On The War Memorial Trail…..A Photo For WWI Soldier Harry Robinson

March 30, 2025March 30, 2025 / On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / 2 Comments

March 30, 2025. When Pieter began researching the names on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion in 2015, he hoped to be able to put a face and story to each of the 48 names. Over the years he researched each name, and we’ve told the story of each one, plus shared our visits made to the graves or memorials for many of them.

Unfortunately, photos for several have yet to be found. The Cenotaph Wall of Remembrance in the Borden-Carleton Legion, which displays the photos of the men listed on the Cenotaph, has empty frames for those photos waiting to be found.

…The 10 year search for a photo of WWI soldier Harry Robinson…

Empty frame awaiting a photo of WWI soldier Harry Robinson. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

One of those for which a photo was missing was Harry ROBINSON, born July 9, 1881 in Augustine Cove, the son of Thomas and Sarah (nee Campbell) Robinson. Harry was a widower at the time he enlisted on April 28, 1916 with the 105^th Battalion. He’d lost his daughter Merilla in 1911, and his wife Clara Wadman in 1912.

While in Valcartier, Quebec for training, Harry contracted blood poisoning from a cellulitis infection and died on June 27, 1916. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2019/04/29/the-ww1-soldiers-who-never-left-canada/)

Harry’s body was brought back to Prince Edward Island for burial in the Tryon People’s Cemetery in Tryon, not far from where we live.

Grave of Harry Robinson at the Tryon People’s Cemetery in Tryon, Prince Edward Island. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

…At long last, a photo of Harry was found…

We keep an updated Cold Case List on this blog (see https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/our-cold-cases/). From time to time, we list the names of those from Prince Edward Island in a newspaper article in the County Line Courier newspaper.

Harry Robinson. (Photo courtesy of the Robinson family)

After the most recent article, which ran in the County Line Courier’s February 5, 2025 issue, we were contacted by Elaine McCormick of Chelton, Prince Edward Island, who submitted a photo of Harry Robinson! Harry was the “….son of Thomas and Sarah Robinson, brother of John Joseph Robinson (our grandfather). My brother Carl Robinson and I found the photo going through my late Aunt’s pictures. My aunt was Beulah Robinson Thomson…”

Elaine went on to explain that during WWI “…my grandfather John Joseph was at dry dock in Halifax…” in Nova Scotia. “…My grandmother was dying of cancer and my dad and aunt Beulah were in the Halifax orphanage….” Elaine’s grandfather “…brought them all home in 1917, a few months before the Halifax Explosion…” on December 6, 1917. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Halifax_Explosion)

After Elaine’s grandmother “…. passed away...” Harry and John Joseph’s mother “…Sarah Robinson looked after…” Elaine’s father and aunt until she herself passed away. The family had more than their share of tragedy!

…Harry’s photo is now on the Cenotaph Wall of Remembrance at the Borden-Carleton Legion….

Elaine McCormick and Pieter Valkenburg with the photo of Elaine’s great-uncle Harry Robinson. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

A few days ago, we met with Elaine McCormick and her husband at the Borden-Carlton Legion, in order to place a photo of Harry Robinson in the empty frame.

…7 photos are still to be found for the names on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion….

With the photo of Harry Robinson now on the Legion’s Cenotaph Wall of Remembrance, Pieter hopes that eventually all of the empty frames will be filled. “…Photos for 6 from WWI and 1 from WWII have yet to be found….” he said. Can YOU help with this photo wish list?

Names still without faces from WWI

Leigh Hunt CAMERON, born in Albany
James Lymon CAMERON, born in Victoria
William Galen CAMPBELL, born in Wellington
Bazil CORMIER, born in Tignish
Charles LOWTHER, born in North Carleton
Arthur Clinton ROBINSON, born in Tryon

Name still without a face from WWII

Ernest Ramey GALLANT, born in Borden

Thank you to Elaine McCormick and Carl Robinson for providing a photo on behalf of the family, and to the County Line Courier newspaper for publishing the article about our Cold Case List. If you have photos or information to share about Harry Robinson or any of the names still on the Cold Case List, 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/

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

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

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On The War Memorial Trail….. The WWII Diary Of Dr. Ross Part 2: Two Years And 20 Trips Aboard HMHS Lady Nelson

March 23, 2025 / On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / Leave a comment

Dr. Alton Ross. (Photo courtesy of Judy Parks. Photo colourization by Pieter Valkenburg)

March 23, 2025. During WWII, Dr. James ‘Alton’ ROSS, father of Judy Parks, was a doctor aboard the hospital ship HMHS Lady Nelson, Canada’s first hospital ship, which had 515 special hospital beds, special wards for shock cases, contagious diseases and fractures, private cabins, an operating room, a sterilizing room, an inspection room for minor dressings, a dispensary, and a portable x-ray outfit.

HMHS Lady Nelson. Note the crosses on the side of the ship! (Photo source: Wikipedia)

In Part 1, the first two of Alton’s twenty voyages aboard the ship were summarized, providing a window into life aboard a military hospital ship, as he found himself treating patients who’d been wounded in Sicily and mainland Italy. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2025/03/16/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-wwii-diary-of-dr-ross-part-1-assigned-to-hmhs-lady-nelson/)

Now, in Part 2, Alton’s story concludes with a return to Italy to pick up wounded servicemen and some of the devastation of war that he saw, and finally, after his 20th voyage he was able to return to the life of a civilian and a rural medical practice….

….Alton recorded Trip No. 3 aboard the HMHS Lady Nelson….

Alton’s third trip aboard the HMHS Lady Nelson began on March 4, 1944, with a round trip of 9,400 miles (15,128 km).

Trip No. 3 went from Halifax to Bizerte to Naples to Algiers. (Map source: DuckDuckGo)

The route took him from the port of Halifax, Nova Scotia, across the Atlantic Ocean to Gibraltar, to Bizerte, Tunisia, and then on to Naples, Italy, from there to Algiers, Algeria, before sailing to Avonmouth, United Kingdom, and then returning to Halifax.

Alton’s diary recorded that the orchestra aboard ship, in which he played the saxophone, was larger than on his previous voyage. “…Orchestra increased by two trumpets, clarinet, and ….bass… and cymbal. Put on three concerts across…”

After leaving Halifax on March 4, 1944, the ship arrived in Gibraltar at 1:00 pm on March 13, 1944, with a stay of 7 hours before sailing on to Bizerte, Tunisia. Alton noted that they “…had a dance that night…very successful….enjoyed by everyone. Orchestra right on good rhythm…”

In the morning of March 16, 1944, they “…anchored off Bizerte in Tunisia just in bay north of Cape Bon where last of Germans gave up…..Tanker brought water to us….Remained there until 1:00 am 17 March then left for Naples…”

On March 18, 1944, the ship “…docked at Naples at 9:00 am…..Began loading shortly afterwards…..Left at 4:00 pm for Algiers…”

When the ship had been anchored in Bizerte, no one left the ship and Alton finally found out why. “…Heard reason for not going into Bizerte was 27 enemy ships sunk in harbour…”

On March 20, 1944, the ship “…docked at Algiers at 3:00 pm and loaded 50 patients…” before leaving port at 7:00 pm for England.

The ship arrived in Avonmouth on March 29, 1944, and after the patients were unloaded, Alton was free until April 1, 1944, when “…502 patients….” were brought onboard. The ship left for Halifax the following day, on a course which went “….far south this time. Southwest to Azores, directly west on level with New York, then northwest into Halifax. Trip seemed very long…” The journey ended when the ship arrived in Halifax on April 12, 1944.

Music remained a big part of Alton’s off-duty hours. While in England, the Auxiliary Service provided “…a trumpet and a trombone, which gave us 4 brass. As all the boys were on day duty, we practiced about 6 to 7 nights coming from England….”

Judy reflected on the morale boost that was provided by the orchestra. “…The older I get I realize those crossings on the Lady Nelson were therapy sessions. Dances and lots of music with a live orchestra…” were instrumental in “…keeping spirits up to the young volunteers anxious for some excitement on the way over, and also to the wounded returning….”

Alton’s wife Betty with their daughter Judy in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia, in a photo taken while Alton was on leave. (Photo courtesy of Judy Parks)

At the end of Trip No. 3 Alton received 2 weeks leave, which he spent with his wife and daughter.

….Alton’s next few trips aboard the HMHS Lady Nelson were between Halifax and the United Kingdom….

Trip No. 4 went from Halifax to Avonmouth. (Map source: https://www.viamichelin.com)

There are 2,762 nautical miles between the Port of Halifax in Nova Scotia, and the Port of Avonmouth in the United Kingdom. Alton’s next trip was between these two ports.

Trip No. 5 was to be the same route, but D-Day on June 6, 1944 resulted in an unexpected route change! “…Embarked 30 May carrying about 50 patients and half of 20 and 22 Canadian General Hospital staffs. Trip over was started 31 May 44 and was fairly smooth but very foggy.…”

So far, nothing unusual, but then “…. on June 6th we heard the news of the Allied landings in Normandy. We were all greatly excited. On 7th June received word at 4:00 pm to change our course to the north of Ireland and again had heavy fog. At 2:00 am, 9th June went into Belfast for orders, then continued on past the Isle of Man to Liverpool….”

On June 13, 1944, Alton wrote that the return journey to Canada began. “…Loaded 505 patients…and sailed at 4:30 pm. Went around the north of Ireland…” He noted that there were “….several cases of Malaria on board…” Hospital records in Italy had reported since autumn 1943 that there was a severe malaria epidemic.

The next few trips found the ship returning to Liverpool rather than Avonmouth on its round trip journeys. It wasn’t until Alton’s 14th trip in March 1945 that the Lady Nelson docked again in Avonmouth.

….Alton recorded two burials at sea on Trip No. 7….

On the return voyage back to Canada for Alton’s 7th trip, he recorded that the ship “…left Liverpool midnight 8 August….There were two burials at sea. 11th August MacGuire (sic) and 16th Captain Miller…”

Private George Alfred MAGUIRE, born in Windsor, Ontario, had died aboard the Lady Nelson on August 11, 1944 from wounds received in action in France while serving with the Essex Scottish Regiment, at the age of 23, leaving behind his parents, Charles S. and Minnie Maguire, of London, Ontario. His name is inscribed on the Halifax Memorial in Point Pleasant Park in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Captain Theodore Albert MILLER, who was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia, had died of cancer on August 15, 1944 aboard the Lady Nelson, at the age of 47, while serving with the Royal Canadian Ordnance Corps, leaving behind his wife, Kathleen Miller of Regina, Saskatchewan, and their son David Graeme Miller. His name is inscribed on the Halifax Memorial in Point Pleasant Park in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

….Alton looked forward to civilian life….

