-veterans-affairs-commendation/)

_095 Aug 19 2024 Min of VA Commendation ceremony

Pieter with the Minister of Veteran Affairs Commendation, presented to him by The Honourable Ginette Petitpas Taylor, Minister of Veterans Affairs. (Photo courtesy of Veterans Affairs Canada)

 …Presentation for 75th NATO Anniversary Commemoration At Seacow Head Lighthouse….

CIMG6887 Jul 10 2024 John Pieter Clare Seacow Head Lighthouse Ceremony

Left to right:  John Yeo, Pieter Valkenburg, Clare Hutchinson.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

On July 10, 2024, Pieter was one of the guest speakers at the 75th NATO Anniversary Commemoration at Seacow Head Lighthouse in Fernwood, Prince Edward Island. Pieter briefly spoke about his deployment at a NATO Nike Missile Base in Rheine, Germany during the Cold War. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2024/07/15/on-the-war-memorial-trail75th-nato-anniversary-commemoration-at-seacow-head-lighthouse/)

Among the NATO representatives were John Yeo, Atlantic Regional Director for NATO Veterans of Canada; guest speaker Pieter Valkenburg, Public Relations Officer for Borden-Carleton Legion; and keynote speaker Clare Hutchinson, former NATO Secretary General’s Special Representative for Women, Peace, and Security.

…Presentation At The 105th Annual  Remembrance Service At The Cornwall Cenotaph….

CIMG7059 Sep 22 2024 Cornwall Cenotaph speech Pieter

Pieter at the podium in Cornwall, with the WWII Cenotaph on the left, and the WWI Cenotaph on the right. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

On September 22, 2024, Pieter was the keynote speaker at the 105th Annual Remembrance Service at the Cornwall Cenotaph in Cornwall, Prince Edward Island.  Pieter briefly spoke about why he researches Canadian soldiers, gave a brief description of how the 4 names listed on the WWII Cenotaph lost their lives, and mentioned the importance of preserving photos and the individual stories of those who served.  (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2024/09/26/on-the-war-memorial-trail105th-annual-remembrance-service-at-cornwall-cenotaph/)

…. Uploading photos to the Canadian Virtual War Memorial website ……

Pieter began a new project last fall, to upload photos to the Canadian Virtual War Memorial website, and earmarked this as his winter 2024 project.  For more information on this excellent resource, see https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/

Pieter did a test run last fall, uploading photos of three WWII soldiers. This year, he uploaded photos of:

  • 20 WWI soldiers
  • 195 WWII soldiers and airmen

This resulted in a total contribution of 218 soldiers.

 … WWI Related Stories….

  • We prepared a 5 part-series based on letters written by WWI soldier Lawrence Ivy MARSHALL from Prince Edward Island, who returned home with a war bride, Evelyn Martha Williams.

 … WWII Related Stories….

  • We shared a story about the 2023 candle lighting at graves of Canadian soldiers in The Netherlands.
  • We provided an update to the 2021 story about WWII soldier Percy ‘Dexter’ HIGGINS, from Nova Scotia, who lost his life in The Netherlands on April 4, 1945, during the Battle of Warnsveld, while serving with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders. On April 4, 2024, Higginsstraat was named in his honour near where he lost his life.

…Indigenous Soldiers….

We were able to tell the story of the service by one WWII Indigenous soldier:

  • WWII Indigenous soldier James ‘Jimmy’ Oliver THOMAS from Manitoba, who died in Germany on May 2, 1945, a few days after being liberated from the Stalag VII-A POW Camp in Moosburg, Germany.

…. Stories About Servicemen From The Maritimes…

We also featured stories about servicemen from The Maritimes:

  • WWII soldier Harold ‘Hal’ Gabriel BULGER from Prince Edward Island, who was killed during the Battle of Moerbrugge in Belgium on September 10, 1944.
  • WWII soldier Lawrence William BULGER from Prince Edward Island, who was killed during the Battle of Bienen in Germany on March 25, 1945.
  • WWII soldier John ‘Weston’ CAMPBELL from Prince Edward Island, who was killed during Operation Veritable in Germany on February 14, 1945.
  • WWII soldier Donald Roy CARTER from New Brunswick, who was killed in action during the Attack on the Goch-Calcar Road in Germany on February 20, 1945.
  • WWII soldier Edward ‘Ed’ Dalton CHISHOLM from Nova Scotia, who was killed in action during the Battle for the North Shore of the Scheldt in Belgium on October 20, 1944.
  • WWII soldier Francis ‘Frank’ Ivan DOUGAN from Prince Edward Island, who was killed in a road accident in The Netherlands on May 16, 1946.
  • WWII soldier François ‘Frank’ GALLANT from Prince Edward Island, who was killed during the Liberation of Posterenk in The Netherlands on April 13, 1945.
  • WWII soldier François ‘Frank’ GUIMOND from New Brunswick, who was killed in action during the Attack on Weener in Germany on April 24, 1945.
  • WWII soldier Edgar M. GUITARD from New Brunswick, who was killed by German mortar fire in The Netherlands on January 15, 1945.
  • WWII soldier Maurice James HUGHES from Prince Edward Island, who was killed when the jeep he was riding in hit a mine in Germany on May 2, 1945.
  • WWII soldier Ange Aimé LECLAIR from New Brunswick, who was killed by artillery fire in Germany during the Battle of Hochwald Gap on March 2, 1945.
  • WWII soldier Joseph Taylor MACLEOD from Nova Scotia, who was killed in action during the Battle of Groningen on April 13, 1945.
  • WWII soldier Stanley Leigh MCBEATH from New Brunswick, who was killed in action in Germany on April 21, 1945.
  • WWII soldier Sydney Guy MOSHER from Nova Scotia, who was killed in action during the Attack on Weener in Germany on April 24, 1945.
  • WWII soldier Edward Gabriel PERRY from Prince Edward Island, who lost his life after being fatally wounded during the Battle of Hochwald Gap in Germany on March 2, 1945.
  • WWII soldier Lawrence Arthur RUDOLPH from Nova Scotia, who was killed in action during Operation Blockbuster in Germany on February 27, 1945.
  • WWII soldier Ronald ‘Ronnie’ Eugene SMITH from Nova Scotia, who was killed in action during Operation Cannonshot in The Netherlands on April 14, 1945.
  • WWII soldier Ralph Kenneth SILLIKER from Prince Edward Island, who was killed in action during Operation Churchill in Germany on March 2, 1945.
  • WWII soldier William Ernest STONE from Prince Edward Island, who was killed in action during the Attack On Hoogerheide in The Netherlands on October 10, 1944.

