Gone but not forgotten
Books and Web sites are available to find members of
the services
both here and abroad who served during war time
|
| William James Way of Saint John. This postcard picture was taken
in England in 1917. His name is in the Canadian Expeditionary Force database,
listing his regimental number as 1787 |
Mum, Dad and Aunt Sadie went to Sussex so Cliff and I were staying with Gram. She had many concerns about our safety and told us to play near the back door where she could see us.
We headed for the watering trough and were using the fallen yellow leaves
as convoys of boats going across the Atlantic Ocean. We had brought along
our spring-load pop guns and were busily shooting at the ships to make them
sink and making lots of sound effects, when suddenly Gram appeared. She asked
us what game we were playing and we eagerly explained it to her.
I couldn't understand the look of seriousness that came over her face as she quietly told us to stop our play and come into the house with her.
Once inside, she sat in her chair by the window and seemed to be thinking heavily, finally she spoke with great sadness in her voice and explained that war was not a game and that many children lost their fathers or older brothers during attacks at sea.
Last Sunday as I stood at the ceremony in East Saint John marking the 60th anniversary of the sinking of the Jervis Bay, I remembered her words.
Michael Chappell of England was seven years old in 1940 when he heard on the radio about the sinking of his father's ship, the HMS Jervis Bay.
The finding of the Jervis Bay website http://www.saintjohn.nbcc.nb.ca/~JervisBay/ on the internet by Michael's son led to his becoming aware of the memorial in Saint John. On Sunday, sixty years after seven-year-old Michael Chappell heard the radio message, he along with thirty relatives of the crew stood at the monument that honours his father and the other 182 men who lost their lives so tragically.
Several books have been compiled on the war and provide an insight into the experiences endured.
C. Malcolm Sullivan lived as a youngster on Mecklenburg Street in Saint John and has written "3 TROOP" - A fighting unit of a Canadian Tank Squadron in wartime Italy and Holland where "Fear of Failure" was finally overcome. A semi-autobiographic, illustrated Chronology of a young man's involvement, thoughts, feelings and transition in the years leading up to, during and immediately following, the 1939/45 War.
A. J. McCarthy is the author of "The Bay of Chaleur At War" - From Vimy Ridge to Vietnam. He has compiled through documents, newspaper articles and photographs, a poignant look back at the war years on New Brunswick's North Shore. Beginning with World War I, and then to World War II, the Korean War and Vietnam, he chronicles the events and stories as well as documenting the tragedy of war.
At the Saint John Free Public Library, Market Square, the book "New Brunswick's Fighting 26" and a video that was made during the spring of 1915 are available.
The Library and Archives of the New Brunswick Museum on Douglas Ave.
has copies of the War diaries of the 26th Infantry Battalion.
There are several databases on the internet dealing with veterans. Over
600,000 Canadians enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF) during
the First World War (1914-1918). The CEF database is an index to those personnel
files, which are held by the National Archives. In addition, over 173,849
pages of Attestation papers have been scanned and made accessible through
the database. http://www.archives.ca/exec/naweb.dll?fs&020106&e&top&0.
The Death Registration of Soldiers, 1941-1947 at the Provincial Archives of New Brunswick website can be found at http://gov.nb.ca/archives/ols/gr/rssd/141C6/index.htm.
The Register at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website http://www.cwgc.org/cwgcinternet/search.aspx provides personal and service details and places of commemoration for the 1.7 million members of the Commonwealth forces who died in the First or Second World Wars. The cemeteries and memorials where these names are commemorated, in perpetuity, are located in around 150 countries. This database makes it possible to identify the exact location, by cemetery plot or memorial panel, where any given name is commemorated and their name liveth for evermore.
There are many links to Military records at Todd Gilbert's website: http://nbgenlinks.new-brunswick.net/NBMilitaryRecs.htm.
Reading the diaries, journals and stories of those who went to war gives an insight into the worry and grief endured by family members waiting at home as well as details of the daily life and suffering on the battlefield.
* * *
Query 98-767
Fowlie: I am trying to locate information on William Fowlie Sr.
I believe he emigrated to New Brunswick around 1817 from England (Newcastle-On-Tyne).
I am ultimately trying to find out who his parents were in England although
I actually think the Fowlie name comes from Scotland. I am trying to find
records on what ship he came to New Brunswick on as well as to verify where
he came from. I know that once in New Brunswick, he married Bethia
Kierstead on May 30,1822 and later married Mathilda Kennedy on Feb 03,1841.
Any help that can be provided or direction on places to look would be appreciated.
-Dave Fowlie, 13678 Bent Tree Circle #202, Centreville, VA, 20121,
USA. E-mail to DaveF14197@aol.com.
Query 98-768
Ryder: My great-great-grandfather, William Ryder is recorded as
dying on Darling's
Island in 1870. I have copies of two deeds dated 1832 for property
- lot # 11 on Darling's Island and the other may be near Salt Springs. I
am interested in gathering information on Darlings Island and the families
who lived there. I would also appreciate hearing from anyone with information
on the Ryder family.
-Diane Fontaine, 150 Maple Ave., Rutland, MA, 01543, USA.
E-mail to diana_fontaine@yahoo.com.
Query 98-769
Marchbank - Floyd - Wilson - Turner: Adam Marchbank was probably
born in Scotland. He married Diana Floyd, possibly born in Northern Ireland,
on January 13, 1827 in Saint John. Their daughter Mary Jane Marchbank married
Andrew Wilson and they had 5 children including my Great-grandmother, Elswitha
Wilson, born Feb. 06,1863. Elswitha married Douglas Edward Turner on
Dec. 28, 1886 in Saint John and they took their family to Billerica, Massachusetts
prior to October 1904 (naturalization date). I have had no leads on these
three family lines and would appreciate any connections or help anyone can
provide. Thanks in advance.
-Diane Ehernberger, 396 Fireside Drive, Bozeman, MT., 59718. Email
to diane@gomontana.com.