By June 1945, following his 16th trip aboard the Lady Nelson, Alton “…signed to go back to civilian life…”

Alton with his daughter Judy in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia. (Photo courtesy of Judy Parks)

After the conclusion of his 20th trip on October 9, 1945, “….Colonel Stone said I would be taken off the ship this trip. I went home to New Glasgow…”

Following his discharge from the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps (RCAMC), Alton returned to Salisbury, New Brunswick. Judy explained that “…he started his practice up again, but when I was 4 he was diagnosed with cancer of the bowel and that is the only memory I have of him …in bed …very ill….”

Sadly, Alton passed away on July 27, 1947, aged 32. He’s buried at Christ Church Cemetery in Stellarton, Pictou County, Nova Scotia.

Alton recorded 20 trips in his diary, always being fortunate to return home for a few days with his wife and daughter between each voyage. As he died when Judy was a child, the war diary was a way to get to know him, but she explained that she was “….50 years old …” when her mother “…gave me the war diary…”

Judy followed her father’s footsteps into a medical career, becoming a nurse. Going over his war diary made her reflect that “….people sometimes ask me if I was upset when my father died and I know I wasn’t. I was only four. No one told me he died…children were told nothing about death in those days. I suppose I thought he returned to war…”

Judy Parks (left) with Daria, discussing the war service of Judy’s father. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

Thank you to Judy Parks for sharing photos and her father’s war diary, and to Etienne Gaudet for finding newspaper articles.

© Daria Valkenburg

….Want to follow our research?….

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

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

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

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On The War Memorial Trail….. The WWII Diary Of Dr. Ross Part 1: Assigned To HMHS Lady Nelson

March 16, 2025 / On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / 2 Comments

Judy Parks (left) with Daria, discussing the war service of Judy’s father. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

March 16, 2025. It’s a funny coincidence as, a few years ago, Judy Parks, a friend living in Nova Scotia, sent me her father’s WWII war diary. Her father, Dr. James ‘Alton’ Ross, was a doctor aboard the hospital ship HMHS Lady Nelson. I kept planning to write his story, but something else always kept coming up.

Then, a few months ago, Etienne Gaudet sent us an article about 101 year old veteran Romeo LEBLANC of Memramcook, New Brunwick. In this article it stated that Romeo had travelled on the same hospital ship as Judy’s father! Talk about a nudge from up above!

Born March 26, 1915 in Stellarton, Pictou County, Nova Scotia, James ‘Alton’ ROSS was the son of James and Lida (nee Cook) Ross, their only child.

….Alton had a medical practice in New Brunswick….

Dr. Alton Ross initially practiced in Albert, New Brunswick (red marker) before opening a practice in Salisbury, New Brunswick, just north of Albert. (Map source: DuckDuckGo)

After graduating from Dalhousie University’s School of Medicine in Halifax, Nova Scotia in June 1941, Alton married Betty Bauld the same year. Their daughter Judith ‘Judy’ Ann was born the following year in Moncton, New Brunswick.

Alton initially practiced in Albert, New Brunswick (now part of the village of Fundy Albert) for a short period before opening a practice in Salisbury, New Brunswick.

….Alton enlisted in the RCAMC in 1943…

Dr. Alton Ross. (Photo courtesy of Judy Parks. Photo colourization by Pieter Valkenburg)

Not long after settling into his practice in Salisbury, Alton enlisted with the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps (RCAMC). Judy explained that she was “….only 6 months old when my father enlisted… It seems like four years of the war had already taken place but my father only graduated from medical school in June 1941 so he was just starting his practice in Salisbury, New Brunswick when he decided he was needed in the medical corps…”

According to his war diary, Alton “…enlisted on 29 December 1942 and was sent to Halifax Military Hospital and put on Ward I Medicine…” A few days later, he was transferred to “…No. 6 District Depot Standing Medical Board…” at Chebucto Barracks in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

With Alton in military service, Judy and her mother “…moved back to her parents in New Glasgow, Nova Scotia…”

On March 6, 1943, Alton was sent to A22 Canadian Army Medical Corps Training Centre in Camp Borden, Ontario for a “…six weeks qualification course…”

After returning to Nova Scotia, Alton was “….posted to Halifax Military Hospital again to Ward 2, Eye, Ear, Nose and Throat….” until June 20, 1943, when he left for “…Aldershot Military Hospital…” in Nova Scotia, where he was “….placed on Infectious and Military Wards…”

On November 5, 1943, Alton “…received word to go to Suffield, Alberta, on a Chemical Warfare Course…” for 5 days. After returning to Aldershot, he was informed on November 20, 1943 that he would be posted to a hospital ship. His orders came through 6 days later, and meant he had to travel to Halifax.

….Alton was assigned to the HMHS Lady Nelson….

Judy confirmed that her father served as a doctor aboard the hospital ship HMHS Lady Nelson, which had first arrived in Halifax on April 22, 1943. “…It was the Lady Nelson my father was on…. There were five lady boats in the war and two were torpedoed by the Germans in spite of the big Red Cross on the sides. The Lady Nelson had been a cruise ship that went between Halifax, New York, and Bermuda…”

HMHS Lady Nelson. Note the crosses on the side of the ship! (Photo source: Wikipedia)

The Lady Nelson was Canada’s first hospital ship, outfitted with 515 special hospital beds, special wards for shock cases, contagious diseases and fractures, private cabins, a fully equipped operating room, a modern sterilizing room, an inspection room for minor dressings, a dispensary, and a portable x-ray outfit.

The ship’s white hull was painted with 11 large red crosses on the funnel, deck and hull. It was brightly lit up at night for greater visibility so that the enemy would recognize that she was a ‘mercy ship’ and not fire on her in accordance with the Geneva Convention.

….Alton’s first voyage aboard the HMHS Lady Nelson….

Alton’s first trip aboard the HMHS Lady Nelson began on November 30, 1943, and he noted that it was a round trip of 8,093 miles (13,024 km).

Trip No. 1 went from Halifax to Phillipville and Algiers in Algeria. (Map source: DuckDuckGo)

The route took him from the port of Halifax, Nova Scotia, across the Atlantic Ocean to Gibraltar, sailing past Tangier, to Phillipville (now Skikda), Algeria, and then on to Algiers before sailing to Avonmouth, United Kingdom, before returning to Halifax.

Alton wrote in his diary that the ship reached Gibraltar at 10:00 am on December 9, 1943 and left an hour later. He noted that he had a “….grand journey down Mediterranean and landed off coast of Phillipville, where we anchored all day and night. Docked Sunday am 12 December 1943 and loaded patients….Left at 5 pm…”

Why was a Canadian hospital ship in Algeria? While no formed Canadian units took part in fighting in North Africa, which began in November 1942, a number of Canadian officers and non-commissioned officers had been offered three-month tours of duty attached to forces in Algeria, designated as the 1st British Army.

The objective was to allow them a chance to see combat and take that battle experience back to the Canadian Army in the United Kingdom before Canadians saw active service during the invasion of Sicily in July 1943, followed by the invasion of the Italian mainland in September 1943.

By October 1943, the Canadian Section, including No. 14 Canadian General Hospital, was still near Philippeville.

From Phillipville, the ship began its long journey to the United Kingdom, picking up more patients along the way. “…Arrived Algiers 8 am, 13 December. Loaded more patients then waited in stream two days for Nursing Sisters coming by air from Sicily. Left 6:30 pm, 15 December…”

The ship arrived in Avonmouth, United Kingdom on December 22, 1943, unloaded the patients and reloaded patients who were returning back to Canada. They left for Canada on December 28, and arrived in Halifax on January 5, 1944.

….Alton’s second voyage aboard the HMHS Lady Nelson….

Alton’s second trip aboard the HMHS Lady Nelson began on January 14, 1944, and he noted that it was a round trip of 9,196 miles (14,800 km).

Trip No. 2 went from Halifax to Algiers, Algeria and then to Naples, Italy. (Map source: https://www.viamichelin.com)

The route took him from the port of Halifax, Nova Scotia, across the Atlantic Ocean to Gibraltar, to Naples, Italy, and then on to Algiers before sailing to Avonmouth, United Kingdom, before returning to Halifax.

Alton wrote in his diary that the ship reached Gibraltar on January 23, 1944 and left the following day at 7:00 pm. He noted that this time when they reached Algiers on January 26, they didn’t dock but were there for “….orders only… and left one hour later for Italy…Anchored in Naples harbour just off Mount Vesuvius which was puffing away intermittently….Docked in Naples 29 January and loaded British and Canadian patients…Left at 4 pm…” for Algiers.

Nursing sisters aboard the HMHS Lady Nelson in Naples, Italy, January 29, 1944. Nursing Sisters R. MacLennan, J. Goodston, Reta Moffat, E. Covey, D.E. MacTier, E. Bateman, Y. Carr, J. Jackson, Captain C.I. Nixon (Matron), M. McLeod, R. Hughes, H.J. Battram, E.K. Sutherland and M.B. Meisner. (Photo Credit: Lt. Frederick G. Whitcombe / Canada. Dept. of National Defence / Library and Archives Canada / PA-163661)

This time the ship docked when it reached Algiers on January 31, 1944, at 3:00 pm, where the “…British disembarked, Canadians embarked. Left February 1, 4:30 pm….Passed Gibraltar 6 am, 3 February…”

The ship was again enroute to Avonmouth, but Alton recorded that he “…did an appendectomy off Bay of Biscay….” The patient survived.

Bay of Biscay is off of the coast of France. (Map source: DuckDuckGo)

The ship anchored off Avonmouth on February 7, 1944 and unloaded the patients the following day. It wasn’t until February 15 that the ship left for Halifax, arriving in port on the afternoon of February 23 in “….a blinding snowstorm – visibility nil….”

