Monday 5 November 2012

LEST WE FORGET - WORLD WAR 11


We happened to be in Amsterdam on May 4th this year, visting friends of my husband.  Our friends took us around Amsterdam and showed us the National Monument at Dam Square.  Later that night
Queen Beatrix would place a wreath to commemorate the war dead.  Our friends had invited their daughters and one of the girl's boyfriends for dinner that evening.  The young man was about 25 years old.  He knew we were from Canada and he told us:  Thank you for saving my Country , during the war.  I felt humbled.  He thinks Canadians are great people and he is thankful for something that happened over 40 years before he was born.  I wonder how many 25-somethings could say the same in Canada.

So thanks again to the soldiers in my family who served their Country.  I know it wasn't easy and I know all the scars are not visible.



Poppy on Bible.   40968 Stock Photo - 640275


CANADA


JAMES ARTHUR MEEHAN 1914 – 1969  

 James Meehan was a private in the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps Service # B98340.  He enlisted on 19 January 1940 and was discharged on 15 February 1945.  He served in the United Kingdom and France as a cook and a driver.  He went to France in July 1944 and was hospitalised in October 1944 and evacuated back to a hospital in England in November 1944 due to "shell shock".  His official discharge was 15 February 1945.  He was awarded the 1939-45 Star, France & Germany Star, the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal & Clasp (CVSM) 39-45. 
 

 GEORGE FAULKNER MEEHAN 1912 – 1985
 George Meehan was a Pilot Officer in the Royal Canadian Air Force, Special Reserve, Service # J41871.  He enlisted July 9, 1942 and was discharged in September 25, 1945.  He did not serve overseas.  He is listed as Aircrew from 1942 to 1944 and Pilot from 1944 to 1945.  He flew the Moth (Tiger & Menasco), the Harvard and the Yale aircraft.  In 1944 he was a Staff Pilot- Training Officer and from January 1945 to August 1945 he served as Flight Control Officer and Deputy Flight Commander.  He also served with the Royal Canadian Air Force from Oct 3, 1951 to Nov 10, 1952 in the Auxiliary Aircrew List Pilot Branch as a Flying Officer.

He was awarded the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal (CVSM) 1939-45 and a Pilot's Flying Badge.
 

JOSEPH HENRY KITCHEN DOWN 1914 – 1977 

Joseph  Down, was a Sergeant in WW 11, Service Number B-114182.  He was attached to The Royal Canadian Ordinance Corps as a Mechanic/Driver.  He saw action in Italy, France and Germany.  He enlisted on 9 June 1942 and was discharged on 4 Oct 1945.  He was awarded the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal & Clasp, 1939-45 Star, Italy Star, France & Germany Star.

 
FERGUS PATRICK HOWSON O'LEARY 1910 - 1946

Fergus O'Leary was a Corporal assigned to the Royal Canadian Armoured Corps, service # B/119600. He died July 28, 1946 at Chorley Park Military Hospital in Toronto. He is buried at Mount Hope Cemetery.

 ENGLAND

CHARLES STEPHEN ALBERT KENNARD 1916 – 1989 
 
Charles Kennard was a career soldier with the Buffs, East Kent Regiment.    He joined the army in 1934 and served in Burma in  1936 and India 1936- 1938.   Between  1938 and 1943 he served in both Palestine and Egypt , where he suffered a concussion.  He was attached to the 2nd battalion and served in North Africa 1943- 1944.    He was a Quartermaster Sergeant Major.  While in England he was stationed at the Howe Barracks in Canterbury.    In 1947 he was stationed in French North Africa.  He was awarded the following medals:  General Services Medal, Clasp Palestine; African Star, War Medal 1939 - 1945, Defence Medal, Clasp Malalya and LS & GC Medal (Long Service and Good conduct).  Charles remained in the Army until 1956,  he then re-enlisted under Supplemental Services and remained there until 1961.

 
JOHN KENNARD 1922 – 2007

John Kennard enlisted in the British Army on Nov 21, 1941 where he was attached to the Royal Signals until December 14, 1943.  After that he was assigned to the Army Catering Corps from December 1943 until February 1947.  He received the 1939-1945 War Medal, Defence Medal, the 1939-1945 Star, the 1939-1945 African Star and the General Service Medial, South Arabia. 

 After WW11 he joined the reserves from 1947 to 1948.  On Oct 22, 1948 he enlisted in the regular army with the Army Catering Corps where he was a cook.  During this period he was stationed in the Far East, possibly Singapore and/or Hong Kong (1950-1952), Osnerboook, Germany (1956-1964) Aden, now Yeman (1964-1966) and then based in England, he was sent to Northern Ireland (1966-1967).  His discharge date was December 6, 1967 with the rank of Corporal.

 

 

Saturday 3 November 2012

LEST WE FORGET - WORLD WAR 1

My grandfather Joseph Henry Down died in the Great War in 1915 at Ypres Belgium.  When I started researching my genealogy I didn't realise how many of my family had gone to war.  I felt sad that my grandmother had lost her husband to the war.  I felt even sadder when I realised her in-laws,  my great grandmother and great grandfather had lost 3 of their sons to the war.  Here is my list of my family and my husband's family from England who served in World War 1.  We appreciate your dedication to your country.  We wouldn't be here without you.