…. Stories About Servicemen From Outside The Maritimes…

  • WWII soldier Thomas ‘Tom’ Alfred BROWN from Alberta, who was killed in action during the Battle of Moyland Wood in Germany on February 17, 1945.

…In Conversation And More….

  • In an 80th Anniversary of D-Day blog, we shared some anecdotes about the Normandy landings and highlighted previously told stories of 11 servicemen who were present in Normandy on June 6, 1944. All survived D-Day, but only 1 survived WWII and returned home.
  • We wrote about the 80th Anniversary of D-Day wreath laying ceremony that we attended by the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion on June 6, 2024.
  • We wrote about the 75th NATO Anniversary Commemoration at Seacow Head Lighthouse in Fernwood, Prince Edward Island on June 10, 2024. Pieter was one of the guest speakers at this event.
  • We wrote about meeting WWII veteran Lois Maud BROWN of Kensington, Prince Edward Island, after being asked by Scott Masters, a history teacher at Crestwood Preparatory College in Toronto, Ontario, for help in finding WWII veterans to interview for the Crestwood Oral History Project.
  • We wrote about the 105th Annual Remembrance Service at the Cornwall Cenotaph in Cornwall, Prince Edward Island on September 22, 2024. Pieter was the keynote speaker at this event.
  • We reported on how volunteers (including Pieter) at the Borden-Carleton Legion in Prince Edward Island honour deceased veterans by placing flags at the graves and monuments in the area served by the Legion.
  • As part of our Remembrance Week 2024 feature, we shared updates on previous stories of WWII airmen who served in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) and about our visit to the Air Force Heritage Park in Summerside, Prince Edward Island.
  • As part of our Remembrance Week 2024 feature, we shared updates on previous stories of WWII soldiers, a visit with families of two airmen from Halifax DT630, a visit to the Sagkeeng War Memorial in Manitoba, and we featured a unique Remembrance Plaque project in Sarnia, Ontario.
  • As part of our Remembrance Week 2024 feature, we wrote about the visits that members of the Borden-Carleton Branch of the Royal Canadian Legion made to three schools on Prince Edward Island for Remembrance Services.
  • As part of our Remembrance Week 2024 feature, we wrote about the Remembrance Day ceremonies we attended at the South Shore Villa in Crapaud and at the Legion in Borden-Carleton, two Prince Edward Island communities.
  • As part of our Remembrance Week 2024 feature, we wrote about our visit to six Acadian memorials in New Brunswick.

…. Interviews To Highlight Search For Photos….

Pieter did the following interviews:

  • Kevin Rollason of the Winnipeg Free Press wrote about Pieter’s search for a photo of WWII soldier William James ‘Jimmy’ Sutherland HOLE, born in Carman, Manitoba, who died during in The Netherlands on April 22, 1945, and is buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands. The article, ‘A Name Without A Face’, ran online on Friday, November 8, 2024 and in the print edition on Saturday, November 9, 2024.  See https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/breakingnews/2024/11/08/a-name-without-a-face-2 Up to now, this search is unsuccessful.
  • Charlotte MacAulay of the Eastern Graphic wrote about the successful photo search for WWII soldier Kevin Joseph DELORIE, who is buried in the Moro River Canadian War Cemetery in Italy. The article, ‘Remembering Kevin Delorie’, ran in the newspaper on November 6, 2024.
  • Pieter was interviewed by Charlotte MacAulay of the Eastern Graphic about the photo search for WWII soldier Kevin Joseph DELORIE, who was killed in Italy on December 20, 1943, while serving with the 48th Highlanders of Canada. The article, ‘Searching for photo of fallen soldier Kevin Delorie’, ran in the newspaper on October 23, 2024. This search was successful.

… Successful Search For Photos …..

Many WWII soldiers are buried in cemeteries in Europe.  Pieter continues to work with photo wish lists from Canadian War Cemeteries for WWII soldiers buried in The Netherlands.  This year we also received photos and information on soldiers buried in Belgium, Italy, France, and the United Kingdom. 

