Faces of our Fallen Project

L/Cpl E.R. Taylor, Holten Canadian War Cemetery

Lt A.M. Burslem, Holten Canadian War Cemetery

The Faces of our Fallen Project is being launched to further our efforts to ensure our Honour Roll members are remembered. With the success of the Graves of our Fallen Project at identifying and photographing their final resting places (only 15 more to go), our efforts can now turn to telling their stories.

Tying in with the Netherlands 2021 trip and to support the efforts underway in the Netherlands, the initial focus of the project will on those buried in the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, the Bergen-op-Zoom Canadian War Cemetery and the adjacent Bergen-op-Zoom War Cemetery and the Holten Canadian War Cemetery.

The non-profit organisation ‘Faces to Canadian War Graves Groesbeek’, as part of the Faces to Graves project in the Netherlands, aims to publish a short story of every one of the soldiers buried in Groesbeek. Their latest newsletter is HERE. Their partnership with Holten and Bergen op Zoom Canadian War Cemeteries will eventually realise a database for all of some 2700 Canadian soldiers who are buried in the three Canadian War Cemeteries in The Netherlands or whose names are on the Memorial Walls. It is intended that all online stories will be available on their site HERE as well as RCSigs.ca

We have 58 Signallers in these War Cemeteries and we want to assist with telling their stories. In addition to locally displaying these stories for visitors, Groesbeek is well-advanced with their online "Digital Monument" but none of our RC Sigs stories have been captured. In fact, to date on RCSigs.ca, only limited research has been done on two soldiers at Groesbeek (Capt Loughnan and Sigmn Rodrigues) and two at Holten ( Lt Burslem and L/Cpl Taylor).

Our project needs volunteers to research and write these Soldier Stories. These soldiers are an integral part of our history and their sacrifice cannot be forgotten. Joe Costello has collected the detailed information on our 58 Signallers (listed below) and can assist individuals with information on how to access Service Files and War Diaries, where available. If you cannot undertake this project yourself you may have a son or daughter in high school, this could be undertaken as part of the "Lest We Forget" Project or to help with an educational opportunity during the pandemic lock-out.

Please let us know if you are interested in helping with this project. The list of all Signallers buried in Groesbeek, Bergen op Zoom and Holten can help if you are looking for a relative. Joe can also assist if you have an interest in a particular unit. You might also wish to focus on a specific hometown or region of one of our fallen Signallers. As we progress, we will keep track of which soldiers are being researched and who is doing the research so we do not have overlap. Plus, if you are interested in a particular unit or individual, the Netherlands Faces to Graves team can advise if someone is already working on this individual or if they have some material to contribute. You can contact them at:

 *   Bergen op Zoom: info@stichtingbbw.nl
 *   Groesbeek: info@facestograves.nl
 *   Holten: info@canadesebegraafplaatsholten.nl

Once again, we can assist with the research if you contact us at rcsigs@rcsigs.ca.

We will remember them!

Resources for Researchers

Example soldier story: Captain Symington

Canada, WWII Service Files of War Dead, 1939-1947 (Ancestry.ca - Service files can be accessed for free, do a search and create a free account when prompted)

Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery

Service Number	Rank and Name	Date of Death	Trade	Age	Unit	Cause of Death	Details	Grave Location	Being Researched Yet
B17076	Sigmn C.H. (Charles Henry) Burgess	Jun 17, 1945	Operator Wireless and Line	34	2 Canadian Armoured Brigade Sigs	Accident	Jeep in which he was a passenger had an accident at approximately 0500 hrs. Suffered a fractured skull and died at the scene.	I.A.7.	Yes
G16011	Sigmn W.D. (William Domville) Clark	Feb 10, 1945	Electrician "A"	31	19 Fd Regt Signal Section, First Canadian Army Signals	Killed	Killed by a mine when with P Battery.	I.B.6.	Yes
K45568	Cpl E.S. (Edward Stephen) Couture	Apr 26, 1945		34	HQ First Canadian Army Signals	Accident	Killed in motor accident.	II.G.1.	Yes
B111538	Sigmn T.J. (Thomas John) Cronan	Jul 25, 1945			11 Tel Op Section, 1 Canadian Corps Signals		"Died on active service"	I.C.6.	Yes
A57804	Sgt A.B. (Albert Bernard) Eakett	Dec 25, 1944			HQ 2 Canadian Corps Signals	Accident	Killed instantly in a vehicle accident outside Rear HQ when he was struck from behind by a 15 cwt truck	II.F.6.	No
D116378	Sigmn A. (Alfred) Ford	Jun 22, 1945	Lineman	25	16 Cdn AA OR Sigs	Accident	Died from multiple injuries when the vehicle he was driving struck a tree.	V.E.14.	No
M53192	Sgt D.H. (Douglas Horace) Greenfield	Jun 4, 1945		21	3rd Canadian Divisional Signals	Accident	Vehicle accident. Died after a traffic accident between Ede and Arnheim Holland when proceeding on 72-hour leave. Compound depressed frature to skull and lacerated brain.	IV.A.10.	No
B134241	Sigmn A.E. (Albert Edward) Jay	Apr 23, 1945		21	(HQ) First Canadian Army Signals	Killed	Killed by mine while patrolling line near Arnhem Bridge.	VII.A.14.	Yes
	Lt K.G. (Kenneth Geikie) Jeanneret	Feb 19, 1945		26	Essex Scottish	Killed in Action	Killed attempting to keep the unit HQ in communication when it was overrun by enemy armour. He was last seen coolly endeavouring to contact forward companies by wireless in full view of approaching enemy tanks.	IX.E.8.	No
F78831	Sigmn E.J. (Edward John) Kennedy	Sep 1, 1945	Despatch Rider	26	2 Company, 1st Canadian Divisional Signals	Accident	Suspected drowning on the night of 28/29 August. He was last seen around midnight 28 August and his body was later found in the Amstel River on 1 September with no signs of violence or foul play.	IX.A.11.	Yes
L65754	Sigmn H.J. (Henry Joseph) Levesque	Apr 23, 1945		23	First Canadian Army Signals	Killed	Killed by mine while patrolling line near Arnhem Bridge.	VII.A.12.	No
	Capt D.S.H. (David Stephen Herbert) Loughnan	Feb 19, 1945		25	3rd Canadian Divisional Signals - "J" Section	Killed in Action	Killed by mortar fire while forward attempting to repair line to the Canadian Scottish whose companies were in difficult straits.	XI.G.15	No
C5809	Sigmn M.V. (Martin Victor) Shields	Jul 7, 1945			1st Canadian Divisional Signals	Accident	Drowned after falling into a canal (MERUEDE) while returning from a unit party.	II.A.12.	Yes
B38505	Sigmn W.C. (William Colin) Soule	Feb 27, 1945	Lineman "B"		19 Fd Regt Signal Section, First Canadian Army Signals	Killed	Badly wounded by shell/mortar fire when regiment was road moving to a new location. Died before reaching a casualty clearing station.	XXIV.B.8.	No
L58711	Sigmn R.G. (Richard Gordon) Sweeting	Sep 13, 1945	Operator W&L	26	1st Canadian Divisional Signals	Accident	Died as a result of head injuries, fracture of right arm and amputation of left thumb due to accident between a jeep and the bicycle he was riding at approximately 2300 hrs.	X.B.1.	No
C31566	Sigmn L.E. (Lawrence Edward) Wilks	Dec 18, 1944		21	No. 5 Despatch Rider Section, 2 Canadian Corps Signals	Accident	Died after being accidently shot by L/Cpl Brown	II.F.1.	No
D116199	Sigmn G. (George) Rodrigues	May 26, 1945				Died	While POW	Panel 10.	No