Alton’s second trip was notable as they “….began an orchestra with three violins, saxophone, piano, accordion, and drums…Put on two concerts…”

Judy reflected that “…one thing that strikes me from my father’s diary is how much fun they had …music…dances…and orchestra …..” and explained that her father “…. played the saxophone…” The purpose was “…to entertain the troops they were taking to war and those wounded returning….” She marvelled at this “…ability to switch off the war around them and enjoy the moment…for themselves and for others …”

Alton recorded 20 trips in his diary, always being fortunate to return home for a few days with his wife and daughter between each voyage. In Part 2, his story concludes with a return to Italy to pick up wounded servicemen and some of the devastation of war that he saw, and finally, after his 20th voyage he was able to return to the life of a civilian and a rural medical practice.

Thank you to Judy Parks for sharing photos and her father’s war diary, and to Etienne Gaudet for sending newspaper articles about Romeo LeBlanc and Dr. Ross.

© 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/

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….. Tragedy On The Ems Part 2: The WWII Soldier From Halifax Who Drowned During Operation Duck

March 11, 2025 / On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / Leave a comment

March 11, 2025. In 2021, in a period when we were all at home due to Covid, we translated, into English, ‘Holtense Canadezen’, Jan Braakman’s book about some of the soldiers buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands. In October 2023, this was published in English as ‘Holten Heroes: Stories from a Canadian Field of Honour’. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2023/11/01/new-book-about-soldiers-buried-in-the-canadian-war-cemetery-in-holten-the-netherlands/)

One story in the Chapter ‘Drama On The Ems’ was about a tragic incident during the Battle of Leer in Germany on April 28, 1945, one of the final actions to end WWII in Europe. Operation Duck, which involved the crossing of the Ems and Leda rivers in northern Germany in order to take the port of Leer, turned out very badly for 19 men of the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders.

Two Maritime soldiers mentioned in the chapter, one from Nova Scotia, and one from New Brunswick, were on the photo wish list from the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands. Pieter was successful in finding family and a photo of these men, who were both with the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders.

James Edward SULLIVAN, from Rexton, New Brunswick, was one of the Maritimers. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2025/03/05/on-the-war-memorial-trail-tragedy-on-the-ems-part-1-the-wwii-soldier-from-rexton-who-drowned-during-operation-duck/) Frank Eugene MUNROE, of Halifax, Nova Scotia, was the other Maritimer.

…Frank enlisted in December 1943…

Born February 1, 1923 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Francis ‘Frank’ Eugene MUNROE was the son of Francis ‘Frank’ Harold and Mary Gertrude Munroe. He had 3 brothers, two of whom also served during WWII, and 3 sisters.

When he enlisted at the No. 6 District Depot in Halifax, Nova Scotia on December 13, 1943, he stated that he’d been employed for 3 years as an iron worker at the Halifax Ship Yards. His father had died in September 1943, just a few months before his enlistment.

Frank’s niece, Sharon Carvery, the daughter of his sister Margaret Frances Jeffery, sent Pieter a photo, saying “…this is the only picture I could find with Uncle Frank with his sister Aunt Dot…” Aunt Dot was Frank’s sister Dorothy Donnelly.

After completing his basic training at No. 60 Canadian Army (Basic) Training Centre (CABTC) in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, Frank was sent to the A14 Canadian Infantry Training Centre (CITC) in Aldershot, Nova Scotia on February 27, 1944 for additional training on various rifles and mortar.

Frank Munroe with his sister Dorothy. (Photo courtesy of Sharon Carvery. Photo colourization by Pieter Valkenburg)

Upon completion of the courses at A14, he was attached to S-5 Canadian Driving and Maintenance School (CD & M School) in Woodstock, Ontario on May 5, 1944, for a Driver i/c course. On June 14, 1944, he qualified as a Driver i/c Class III (Wheeled). (The term ‘Driver i/c’ refers to ‘Driver, internal combustion’. Class III meant he was qualified to drive heavy trucks and armoured cars, but not tanks.)

He was reassigned back to A14 CITC in Aldershot in preparation for overseas service, before being granted embarkation leave from June 23, 1944 until July 6, 1944, the last chance he would have to see his family before going overseas.

….Frank left Canada for overseas service….

On July 21, 1944, Frank left Canada for the United Kingdom. Upon arriving on July 27, 1944, he was assigned to No. 4 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit (CIRU).

Unfortunately, on August 4, 1944, while in England, he failed to requalify as a Driver i/c Class III (Wheeled), and was “…remustered for general duty…” according to his service file.

On August 16, 1944 he was assigned to the X-4 reinforcement list of No. 2 Canadian Base Reinforcement Group (CBRG) and shipped to France, arriving the following day.

Frank joined the Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders in Trun, France. (Map source: DuckDuckGo)

On August 22, 1944, he was transferred to the Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders Regiment, joining them in Normandy, France, where they were based in Trun, following a heavy day of fighting by the Regiment, which had resulted in a number of casualties. The next day the Regiment moved north of Trun.

Frank remained with the Regiment as it fought across France, and into The Netherlands. It was in Nijmegen to relieve the airborne troops, and helped guard the bridge while the Rhine crossing was prepared. The Regiment then fought through the Hochwald in Germany, and continued north as it prepared to cross the Ems River and take the city of Leer on April 28, 1945, in what became known as Operation Duck.

…Operation Duck…

Map showing the Ems and Leda Rivers, and position of Regiments during the Battle for Leer. (Map courtesy of and ©Jan Braakman)

In the plan for Operation Duck, the North Nova Scotia Highlanders would cross the Leda River in assault boats and secure the northern bank of the river in preparation for the attack to capture Leer. The Highland Light Infantry of Canada would cross the Leda River at the point where the Ems and Leda rivers meet. The Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders would go across the Ems River towards the western edge of Leer.

These three Regiments were part of the 9^th Canadian Infantry Brigade. (See https://www.canadiansoldiers.com/history/battlehonours/northwesteurope/leer.htm)

While the men from the Highland Light Infantry all crossed safely, the North Nova Scotia Highlanders lost 5 men, and the Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders lost 19. It was a terrible tragedy, so close to the end of the war.

To see what an assault boat looks like, take a look at this short YouTube video, which shows troops preparing to cross the Ems:

…Why Operation Duck Was Important…

A translated excerpt from Jan Braakman’s ‘Holtense Canadezen’ explained why Operation Duck was important. “…At the end of April 1945, Canadian troops stood just across the Dutch-German border in Ostfriesland (East Frisia) in front of the river Ems….” (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Frisia)

Leer was a challenge to capture. “…The town of Leer was on the other side of the river on the route to Emden. Surrounded by inaccessible lowlands in the north and with rivers (Ems and Leda) in the west and south, Leer was a well defensible and therefore difficult to capture port city. All access bridges over the Ems and Leda were blown up by the Germans. For the Canadians there was no other option than to reach the city by water….”

River crossings can be tricky due to currents and tides, and in wartime, there is always the risk of enemy fire. “….The Ems River has an open connection with the Wadden Sea, which means that tides influence water levels and currents in the river. Tides made the currents unpredictable, and the Canadian Army didn’t have accurate information about the tides. What was clear: high tide was the best time to make the crossing. Aerial photographs showed that German troops had fortified themselves well behind the dikes that surrounded the city….”

A decision was made on how to cross the two rivers – the Leda and the Ems.. “… Only under the protection of a smoke screen and solid artillery support would it be possible to successfully complete the attack on Leer, using boats … General Simonds ordered that on April 28, 1945, before darkness fell, there had to be a solid bridgehead, from which the capture of Leer could be initiated. That meant that the attack had to be launched during the middle of the day, around three o’clock, when the water level was at its highest…”

The Highland Light Infantry crossed safely “… at the point where the Leda flows into the Ems, about three kilometres south of the city centre…”

The other two regiments ran into trouble. “…The crossing was made at three different places. At the same time, artillery fire and attacks from the air put the German defence line to the test. The North Nova Scotia Highlanders would cross the Leda from the south bank and take the harbour of Leer, which abutted the city on a peninsula…”

…The Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Regiment ran into trouble…

The Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders Regiment was to cross the Ems River “…from the west bank of the Ems at Bingum to attack the city from the west.…”

All three Regiments launched their attacks at the same time. “….It began at half past two with fierce shelling, during which the positions of the German defence forces were fired upon. The attack from the south was spectacular and successful, with relatively few losses….”

This wasn’t the case for the attack from the west. “….A number of boats….” from the Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders Regiment “…showed motor defects or capsized. Some of the drowning men were rescued, but at the end of the day at least nineteen men from the Regiment were dead, drowned, or missing….”

….Why did the men drown?….

After WWII ended “…a team from the Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders returned to the Ems. They dragged the river, looking for the bodies of the missing men. Some of them were found with their full kit still attached to their bodies….”

Why did the men drown? In ‘River Assault – Operation Duck: The 3^rd Canadian Infantry Division’s Attack On Leer 28^th April 1945’, author John Sliz noted that “…These men sank, never to rise again, even though life belts were worn. The reason for this was the heavy equipment worn by the men was too much for the life belt that was used….”

Sliz quotes from a report by Brigadier John M. Rockingham. “…The equipment was worn….. in such a way that the waist belt alone had to be unbuckled to permit the soldier to shake it free. There was, however, a tendency for this equipment to slide down the arms, pressing them into the side, preventing any swimming motion, until it was finally clear….” It would have been like trying to swim while wearing a straightjacket!

….Frank was one of the fatalities….

Major J.A. Forman and Lance Corporal V. C. Abrams, who survived the crossing, had recorded in their witness statements that at “….approximately 15:15 hours on April 28, 1945….” They were in an assault boat “…crossing the Ems River in the assault on Leer. Enemy fire sunk the craft….” and 10 men were “…thrown into the river…”

In the ‘Drama on the Ems’ chapter, a third survivor listed was Private Whitcombe. The three survivors “…explained what had happened to the boat in which they tried to get across. They were in an assault boat with fourteen men. Their boat ran into problems because the gunner in the front of the boat (the bow man) almost fell overboard, possibly because he was hit. The man was hanging over the bow. Perhaps because of that, but at least practically at the same time, the prow of the storm boat dipped after being sucked into the bow wave of the boat ahead. In a matter of seconds their boat disappeared under water and the crew was in the cold river water.….”

Frank was one of the 10 men who drowned, losing his life at the age of 22.

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

Frank was originally buried in Bingum, Germany, before being reburied on March 26, 1946 in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands.

