Soldier Presentations

Several years ago we asked student participants to research and briefly introduce the group to a Canadian soldier who lies (or is represented) in one of the many cemeteries or memorials we will visit. Many students have found this a very rewarding and emotional experience, particularly for those who visit the graves of family members for the first time. It is a way to put a face on the many gravestones that we will see.

We are asking each of our participants to do the same this year. The presentation can be brief. You may choose anyone you wish: a family member who died overseas, an alumnus of your school, a native of your city, province or territory. As our itinerary suggests, we will be visiting many Canadian cemeteries of both World Wars. For the First World War, there are too  many to list, but literally dozens are close to our journeys through Northern France. Let us know early so we can try to accommodate your choice.

We are very lucky that Marcelle Cinq-Mars, a Military Archivist at the Library and Archives of Canada will be joining us on the tour. Marcelle can get us the personnel records of our soldiers, provided we give her enough time before we leave. Personnel records can tell a great deal about a soldier's background. They can trace a soldier's background, but also their training, and the units to which they were attached. They can often detail sickness, wounds, awards, promotions and punishments as well as the circumstances of their death.When read with the 'wider' picture provided through our other sources, a great deal can be drawn from these records.

Please choose your soldier very soon and get back to me, so that we can get Marcelle to retrieve the personnel records in time for us to use them. Please ok your choices with either Professor Fortmann or myself. Marcelle's contact information is:

Marcelle Cinq-Mars
Archivist
Security, Military, International Affairs and Justice | Sécurité, militaire, affaires internationales et justice
Direction des opérations gouvernementales, Government Operations Division
Bibliothèque et Archives Canada / Library and Archives Canada
550, boul. de la Cité, Gatineau QC Canada K1A ON4
marcelle.cinq-mars@lac-bac.gc.cq
Téléphone / Telephone : 819-934-7327
Télécopieur / Facsimile : 819-934-6800
Gouvernement du Canada / Government of Canada
www.collectionscanada.gc.ca

A site that may help you locate a grave in either war is maintained by the Commonwealth War Graves’ Commission. It contains an excellent search engine that can let you search by casualty or cemetery. Its URL is http://www.cwgc.org.

The Canadian Virtual Memorial website has a similar search capacity, and it also allows users to upload photographs of grave markers, family pictures and other material. Its URL is: http://www.vac-acc.gc.ca/remembers/sub.cfm?source=collections/virtualmem&CFID=12573752&CFTOKEN=77335619

The Dominion Institute’s Memory Project may also be useful: http://www.dominion.ca/

First World War Soldiers

All First World War personnel records are now open. The first and second pages of a First War soldier's attestation papers (the papers they signed when they joined the CEF) are available online: http://collectionscanada.ca/archivianet/cef/001042-100.01-e.php

Unit War Diaries from the First World War are a real treasure-trove. They are available at: http://collectionscanada.ca/archivianet/020152_e.html

Major Talbot Mercer Papineau, 30 October 1917, Menin Gate Memorial

Frank 'Mayo' Lind, Newfoundland Regiment, 1 July 1916, Hunter's Cemetery, Beaumont Hamel, the Somme

Piper James Clelland Richardson, VC, 9 October 1916, Adanac Cemetery, the Somme

Jean Brillant, VC, 10 August 1918, Villers-Brittoneux (Australian) Cemetery

Private Come Laliberte, (Service Number 416871), 4 August 1916, POPERINGHE NEW MILITARY CEMETERY

Lieutenant R.H. Bostock, Lord Strathcona's Horse, 26 July 1916, POPERINGHE NEW MILITARY CEMETERY

Ellis Sifton, VC 9 April 1917, Lichfield Crater Cemetery

Privates Olivier (814814)and Wilfred (814813) Chenier, 9 April 1917, Cabaret-Rouge British Cemetery

Samuel Lewis Honey, VC, 30 September 1918, Bourlon Wood; Queant Cemetery

Claude Joseph Patrick Nunney, VC, 18 September 1918, DQ Line, DQ Line, Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension, Aubigny-en-Artois, France

Edmund De Wind, VC, 21 March 1918, Pozieres Memorial, Pozieres, France

Private G. Bouchard, MM, (12100), 27 August 1918, Quebec Cemetery, Cherisy

Private H. Belzil, (857157), 28 August 1918, Quebec Cemetery, Cherisy

Private W Kearn, (3233275) 27 October 1918, ONTARIO CEMETERY, SAINS-LES-MARQUION
 

Corporal Englebert Arbour, Le Regiment de Maissoneuve, D/56402, 8 June 1944, (Age 27) Son of Edgar and Laura Arbour, of Montreal, Province of Quebec. BRETTEVILLE-SUR-LAIZE CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY

Private Gerard Dore, Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal, E/584, 23 July 1944, (Age 16), Son of Isidore and Marianne Dore, of Roberval, Roberval Co., Province of Quebec. BRETTEVILLE-SUR-LAIZE CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY

Lieutenant David Booth Armstrong, Algonquin Regiment, 21 August 1944, Son of Ernest F. and Edna M. Armstrong, of Cobalt, Ontario. BRETTEVILLE-SUR-LAIZE CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY

Professor Fortmann has files on the following soldiers:

Lieutenant Pierre Bazin, Les Fusiliers Mont-Royal, 15 August 1944, (Age 23) Son of Emile and Alma Bazin, of Neuville, Portneuf Co., Province of Quebec, BRETTEVILLE-SUR-LAIZE CANADIAN WAR CEMETERY

George BRÉGENT (FMR) 8/8/44 Normandy
Marcel Jacques CHEVALLIER (FMR) KIA 23/8/44 Normandy
Aurèle CHICOINE (FMR) KIA 8/8/44 Normandy
André CYR (FMR) KIA 8/8/44 Normandy
Joseph René DECARY (FMR) KIA 23/7/44 Normandy
Roger Jules Jos Albert DORION (FMR) KIA 1/8/44 Normandy
Jean Robert GREGOIRE (Chaud) KIA 4/7/44 Normandy
Gaetan LAVIGNE (Chauds) KIA 10/7/44 Normandy
Antonio Peter LADAS (Chaud) KIA 17/6/44 Normandy
Jos Marc Roland LEPAGE (FMR) KIA 15/8/44 Normandy
Alexandre MILLER (Chaudiere) KIA 8/8/44 Normandy
Guy Edmond RENAUD (FMR) KIA 4/8/44 Normandy
Jean SAINT-JACQUES (Chaud) KIA 16/8/44 Normandy
Guy Hubert TASSE (Chauds) KIA 4/7/44 Normandy