Bergen-op-Zoom Canadian War Cemetery

Service Number	Rank and Name	Date of Death	Trade	Age	Unit	Cause of Death	Details	Grave Location	Being Researched Yet
D24092	Cpl N. (Norman) Armitage	Oct 28, 1944	Lineman "B"		"F" Section, 2nd Canadian Divisional Signals	Killed in Action	Killed by mine at approx 1745 hrs.	7. C. 11.	No
L58727	Cpl P.A. (Philip Andrew) Bentley	Mar 30, 1945			17 WT Section, 1 Canadian Line of Communication Signals	Accident	Traffic accident	9. E. 6.	No
D141277	Sigmn E.B. (Edgar Beatty) Black	Dec 17, 1944		26	1 Canadian Line of Communication Signals (5 Contruction Section?)	Died of Wounds	60-cwt leave truck returning from Brussels was hit in the vicinity of Brasschaet with 13 killed and 9 injured.	8. B. 3.	No
B148460	Sigmn G.A. (Gordon Allan) Brown	Feb 7, 1945		19	1st Canadian Line of Communication Signals	Accident	Jeep struck a tree on the Roosendaal-Breda road at approx 1400 hrs. Severe skull fracture, both femurs and left humerus fractured as well as spine injuries. Died approximately 1915 hrs at 30 Field Dressing Station having never regained conciousness.	1. A. 3.	No
K42470	Sgt R.H. (Russell Haigh) Clapperton	Dec 16, 1944	Opr Cipher "C"	24	4 Cipher Section, First Canadian Army Signals	Killed	60-cwt leave truck returning from Brussels was hit in the vicinity of Brasschaet with 13 killed and 9 injured.	5. G. 3.	Yes
A102126	Sigmn F.C. (Frank Charles) Croshaw	May 26, 1945	Driver		6 Cipher Section, 1 Canadian Line of Communication Signals	Illness	Died of jaundice in 10 Canadian General Hospital	10. E. 9.	No
B67432	Sigmn J.H. (Joseph Henry) Fraser	Oct 28, 1944	Lineman "B"	28	"F" Section, 2nd Canadian Divisional Signals	Killed in Action	Killed by mine at approx 1745 hrs.	8. D. 4.	No
D116325	LCpl R.H. (Robert Henry) Goodyer	Oct 28, 1944	Electrician "C"	25	4th Canadian (Armoured) Divisional Signals	Killed in Action		5. C. 7.	No
B38800	Sigmn R. (Reginald) Greentree	Dec 16, 1944		32	1 Canadian Line of Communication Signals (5 Contruction Section?)	Killed	60-cwt leave truck returning from Brussels was hit in the vicinity of Brasschaet with 13 killed and 9 injured.	5. G. 5	No
	Lt A.M. (Austin Michael) Heffernan	Jun 6, 1945		25	1 Canadian Line of Communication Signals	Accident	Killed in a jeep accident near Tilburg	7. B. 1.	No
A103887	LCpl C.A. (Chancey Alva) Jones	Dec 16, 1944		23	1 Canadian Line of Communication Signals (5 Contruction Section?)	Killed	60-cwt leave truck returning from Brussels was hit in the vicinity of Brasschaet with 13 killed and 9 injured.	5. G. 1.	Yes
A2481	Sigmn G.C. (Gordon Cardno) Kilgour	Dec 16, 1944		44	5 Construction Section, First Canadian Army Signals	Killed	60-cwt leave truck returning from Brussels was hit in the vicinity of Brasschaet with 13 killed and 9 injured.	5. G. 7.	No