Grave of Frank Eugene Munroe in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands. (Photo courtesy of Canadian Virtual War Memorial)

In November 1947, Frank’s grave was adopted by Mr. Arend Jan Markerink from Almelo, The Netherlands. He sent a letter, plus an international postage reply coupon, to the Department of National Defence, asking for Frank’s next of kin to be notified. A note in the file stated that the letter and postage reply coupon were sent to the family on December 9, 1947.

….Other soldiers from the Stormont Dundas Glengarry Highlanders who lost their lives that day…

In addition to Frank Eugene Munroe, 18 more soldiers from the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders lost their lives on April 28, 1945, and are listed below. If there are asterisks beside the name (****) it means there is a brief anecdote in the ‘Drama On the Ems’ chapter in ‘Holten Heroes: Stories from a Canadian Field of Honour’.

A/Cpl John SAWATSKY of Petaigan, Saskatchewan, aged 20
L/Cpl Merle Coleman MOORE of Breckenridge Station, Quebec
L/Cpl James Edward SULLIVAN of Rexton, New Brunswick, aged 28 ****
Pte Frank Joseph BIERNASKI of Barry’s Bay, Ontario, aged 32 ****
Pte Walter James BROOKS of Toronto, Ontario, aged 28
Pte Leonard Gordon BROUGH of Sudbury, Ontario, aged 21****
Pte Steven John GRAVELLE of Peterborough, Ontario, aged 23
Pte Joseph Gerard HINDS of Orillia, Ontario, aged 20
Pte Earl Harcourt JOSLIN of Kingston, Ontario ****
Pte Ira Charles LANGILLE of Milton, Nova Scotia, aged 32 ****
Pte Cecil Albert LAWES of Frankford Ontario, aged 28
Pte Sidney Alexander OSLUND of Haileybury, Ontario, aged 29 ****
Pte Samuel Donald POWELL of Newcastle, Ontario, aged 22
Pte Edgar Douglas SMITH of Parrsboro, Nova Scotia, aged 28 ****
Pte Francis Wilber SPENCER of Stonecliffe, Ontario, aged 35 ****
Pte Jack Allan STEWARD of Belleville, Ontario, aged 24 ****
Pte Roy Ivenson THACKERAY of Peterborough, Ontario, aged 20 ****
Pte George Sidney WAKELY of Port Hope, Ontario, aged 31****

….A Tragic Drowning On The Leda River….

As mentioned in the ‘Holten Heroes’ excerpt, the crossing of the rivers to reach Leer involved three Regiments – Stormont Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders, North Nova Scotia Highlanders, and the Highland Light Infantry.

The North Nova Scotia Highlanders were tasked with crossing the Leda River from the south bank and then take the harbour of Leer. 5 soldiers from this Regiment lost their lives when the storm boat they were in capsized, and their stories were told in previous blog postings as a 4 part series:

….Blog posting about another soldier mentioned in the book Holten Heroes…

James ‘Jimmy’ Oliver THOMAS https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2024/02/18/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-wwii-soldier-from-manitoba-who-died-shortly-after-being-liberated-from-stalag-vii-a/

Thank you to Jan Braakman for permission to quote from his book and use of the map showing the position of the Regiments, and to Sharon Carvery for a providing a photo of her uncle. 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/

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On The War Memorial Trail…..Tragedy On The Ems Part 1: The WWII Soldier From Rexton Who Drowned During Operation Duck

March 5, 2025 / On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / Leave a comment

March 5, 2025. In 2021, during a period when we were all at home due to Covid, we translated, into English, ‘Holtense Canadezen’, Jan Braakman’s book about some of the soldiers buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands. In October 2023, this was published in English as ‘Holten Heroes: Stories from a Canadian Field of Honour’. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2023/11/01/new-book-about-soldiers-buried-in-the-canadian-war-cemetery-in-holten-the-netherlands/)

The chapter ‘Drama On The Ems’ was about a tragic incident during the Battle of Leer in Germany on April 28, 1945, one of the final actions to end WWII in Europe. Operation Duck, which involved the crossing of the Ems and Leda rivers in northern Germany in order to take the port of Leer, turned out very badly for 19 men of the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders Regiment.

…..James is remembered on a plaque in the United Church in Rexton….

St. Andrew’s United Church in Rexton, New Brunswick. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

James Edward SULLIVAN, from Rexton, New Brunswick, was one of the Maritimers. In a serendipitous coincidence, we’d visited Rexton to meet the family of another soldier – Janice Little and Gayle McBeath, nieces of WWII trooper Stanley Leigh MCBEATH. They took us to St. Andrew’s United Church, where Stanley’s name was listed on a plaque on the church organ. Then we noticed that James was also listed on the plaque! (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2024/02/03/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-wwii-trooper-from-rexton-who-lost-his-life-three-days-before-his-birthday/)

James Sullivan and Stanley McBeath are listed on a memorial plaque on the organ in St Andrew’s United Church in Rexton. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

….James’s niece had a photo!….

Barbara Sullivan at the grave of her uncle, James Sullivan, buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands. (Photo courtesy of Barbara Sullivan)

Born July 7, 1919 in Main River, New Brunswick, James was the son of Edward and Augusta Sullivan. James had a younger brother, Kenneth, and it was through Kenneth’s daughter, Barbara Sullivan, that a photo was found, after she’d been contacted by Janice Little. “…I’m the niece of L/Corporal James Edward Sullivan of The Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders. I never knew him, he died a long while before I was born. His brother Kenneth is my dad. Both of my parents passed away in 2001….” Barbara wrote.

…..James enlisted under the NRMA in 1941….

James Edward Sullivan. (Photo courtesy of the Sullivan Family. Photo colourization by Pieter Valkenburg)

James originally enlisted under the National Resources Mobilization Act (NRMA) at the No. 7 NRMA Clearing Depot in Fredericton, New Brunswick on March 20, 1941 and began basic training at No. 70 Canadian Army Basic Training Centre in Fredericton. At the time, he stated he was employed as a truck driver and sawyer for a lumber company. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Resources_Mobilization_Act)

On May 20, 1941, he was transferred to A1 Canadian Artillery Training Centre (CATC) at Camp Petawawa, Ontario for further training. On July 26, 1941, he was sent to A23 Coast Defence and Anti-Aircraft Artillery Advanced Training Centre (C&AAATC) in Halifax, Nova Scotia for a few weeks. The centre trained coast and anti-aircraft gunners.

Next, James was attached to 1st (Halifax) Coast Brigade of the Royal Canadian Artillery in Halifax on August 21, 1941, which was responsible for providing coastal artillery support as part of the defences of Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Devil’s Battery. (Photo source: https://hmhps.ca)

On September 26, 1941, he was attached as a gunner to the 53rd Coast Battery of the 1st (Halifax) Coast Brigade, part of the defence of Devil’s Battery, and remaining there even after joining the active army in Halifax on February 1, 1942.

James was sent back to A23 Coast Defence and Anti-Aircraft Artillery Advanced Training Centre (C&AAATC) in Halifax on August 31, 1942 for further training. After completing Range Takers Course No. 5 on October 10, 1942, he returned to the 53rd Coast Battery.

….James served in Newfoundland….

Cape Spear Battery. (Photo source: https://www.hiddennewfoundland.ca)

On February 12, 1943, James was transferred to the 103rd Coast Battery of the Royal Canadian Artillery and sent to St. John’s, Newfoundland. Based at Cape Spear, the most eastern point in North America, the Battery was responsible for maintaining the 10″ guns.

Cape Spear’s close proximity to convoy routes and the entrance to St. Johns Harbour was an essential place to have a coastal defense battery, post-war signal station, and searchlight emplacement during World War II. (NOTE: Newfoundland and Labrador joined Canada on March 31, 1949.)

On November 18, 1943, James left Newfoundland for Shelburne, Nova Scotia and was transferred to the 104th Coast Battery of the Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA).

….James was transferred to the infantry….

On January 14, 1944, James was assigned to No. 1 Transit Camp in Windsor, Nova Scotia for preparation before being sent overseas. However, instead of going overseas immediately, he was transferred to No. 60 Canadian Infantry (Basic) Training Centre (CIBTC) in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia for additional training.

Then, on April 9, 1944, he was sent to A14 Canadian Infantry Training Centre at Camp Aldershot, Nova Scotia for final preparations before going overseas.

James was granted embarkation leave from June 2 to June 15, 1944, the last chance he had to see his family again.

….James left Canada for overseas service….

On June 25, 1944, James left Canada for the United Kingdom. Upon arriving on July 3, 1944 he was assigned to No. 4 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit (CIRU).

He continued his training for a few weeks before being transferred to the X-4 reinforcement list of the Canadian Infantry Corps (CIC), on July 26, 1944. Three days later he was on his way to France, disembarking on July 30, 1944.

On July 31, 1944 he was assigned to the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders, part of the 21st Army Group, joining the Regiment in the vicinity of Le Vey, France, 23 km (14 miles) northwest of Falaise. The Regiment needed downtime to get reorganized and to give the men a chance to train and have a rest following heavy fighting since landing in Normandy on D-Day.

He received a promotion to Lance Corporal a few weeks later, on August 19, 1944. James remained with the Regiment as it fought across France, and into The Netherlands. It was in Nijmegen to relieve the airborne troops, and helped guard the bridge while the Rhine crossing was prepared. The Regiment then fought through the Hochwald in Germany, and then north as it prepared to cross the Ems River and take the city of Leer on April 28, 1945, in what became known as Operation Duck.

… Operation Duck…

In the plan for Operation Duck, the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders would go across the Ems River towards the western edge of Leer. At the same time, the North Nova Scotia Highlanders would cross the Leda River in assault boats and secure the northern bank of the river in preparation for the attack to capture Leer. The Highland Light Infantry of Canada would cross the Leda River, where the Ems and Leda rivers meet.

These three Regiments were part of the 9^th Canadian Infantry Brigade. (See https://www.canadiansoldiers.com/history/battlehonours/northwesteurope/leer.htm)

While the men from the Highland Light Infantry all crossed safely, the North Nova Scotia Highlanders lost 5 men, and the Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders lost 19.