Photos of soldiers buried in Dutch cemeteries were forwarded to researchers there for their digital archive. Whenever possible, stories are featured on the blog but there is a backlog due to the success of Pieter’s research.  I can’t keep up! This year, photos were found for:

Buried in Holten Canadian War Cemetery in The Netherlands:

  1. George Alan BUCHANAN
  2. John Woodrow COLBURN
  3. Louis ‘Philippe’ COUTLEE
  4. Lorenzo Joseph DUBE
  5. Claude Pearley HUBLEY
  6. Howard Arnold JONES
  7. Lloyd Edward KITCHING
  8. James ‘Jim’ John George KOSOWAN
  9. Wilfred ‘Frank’ LEBLANC
  10. Philip Arthur MARZOFF
  11. William Hector MATHESON
  12. Norman Wesley ROBINSON
  13. Arthur SINFIELD
  14. Roger SIROIS
  15. Joseph Millerand WHITE
  16. Lionel VALLEY

Buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery in The Netherlands:

  1. John Leonard ANDERSON
  2. John Frederick BARTLETT
  3. Martin Seymour CARROLL
  4. Donald Roy CARTER
  5. Gene Boyd CLEROUX
  6. John Edward COLEMAN
  7. Leo Joseph DUPUIS
  8. Harold Francis GOLDSMITH
  9. Arnold John HICKS
  10. Ronald Stuart KERMAN
  11. Harold LAVIGNE
  12. Raymond Joseph LEBLANC
  13. Ange Aimé LECLAIR
  14. Robert Joseph MARKEY
  15. Dougal Kennedy MATHESON
  16. Roderick William MCQUEEN
  17. Wilfred Joseph MELANSON
  18. Ernest ‘Ermos’ Giuseppe MONACO
  19. Aloysius Theophile MORELL
  20. Ervin Cline MYERS
  21. Sam PROKOPCHUK
  22. Henri ROY
  23. Walter Paul SAMPSON
  24. William Owen SELDON
  25. Charles Allan TOLSON
  26. Doran VENEAU (VIENNEAU)
  27. Frank ‘Frankie’ William VICKERS
  28. Frederick Leslie VOLLETT
  29. Everett Edward YOUNG

 Buried in Bergen Op Zoom Canadian War Cemetery in The Netherlands:

  1. Lawrence Herbert ANNIS
  2. Robert Earl BAKER
  3. Norman Leslie BROWN
  4. Joseph Wilfred CAMPBELL
  5. Edward Dalton CHISHOLM (missed in 2023)
  6. Frank William CHRISTOPHER
  7. Winton Bruce COOK
  8. Omer Zoel DONELLE
  9. Arthur Francis DOUCETTE
  10. James Benjamin ENGLEHART
  11. George Raymond FLINT
  12. Gilbert FOURNIER
  13. Calixte GAUVIN
  14. Ernest Cornelius GIBBS
  15. Edward Patrick HALEY
  16. Albert Leslie HARRIS
  17. Reginald Ratchford HARRISON
  18. Arthur James HICKMORE
  19. John James HIGNEY
  20. Verdun HONSBERGER
  21. Albert Hayton HUNT
  22. Lloyd Warren HUTCHINGS
  23. Harold Stanley INGRAHAM
  24. William Charles IONSON
  25. Albert James LOUNSBURY
  26. Lorne Henry KINCADE
  27. Gordon Henry Earl KITCHEN
  28. Allan James LEFURGEY
  29. Alexander Chisholm LOGIE
  30. Adam Joseph MACDONALD
  31. James MACFARLANE
  32. Douglas Earl MACLEAN
  33. Victor John MANN
  34. John Neill MARSHALL
  35. Earl Henry MCALLISTER
  36. Raymond George MCGIVNEY
  37. Leo John MELANSON
  38. George B. MERRICK
  39. Clive Austin MILLS
  40. Herbert William NORRIS
  41. John Charles PIRIE
  42. Harold RENTON
  43. Joseph Wilfred ‘Arthur’ RIOUX
  44. William Ernest STONE
  45. Sylvestre THOMAS
  46. Leo Joseph Ferdinand TOURVILLE
  47. Douglas Laurt VAN BUSKIRK (missed in 2023)
  48. Douglas Walker VOLLETT
  49. Ronald Sidney WATERHOUSE (missed in 2021)

 Buried in Adegem Canadian War Cemetery in Belgium:

  • Azade BOUDREAU
  • Eugene Frederick MCBRIDE

 Buried in Ostend New Communal Cemetery in Belgium:

  • Donald David Mackenzie TAYLOR

Buried in Brettville-Sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery in France:

  • Ernest TOURVILLE

Buried in Dunfermline (Douglas Bank) Cemetery in the United Kingdom:

  • Duncan Alexander MACDONALD

Buried in Moro River Canadian War Cemetery in Italy:

  • Kevin Joseph DELORIE

Buried in Cesena War Cemetery in Italy:

  • Roy REYNOLDS

 Photo Search For Airmen For Air Research Drenthe Foundation in The Netherlands:

One of the projects of the Air Research Drenthe Foundation in The Netherlands is to install information panels near WWII air crash sites. While many of the airmen lost their lives and are buried in The Netherlands or just across the border in Germany, other airmen survived the crash and were in prisoner of war camps until the war ended.  It can be difficult to find photos and families of airmen that survived, but Pieter took up the challenge.  A photo was found for:

  • Arthur Alexander Jaffray LOW, of Hamilton, Ontario, bomb aimer on Halifax NP945, which crashed December 6, 1944.