H8714	Sigmn E.W. (Eugene Wilfred) Leblanc	Dec 17, 1944		20	2 Construction Section, First Canadian Army Signals	Died of Wounds	60-cwt leave truck returning from Brussels was hit in the vicinity of Brasschaet with 13 killed and 9 injured.	8. B. 8.	No
A116576	Sigmn M.F. (Murray Foster) Newman	Dec 16, 1944		21	3 Signals Park, First Canadian Army Signals	Killed	60-cwt leave truck returning from Brussels was hit in the vicinity of Brasschaet with 13 killed and 9 injured.	5. G. 2.	No
B38730	Sigmn J.G. (James Gilbert) Reason	Dec 16, 1944		22	4 Tele Op Section, First Canadian Army Signals	Killed	60-cwt leave truck returning from Brussels was hit in the vicinity of Brasschaet with 13 killed and 9 injured.	5. G. 4.	No
	Lt P.E. (Pitman Elwood) Scharfe	Jan 6, 1945			Canadian Army Signals Park, First Canadian Army Signals	Accident	Killed in a motor vehicle accident.	7. B. 11.	No
A2464	Sigmn T.T. (Thomas Turner) Smith	Dec 16, 1944			1 Canadian Line of Communication Signals (5 Contruction Section?)	Killed	60-cwt leave truck returning from Brussels was hit in the vicinity of Brasschaet with 13 killed and 9 injured.	5. F. 9.	No
H19521	LCpl J.H.F. (John Harold Francis) Steeds	Dec 25, 1944	Despatch Rider "C"	24	First Canadian Army Troops Area Signal Section, First Canadian Army Signals	Accident	(DR vehicle accident?)	10. A. 1.	No
A2383	Sigmn H. (Hector) Vertente	Dec 25, 1944	Despatch Rider "C"	21	3 Despatch Rider Section, First Canadian Army Signals	Accident	(DR vehicle accident?)	5. H. 3.	No
B145193	Sigmn J.P.K. (John Patrick Kenneth) Waites	Aug 7, 1945		20	5 Cipher Section, 1 Canadian Line of Communication Signals	Accident	Drowned while swimming off the pier at Scheveningen near the Hague	8. F. 9.	No
M9059	Sigmn D.B. (Donald B.) Wallace	Oct 29, 1944	Operator W&L "B"	26	2nd Canadian Divisional Signals	Killed	Killed by mine.	12. A. 7.	No
B132375	Sigmn J.A. (Hugh Verdun) Webber	Oct 28, 1944	Lineman "C"	23	"F" Section, 2nd Canadian Divisional Signals	Killed in Action	Killed by mine at approx 1745 hrs.	7. C. 8.	No
B32649	Sigmn A.J. (Alfred J.) Wilson	Dec 17, 1944	Inst Mech Group "B"	33	2 Tech Maint Section, First Canadian Army Signals	Killed	60-cwt leave truck returning from Brussels was hit in the vicinity of Brasschaet with 13 killed and 9 injured.	8. B. 5.	No
F32205	Sigmn J.W. (James William) Yates	Dec 17, 1944			1 Canadian Line of Communication Signals (5 Contruction Section?)	Died of Wounds	60-cwt leave truck returning from Brussels was hit in the vicinity of Brasschaet with 13 killed and 9 injured.	5. F. 12.	No

