In an earlier blog in this space I told you about my discovery of a Toronto Scottish Regiment (TSR) soldier who had been awarded the Distinguished Service Order, one down from the Victoria Cross. He is buried here in Victoria at the God's Acre Cemetery. With the great help of Veterans Affairs Canada staff, well over 2,500 listings of service members buried at the cemetery, were examined and finally that of Major Curry was located.
That very cemetery joined with others in honouring those who died at Dieppe in a special August Candle Light commemorative. I attended and placed a candle at the foot of the above mentioned grave of Major John Owen Curry, DSO.
The story and image of his grave, shown here again, was brought to you several blogs ago. His DSO was awarded for bravery at Dieppe. The internet notes just a few such awards were made, but my research suggests there were many more.
That very cemetery joined with others in honouring those who died at Dieppe in a special August Candle Light commemorative. I attended and placed a candle at the foot of the above mentioned grave of Major John Owen Curry, DSO.
The story and image of his grave, shown here again, was brought to you several blogs ago. His DSO was awarded for bravery at Dieppe. The internet notes just a few such awards were made, but my research suggests there were many more.
While at the God's Acre cemetery I had the privilege of meeting Mrs. Lillian Luyk. This woman is the daughter of Ken Currry, same surname by no relationship, to the above Major. He was also a vet from the battle at Dieppe and was in fact the last living veteran in the battle from his unit, the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry (RHLI). He sadly just passed away a few years ago. (About 3 yrs after his wife of some 73 yrs of marriage.)
At the God's Acre ceremony Lillian read the formal... Act of Remembrance... to about 200 in attendance. She later agreed with my request for an interview at a later date. Such turned into several interviews, to my great honour.
At the God's Acre ceremony Lillian read the formal... Act of Remembrance... to about 200 in attendance. She later agreed with my request for an interview at a later date. Such turned into several interviews, to my great honour.
Within the massive amount of documents and pictures loaned to me was the above picture. It shows the lovely Lillian at the left, her father Ken Curry at the centre and her mother Norma on his left.
Married before the war started, Ken would be in a POW camp before learning that he was to become a father and it would be 3 yrs after Lillian's birth before the family sat in the same room together for the first time. Note her uniform! Like some 180,000 others in Britain, she would serve with the Women's Auxiliary Air Force, (WAAF)).
Ken Curry attended most of the commemorative services both in Dieppe and a few times at similar services in his home town of Hamilton Ontario. Usually his wife and daughter also attended these same services.
Speaking with Lillian a few weeks previous to the Hamilton service, I learned an interesting story. A local motorcycle club had given the family an escort the last time all attended at Hamilton a few years ago. Plans were to do the same for Lillian this year, but being in mid week, this and other complications prevented the escort taking place.
Prior to learning this, I contacted one of the former commanding officers of the Toronto Scottish, seeking to get a number of another member whom was a motorcyclist. I thought he'd wish to attend the Hamilton event. Turns out his bike was undergoing work and not serviceable.
That Commanding Officer was Lt Colonel John Nosotti who served as the commander from Dec 1982 till the end of 1985. He was only a lieutenant when I was a Sergeant in the unit back in the early 1970's. Work promotions required me to leave the TSR and relocate in Nova Scotia in the late 1970's.
Many years later I located to BC and since that move I and several other former TSR members have found each other and have had small gatherings over the past few years here in Victoria.
When I reached out to him for some info, he did not return my email for a few days. He then contacted me and said he was out of town... AT DIEPPE... the very place of the famous battle. On his return we had several conversations about the Dieppe ceremony in which he actually participated. He also supplied many great photo's of the trip.
I will share some of these stories and photo's with you in the next blog. Following that I will bring you the story of a similar event that also occurred in Hamilton Ontario. Both, like so many others across Canada, all occurred on 9 August in honour of the devastating battle of 1942.
A day that must always remain in our minds and hearts and a day of so much heroism, against incredible odds. A day of Forlorn Hope if ever there were such in Canada's military history.
After that hopefully, I will get be back on track with the history of the US Medal of Honor.
A story impossible to fully tell without inclusion of Canada's role in same.
See you soon,
Bart
Married before the war started, Ken would be in a POW camp before learning that he was to become a father and it would be 3 yrs after Lillian's birth before the family sat in the same room together for the first time. Note her uniform! Like some 180,000 others in Britain, she would serve with the Women's Auxiliary Air Force, (WAAF)).
Ken Curry attended most of the commemorative services both in Dieppe and a few times at similar services in his home town of Hamilton Ontario. Usually his wife and daughter also attended these same services.
Speaking with Lillian a few weeks previous to the Hamilton service, I learned an interesting story. A local motorcycle club had given the family an escort the last time all attended at Hamilton a few years ago. Plans were to do the same for Lillian this year, but being in mid week, this and other complications prevented the escort taking place.
Prior to learning this, I contacted one of the former commanding officers of the Toronto Scottish, seeking to get a number of another member whom was a motorcyclist. I thought he'd wish to attend the Hamilton event. Turns out his bike was undergoing work and not serviceable.
That Commanding Officer was Lt Colonel John Nosotti who served as the commander from Dec 1982 till the end of 1985. He was only a lieutenant when I was a Sergeant in the unit back in the early 1970's. Work promotions required me to leave the TSR and relocate in Nova Scotia in the late 1970's.
Many years later I located to BC and since that move I and several other former TSR members have found each other and have had small gatherings over the past few years here in Victoria.
When I reached out to him for some info, he did not return my email for a few days. He then contacted me and said he was out of town... AT DIEPPE... the very place of the famous battle. On his return we had several conversations about the Dieppe ceremony in which he actually participated. He also supplied many great photo's of the trip.
I will share some of these stories and photo's with you in the next blog. Following that I will bring you the story of a similar event that also occurred in Hamilton Ontario. Both, like so many others across Canada, all occurred on 9 August in honour of the devastating battle of 1942.
A day that must always remain in our minds and hearts and a day of so much heroism, against incredible odds. A day of Forlorn Hope if ever there were such in Canada's military history.
After that hopefully, I will get be back on track with the history of the US Medal of Honor.
A story impossible to fully tell without inclusion of Canada's role in same.
See you soon,
Bart
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