… The Cold Case Files …..

Not all searches have been successful, for one reason or another.  Below is a list of outstanding files for which research has been done, but no photo has been found. If you can help with a photo, please let us know.  (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/our-cold-cases/ for the complete list)

  1. Douglas Gordon BLACK of Amherst, Nova Scotia, son of Sherman and Alice Black, died March 3, 1945, while serving with the Algonquin Regiment.
  2. Clifford Alexander BLAKE of Toronto, Ontario, son of William C. and Sarah L. Blake, husband of Ferne E. Blake, died February 16, 1945, aged 23, while serving with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles.
  3. John BROWN of London, Ontario, son of Mary T. Brown, died April 14, 1945, aged 26, while serving with the Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders. 
  4. James Lyman CAMERON, born in Victoria-By-The-Sea, Prince Edward Island, son of Edward H. and Susan (Harrington) Cameron, died July 24, 1916, aged 23, while serving with the 7th Canadian Infantry Battalion (1st British Columbia). (Listed on the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph)
  5. Leigh Hunt CAMERON, born in Albany, Prince Edward Island, son of Anna Cameron, died May 5, 1916, aged 17, shortly after enlisting with the 105th Battalion, C Company. (Listed on the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph)
  6. William Galen CAMPBELL, born in Wellington, Prince Edward Island, son of John G. and Grace Emma Campbell, died April 24, 1953, aged 55, many years after being discharged from the 8th Siege Battery of the 3rd Brigade Canadian Garrison Artillery. (Listed on the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph)
  7. Karl CHRISTENSEN, from Alberta, but born in Starheim, Nordfjord, Norway, son of Kristian Kristiansen Hafsas and Marie K. Hafsas, died April 10, 1945, aged 41, while serving with the 8th Field Squadron, Royal Canadian Engineers.
  8. Bramwell Ernest CHURCHILL, of London, Ontario, son of David and Agnes C. Churchill, husband of Eva Blanche Churchill, died May 1, 1945, aged 40, while serving with the 5th Anti-Tank Regiment of the Royal Canadian Artillery. 
  9. Lorne Mart COLFORD of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, but born in Chezzetcook, Nova Scotia, son of Howard and Jeanette Colford, died April 14, 1945, aged 22, while serving with the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry.
  10. Bazil CORMIER, born in Tignish, Prince Edward Island, son of Joseph Cormier and Mary Arsenault, died August 12, 1918, aged 20, while serving with the 26th (New Brunswick) Battalion. (Listed on the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph)
  11. Leslie Alban CROSS, of Newcastle, New Brunswick, son of Archibald and Laura Cross, died April 19, 1945, aged 30, while serving with the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps.
  12. Eric John CRUE of Moncton, New Brunswick, son of John and Margaret Crue, died April 6, 1945, aged 23, while serving with the Algonquin Regiment.
  13. James Frank DOLMAN of Flatlands, New Brunswick, son of Frank Dolman and Lydia Thompson, husband of Henriette Gertrude Lyons, died April 14, 1945, aged 32, while serving with the New Brunswick Rangers -10th Independent Machine Gun Company.
  14. Samuel George ENGEN of The Pas, Manitoba, died April 23, 1945, aged 27, while serving with the Lake Superior Regiment.
  15. Douglas Bernard FARROW of Amherst, Nova Scotia, died April 26, 1945, aged 27, while serving with the Algonquin Regiment.
  16. Clifford Glen FORSYTH born in Brandon, Manitoba, son of Alexander ‘Sandy’ Forsyth and Margaret McDougall, died April 11, 1945, aged 20, while serving with the Lake Superior Regiment.
  17. Ernest Ramey GALLANT, born in Borden (now Borden-Carleton), Prince Edward Island, son of John P. and Mary Blanche Gallant, died May 20, 1943, aged 27, while with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders Regiment. (Listed on the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph)
  18. John Arthur GALLERY of Saint John, New Brunswick, son of William and Grace Gallery, died October 13, 1944, aged 22, while serving with the Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada. 
  19. Robert Cecil HARVEY of Centre Burlington, Nova Scotia, son of Douglas and Myrtle B. Harvey, died April 22, 1945, aged 23, while serving with the British Columbia Regiment – 28th Armoured Regiment. 
  20. William James ‘Jimmy’ Sutherland HOLE born in Carman, Manitoba, grandson of William and Eva Alise Hole, son of Daisy Hole, died April 22, 1945, aged 20, while serving with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles.
  21. Gordon John HOPPER of London, Ontario, son of Gordon and Vera Mae Hopper, died April 16, 1945, aged 19, while serving with the Lincoln and Welland Regiment.
  22. John Lewis HUGHES, born in Eriksdale, Manitoba, son of Ebenezer George and Ellen (nee Rogan) Hughes, husband of Irene (nee Goodwin) Hughes of Winnipeg, Manitoba, died November 2, 1944, aged 28, while serving with the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corp – 10th Field Dressing Station.
  23. Peter HYDICHUK of Theodore, Saskatchewan, son of Alex and Ann Hydichuk, died March 31, 1945, aged 27, while serving with the South Saskatchewan Regiment. 
  24. George Mcdonald JOHNSTON of Toronto, Ontario, son of William and Annie Johnston, died April 2, 1945, aged 27, while serving with the Lake Superior Regiment.
  25. Wallace Herbert LARLEE of Perth, New Brunswick, died April 24, 1945, aged 19, while serving with the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment.
  26. Albert George LE RUE of Halifax, Nova Scotia, son of William and Catherine Le Rue, died March 7, 1945, aged 24, while serving with the Algonquin Regiment. 
  27. Logan Elwood LESLIE, born in Oxford, Nova Scotia, died April 9, 1945, son of John J. and Georgie Mary Leslie of Moncton, New Brunswick, while serving with the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry. (added in 2023)
  28. Charles W. LOWTHER, born in North Carleton, Prince Edward Island, son of Bessie Lowther, died September 25, 1918, aged 21, while serving with the 25th Battalion, Canadian Infantry. (Listed on the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph)
  29. Harry Donald MACPHERSON, from Vancouver, British Columbia, son of Alex Mann Macpherson and Jane Bell Macpherson, husband of Gwendolyn Eva Macpherson, died April 29, 1945, aged 33, while serving with the Canadian Scottish Regiment.
  30. John Redmond MAHONEY, born in Port Elgin, New Brunswick, son of John J. and Gertrude C. Mahoney, died April 12, 1945, aged 30, while serving with the New Brunswick Rangers-10th Independent Machine Gun Company.
  31. Wilbert Harold MOORE, born in Fredericton, New Brunswick, son of Jessie Louise and Hugh Irving Moore, died June 16, 1945, aged 28, while serving with the 3rd Division Works Transport Company, Royal Canadian Army Service Corps. 
  32. Francis Leslie MULCAHY of Halifax, Nova Scotia, son of Daniel and Mary Mulcahy, died April 24, 1945, aged 21, while serving with the North Shore (New Brunswick) Regiment.
  33. Archibald Henry NELSON, born in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, son of William Henry and Winnifred Frances Nelson, died April 18, 1945, aged 34, while serving with the North Nova Scotia Highlanders Regiment.
  34. George Austin NORDVALL of Birch River, Manitoba, died February 21, 1945, while serving with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles. 
  35. Arthur Clinton ROBINSON, born in Tryon, Prince Edward Island, son of Albert J. and Flora P. Scruton Robinson, died March 27, 1916, aged 19, while serving with the 26th (New Brunswick) Battalion. (Listed on the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph)
  36. Harry ROBINSON, born in Augustine Cove, Prince Edward Island, son of Thomas and Sarah Robinson, husband of Clara J. Robinson, died June 27, 1916, aged 34, while serving with the 105th Battalion, C Company. (Listed on the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph)
  37. Wilfred ROY, of Robertville, Gloucester County, New Brunswick, son of Camille and Catherine Roy, died October 28, 1945, aged 38, while serving with the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps.
  38. Charles Patrick SHEFFIELD of Sundridge, Ontario, son of Charles and Mrs Sheffield, husband of Bessie Alice Butler from Botwood, Newfoundland, and father of Patrick William Wallace Sheffield, died May 4, 1945, aged 24, while serving with the Algonquin Regiment.
  39. Charles Bernard STAFFORD of Halifax, Nova Scotia, son of Charles Bernard and Blanche Stafford, husband of Winifred Leitha Stafford of Intake, Sheffield, England, died April 18, 1945, aged 28, while serving with the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps – 9th Field Ambulance.
  40. Frank Peter VARDIG of St. John, New Brunswick, son of Charles and Lily Vardig, died June 12, 1945, aged 23, while serving with the Carleton & York Regiment.
  41. Harry WHITE of Halifax, Nova Scotia, son of Wilfred and Mary White, died May 19, 1945, aged 27, while serving with the West Nova Scotia Regiment.