Map showing the Ems and Leda Rivers, and position of Regiments during the Battle for Leer. (Map courtesy of and ©Jan Braakman)

…Why Operation Duck Was Important…

A Storm boat is moved into the water during Operation Duck on April 28, 1945. (Photo source: Library and Archives Canada)

A translated excerpt from Jan Braakman’s ‘Holten Heroes: Stories from a Canadian Field of Honour’ explained why Operation Duck was important. “…At the end of April 1945, Canadian troops stood just across the Dutch-German border in Ostfriesland (East Frisia) in front of the river Ems….” (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/East_Frisia)

The Highland Light Infantry crossed safely “… at the point where the Leda flows into the Ems, about three kilometres south of the city centre…”

…The Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders Regiment ran into trouble…

The Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders Regiment was to cross the Ems River “…from the west bank of the Ems at Bingum to attack the city from the west.…”

….James was one of the fatalities….

Sergeant G.W. McGill, who survived the crossing, had reported that at “….approximately 15:30 hours, 28-April-1945, I was crossing the river Ems in an assault craft during the attack on Leer. Suddenly, the nose of our craft dipped and the craft overturned and we were all thrown into the water. I came to the surface and was picked up by another assault craft, along with Cpl W.M.J. Wood. We cruised around for approximately ten minutes, but we could not see Sullivan anywhere. A check on the shore by the platoon commander indicated that Sullivan, Brough, and Oslund were missing….”

James was not found until almost the end of May 1945. “….25 year-old James E. Sullivan was …. initially reported missing. On May 28, his family was informed by telegram that ….” his body had been found.

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

James was originally buried in Oldenburg, Germany, before being reburied in 1946 in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands.

Grave of James Edward Sullivan in the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, The Netherlands. (Photo courtesy of Canadian Virtual War Memorial)

….Other soldiers from the Stormont Dundas Glengarry Highlanders who lost their lives that day…

In addition to James Edward Sullivan, 18 more soldiers from the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders lost their lives on April 28, 1945, and are listed below. If there are asterisks beside the name (****) it means there is a brief anecdote in the ‘Drama On the Ems’ chapter in ‘Holten Heroes: Stories from a Canadian Field of Honour’.

A/Cpl John SAWATSKY of Petaigan, Saskatchewan, aged 20
L/Cpl Merle Coleman MOORE of Breckenridge Station, Quebec, aged 22
Pte Frank Joseph BIERNASKI of Barry’s Bay, Ontario, aged 32 ****
Pte Walter James BROOKS of Toronto, Ontario, aged 28
Pte Leonard Gordon BROUGH of Sudbury, Ontario, aged 21****
Pte Steven John GRAVELLE of Peterborough, Ontario, aged 23
Pte Joseph Gerard HINDS of Orillia, Ontario, aged 20
Pte Earl Harcourt JOSLIN of Kingston, Ontario, aged 34****
Pte Ira Charles LANGILLE of Milton, Nova Scotia, aged 32 ****
Pte Cecil Albert LAWES of Frankford, Ontario, aged 28
Pte Frank Eugene MUNROE of Halifax, Nova Scotia, aged 22
Pte Sidney Alexander OSLUND of Haileybury, Ontario, aged 29 ****
Pte Samuel Donald POWELL of Newcastle, Ontario, aged 22
Pte Edgar Douglas SMITH of Parrsboro, Nova Scotia, aged 28 ****
Pte Francis Wilber SPENCER of Stonecliffe, Ontario, aged 35 ****
Pte Jack Allan STEWARD of Belleville, Ontario, aged 24 ****
Pte Roy Ivenson THACKERAY of Peterborough, Ontario, aged 20 ****
Pte George Sidney WAKELY of Port Hope, Ontario, aged 31****

….A Tragic Drowning On The Leda River….

The North Nova Scotia Highlanders were tasked with crossing the Leda River from the south bank and to then take the harbour of Leer. 5 soldiers from this Regiment lost their lives when the storm boat they were in capsized. Their stories were told in previous blog postings as a 4 part series:

….Blog posting about another soldier mentioned in the book Holten Heroes…

James ‘Jimmy’ Oliver THOMAS https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2024/02/18/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-wwii-soldier-from-manitoba-who-died-shortly-after-being-liberated-from-stalag-vii-a/

Tragedy On The Ems Part 2 will be about the other Maritimer on the photo wish list: Frank Eugene MUNROE of Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Thank you to Jan Braakman for permission to quote from his book and use of the map showing the position of the Regiments, with translation into English by Pieter and Daria Valkenburg, and to Barbara Sullivan for sharing a photo of her uncle. 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/

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

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On The War Memorial Trail….. The POW Who Raised Horses In PEI Part 3….Three Years In A DP Camp Before Finally Finding Freedom

February 28, 2025February 28, 2025 / On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / Leave a comment

Nikola Ostojic. (Photo courtesy of the Nikola Ostojic Family. Photo colourization by Pieter Valkenburg)

February 28, 2025. In Part 1, the active WWI and WWII military service of Croatian-born Nikola ‘Nick’ OSTOJIC, grandfather of Bedeque resident Liz Hubert, came to a halt when the Royal Yugoslav Army surrendered on April 17, 1941 and Nikola became a prisoner of war in Germany. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2025/02/20/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-pow-who-raised-horses-in-pei-part-1-the-serbian-colonel-who-was-a-pow-in-oflag-xiii-b/)

In Part 2, Nikola spent 4 years in a German POW camp until he was among the POWs liberated on April 6, 1945 by American troops. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2025/02/23/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-pow-who-raised-horses-in-pei-part-2-four-years-as-a-pow-in-oflag-xiii-b/)

Now, in Part 3, Nikola’s story concludes with the long road ahead of him before finally finding freedom and a new life in Prince Edward Island, and later Ontario, in Canada.

….Nikola became a Displaced Person in Austria….

After 4 years in a POW camp, Nikola had to make a decision once he was liberated – whether to return to Serbia – now part of Yugoslavia and under Communist rule, or refuse repatriation. Nikola refused to be repatriated.

Map shows location of Hammelburg where Oflag XIII B was located, Moosburg, where the liberated POWs marched towards, and St Johann im Pongau, where Nikola lived in a DP camp. (Map source: Google maps)

After being liberated from the POW Camp Oflag XIII B on April 6, 1945, it appears that he went his own way, as many former POWs did. According to a report on the Liberation of Stalag 7A in Moosburg, written by Col. Paul Goode, the Senior American Officer at Oflag XIII B, after liberation, the group of freed POWs “….stayed at Hammelburg about a week, and then was marched to Stalag A, Moosburg. It took 15 days to cover about 90 miles. There was no particular attempt at control, and escape was extremely easy, and many officers did escape, and many more just wandered off to live in the country and were ultimately picked up by the SS…”

Liz believed that Nikola was among the officers who escaped “….with another officer and was then taken by the British Army….” No record is left of what his plans were, but perhaps he had intentions of travelling towards Serbia to find his family. If that was the case, he never got there.

On June 23, 1945 he entered Austria, and 2 days later became a resident of the UNDP-led Camp XVIII C in Markt-Pongau, now known as Sankt Johann im Pongau, a small town south of Salzburg. According to the information provided when Nikola entered the camp, he spoke Serbo-Croatian, English, German, and Russian.

As a displaced persons camp in the American Zone, Pongau had a large number of Jewish refugees, as well as former POWs, like Nikola, who didn’t want to be repatriated. During WWII, it had been Stalag 18 C, a prisoner of war camp.

The Markt-Pongau POW Camp in May 1945. (Photo source: http://www.stalag18a.org)

After WWII ended, the former Nazi territories had been divided into British, American, and French Zones. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allied-occupied_Austria)

Post WWII Austria Occupation Zones. Pongau fell under Salzburg. (Map source: https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=95563608)

….Nikola left Continental Europe….

Nikola remained in the camp in Pongau until April 21, 1948, when he was deemed eligible to immigrate to the United Kingdom.

Nikola arrived in Halifax aboard the ‘Neptunia’. (Photo source: www. http://ssmaritime.com)

On May 24, 1952 he immigrated again, leaving Southampton, England aboard the Greek Line T.S.S. ‘Neptunia’, and arriving in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. He was 55 years old.

He most likely had been sponsored by Pero Bulat, who had been born in the same province of Banija, but immigrated to Canada in 1926, and became the publisher of ‘The Voice of Canadian Serbs’. On April 22, 1947, he’d visited Ottawa with Bishop Dionisije Milivojević to ask Canadian authorities to permit 10,000 out of the 80,000 displaced Serbs in Western Europe to enter Canada. (See https://wikitia.com/wiki/Pero_Bulat)

….Nikola found peace of mind while raising horses….

Nikola (identified by red arrow) in St Peters Bay, Prince Edward Island. (Photo courtesy of the Nikola Ostojic Family)

Once in Canada, Nikola moved to Prince Edward Island, where he settled on a farm in St Peters Bay, and raised horses. Liz explained that the quieter Island life and working with horses helped him find peace of mind.

He had never forgotten his wife and daughter. He had “…connected with them only after he arrived to England. Once he got to PEI he sent for them. They traveled via boat to Canada….” said Liz. “….My mother said they landed in Montreal by boat…”

While Nikola found peace of mind on the Island, his wife Marija found it too quiet. The family moved to Windsor, Ontario, where Pero Bulat lived. “…In 1962 he was in Windsor. Pero was very influential and a great supporter of my grandfather…”

Liz recalled that Nikola worked as a bartender into his early 70s, probably at Europe Tavern, one of the many businesses owned by Pero Bulat. Unfortunately, Nikola’s PTSD never left him. “…Both my grandmother and mother said that his screaming at night never ceased….”

Nikola died on September 17, 1972 at Hotel Dieu Hospital in Windsor, Ontario, aged 76, and is buried in the Windsor Memorial Gardens. His 1972 obituary in the ‘Voice of Canadian Serbs’ summed up how so many felt about Nikola. “….Everyone who knew him, thought that his zest for life, vitality, and physical endurance and strength were invincible…At the cemetery, final words to the Colonel were given by the famous Nationalist Pero Bulat with heartwarming words of the man who arrived in Canada and his lifework: ‘this is how we lost another unbeatable national fighter’….”

….Reflections from Nikola’s granddaughter….

Daria (standing) with Liz Hubert. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

Researching the story of Nikola Ostojic was done with the active assistance of Liz Hubert and her brother Alexander. Liz’s reaction was similar to that of what Pieter and I experienced when we researched my father’s WWII story. “… It was so difficult to see, it’s so real now I feel like I’m living it….”