Bergen-op-Zoom War Cemetery

Service Number	Rank and Name	Date of Death	Trade	Age	Unit	Cause of Death	Details	Grave Location	Being Researched Yet
B32799	Sigmn R.J. (Robert James) Clark	Nov 1, 1944		27	1 Canadian Air Support Signals Unit	Killed in Action	Reported killed in action while attached to HQ 4th S S Bde (BR).	6. B. 5.	No

Holten Canadian War Cemetery

Service Number	Rank and Name	Date of Death	Trade	Age	Unit	Cause of Death	Details	Grave Location	Being Researched Yet
	Lt A.M. (Allan Mackenzie) Burslem	Apr 12, 1945		28	Alg Regt	Killed	4 Div WD for 12 Apr says"Lt Burslem, Signal Offr with the Algonquins was killed today by a guerrilla party on the ESTERWEGEN area. WARPATH and Alg WD say: In the region of Borger/Esterwegen Germany and while driving in a jeep to visit "C" Coy in their new position on 12 April 1945, Lt Burslem and his driver Cpl Ruddy were ambushed by the enemy. Lt Burslem was killed while Cpl Ruddy was wounded and managed to crawl away.	B A IX. C. 11.	Yes
M37759	Sigmn C.B. (Carsten Berg) Davidson	Jul 31, 1945		29	3rd Canadian Divisional Signals CAOF	Illness	Died in WILHELMSHAVEN at 7 Canadian General Hospital from heart failure caused by a virus brought on by blood poisoning.	VII.B.12.	No
M36230	Cpl G.A. (Grant Albert) Druhan	Apr 29, 1945			3rd Canadian Divisional Signals	Killed	Mine strike on vehicle - Whlle returning to camp after laying line along the bank of the EIS River, near WEENER Germany, the vehicle struck a mine. He was thrown into the canal and drowned before he was found.	XII.A.14	Yes
B31573	Cpl A.R. (Alfred Rawnsley) Edwards	Apr 25, 1945	Lineman	28	5th Canadian Divisional Signals	Killed in Action	Killed in action by a direct hit while repairing lines.	VI.C.13.	Yes
D26890	Sigmn J.H. (Jack Hyman) Gaskin	May 10, 1945	Driver mechanic MV "C"	30	3 Signal Park, First Canadian Army Signals	Accident	Died of "accidental wounds"	VI.A.11.	No
H38836	Cpl R.L. (Robert Luke) Harrison	Apr 23, 1945	Lineman "B"		2nd Canadian Divisional Signals	Died of Wounds	Mine strike with cable jeep destroyed.	XI.H.16.	No
F26373	Cpl M.J. (Maurice James) Hughes	May 2, 1945		24	3rd Canadian Divisional Signals	Killed	Mine strike on vehicle.	VIII.E.5.	No
	Lt E.L. (Evan Llewellyn) Johnston	Aug 15, 1945			Royal Winnipeg Rifles	Accident	Killed in a motorcycle accident	VIII. A. 14.	No
W2073	Sigmn M.T. (Matthew Thomas) Low	Jul 15, 1945	Operator W&L	21	3rd Canadian Divisional Signals CAOF (attd. H.Q. 3rd Cdn. Inf. Bde.?)	Accident	Drowned while attempting to swim across the BAD ZWISCHENAHN MEER from Div HQ to Blue Diamond Beach at approximately 1940hrs. Body recovered 20 July.	V.F.11.	No
A50101	Sigmn W.S. (William Stuart) Metcalfe	Jun 4, 1945	Despatch Rider	24	B Troop, 5th Canadian Divisional Signals	Accident	Drowning. Body was recovered from the Loopende Diepe Canal, Groningen, Holland after a unit dance in the Apollo Club on the night of 3 June. He was observed to be obviously under the influence of liquor and was last seen leaving his billet alone at approximately 0200 hrs.	VI.B.13	Yes
B32020	Sigmn A.H. (Arthur Harold) Randall	May 9, 1945	Lineman	26	4th Canadian (Armoured) Divisional Signals	Died of Wounds	Seriously wounded when jeep struck a mine. Sigmn Rogers killed in the same incident.	VI.E.4.	No
G16571	Sigmn B.R. (Burton Ronald) Rodgers	Feb 13, 1945		24	3rd Canadian Divisional Signals	Killed	Drowned - While laying line across a gap between two dykes, the amphibious vehicle stalled and sank. He had a life belt on but drifted away and 'went under' before he could be rescued.	XI.G.5.	No
F9585	Sigmn F.E. (Frederick Erven) Rogers	May 9, 1945	Lineman	27	4th Canadian (Armoured) Divisional Signals	Killed	Killed when jeep struck a mine. Sigmn Randall injured in the same incident.	VII.A.1.	No
B113088	Sigmn F.G. (Francis Gerrard) Rundle	Jun 11, 1945		24	3rd Canadian Divisional Signals	Illness	Went to bed with a headache, in morning was groaning and delerious. Taken to No. 5 Casualty Clearing Station and died while being admitted.	IX.F.4.	No
	Capt J.A. (James Alexander) Symington	May 6, 1945		28	5 Construction Section, 1 Canadian Line of Communication Signals	Killed	Killed instantly while conducting a route recce when the jeep struck a mine at approximately 1800hrs.	XI.C.15	Yes
G53254	LCpl E.R. (Ernest Raymond) Taylor	Apr 27, 1945	Lineman		"F" Troop, 2 Squadron, 4th Canadian (Armoured) Divisional Signals	Killed	Died from small arms fire. While conducting a line recce his line crew ended up forward of Canadian lines. Owing to a crater in the road, Taylor and Cpl Armstrong walked ahead on the road and came within 6 feet of two Germans in a slit trench before noticing them. In the ensuing shooting, Taylor was badly wounded in the abdomen and legs. He was extracted but died enroute to aid.	VIII.A.10	No