….Case Closed!….

The following files were completed and removed from the Cold Case List:

  1. John Frederick BARTLETT of Moreton’s Harbour, Newfoundland, son of Alfred and Jessie Bartlett, died February 27, 1945, aged 47, while serving with the South Alberta Regiment. – Action: Photo identified by great-nephew Gerald Bartlett from a South Alberta Regiment Squadron group photo, taken in England in February 1943, that the family had in its possession. Thank you Gerald!
  2. John Edward COLEMAN of Moncton, New Brunswick, son of Edward J. and Florence Coleman, husband of Della Coleman, died June 17, 1945, aged 32, while serving with the Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. – Action: Newspaper photo found by Etienne Gaudet. Thank you Etienne!
  3. Arnold John HICKS of Midgic Station, New Brunswick, son of John A. and Minnie Hicks, died March 8, 1945, aged 21, while serving with the Lincoln and Welland Regiment. – Action: A day after this soldier’s name was placed on the Cold Case List, his photo was submitted by Marcia Giller!  Thank you Marcia.
  4. Claude Pearley HUBLEY of Chipman, New Brunswick, son of Joshua and Adelia Hubley, husband of Agnes Myrtle Hubley, died April 25, 1945, aged 29, while serving with the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry. – Action: Newspaper photo and obituary from the Saint John Telegraph Journal of May 24, 1945 was submitted by David Archer from Operation Picture Me, saying “…I saw your cold case wish list and I have this clipping that may interest you…” Thank you David.
  5. Lloyd Edward KITCHING of Winnipeg, Manitoba, son of Robert Burns Lloyd Kitching, and stepson of Eva L. Kitching, died May 1, 1945, aged 25, while serving with the Royal Canadian Artillery – 6th Field Regiment. – Action: Newspaper photo found.

