Lest We Forget - Part 2

Photo Courtesy of Bill, Margaret and Mark Symons who visited Vimy a few years ago.

Many of the young men in our family have answered their country's call over the years.  What follows is a tribute to our young men who paid the ultimate price for their service.

Walter Cyrus Ward

Private Walter Cyrus Ward was born on August 25, 1893 in Rockford, Westmorland County, New Brunswick, the son of Captain Milton Ward and Laura Lockhart. He was a direct descendant of our United Empire Loyalist ancestor, Daniel Teed.   On May 5, 1916 he enlisted in the 145th Royal New Brunswick Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, leaving his job as a clerk in Sackville.  His attestation papers describe him as being 5'6" tall with medium complexion, grey eyes and light brown hair. As he shipped off to war from Halifax, he left behind his new bride, Audrey Lillian O'Blenis.

Some time between the 9th and 14th of April 1917, Walter was wounded at Vimy and died of his injuries on May 3rd.  He was buried in the Wimereux Canadian War Cemetery, Bolougne, France.

Walter Cyrus Ward is memorialised in the Book of Remembrance in the parliament buildings in Ottawa and on the cenotaph in Sackville, New Brunswick.  He was 24 years old and my fourth cousin, once removed.

Sgt. Belden Treen

Sgt. Belden Treen was born on the 26th of March, 1889 in Malagash, Cumberland County, Nova Scotia.  His parents were Howard Wells Treen and Elizabeth Phillips.  He was a direct descendent of the United Empire Loyalist, Joseph Treen.

In the early years of the 20th Century, Howard Treen travelled to Western Canada to work on harvesting crews each summer.  During the harvest season of 1914, Belden accompanied his father west and while in Regina, he enlisted in the 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles, Saskatchewan Regiment. On his attestation papers he is described as 5'10" tall with medium pale complexion, brown hair and brown eyes.

Belden died on the first day of the Battle of Vimy Ridge - April 9th, 1917 and was buried in the Canadian Cemetery #2, at Neuville-St. Vaast, France.

Belden Treen is memorialised in the Book of Remembrance in the parliament buildings in Ottawa and on the cenotaph at Malagash.  He was 28 years old.

Lance Corporal Burton Treen

The tragedy of Belden's death, however, was not the final sadness for this family.  Two weeks later, in the Battle of Hill 70, France, Belden's brother, Lance Corporal Burton Treen was severely gassed.  He was invalided out of the Army and sent home where he died as a result of the mustard gas on May 10th, 1919.

On the 21st of October 1918, the brothers Dad, Howard Treen was killed in a farming accident in Saskatchewan.


Private James Lester Bentley was a member of the 25th Battalion, Nova Scotia Rifles during the Battle of Vimy Ridge.  His parents were James Adam Bentley and Flora Isabel McCarthy and he was born on Dec 6, 1896 in Upper Stewiacke, Colchester County, Nova Scotia.  He was a direct descendant of our Cobequid Plantar ancestor, James Johnson and Elizabeth Patterson.  He was my fifth cousin.

In his attestation papers, he is described as being 5'9" tall with blue eyes and dark brown hair.  During the Battle, James, aged 21,  was killed and his body was never found.  He was declared dead by the military on the 29th of April, 1917.  He is memorialised on the Canadian War Monument at Vimy Ridge, in the Chapel of Remembrance in the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa and on his parent's grave stone in Riverside Cemetery, Upper Stewiacke, Colchester County, Nova Scotia.

Private Harry Graham Cooke lost his life on the 26th of October 1917 at Ypres, Belgium. Born at Portaupique in Colchester County, Nova Scotia, he was the son of   Charles Herbert Cooke and Florence Lewis.  As a young man, he moved to Vancouver where he worked as a store clerk before enlisting on April 3, 1916.  Harry was 19 years of age when he died and although his remains were never recovered, he is memorialized at the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres and in the Chapel of Remembrance at the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa.  Harry was my third cousin, once removed.

Private Aubrey Clair Fisher

Private Aubrey Clair Fisher was a member of the 25th Battalion, Canadian Infantry, Nova Scotia Regiment.  At the time of enlistment he was 5'8/12 " tall, with blue grey eyes and black hair.  He was 19 years old.  His parents, David Ellis Fisher and Jane Bates lived at Newton Mills in Colchester County.  On the 16th of April 1916, Aubrey was killed in action at Ypres and he, too is memorialized at the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres and in the Chapel of Remembrance at the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa.

Private Daniel Webster Graham was born on the 4th of November 1891 in Lower Economy, Colchester County.  His father was a sea captain, James Allen Graham and his mother, Laura Jane Webster.  He was the youngest in a family of five children.  On February 24, 1916, he enlisted in Edmonton, Alberta and joined the 78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry, Manitoba Regiment - Winnipeg Grenadiers.  He was a small man, just 5'6" tall with light brown hair and blue eyes.

On September 17, 1917, Dan was killed in action in France and was laid to rest in the La Chaudiere Military Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France.  He was my third cousin, twice removed.

Book of Remembrance Entry
for Private Charles Ernest Johnson

Private Charles Ernest Johnson he enlisted at the quite late age of 28.  The son of William and Eunice Blair Johnson, Charles was the second youngest of nine children.  He grew up in East Mountain, Colchester County and is descended from two separate lines of the Bragg Genealogy, the Campbells and the Johnsons. He was my fifth cousin, once removed.  At 5'9" tall, he had grey eyes and fair hair.

He joined the 16th Battalion, Canadian Infantry, Manitoba Regiment and was killed in action on October 1, 1918 in France.  He was buried in the Sancourt British Cemetery, Nord, Pas de Calais France.  This cemetery, by the way, is in a remote area and received very few visitors each year.

Grave of Private Harold Weldon
O'Brien

Private Harold Weldon O'Brien came from Westchester Station in Cumberland County and was descended from the Cooke and McLellan lines of the Bragg Genealogy.  He was my second cousin, twice removed.

Harold was born in October 1894 to Thomas O'Brien and Mary Jane McKim.  He was the youngest of 13 children who enlisted at Edmonton on May 20, 1916 where he had been working on a farm at Fort Saskatchewan.  He joined the 149th Battalion, Canadian Infantry, Edmonton Regiment and went overseas soon after.  He was described in his Attestation Papers as being 5'5 3/4 " tall with brown hair and blue eyes.

His death came on the 29th of September 1918 in France and his obituary speaks volumes about him:




PTE. HAROLD W. O'BRIEN KILLED IN ACTION ON SEPTEMBER 29TH.

O'BRIEN - Killed in action on Sept. 29, 1918, Pte. Harold W. O'Brien youngest son of the late Thomas O'Brien, of Westchester Station, N.S. He is another one of our fine young men, who have made the great sacrifice for humanity. He enlisted in 149th Batt. Edmonton, in 1916; had been convalescing in England after severe illness in 1917, and had returned to the front, very shortly before his death. He leaves to mourn, his mother, several brothers and sisters, and many friends. Two brothers are in khaki, Forbes in France, and Dr. Berry in Camp Devon, Mass. [Truro Daily News - November 14 1918]

Harold was buried in the Drummond Cemetery, Raillencourt Nord, France.

Over the centuries, many of our ancestors, answered the call and served in wars, from the Battle of Culloden to the American Revolution, the French Indian War to the War of 1812, to the Fenian Raids and World Wars One and Two.  Many paid with their lives.  One can only stop and wonder who they would have become, had they lived.

Cenotaph, Malagash, Nova Scotia