Up early because we have a full but fun day…after some usual
business of course. We are off to
Holten CWG this morning where we will lay a plaque for a Cheverie lad from
Summerside and also the kids will also find each of the 19 other graves of Islanders
buried here. Most of these young
men, were killed less than 30 days and some less then a week before the end of
the Nazi regime in the Netherlands.
After a little drive (in the pouring rain once again!!!) we arrive in
this beautiful cemetery that is set in the woods of this beautiful town. Almost every house in this town
has a Canadian flag and about every 40 feet there is permanent signage that
exemplifies there to commitment to remember. Very moving to see these permanent structures dedicated to
our fine young men and women of 70 
In this cemetery, we have 19 islanders to recognize and one
especially to lay a plaque for Sapper Frederick Charles Cheverie with the Royal
Canadian from Summerside. He was killed on May 19th , 1945, actually
after the occupation had ended. He
was the son of Fred Charles and Katherine Cheverie. Husband of Mary Louise Cheverie, of
Summerside, Prince Edward Island.
John Lays the plaque on behalf of the Legion and the Sea Cadets and now
we are onto another very touching story.
Some of you mayor may not know that Bill and Ellen Martin are with us
and they are retracing the steps of both of their fathers. This is where the story gets very
emotional so I will let Bill take over.
You will see in the pic that Bill gave a great tribute to this young
man, who was a dear friend of Ellen’s dear father. I’ll turn it over to Bill….
Holten is the final resting place for Pte. Lawrence Lucas,
19, of the Algonquin Regiment whose home was in Guysborough County, Nova Scotia.
On April 23, 1945, ten days before the war ended, he &
my father-in-law, Pte. Willard Wigmore, also 19, were on a patrol to clear an
area of the SS Nazis & Hitler Youth, Hitler’s most fanatical followers. As
they were making their way across a meadow, Willard spotted a sniper in a
forward grove. He immediately dropped to the ground & yelled for Pte. Lucas
to get down. Unfortunately for
Lawrence he was unable to drop in time, and the sniper’s bullet hit him.
Willard immediately went over to him to rend first aid. Although he was still
alive, he was in great distress & bleeding profusely, and he died in
Willard’s embrace shortly thereafter.
His death was particularly traumatic for Willard. Not only
to witness the death, but he & Lawrence had developed a special bond since
they were both Maritimers of the same age in a dangerous place thousands of
miles from home. Forty years after this occurred; Willard would well up with
tears.
The epitaphs on the soldiers’ grave markers are poignant.
Lawrence’s reads: “ Safe in the Arms of Jesus. Forever loved & remembered
by Mom & your brothers & sisters.”
As I stand in the Holten Cemetery, I can’t help but wonder
how things would be different if he had survived another ten days. Would he,
like Willard, return to his loved ones in Canada, marry, raise a family &
contribute to his community. A feeling of sadness sweeps over me. I am,
however, comforted that here in Holten with its beautiful greenery, trees, and
sweet sounds of songbirds, that his final resting place is one beauty &
serenity, as opposed to the death, danger, & destruction that was his in
his final days.
 |
| Rest In Peace Private Lawrence Lucas |
Great words Bill and once again one of those moments that we
look for on these trips and often get. And in perfect form, Riley and Cameron have done another grave rubbing for Ellen and she is completely reduced to tears as the boys did this for her.
From the heaviness of that touching story we retire to the
bus, well the group does and they start to pull away from McNeill and I…very
funny David Harrod. After a couple
of hundred meters the bus slows down.
Then it speeds up again…again very funny!!! We really don’t need the extra walking because according to
Bustard’s fitbit, after returning this evening, we have put almost 50 miles on
these boots!! That’s right miles
not kilometers!!! Caloric intake
has been high so I don’t think I am coming home skinny Julie!!!
The kids are treated to a demonstration of how Gouda
(pronounced HOWDA) is made and farm also doubles as only 1 of 3 remaining clog
making shops in all of Netherlands(damn I must have been tired!).
After we are treated to the clogs and the cheese, much of which you are
going to get as souvenirs if it makes it home….the cheese I mean, the shoes
should be ok!! The farmer is quite a salesman and having fun with the kids. After the purchasing we get to go out back and play with the cows...I know, maybe kids from a big city might relish in the experience of getting their hands dirty and shoes full of manure, and there is no way the islanders will bother. Well 45 minutes later we pull out of the farm and each one of the 20 cattle in the pen got plenty of attention. Mostly the babies, but even the big ones. Some of the kids even took selfies with their barnyard friends....this generation and their damn selfies. Selfies here, selfies there, selfies selfies everywhere...always with a phone stuck in their face. Kids these days...sheeesh!!!! |
| Formerly number 207...I'll call him Kenny...he has KJ's eyes...Go Bolts!!! |
Off to grab a couple of pictures of the famous Rembrandt windmill...probably the most photographed one in the Netherlands. Beautiful country side that they have reclaimed from the sea and I can also see why the transition to PEI for many Dutch farmers was so easy. A lot of similarities!!!
Thank You....We Will Never Forget
No we were not in Denmark...not sure where my brain was at that point..can't even blame auto-correct!!!
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