…Thank you for your support and encouragement of this research project!…

As 2024 comes to an end, we would like to thank all who helped with researching these stories and contributed photos. We also thank readers of this blog, and the On The War Memorial Trail column in the County Line Courier newspaper, who suggested some of the stories you’ve read.  A big thank you goes to Mike and Isabel Smith, owners of the County Line Courier. 

Thank you to all the families that contributed photos and stories. Thank you to Judie Klassen and Shawn Rainville who volunteered their time to help find families of soldiers through newspaper and online searches. Thank you to Etienne Gaudet for helping to find photos of New Brunswick soldiers on our behalf, and for translating letters from French into English. 

Thank you to the media who helped publicize the search for photos and information – Eastern Graphic, and the Winnipeg Free Press.

Last, but not least, the YouTube channel and videos would not be possible without the invaluable support of post-production editor Wendy Nattress.  Wendy also designed and manages the book website: https://nosoldierforgotten.com/

….Happy Holidays…

Pieter and I wish you all the best for the holidays and in 2025. May we never forget those who gave their lives for our freedom.

2024 Christmas photo Pieter and Daria

Pieter’s research work continues. If you have photos or information to share, please email 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/

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 Importance Of Remembrance

/ On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / 3 Comments

RemembranceDayHeader

November 9, 2022. On November 11, we will remember the memories and sacrifices made by those who did their best to answer the call to fight for freedom.

Those who sacrificed their lives in war are not just names on a Cenotaph or buried in a war grave.  They were children, siblings, spouses, parents, friends… Each one has a story that can be told and they should not be forgotten. That’s been the goal of this research blog over the years.

…Burnie Reynaert still remembers laying a wreath as a young girl….field-of-poppies300

Burnie Reynaert still remembers her uncle Lewis Wilkieson MARSH of Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia, one of 5 soldiers from the North Nova Scotia Highlanders Regiment who drowned in a tragic accident on the Leda River during the Battle of Leer in Germany on April 28, 1945. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/05/18/on-the-war-memorial-trail-a-tragic-drowning-on-the-leda-river-in-germany-part-4/)

Last year, Burnie shared the telegrams her grandmother received, first saying that Lewis was believed to have drowned, and then the awful confirmation that he had died.  (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/11/10/on-the-war-memorial-trail-linking-the-past-with-the-present/)

This year, Burnie shared a photo of herself as a young girl, placing a wreath in honour of her uncle.

IMG_9994 Burnie Reynaert re Lewis Wilkieson Marsh

A very young Burnie placed a wreath in honour of her uncle, Lewis Wilkieson Marsh.  (Photo courtesy of B. Reynaert)

Even today, Burnie has not forgotten her uncle’s sacrifice.

IMG_0348 Burnie Reynaert with book

Burnie Reynaert with book.  (Photo courtesy of B.  Reynaert)

field-of-poppies300…We visited the memorial in Saulnierville, Nova Scotia…

20220912_123247 Sep 12 2022 Pieter beside Saulnierville Memorial

Pieter beside the memorial in Saulnierville, Nova Scotia.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

This fall, while in Nova Scotia, we visited the memorial in Saulnierville.  Two soldiers that Pieter researched are listed on this monument.  Both are buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten.

Joseph ‘Ambroise’ COMEAU, from Lower Saulnierville, Nova Scotia, was one of 5 soldiers from the North Nova Scotia Highlanders Regiment who drowned in a tragic accident on the Leda River during the Battle of Leer in Germany on April 28, 1945.  (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/05/17/on-the-war-memorial-trail-a-tragic-drowning-on-the-leda-river-in-germany-part-3/ and https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2021/11/10/on-the-war-memorial-trail-linking-the-past-with-the-present/)

Joseph Edmond  ROBICHEAU, from Meteghan, Nova Scotia, lost his life on April 14, 1945 near Deventer, The Netherlands, while serving with the Royal 22nd Regiment.  His story will be told in an upcoming posting.

20220912_123347 Sep 12 2022 Saulnierville Memorial WW2 soldiers inc Comeau & Robichau

The WWII tribute on the memorial in Saulnierville, Nova Scotia. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

…Pieter interviewed by the Winnipeg Free Press….field-of-poppies300

20210220_111030 Feb 20 2021 Pieter with photo wish lists

Pieter surrounded by some of the photo wish lists from the Canadian War Cemeteries in The Netherlands.  (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Pieter was interviewed by Kevin Rollason of the Winnipeg Free Press, about his request for help in finding photos of 12 soldiers from Manitoba who are buried in The Netherlands.  The article, ‘A name without a face’, ran online on November 4, 2022 and in the print edition on November 5, 2022. As of the date of this posting, the photo wish list remains unfulfilled. Here is the link in case you can help:  https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/2022/11/04/a-name-without-a-face

field-of-poppies300…Pieter interviewed on CTV Atlantic News At 5….

