YouTube: Honouring The Crew Of Halifax L9561

2022 Christmas Eve Candle Lighting In The Netherlands

/ On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / 4 Comments
Dec 24 2022 Makkum overview candles Robin de Jong

Candles were placed at the graves of airmen buried in the Donia Protestant Church Cemetery in Makkum.  (Photo credit: Robin de Jong)

December 26, 2022.  A Christmas Eve tradition to light candles by the graves of Allied soldiers and Dutch resistance fighters who are buried in one of the War Cemeteries or in a municipal cemetery continued this year.

This year, we include photos from three municipal cemeteries and one memorial:  Donia Protestant Church Cemetery in Makkum, the Halifax L9451 memorial panel in Wons, Harlingen General Cemetery in Harlingen, and Sleen General Cemetery in Sleen.

….Donia Protestant Church Cemetery in Makkum….

Remko de Jong, a resident of Makkum, coordinates the candle lighting ceremony in his village. Candles were placed at the graves at 38 airmen who are buried in the Donia Protestant Church Cemetery in Makkum, located by Lake Ijsselmeer in the province of Friesland.

Dec 24 2022 Makkum foto`s gemaakt door Lin Struiving

Candles were placed at the graves of airmen buried in the Donia Protestant Church Cemetery in Makkum.  (Photo credit: Lin Struiving)

Dec 24 2022 Makkum Tabor Robin de Jong

Candle placed at the grave of John Francis Edward Tabor. (Photo credit: Robin de Jong)

One of the airmen buried in Makkum is RCAF Flying Officer John Francis Edward TABOR of Ottawa, Ontario, who lost his life when the plane he was in, Halifax LK 879 crashed at sea on the night of December 16, 1944 into December 17, 1944.

20211224_170919 Dec 24 2022 Makkum Nisbet Robin de Jong

Candle placed at the grave of George David Nisbet. (Photo credit: Robin de Jong)

Another of the airmen buried in Makkum is RCAF Air Gunner Sgt George David NISBET of Conquest, Saskatchewan, whose body was recovered from the sea on June 7, 1944, after being reported missing on May 24, 1944.

…The Halifax L9561 memorial panel in Wons…

The De Jong family travelled to Wons, also in the province of Friesland, to place a candle at the Halifax L9561 memorial panel.  This memorial, unveiled in October 2019, honours the crew of Halifax L9561.  WW2 pilot Elmer Bagnall MUTTART of Cape Traverse, Prince Edward Island lost his life on October 12, 1941, but the rest of the crew were able to safely bail out of the burning plane.  (For a short documentary on the unveiling of the memorial panel and the crew of Halifax L9561, see https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71Rzg07kPw0&list=PLaJcEVojJra-ZwR6rvb-THj8Zr2QbUXLT&index=2

20221224_130222 Dec 24 2022 Candle by memorial panel in Wons Robin de Jong

Candle placed at the memorial panel in Wons, honouring the crew of Halifax L9561. (Photo credit: Robin de Jong)

…Harlingen General Cemetery in Harlingen…

20221225_163618 Dec 24 2022 Harlingen

Candles placed at graves of Allied airmen in Harlingen General Cemetery.  (Photo credit: Willem Visser)

Willem Visser sent photos taken during the candle lighting in Harlingen General Cemetery in Harlingen, in the province of Friesland.

In the photo above, RCAF Flight Sgt Elmer Bagnall MUTTART of Cape Traverse, Prince Edward Island, who is commemorated on the memorial panel in Wons, is buried at the very far right in the front row.