As we came to the end of Nikola’s story, Liz expressed her “…reflecting thoughts on this experience with my grandfather….As a child, the towering presence of my Grandfather shone over me like a guiding beacon, inspiring awe and reverence. Throughout this process of discovery of the man he truly was, as an adult, I came to appreciate the complexity, struggles, triumphs, and passions of his life. Understanding him allowed me to understand myself, instilling a sense of responsibility, empathy, and gratitude…”

Thank you to Liz Hubert for sharing photos and information on her grandfather, and translating his obituary into English. If you have a story or photo to share, please contact Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com or comment on the blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

….Previous stories about WWII POWs….

To read previous stories about WWII POWs see:

….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/

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

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On The War Memorial Trail….. The POW Who Raised Horses In PEI Part 2….Four Years As A POW In Oflag XIII B

February 23, 2025February 23, 2025 / On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / 2 Comments

Daria (standing) with Liz Hubert. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

February 23, 2025. In Part 1, the active WWI and WWII military service of Croatian-born Nikola ‘Nick’ OSTOJIC, grandfather of Bedeque resident Liz Hubert, ended when the Royal Yugoslav Army surrendered on April 17, 1941. Nikola became a prisoner of war in Germany and had a long road ahead of him before finally finding freedom and a new life in Prince Edward Island, and later Ontario, in Canada. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2025/02/20/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-pow-who-raised-horses-in-pei-part-1-the-serbian-colonel-who-was-a-pow-in-oflag-xiii-b/)

Now, in Part 2, Nikola spent 4 years in a prisoner of war (POW) camp until he was among the POWs liberated on April 6, 1945 by American troops.

Nikola Ostojic. (Photo courtesy of the Nikola Ostojic Family. Photo colourization by Pieter Valkenburg)

….Nikola was a POW in Oflag XIII B in Germany….

Nikola (identified by red arrow) with a group of fellow POWs at the Oflag in Nuremberg. (Photo source: https://krijgsgevangen.nl)

Oflag XIII B, the prisoner of war camp where Nikola spent the remainder of the war years, was originally in the Langwasser district of Nuremberg, Germany.

Oflag XIII B in Nuremberg, Germany, with barracks on either side of the road. (Photo source: https://krijgsgevangen.nl)

Conditions inside the Oflag were not luxurious, as can be seen in the photo below from inside one of the barracks. The bunks were stacked 3 high, there was a small stove, and a wooden table.

Inside one of the barracks in Oflag XIII B in Nuremberg, Germany. (Photo source: https://krijgsgevangen.nl)

….Families of POWs generally received notification….

Liz explained that Nikola’s wife never knew that her husband was a POW. “…She was told he was dead!…” It may be that she had received word that he was ‘missing and presumed dead’ and never got an update. Perhaps, given that his homeland was occupied, Nikola did not feel it safe to contact his family.

Normally, families of POWs received a notice, in the language of the prisoner’s nationality, informing that they had been captured, and prisoners were allowed to write to their families. As an example, Maria Wilhelmina Siersema-van Erp, the wife of Klaas “Niek” Siersema, a Dutch POW in the same Oflag as Nikola, received several notices from her husband, including one dated May 15, 1942.

The front side of this Dutch notice provided instructions of what should be sent to her husband, including his uniform, hat, overcoat, shoes, underwear, etc., the weight limit accepted, the date it should be sent by, and how to address the parcel. The letter was signed by the prisoner (not shown in the sample below).

Notice to the family of Klaas Siersema on what would be allowed in a package to be sent to him. (Source: https://digitalkinblog.wordpress.com)

On the back side of the notice was an announcement that the Fuhrer of the German Empire had previously approved the release of officers in captivity, but that they were again being taken into custody because of their more recent actions against Nazi efforts.

Announcement with the justification for not releasing captive officers. (Source: https://digitalkinblog.wordpress.com)

A May 29, 1942 postcard from Klaas Siersema, written in German and Dutch, informed his family that he was a POW at the camp, that he was in good health, and advised that mail was not being received on a regular basis due to a camp reorganization.

May 29, 1942 postcard from Klaas Siersema advising that he was a POW. (Source: https://digitalkinblog.wordpress.com)

…. Oflag XIII B moved from Nuremberg to Hammelburg in April 1943….

Nikola (identified by red arrow) with a group of fellow POWs. (Photo courtesy of the Nikola Ostojic Family.

In April 1943, about 3,000 officers, many who had been, like Nikola, members of the Yugoslavian General Staff, were moved to a site 3 km (1.9 miles) south of the town of Hammelburg, just north of Schweinfurt in Bavaria, Germany. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oflag_XIII-B)

Life in the POW camp was difficult, especially given the Nikola was 44 years old at the time of his imprisonment, and not a young man in his early 20s. His 1972 obituary in the ‘Voice of Canadian Serbs’ noted that he “…endured severe abuse that led to a physical and psychological breakdown. …”

A March 25, 1945 report on conditions in the camp, prepared after a debriefing of the Senior American Officer at the camp, described the food allowed to prisoners: “….The German ration…consisted of coffee for breakfast, soup for lunch, made from barley, oatmeal, meat stock or dried vegetables, and at night the POWs were fed boiled potatoes and 1/10th of a loaf of bread, with a bit of margarine. They received a weekly issue of 4 or 5 tablespoons of sugar, and a small amount of jam once a week. They were not issued any Red Cross parcels….”

…. Nikola was among the POWs liberated on April 6, 1945….

On April 6, 1945, Nikola was one of 1,300 prisoners of war liberated by the US Army’s 14th Armored Division, 19th Armored Infantry battalion, and tanks from the 47th Medium Tank Battalion, Combat Command B (CCB).

As troops approached the Oflag, they came under sporadic fire from German machine guns. Infantry from of the 19th found the prison gates and forced an opening into the Oflag where they found a large contingent of Serbian and American officer prisoners.

You can watch a short YouTube video on the liberation here:

While Nikola had suffered in the POW camp, Nikola’s wife and daughter, who remained at home in Serbia, found themselves in peril when Hungarian troops came to the farm in 1943, raided the farm of supplies, and abused his wife. It wasn’t until 1945 that they received a letter advising that Nikola had survived the war years.

After 4 years in a POW camp, Nikola had to make a decision once he was liberated – whether to return to Serbia, now part of Yugoslavia and under Communist rule – or refuse repatriation. In Part 3, Nikola’s story continues as, in a bid for freedom, he next ended up in a displaced persons camp in Austria, before finally immigrating to Canada.

© Daria Valkenburg

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On The War Memorial Trail…..The POW Who Raised Horses In PEI Part 1….The Serbian Colonel Who Was A POW In Oflag XIII B

February 20, 2025February 20, 2025 / On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / 2 Comments

February 20, 2025. Living on Prince Edward Island, it’s unusual to not only meet someone who has a shared Eastern European heritage, but whose family history was impacted by WWII. My father was taken at age 14 from his home in Western Ukraine to work in Germany and over several years, Pieter and I ‘walked in his footsteps’ in an attempt to understand what he experienced, and documented our findings in a 4 part series that saw him go from Germany to England and then finally to Canada:

My father was in Germany at the same time as Nikola ‘Nick’ OSTOJIC, grandfather of Bedeque resident Liz Hubert. While my teenaged father was a labourer, Liz’s grandfather was a prisoner of war. After WWII ended, both ended up in displaced persons’ camps before finally finding freedom and a new life in Canada….but neither man was ever freed of the memories of what they had experienced.

Daria (standing) with Liz Hubert. (Photo credit: Pieter Valkenburg)

….Nikola was born in Croatia….

Zirovac (indicated by red marker) is in the Banija region of Croatia, not far from Bosnia and Herzegovina border. (Map source: DuckDuckGo)

Born in the Serbian village of Zirovac, in what is now Croatia, but was then part of Austria-Hungary, on November 1, 1896, Nikola was the son of Mladen and Maria (nee Momic) Ostojic. His father was an Orthodox bishop and a senator in pre-WWI Croatia. According to Nikola’s 1972 obituary in the publication ‘Voice of Canadian Serbs’, in a family that had “…produced priests for 300 years…Nikola was supposed to continue the episcopal tradition, but he loved medicine….” (Translation from the original Russian by Liz Hubert)

The oldest child, with 9 younger sisters, Nikola became the head of the family after his father died when he was 18, and his mother died a year later. Liz proudly noted that her grandfather “…sent money home to his sisters after he joined the army…” and made sure that “…all of his sisters were educated…”

….Nikola’s medical school training was interrupted by WWI….

The ‘Voice of Canadian Serbs’ obituary noted that 19 year old Nikola’s medical school training was interrupted in 1915 when he was “…mobilized by the Austro-Hungarian military…” and sent to a “…school for Officers in the Reserves. Upon completion of training, he was immediately sent in 1916 to the Russian front. He deserted the Austro-Hungarian Army in Russia and joined the volunteer corps in Odessa, destined for the Salonika Front….”

Serbia had resisted the attacks of the Austro-Hungarian Army in the opening months of the First World War. But, in October 1915, the combined forces of Austria, Germany, and Bulgaria overwhelmed her armies and conquered the country.

As Serbia was an ally of Britain, a multi-national Allied force, under French command, with French, Serbian, British, Russian, and Italian troops, fought against the Bulgarians and their allies in what became known as The Salonika Campaign.

In 1918, when Nikola arrived in Salonika, he was “….deployed to the battle front. As a Major in the 6th division of the Drina Infantry, he participated in the breakthrough of the Salonika front, freeing his homeland…”

Liz explained that Nikola received the Medal of Honour after being wounded during the rescue of soldiers trapped in trenches.

The Salonika Campaign ended with an armistice signed by Bulgaria on September 28, 1918, and resulted in the defeat of Bulgaria, the liberation of Serbia and strategic exposure of Austria and Turkey. (For more information on The Salonika Campaign, see https://www.nam.ac.uk/explore/salonika-campaign)

Salonika, today known as Thessaloniki, is a port in the northern Greek region of Macedonia, and is a city I’d visited many decades ago after I graduated from university.

….Nikola remained in the military post WWI….