On Monday, November 7, 2022, Pieter was interviewed by Ceilidh Millar of CTV Atlantic News At 5 about the search for 4 soldiers of the North Nova Scotia Highlanders Regiment who died during the Battle of Bienen on March 25, 1945.

You can read the article and watch the video.  See P.E.I. man identifying Canadian soldiers in the Netherlands | CTV News  https://www.ctvnews.ca/atlantic/article/maritime-man-appeals-to-public-for-help-in-identifying-lost-canadian-soldiers-overseas/

The names of the soldiers mentioned in the interview were:

  1. Donald John MACKINNON, born October 8, 1925 in Sydney, Nova Scotia, son of Joseph and Catherine ( nee MacNeil) MacKinnon.
  2. Austin Havelock MUNROE, born December 2, 1919 in Little Dover, Nova Scotia, son of Edward and Minnie Munroe. He was married to Ana Elizabeth (nee Barry) Munroe.
  3. John Lewis WALLACE, born June 1, 1921 in Canning, Nova Scotia., son of William Edward and Amy Louise Wallace. He was married to Doris Avanelle (nee Crowe) Wallace. They had one son, William Lewis Wallace.
  4. Louis Allan SEXTON, son of  James E. and Ethel Sexton of Maria Est, Bonaventure County in Quebec, is also still on the photo wish list.

Incredibly, shortly after the broadcast we were contacted by Irene Doyle of Campbelltown, New Brunswick, who sent us a photo of Louis Sexton, which came from the Bay Chaleur Military Museum website.  The three soldiers from Nova Scotia are still on the photo wish list!

UPDATE: Photos of the three soldiers from Nova Scotia were subsequently received!

… ‘Il Silenzio’ to remember the fallen….field-of-poppies300

It seems fitting to end this Remembrance Week posting with music.  In a Dutch Liberation Day concert in Maastricht, The Netherlands, 13-year-old Melissa Venema, backed by André Rieu and his orchestra (the Royal Orchestra of the Netherlands), was the trumpet soloist in a haunting rendition of ‘Il Silenzio’ (The Silence). This piece, by Italian composer Nino Rossi, is based upon what we know as The Last Post. Watch

Thank you to Burnie Reynaert for sharing a childhood photo, Irene Doyle for sending the photo of Louis Sexton, Kevin Rollason and the Winnipeg Free Press for publicizing the photo search request of soldiers from Manitoba, and to Ceilidh Millar, Jayson Baxter, and CTV Atlantic News At 5 for publicizing the photo search of soldiers killed in Bienen, Germany.

If you can help with these photo requests, or have a story to tell, please let Pieter know. You can email him at memorialtrail@gmail.com, or comment on the blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

field-of-poppies300…Want to follow our research?….

If you are reading this posting, but aren’t following the blog, 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 on the book, please 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….. The Successful Search For A Photo Of WWII Soldier Edmond Coulombe

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December 24, 2021. Occasionally, a posting on this blog leads to information that adds to the original story, giving a ripple effect.  This spring a story about a WWII soldier from New Brunswick, Alphonse ROBERT of Caraquet, New Brunswick, led a volunteer researcher in a small Dutch village along the German border to contact us with eyewitness accounts of how Robert and 4 other members of his Regiment lost their lives when a shell exploded. 

The soldiers were identified, and one of them was Edmond COULOMBE, listed as being from Pine Falls, Manitoba.  I’m from Manitoba and Pine Falls was very familiar to both Pieter and me, as it was near where my parents had lived. 

“…We have to find a photo of this soldier…” we both decided, and that led us on a photo quest that soon proved that ‘Friendly Manitoba’ on the province’s licence plates was not just a slogan.

The first ‘surprise’ was when Pieter’s research found that Edmond was born on February 15, 1923, the son of Ulric and Yvonne Coulombe in Fannystelle, Manitoba, NOT in Pine Falls.  To Pieter’s amusement, I had a childhood memory of Fannystelle, a small community not far from Winnipeg.  My father travelled a lot in his business, and sometimes he had to work on weeknights and weekends.  Quite often all of us would be loaded in the car and travel with him.   I was in Fannystelle many times as a child.

Edmond’s father was from Quebec, his mother from Manitoba.  By 1943, Edmond was working at the paper mill in Pine Falls, and the family was living in nearby St.-Georges.  When he enlisted on May 7, 1943, his service file noted that he spoke both French and English.

On January 3, 1945, Edmond was sent overseas to the United Kingdom as part of the Oxford Rifles.  By March 3, 1945 he was in Northwest Europe and transferred to Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal.  He lost his life a few weeks later, at the age of 22.

…The Winnipeg Free Press publicizes the quest for a photo….

While Pieter could find information on Edmond’s military service, he had little luck finding family members or a photo.  So we asked ‘Winnipeg Free Press‘ reporter Kevin Rollason for help. 

On November 6, 2021, Kevin’s interview with Pieter ran in the ‘Winnipeg Free Press‘: https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/arts-and-life/life/hunting-for-photo-to-honour-manitoban-575687592.html  (If you can’t access the article, let me know and I’ll send a PDF.)