The second row, on the left, contains the graves of Murray Ralph KLEISDORFF of Australia and three unknown airmen, all from Halifax W1175 LQ-Q of the 405th Vancouver Squadron RCAF, which came down into the Wadden Sea on June 28, 1942.  Perhaps one of these unknown graves contains the remains of RCAF Warrant Officer Class II Rowan Charles FITZGERALD of Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, who was the navigator aboard the flight. (See https://onthewarmemorialtrail.com/2022/10/12/on-the-war-memorial-trail-well-never-forget-uncle-bunky/)

DSC_0049Dec 24 2022 Harlingen Muttart

Candle placed at the grave of Elmer Bagnall Muttart. (Photo credit: Willem Visser)

DSC_0055 Dec 24 2022 Harlingen Kleisdorff and maybe FitzGerald

Candles placed at the graves of Murray Ralph Kleisdorff and unknown graves from the same flight. (Photo credit: Willem Visser)

…Sleen General Cemetery in Sleen…

Harlingen, Makkum, and Wons are all in the province of Friesland.  Sleen is a village in the province of Drenthe.  An upcoming story in 2023 will be about RCAF Flight Sgt John Douglas ‘Jack’ MACKENZIE of Winnipeg, Manitoba, who lost his life on February 4, 1943 when the plane he was piloting, Halifax DU 630-T, was hit by artillery fire.

When asked by Remco de Jong, Hans Buls sent photos of the candles lit for Jack MacKenzie and three of his crewmates: William Peter DUTHIE of Winnipeg, Manitoba; Lennox Alwin GONNETT of Westmount, Quebec; Raymond Hepton HILL of Montreal, Quebec.

Dec 24 2022 fotos lichtjes oorlogsgraven 2022 Begraafplaats Sleen (Drenthe) Hans Buis

List of Allied airmen buried in Sleen General Cemetery.  (Photo credit: Hans Buls)

Dec 24 2022 J.D Mackenzie Begraafplaats Sleen (Drenthe) Hans Buis

Candle placed at the grave of John Douglas ‘Jack’ MacKenzie. (Photo credit: Hans Buls)

Dec 24 2022 W.P Duthie Begraafplaats Sleen (Drenthe) Hans Buis

Candle placed at the grave of William Peter Duthie. (Photo credit: Hans Buls)

Dec 24 2022 L.A.J Gonnett Begraafplaats Sleen (Drenthe) Hans Bais

Candle placed at the grave of Lennox Alwin Gonnett. (Photo credit: Hans Buls)

Dec 24 2022 R.H Hill Begraafplaats Sleen (Drenthe) Hans Buis

Candle placed at the grave of Raymond Hepton Hill. (Photo credit: Hans Buls)

….Over 7,600 Canadian soldiers are buried in The Netherlands!…

Kudos to the Dutch, who never forget the sacrifices made by Allied soldiers! Over 7,600 Canadian soldiers are buried in The Netherlands and they are not forgotten.  Thank you to Remco de Jong for sharing photos from Makkum and Wons taken by Lin Struiving and his son Robin, to Hans Buls for sharing photos from Sleen (check out the Hans Buls Photography Facebook page), and to Willem Visser for sharing photos from Harlingen.

If you have a story or photo to share about Canadian military personnel buried in The Netherlands, please contact Pieter at memorialtrail@gmail.com, comment on the blog, or tweet to @researchmemori1.

…Previous postings about Christmas Eve Candle Lighting…

…Want to follow our research?….

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

Front cover OnTheWarMememorialTrailinEuropeDaria’s book ‘No Soldier Buried Overseas Should Ever Be Forgotten‘ is available in print and e-book formats.  Net proceeds of book sales help support research costs and the cost of maintaining this blog. For more information on the book, please see https://nosoldierforgotten.com/

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

© Daria Valkenburg

On The War Memorial Trail….. ‘The Last Flight Of Halifax L9561’ Video

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October 28, 2021.  On October 12, 2021, it was 80 years ago that an eyewitness in the Wons area in The Netherlands saw Halifax L9561 ‘burning, sliding, and zigzagging through the cloud cover’. The bomber with a crew of eight people had left the English airport in Middleton Saint George an hour and a half earlier for a bombing of the port city of Bremen, but it never reached its target.

7 crew members were able to bail out, but the Canadian pilot, Elmer Bagnall MUTTART, of Cape Traverse, Prince Edward Island, lost his life, after safely steering the plane over the village of Wons before crashing in a nearby field.  Over the past few years, the story of Elmer Muttart and the project of installing a memorial panel near the crash site have been told.