Nikola Ostojic. (Photo courtesy of the Nikola Ostojic Family. Photo colourization by Pieter Valkenburg)

After WWI ended, Nikola remained in the military, in the Royal Yugoslav Army, which existed from the establishment of Yugoslavia in December 1918 until its surrender on April 17, 1941 to an invading force of Germans, Italians, and Hungarians. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_Yugoslav_Army#April_1941_Campaign)

Nikola Ostojic and Marija Lovas on their wedding day in 1938. (Photo courtesy of the Nikola Ostojic Family)

Before that fateful day, Nikola had married Marija Lovas, who he’d met at a dance, in February 1938. Their daughter Radmilai, Liz’s mother, was born on July 28, 1939. The family lived on a farm in Backi Petrovic in Serbia, near the Hungarian border. Liz explained that the farm that Nikola grew up on had been sold prior to WWII after his sisters were no longer living there.

At the time of the surrender of the Royal Yugoslav Army, Nikola, now a Colonel, was, per the ‘Voice of Canadian Serbs’ obituary, on the “…main General Staff in Belgrade where he was serving as the head of a classified Intelligence unit…”

….Nikola became a POW and was sent to Oflag XIII B….

Liz’s research unveiled a Red Cross document summarizing what happened to Nikola when the Royal Yugoslav Army surrendered. “….The Red Cross filed my Grandfather as captured in Sarajevo on April 17, 1941 and sent to OFLAG XIII B, POW # 99104. At this time he ranked as Pukovnik, which translated into Colonel…. He was captured by the German-Italian Military in Sarajevo…”

An Oflag was a Prisoner of War (POW) Camp for officers, as opposed to a Stalag, which held mostly enlisted men. Oflag XIII B, opened for Yugoslav officers, was originally in the Langwasser district of Nuremberg.

Oflag XIII B in Nuremberg, Germany. (Photo source: https://krijgsgevangen.nl)

Life in the POW camp was difficult, and one that Nikola endured for 4 years. In Part 2, Nikola’s story continues with his time in the POW camp until the camp was liberated on April 6, 1945 by American troops.

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On The War Memorial Trail…..The WWII Soldier From Prince Edward Island Who Lost His Life In Germany Two Days Before His 21st Birthday

February 12, 2025 / On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / Leave a comment

February 12, 2025. Once you visit a Canadian War Cemetery and place down a flag by the grave of a soldier from the province where you live, it stays with you, and makes you wonder about the young man who is buried there.

In 2017, when we visited the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands, with our friends Ad and Noor Scheepers, we had a list of soldiers from Prince Edward Island buried there, but only knew the story of one, George Preston SMITH, whose name is listed on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion. (See On the War Memorial Trail ….. At The Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek and On the War Memorial Trail ….. PEI Soldiers Buried In The Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek and https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2018/03/21/another-photo-for-wwii-soldier-george-preston-smith/)

Ad and Noor Scheepers with Pieter (right) by the grave of Arthur Gaudet at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Since then, Pieter has researched and we’ve told the stories of 12 more Islanders buried in that Dutch cemetery. Our 14th story is about Arthur GAUDET of Mount Carmel, Prince Edward Island. While Arthur had been on the list of Islanders buried in Groesbeek, he was not on the cemetery’s photo wish list as they had a photo of him.

15 Pointe is a cape not far from Mount Carmel, Prince Edward Island. (Map source: https://www.geodata.us/canada_names_maps)

Born February 28, 1924 in 15 Pointe, near Mount Carmel, Prince Edward Island, Arthur was the son of Joseph Stanley and Mary Jacqueline Gaudet. He was one of 10 children, 8 of them still alive at the time that he enlisted at the No. 5 District Depot in Quebec City, Quebec on July 24, 1942. His three older brothers were also in the Canadian Army.

Arthur Gaudet. (Photo courtesy of Alice van Bekkum, Chair of the Faces To Graves Foundation Groesbeek)

According to his Personnel Selection Record, Arthur spoke English, not French, and had completed Grade 9. He was working as a labourer for the PEI Bag Company. (See https://atlanticbusinessmagazine.ca/web-exclusives/89-years-in-the-bag-and-counting-for-p-e-i-bag-company/)

After completing his basic training, Arthur was sent to No. 22 Canadian Army Educational (Basic) Training Centre in North Bay, Ontario on September 19, 1942.

He remained there until December 2, 1942, when he was transferred to A1 Canadian Artillery Training Centre (CATC) in Camp Petawawa, Ontario, for training as a gunner. While still at A1 CATC, he qualified as a Driver i/c Class III wheeled vehicles on January 29, 1943. (The term ‘Driver i/c’ refers to ‘Driver, internal combustion’. Class III meant he was qualified to drive heavy trucks and armoured cars, but not tanks.)

On February 8, 1943, he was granted embarkation leave until February 21, 1943, the last chance he would have to see his family before going overseas.

….Arthur left Canada for overseas service….

On March 24, 1943, Arthur left Canada for the United Kingdom. Upon arriving on March 31, 1943 he was assigned to No. 3 Canadian Artillery Reinforcement Unit (CARU).

On June 18, 1943, Arthur was transferred to No. 3 Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery for Light Machine-Gun and Rifle training, and undertook various Tests of Elementary Training (TOET).

Arthur was allocated to the X-4 Reinforcement List of the Canadian Infantry Corps (CIC), part of the 10th Battalion, 21st Army Group, on June 21, 1944, in preparation for going to North West Europe.

….Arthur was transferred to Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal….

Arthur Gaudet joined Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal near Etavaux, France, indicated by the large red marker. (Map source: Google maps)

On July 22, 1944 he left the United Kingdom for France, arriving a day later. On July 25, 1944, he was transferred to Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal, joining them in an area behind Etavaux in Normandy, France.

The Regiment remained in France until September 9, 1944 when it moved into Belgium. Arthur received a promotion to Acting Corporal a few days later, on September 12, 1944.

.….Arthur was badly wounded during the Battle of the Scheldt ….

Map shows location of Kapellen and Brasschaat, not far from Antwerp in Belgium. (Map source: DuckDuckGo)

On October 2, 1944, the Battle of the Scheldt began and involved Canadian forces advancing through northern Belgium, including areas like Kapellen, to clear German defenses and secure access to the port of Antwerp.

The municipality of Kapellen, in Belgium, was liberated on October 4, 1944 by Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal. The war diary entry for October 4, 1944 for Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal confirmed this. “…Advance up to Brasschaat. In the afternoon, advance towards Cappellan, which we taken, then sweep towards north-east of town. Positions at night, anti-tank ditch 2 miles from Cappellan…” Cappellan is the old spelling of Kapellen.

Arthur, who was in ‘A’ Company, was wounded by a bullet in the shoulder on October 5, 1944 and was evacuated to No. 9 Canadian General Hospital (CGH) in Horsham, England. After a recuperation period of three months, Arthur left the United Kingdom on January 10, 1945, returning to Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal 2 days later. He joined them in Mook, The Netherlands, which is near Nijmegen.

.….Arthur lost his life during Operation Blockbuster ….

By February 17, 1945, the Regiment was in Germany, in place for Operation Blockbuster, as part of the 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade, along with several other Canadian Regiments. The Operation was to begin at dawn on February 26, 1945. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Blockbuster)

Arthur Gaudet lost his life during a battle near Kalkar, Germany. (Map source: DuckDuckGo)

On February 25, 1945, the war diary for Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal recorded that during a briefing of troops for Operation Blockbuster, the brigade’s task was “…to capture high ground west of Kalkar. The attack is to be made at night with troops mounted on tanks….” Kalkar is a municipality in the district of Kleve, in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany, and is located near the Rhine River.

The war diary for February 26, 1945 described what happened. “….The attack commenced at 0400 hrs under cover of an artillery barrage. Camerons of Canada regiment on our right encountered mines a few hundred yards from the FDL’s which caused the Commander’s tank to be knocked out resulting in considerable confusion. South Saskatchewan regiment on our left and our Battalion reached the objective…” FDL refers to the French acronym for Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal.

During the February 26, 1945 attack, Arthur was wounded and died later that day. He was two days short of his 21st birthday!

Arthur lost his life about a week before another soldier in the same Regiment, Joseph ‘Albert Noel’ LAMONTAGNE, whose story was previously told, lost his on March 3, 1945. See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2025/02/05/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-wwii-soldier-from-saint-basile-who-lost-his-life-during-the-advance-towards-xanten/

.….11 other soldiers died on February 26, 1945….

Arthur was one of 12 members of Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal who lost their lives on February 26, 1945. The other 11 were:

Private Rosaire BELLERIVE of Ste Flore, Quebec, aged 19
Private Romeo BENOIT of Montreal, Quebec, aged 41
Private Joseph Wilfrid Rheal GUERTIN of Moose Creek, Ontario, aged 19
Private Marcel LAVIGNE of Henri, Montreal, Quebec, aged 19
Private Maurice PAQUETTE of Sherbrooke, Quebec, aged 22
Lieutenant Ovide Joseph PAQUETTE of North Bay, Ontario, aged 24
Private Paul Eugene PARENT of St. Honore, Beauce County, Quebec, aged 24
Private Alphie Raymond PELTIER, born in Chatham, Ontario, aged 30
Private Jean Marie ST ONGE of Amqui, Quebec, aged 23
Lieutenant Robert TALBOT of Quebec City, Quebec, aged 25
Private Vincent THIBODEAU of Maria, Bonaventure County, Quebec, aged 24

.….Arthur is buried in Groesbeek….

Arthur was initially buried in the Canadian Military Cemetery in Bedburg, Germany, before being reburied in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands.

Grave of Arthur Gaudet in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

Thank you to Alice van Bekkum, Chair of the Faces To Graves Foundation Groesbeek, for sending Pieter that initial list of soldiers from Prince Edward Island who are buried in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands. If you have a story or photo to share, please contact Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com or comment on the blog.

….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/

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On The War Memorial Trail….. The WWII Soldier From Saint-Basile Who Lost His Life During The Advance Towards Xanten

February 5, 2025February 11, 2025 / On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / 4 Comments

February 5, 2025. We never know what a photo search might lead to once Pieter begins researching a soldier. In the case of a WWII soldier listed as being from New Brunswick, the search led to his birth in the province of Quebec, to his enlistment in Ontario, to the widow of his nephew, and finally to a Legion in New Brunswick where a shadow box with photos had been donated.

Joseph ‘Albert Noel’ LAMONTAGNE was born on December 25, 1918 in Saint-Basile, Quebec, the son of Joseph Lamontagne and Marie ‘Alexina’ Jacques. Saint-Basile is in Portneuf Regional County Municipality in Quebec, past Quebec City. To our surprise, we realized we’d driven past the turn-off to Saint-Basile every time we travelled between our home in Prince Edward Island and Ottawa, Ontario!