Picture of Remembrance day poppy - Free Pictures - FreeFoto.com


CANADA

 As a general note for the Down family 4 brothers served in WW1 and only 1 son survived.
JOSEPH HENRY DOWN 1889 – 1915

Joseph Henry Down was a Sapper in the Army.  He was assigned to the Canadian Engineers, 2nd Field Coy and died on April 24, 1915, killed in action by a bullet to the head.  He is commemorated on the Menin Gate (Ypres) Memorial, Belgium.  The following information is from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

 
The Menin Gate Memorial is situated in the Town of Ypres, now Ieper in the Province of West Flanders, on the road to Menin and Courtrai.  It bears the names of 55,000 men who were lost without trace during the defence of the Ypres Salient in the First World War. 

 
Carved in stone above the central arch are the words: 
 
TO THE ARMIES OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE WHO STOOD HERE FROM 1914 to 1918 AND TO THOSE OF THEIR DEAD WHO HAVE NO KNOWN GRAVE.

 
Over the two staircases leading from the main Hall is the inscription:

 
HERE ARE RECORDED NAMES OF OFFICERS AND MEN WHO FELL IN YPRES SALIENT BUT TO WHOM THE FORTUNE OF WAR DENIED THE KNOWN AND HONOURED BURIAL GIVEN TO THEIR COMRADES IN DEATH.

 
The dead are remembered to this day in a simple ceremony that takes place every evening at 8:00pm.  All traffic through the gateway in either direction is halted and two buglers move to the centre of the Hall and sound the Last Post.  Two silver trumpets for use in the ceremony are a gift to the Ypres Last Post Committee by an officer of the Royal Canadian Artillery, who served with the 10th Battery, of St. Catharines, Ontario in Ypres in  April 1915.

 

CHARLES OTTER DOWN 1886 – 1915 
 
Charles Otter Down was attached to the Quartermaster Service of the 12 Cavalry Field Ambulance during the first World War.  He died the 17th of June 1915 in Toronto.  He was diagnosed with tuberculosis and released from active service.

 
WILLIAM GEORGE DOWN 1888 – 1916 
 
 William George Down was a Private in the Army.  He was assigned to the Canadian Army Service Corps, 4th Ammunition Sub. Park  Division.   He died on October 5, 1916 and is buried in the Puchevillers British Cemetery, Somme, France.  Sadly William was run over by an army vehicle in the lines and died from his injuries.

 
A newspaper article in the Toronto Star, described  him a strapping fellow:

PTE WM DOWN of the Mechanical Transport Division is the third son of Mr. and Mrs. C. W. Down, 20 Bellefair Avenue to make the supreme sacrifice.  He died of wounds.  Two brothers, one older and one younger than himself, were previously killed in action.  The only remaining  brother, Pte. Richard E. Down, is on service at Moore Barracks, England.  Pte. William Down, a big, strapping fellow, who feared neither man nor devil, left Canada last May.  He was 28 years of age.  Before enlisting he was partner with his father in the cartage business at the corner of Queen east and Munro streets.

Toronto Star October 14, 1916.


 RICHARD EDWARD DOWN 1883 – 1957  

Richard  Edward Down, service # 34554, enlisted on Sept 23, 1914.  He was assigned to the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, 2nd Field Ambulance.  At the time of his brother Wlliam's death, in 1916, he was stationed at Moore Barracks Hospital, Shorncliffe, Kent, England.  He was the only one of the three brothers to return from the war. 
 


 GEORGE EDWARD NEWTON 1897 - 1917

George Edward Newton was a Private in the Canadian Infantry, Manitoba Regiment, 52nd Battalion, service # 234581. He was killed in action October 28, 1917. He is buried at the Menin Gate, Ypres Belgium.
(See the entry for Joseph Henry Down, regarding the monument at Ypres)

 


  

ELMER AUSTIN ROWE 1894 - 1918
Elmer Austin Rowe was a Lance Corporal in The Fort Garry Horse, Manitoba, serial # 117519. He was killed in action on March 23, 1918, in the vicinity of Faillouel France. He is buried in the Chauny Communal British Extension Cemetery, north of Chauny, France
 

 
ENGLAND

ALBERT HAROLD “JACK” LEGG 1894 – 1970
 
Albert  Harold  "Jack" Legg enlisted in the Army on September 19, 1914 and was demobolised in March 1919, with the rank of Sergeant.  He was attached to the 2nd division of the 6th Royal Warwickshire Regiment.  He fought at the Somme, Ypres and St. Quentin.  He was awarded  the  British War Medal, the Victory Medal and the 1914-1915 Star.  His decorations included One Gold Wound Strip and Four Blue Chevrons.  The Chevrons indicates that he was overseas for 4 years.

 
CHARLES HENRY KENNARD 1889 – 1967 
 
According to the WW1 Attestation form Charles Henry Kennard enlisted in The Buffs East Kent Regiment on 28 Oct 1915 and was discharged on 09 Oct 1916 due to health: "Irregular astigmatism and deafness not aggravated by service".  His regimental number was 8437.  He did not go overseas.
 

 GEORGE ARTHUR KENNARD 1885 - ???? 

At the time of his marriage, in 1911 George Arthur Kennard was stationed in Simonstown South Africa.  He is listed as a Gunner in Company 17 and served with the Royal Garrison Artillery, Service No. 25551.  The marriage was recorded at Alderney, Channel Islands, while the marriage took place in Capetown, South Africa.