CIMG3565 Oct 13 2019 Pieter by memorial panel

A remembrance project that has come full circle for Pieter with the permanent recognition given to the crew of Halifax L9561. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)

…A video by the Hunt brothers….

The memorial panel was installed on October 12, 2019, and among the attendees were Barry and Terry Hunt, two sons of the crew’s wireless operator, William Herbert HUNT.  Over the past few years, Barry and Terry worked on preparing a documentary, which was finished in time for the 80th anniversary.

The film recounts the events of October 12, 1941, as Halifax L9561 flies over the North Sea into danger in the skies above Friesland in The Netherlands, with the heroism and self-sacrifice displayed by its young pilot. It also discusses the strengths and weaknesses of the Halifax itself.  With the additional use of archival footage, the film gives an impression of what life was like for the men and women stationed at Middleton St. George, and the roles they played.

Barry left & Terry right 13.10.19

Barry Hunt, left, with Terry Hunt, right.  (Photo courtesy of Barry Hunt)

‘The Last Flight Of Halifax L9561’ runs for 1 hr 18 minutes and can be watched here:

….Previous videos about Halifax L9561 made by the Valkenburgs….

As so many Canadians were not aware of the efforts of the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation in The Netherlands, we had invited them to explain a bit about their organization in a short video clip just before the memorial panel was installed on October 12, 2019.  See Honouring The Crew Of Halifax L9561 here:

poster He Died That We Might Live

Poster design by Olli Nattress.

We also made a short documentary about the events on October 12, 2019, entitled “He Died That We Might Live … the story of Halifax L9561” which commemorates one event during WW2 that changed the lives of so many people.

…Previous postings about Halifax L9561…

Missed the stories about Elmer Muttart and the memorial panel to honour the crew of Halifax L9561?  See

Thank you to Barry and Terry Hunt for sharing their video and giving permission to post the video on this blog.   The story of Halifax L9561 will never be forgotten by us.

If you have photos and information to share about Canadian soldiers buried in The Netherlands, please contact Pieter at dariadv@yahoo.ca, comment on the blog, or send a tweet to @researchmemori1.

…Want to follow our research?….

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

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

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.

© Daria Valkenburg

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

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January 31, 2020. Over the past few years, readers of this blog will be familiar with the story of one name on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion – that of WW2 pilot Elmer Bagnall MUTTART, who lost his life on October 12, 1941 when the bomber he was piloting was shot down over Wons, The Netherlands. Muttart was the only casualty, as he was able to keep the plane in the air and steady long enough for the crew of Halifax L9561 to parachute out, and to avoid the village of Wons.  On October 12, 2019, a memorial panel to honour the crew on their last flight together was unveiled in Wons.  (See On The War Memorial Trail…..The Memorial Panel In Wons Is Unveiled!)

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

Wendy Nattress

Wendy Nattress.  (Photo credit: Graeme Nattress)

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

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

Oli Nattress

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

We would not have been able to produce the video “He Died That We Might Live … the story of Halifax L9561” without the goodwill and support of volunteers like Wendy and Oli for this project.  We hope you enjoy the video which commemorates one event during WW2 that changed the lives of so many people.

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

If anyone has a story or photo to share about any of the names on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion, please contact Pieter at dariadv@yahoo.ca or comment on the blog.

© Daria Valkenburg

Unveiling of the Memorial Panel for Downed WW2 Plane Halifax L9561 in Wons

/ On The War Memorial Trail With Pieter & Daria / 4 Comments

October 6, 2019.  Next week, the long journey to providing a memorial panel to honour Flight Sgt Elmer Bagnall Muttart and the crew of Halifax L9561 will end with its unveiling in Wons on October 12.  (See Update For Those Intending To Go To The Netherlands For The Memorial Panel Unveiling In Wons To Honour the Crew of Halifax L9561)

This project, initiated by Pieter in 2017 after researching what happened to Muttart, one of the names on the Cenotaph outside the Borden-Carleton Legion, became possible with the help and support of the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation, the Tryon & Area Historical Society that coordinated donations, and the many people who generously donated towards the preparation and installation of a memorial panel.  This project was given ongoing media coverage by the County Line Courier newspaper and CBC PEI, making it possible to tell the story of Elmer Muttart to Islanders.