As soon as people began reading the newspaper, replies came in. Diane Dube of the Winnipeg River Heritage Museum in St.-Georges wrote: “…Good Morning. I am reading the Winnipeg Free Press and have just now come across the article that you are looking for photos of Coulombe. I will be looking in the archives this afternoon as I think I may have a photo of him visiting his family in Pine Falls during the war. These photos were donated to the museum last year…”

By the afternoon, Diane had sent us 4 photos.  “…We are very thankful for all of the work you have put into this project recognizing our fallen soldiers and very pleased that we had some photos to share….”

Edmond Coulombe with kit bag

Edmond Coulombe with his kit bag.  (Photo courtesy Winnipeg River Heritage Museum)

Kevin Rollason lost no time in interviewing Diane for a follow-up article, which ran on November 11, 2021, with the 4 photos: https://www.winnipegfreepress.com/local/photo-found-to-honour-manitoba-war-casualty-575714042.html   (If you can’t access the article, let me know and I’ll send a PDF.)

… Family of Edmond Coulombe contact us….

Family of Edmond also contacted us.  Niece Lauri Romaniuk explained that “… My Dad Lionel was one of the youngest of the 12 children of Ulric and Yvonne Coulombe and he was a child when Ed was killed in the war. None of the siblings are alive now….”

Edmond Coulombe siblings and parents from Lauri Romaniuk

The Coulombe family in the 1950s.  (Photo courtesy of Lauri Romaniuk)

Lauri shared a photo that she received from her mother of “…. the siblings in the early 1950s. Edmond’s picture is on the wall behind the group. There was another brother missing that died as a child.  Mrs. Coulombe is in this picture but Mr. C already passed at this point. My Dad is the youngest male – on the far right. He passed in 1992 at age 57…”  Edmond’s father died in 1946.  It was wonderful to see that Edmond himself had not been forgotten.

Another niece, Linda Cyr, wrote “…I’m beyond grateful for the work you both are doing to honour our Canadian soldiers especially my uncle Edmond Coulombe.  Edmond was my Mother’s brother…” 

Edmond Coulombe 2 from Linda Cyr cropped

Edmond Coulombe.  (Photo courtesy of Linda Cyr)

 .…Other reactions….

In addition to family of Edmond Coulombe, and the Winnipeg River Heritage Museum, we heard from interested readers, many offering help regarding the search for a photo and several sharing photos and stories of family members buried in The Netherlands. 

Vic Mollot wrote that he was researching the history of Fannystelle, which “…was founded in 1889 by a French Countess by the name of ‘La Comtesse d’Albufera’ who was a Parisian philanthropist.

There were 3 waves of settlers who came to settle in Fannystelle, the 1st from France in 1892, the 2nd from Quebec in 1895 and the third from the British Isles and central Europe. The Coulombes were part of the second wave from Quebec…”

Leah Boulet and Marcel Pitre let us know that Marcel’s 94 year old father Marcel put together a book of soldiers from the Pine Falls area, and sent the page about Edmond.  “…When the Royal Canadian Legion put together the books about the soldiers a number of years back, Dad did a lot of legwork gathering info and submitting it for their book.  He also put together his own version for this area…”  

…How 5 members of Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal lost their lives….

How did Edmond Coulombe lose his life?  Dutch researcher Maarten Koudijs, who initially wrote about Alphonse Robert, explained that 5 members of Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal died during an attack on Gendringen, The Netherlands on March 30, 1945.  Four of them, including Edmond Coulombe, were initially buried in Megchelen, The Netherlands, just across the border with Germany. 

Map Megchelen

Maarten explained that “…during the attack on Gendringen, a number of infantrymen were following a tank. A German shell exploded behind the tank and 5 infantry soldiers were killed.   

The soldiers who immediately lost their lives were Roland Alfred Barry, Edmond Coulombe, Jacques Fortin, and Alphonse Robert. They were temporarily buried, next to each other, in a field grave in Megchelen.  

Bernard Gaston Pilon was seriously injured and was transferred to Bedburg Military Hospital, where he died and was also temporarily buried there….”  Bedburg is in Germany. 

All 5 infantrymen from Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal were later reburied in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands.

Grave of Edmonde Coulombe

Grave of Edmond Coulombe in Groesbeek, The Netherlands.  (Photo taken by Wouter van Dijken)

… We were overwhelmed and delighted at the response….

We are grateful to Kevin Rollason and the Winnipeg Free Press for publicizing the appeal for a photo of WWII soldier Edmond Coulombe. 

Diane Dube of the Winnipeg River Heritage Museum in St.-Georges went above and beyond to look in the archives on a Saturday afternoon, find photos, and forward them.  We are often successful with media appeals for photos, but Diane’s quick response was done with ‘supersonic speed’.  We are heartened by the interest and care she took, a true act of research kindness.

We thank family members Linda Cyr and Lauri Romaniuk for sharing photos, and Maarten Koudijs for providing the additional information on the 5 soldiers from Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal.

We also thank the many Winnipeg Free Press readers who submitted photos and stories of relatives buried in The Netherlands.  Pieter has his research projects for the winter months lined up and we look forward to sharing those stories. 

If you have photos and information to share about Canadian soldiers buried in The Netherlands please contact Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com, or comment on the blog. 

© Daria Valkenburg

… Alphonse Robert’s Story….

To read the postings about Alphonse Robert, see:

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