Albert Noel Lamontagne was born in Saint-Basile, Quebec. (Map source: Mapcarta)

…..Albert Noel enlisted under the NRMA in 1942….

Albert Noel originally enlisted under the National Resources Mobilization Act (NRMA) in North Bay, Ontario on January 8, 1942 and began basic training at No. 2 NRMA Clearing Depot, before joining the active army on January 20, 1942. He took his basic training at No. 22 Canadian Army Basic Training Centre in North Bay. (See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Resources_Mobilization_Act)

Albert Noel Lamontagne in training. (Photo courtesy of the Albert Joseph Chevarie Family)

At the time of his enlistment, he had been working as a labourer, having left school after completing Grade 3 in Quebec City. He spoke French and had a basic knowledge of English. His father had died in 1920, and his mother had remarried, in 1928, to Emilien Chevarie. His brother, Paul-Emile, was also in the Canadian Army. As well, he had a sister Rose-Aimée, a half-brother George, and a half-sister Juliette.

….George Chevarie’s son was the key to finding a photo of Albert Noel….

It was through Albert Noel’s half-brother, George Chevarie, that a photo of Albert Noel was found. George’s son, Albert Joseph, had died in 2020. However, after Pieter spoke to Joyce Chevarie, the widow of Albert Joseph Chevarie, she told him that her husband had donated a shadow box with a photo of Albert Noel, a letter, and his medals to the Royal Canadian Legion branch in Richibucto, New Brunswick.

Pieter then got in contact with the Legion in Richibucto. Legion Branch president Malcolm John took everything out of the shadow box donated by the family of Albert Chevarie, photographed each item, and emailed the photos to Pieter! The next time we were in New Brunswick, we visited the Legion and met Malcolm.

Pieter with Malcolm John (right), President of the Richibucto Legion in New Brunswick. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

….Albert Noel served in Newfoundland….

On March 12, 1942, Albert Noel was sent to A23 Coast Defence and Anti-Aircraft Artillery Advanced Training Centre (CD & AA) in Halifax, Nova Scotia. A23 was a Coast and Anti-Aircraft Artillery Training Centre established to train coast and anti-aircraft gunners.

Upon completing his training, Albert Noel was given embarkation leave on May 5, 1942, prior to being posted to Newfoundland with the 106th Coast Battery of the Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA) on June 1, 1942. The Battery was part of Atlantic Command, tasked with strengthening and administering home defence facilities on Canada’s Atlantic Coast.

Albert Noel was in Botwood, at a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) base, which had aircraft patrolling the east coast of the Atlantic. Canadian Army personnel based at Botwood were charged with protection of military facilities that had been installed there. (See https://www.heritage.nf.ca/articles/politics/botwood-base.php)

Location of Botwood Military Base in Newfoundland. (Map source: http://postalhistorycorner.blogspot.com/2012/12/wwii-canadian-forces-in-newfoundland.html)

Albert Noel was in Newfoundland at the same time as two other soldiers whose stories have been told on this blog:

Albert Joseph COTE, see https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2022/07/27/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-wwii-stretcher-bearer-whose-compassion-cost-him-his-life/
Kitchener ‘Kitty’ LANGILLE, see https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2023/03/21/on-the-war-memorial-trail-the-battle-of-bienen-part-6-the-wwii-soldier-from-new-glasgow-nicknamed-kitty/

….Albert Noel volunteered for paratroop training….

In an interview for his Personnel Selection Record on September 30, 1943, while at Botwood, Albert Noel volunteered for Paratroop Training. The interviewer recorded that Albert Noel “….has a good training record and seems a very dependable, reliable type, although badly handicapped by lack of education. Not suitable for Paratroops under present regulations which require Grade VI education…” Albert Noel had only completed Grade 3.

On February 14, 1944, Albert Noel left Newfoundland for Shelburne, Nova Scotia and was transferred to the 104th Coast Battery of the Royal Canadian Artillery (RCA).

On May 1, 1944, Albert Noel was assigned to No. 1 Transit Camp in Windsor, Nova Scotia for final training and preparation before being sent overseas. He then was transferred to No. 1 Infantry Training Battalion in Camp Debert, Nova Scotia on June 8, 1944.

While at No. 1 Infantry Training Battalion, he was re-interviewed on June 28, 1944 and again volunteered for Paratroop Training. The response was the same: “…not suitable for Paratroops. His education is lacking…”

On July 21, 1944, Albert Noel was sent to the Training Brigade Group in Debert, and granted 2 weeks embarkation leave, the last chance he had to see his family again.

Albert Noel Lamontagne in dress uniform. (Photo courtesy of the Albert Joseph Chevarie Family)

….Albert Noel’s mother tried to have him released….

The embarkation leave in July must have been bittersweet, as after the death of Albert Noel’s stepfather in April 1944, his mother, who was living in St. Charles, New Brunswick, had contacted the Military Authorities in June 1944, asking that her son be returned home.

She was interviewed on June 21, 1944 and explained that “….I am left alone with two children, one boy George Chevarie, 14 years of age, and one girl Julia Chevarie, 11 years of age…..The reason I want my son to come home is because I am sick, suffering from liver trouble…”

Although Mrs Chevarie had acute hepatitis and was unable to work, the military did not consider this grounds to release Albert Noel. The report stated that her doctor was consulted, and in his opinion her son “…could not help her much, insofar as her sickness goes…”

Therefore, the report concluded that “…if her son was home he could not help her very much, other than financial circumstances…” It was further pointed out that Mrs Chevarie was already was receiving a Dependents’ Allowance. Albert Noel remained in the Canadian Army.

….Albert Noel left Canada for overseas service….

On September 2, 1944, Albert Noel left Canada for the United Kingdom. Upon arriving on September 6, 1944 he was assigned to No. 3 Canadian Infantry Reinforcement Unit (CIRU).

He continued his training for a few weeks before being transferred to the X-4 reinforcement list of the Canadian Infantry Corps (CIC), part of the 10th Battalion, on October 7, 1944. The next day he was on his way to Northwest Europe, disembarking on October 9, 1944.

….Albert Noel was transferred to Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal….

Albert Noel joined Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal in Noordeinde, The Netherlands. (Map source: DuckDuckGo)

On October 18, 1944, Albert Noel was transferred to ‘C’ Company of Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal, joining them in Noordeinde, The Netherlands.

Then, on December 14, 1944, Albert Noel received a promotion, from Private to Lance Corporal. On February 15, 1945, he was promoted again, to Acting Corporal.

.….The battle to clear Xanten began in early March 1945 ….

By February 17, 1945, the Regiment was in Germany, in place for the Battle of Hochwald Gap, part of Operation Blockbuster, as part of the 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade, along with several other Canadian Regiments. This offensive began on February 28, 1945 to clear the Germans from the Reichswald, a heavily forested area between the Maas and the Rhine Rivers, driving them back over the Rhine, taking the fight well into German territory.

On March 1, 1945 the war diary for the 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade stated that “…the task of clearing the high ground south of Calcar was completed…..Relief of 10 Canadian Infantry Brigade commenced at 0400 hours. Some mortaring and shelling reported during the takeover but relief completed by first light…”

This account matched the March 1, 1945 entry in the war diary for Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal. “….Battalion moves to a concentration …” near “….ESSEN to relieve 10 Cdn Inf Bde at first light 2 March 45…”

An update in the March 2 1945 war diary explained that “…6 Cdn Inf Bde relieves the Argyle and Sutherland Regiment which has been taking a severe beating by both small arms and gun fire which continue as we get in position with our companies…Enemy resistance is very stubborn and a screen of TIGERS and Self Propelled guns is reported….”

Sharon Adams wrote in the March 2022 Legion Magazine’s article ‘The Taking Of Xanten’ that “…In early March, the Canadians were assigned to take Xanten, established by the Romans in about 15 B.C. and the place from which the German 256th Infantry Division launched its 1940 invasion of the Netherlands.

It began with opening approaches to the town by Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal. Resistance was stiff. On March 3, a direct hit took out the wireless radio set and operator in the lead company…”

.….Albert Noel lost his life on March 3, 1945 ….

The war diary for March 3, 1945 for the 6th Canadian Infantry Brigade reported that it was raining as troops moved into position. “…Going was very hard due to the rise in ground, heavy growth of trees, and the well dug in positions of the enemy. The enemy within the forest is not strong in numbers but equipped with many automatic weapons….

The Fusiliers Mont-Royal started on their way at 1400 hours. Going was very hard with the advance being hampered by heavy shelling and mortaring from the south east….”

The March 3, 1945 war diary entry for Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal confirmed the challenges they faced. “….Enemy, although offering stubborn resistance in the gap, is reported to be withdrawing over the RHINE. Tac R reports the road Geldern – Wesel jammed with traffic moving north east and ferries at Wesel and Xanten very active. Enemy must hold line in front of Xanten until last possible moment to protect escape routes.

Muddy condition of country renders support task of tanks very difficult. Evacuation of wounded and transportation of rations to forward troops is a problem….”

At some point during March 3, 1945, Albert Noel lost his life during the battle, aged 26, one of 8 fatal casualties of the Regiment. The other 7 men who died that day were:

Lionel BEAUDOIN of Magog, Quebec, aged 20
Wilbert FIOLA of Verdun, Quebec, aged 19
Henry Edward LACELLE of Massey, Ontario, aged 27
Lucien Joseph MASSON of Callender, Ontario, aged 25
Gerard PAQUETTE of Montreal, Quebec, aged 22
Roger TAILLEFER of Montreal, Quebec, aged 18
Philias ZASTE of Rose du Lac, Manitoba, aged 21

.….Albert Noel is buried in Groesbeek….

Albert Noel was initially buried in the Canadian Military Cemetery in Bedburg, Germany, before being reburied in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands.

The original grave for Albert Noel Lamontagne at the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek. (Photo courtesy of the Albert Joseph Chevarie Family)

Grave of Albert Noel Lamontagne in the Canadian War Cemetery in Groesbeek, The Netherlands. (Photo source: Find A Grave)

Thank you to Joyce Chevarie for letting us know where to find a photo, to Malcolm John, President of RCL 30 in Richibuto for sharing the photos of Albert Noel Lamontagne, and to Shawn Rainville for newspaper research. If you have a story or photo to share, please contact Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com or comment on the blog.

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