Recently we met with the organizers from the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation in Leeuwarden, who gave us a few hints about what to expect on October 12.

CIMG3185 Sep 30 2019 Leeuwarden with Pieter Daria Douwe Alexander

We get a few hints on what to expect on October 12! Left to right: Alexander Tuinhout, Pieter Valkenburg, Daria Valkenburg, Douwe Drijver.

Family of the crew of Halifax L9561 will meet in Leeuwarden before going to commemorative events in Harlingen and Wons. Representatives from the Dutch municipal government, the Canadian and British embassies, the Royal Canadian Legion in The Netherlands and Canada, the citizens of Wons, and the many researchers who worked so hard on this project will attend these special events that have been organized by the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation, a non-profit organization of volunteers in Friesland dedicated to remembering the Allied flights that crashed in the province.

As so many Canadians are not aware of the efforts of the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation, we invited them to explain a bit about their organization in a video clip about the story behind this upcoming event:

Excerpted translation of an article from the press release from the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation:

On Saturday, October 12, 2019, it will be 78 years ago that an eyewitness in the Wons area saw Halifax L9561 “burning, sliding and zigzagging through the cloud cover”. The bomber with a crew of eight people left the English airport in Middleton Saint George an hour and a half earlier for a bombing of the port city of Bremen, but it never reached its target.

Above the North Sea the aircraft was already noticed by the German radar station “Tiger” on the island of Terschelling. Experienced fighter pilot Leopold “Poldi” Fellerer succeeded in shooting the Halifax shortly afterwards. The plane crashed just outside Wons at 10:17 p.m.

Elmer Bagnall Muttart (2)

Elmer Bagnall Muttart (Photo from Canadian Virtual War Memorial at http://www.veterans.gc.ca)

The next morning it became clear that 23-year-old Canadian pilot Elmer Bagnall Muttart did not survive the crash. “He was a gallant Captain and he died that we might live …” co-pilot Norman Trayler would later say about Muttart. The fact that the pilot was able to keep the damaged aircraft under control for a long time gave the remaining seven crew members the chance to escape from the burning bomber. All survivors fell into German captivity and only got their freedom back in 1945.

John Duffield from Oxford, a tail gunner, was admitted with serious injuries in the German section of Leeuwarden’s Boniface Hospital. He received regular visits to his sickbed from Poldi Fellerer and from Fellerer’s gunner Georg Lotze. In 1955 – fourteen years after the crash of the L9561 – Lotze, from Germany, even made an attempt to come into contact with Duffield again.

In his home country of Canada, fallen pilot Elmer Muttart has never been forgotten. His name is on the Borden-Carleton Cenotaph, a monument near his birthplace of Cape Traverse on Prince Edward Island. For a long time, the exact story behind Muttart’s death was unknown.  Dutch born Canadian Pieter Valkenburg, who lives on Prince Edward Island, delved into the history of all fallen soldiers on the Cenotaph and, as of 2016, delved into the life of Muttart. He soon joined forces with the Frisian based Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation (SMAMF), which has been investigating the air war over the province since the 1970s.

The initiative of Valkenburg and the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation to permanently remember Elmer Muttart’s last flight with a memorial panel at the crash location becomes a reality on 12 October.“

Halifax No. 76 Squadron

Halifax Bomber used by No. 76 Squadron. (Photo courtesy of Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation)

For those who wish to read the original Dutch, please see ( Onthulling informatiepaneel vliegtuigcrash Halifax L9561 in Wons )

Thank you to the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation for sharing this article from their press release and allowing it to be translated into English.  An enormous thank you goes to Wendy Nattress, who graciously volunteered to do the post-production work on the short video explaining how the effort to place a memorial panel began. If anyone has more information to share on the Halifax L9561 crew, please contact Pieter at dariadv@yahoo.ca or comment on the blog.

© Daria Valkenburg