Tall Tales & Rabbit Trails
If you cannot get rid of the family skeleton, you may as well make it dance!
~ George Bernard Shaw
~ George Bernard Shaw
Veterans & War Heros...
November 11, 2023 *updated in 2024
I had a wonderful middle school teacher named Mrs. Linda Butler. She and her husband Maurice were both British Home Children and in all the years I knew her, she and Mr. Butler were passionate advocates for Remembrance Day. Upon becoming her student and spending time in her classroom, that passion for rememberance was passed on to me.
At the time I didn't think I had any ancestral war history. I was a tad jealous that my classmates had grandfathers and great grandfathers who served in the World Wars; a physical human connection they could honour and appreciate. War history was tangible to them. While I was so eager to learn about and preserve our nation's war history, it seemed a little out of my reach to connect to it on a deeper level. With my paternal Mennonite history, it wasn't really expected that I'd find any ancestors who'd served as Mennonites in general were conscientious objectors. My Mom's side, at the time, wasn't really known all that well.
My grandpa Frank did however, want to enlist but due to a past injury to his leg, he wasn't considered fit for military service and was rejected. Chances are I wouldn't be here today had he been able to enlist and go overseas.
After many years of researching and piecing together my family tree, I have located a number of ancestors I'd wished I had known about when I was a teenager in school who longed to have someone specific to be proud of on Remembrance Day.
I am proud today, though. These men and women who served, who are part of my family history and I will strive to ensure the world never forgets their service and that of their comrades. They are as follows (and not in any particular order):
At the time I didn't think I had any ancestral war history. I was a tad jealous that my classmates had grandfathers and great grandfathers who served in the World Wars; a physical human connection they could honour and appreciate. War history was tangible to them. While I was so eager to learn about and preserve our nation's war history, it seemed a little out of my reach to connect to it on a deeper level. With my paternal Mennonite history, it wasn't really expected that I'd find any ancestors who'd served as Mennonites in general were conscientious objectors. My Mom's side, at the time, wasn't really known all that well.
My grandpa Frank did however, want to enlist but due to a past injury to his leg, he wasn't considered fit for military service and was rejected. Chances are I wouldn't be here today had he been able to enlist and go overseas.
After many years of researching and piecing together my family tree, I have located a number of ancestors I'd wished I had known about when I was a teenager in school who longed to have someone specific to be proud of on Remembrance Day.
I am proud today, though. These men and women who served, who are part of my family history and I will strive to ensure the world never forgets their service and that of their comrades. They are as follows (and not in any particular order):
Jake Neisteter - Royal Canadian Engineers - WW2
Jake Neisteter was my grand uncle, married to the sister of my grandmother, Anne Loewen Wiebe. A Mennonite who served - it was taboo. Many Mennonites were shunned upon return from war as were their families.
Uncle Jake wrote a number of memoirs and poems from his service overseas which began at the beginning of Canada's involvement in the conflict. He literally walked across Europe; it's actually quite astonishing that he survived campaigns in Italy, France, Belgium, the Netherlands AND Germany!
While Uncle Jake may have not been a front line serviceman, he and his fellow engineers did dangerous tasks for the regiments they travelled with, including clearing the Scheldt Estuary in the Netherlands of landmines and booby traps.
Uncle Jake also talked about his service as an interpreter during his time in the war as he spoke English, German and Russian.
He returned home from the war and raised a family in southern Manitoba. He passed away 8 October 2012.
Thank you for your service. May your memory be a blessing.
Uncle Jake wrote a number of memoirs and poems from his service overseas which began at the beginning of Canada's involvement in the conflict. He literally walked across Europe; it's actually quite astonishing that he survived campaigns in Italy, France, Belgium, the Netherlands AND Germany!
While Uncle Jake may have not been a front line serviceman, he and his fellow engineers did dangerous tasks for the regiments they travelled with, including clearing the Scheldt Estuary in the Netherlands of landmines and booby traps.
Uncle Jake also talked about his service as an interpreter during his time in the war as he spoke English, German and Russian.
He returned home from the war and raised a family in southern Manitoba. He passed away 8 October 2012.
Thank you for your service. May your memory be a blessing.
Frank Watson - Royal Canadian Navy - WW2
Frank Watson was my grand uncle, married to another of my grandma Wiebe's sisters.
Able seaman, Frank served on the HMCS Ettrick as an torpedoman from January to June, 1945.
From what little my grandma said, he was haunted by his service. He died in 1965.
Thank you for your service. May your memory be a blessing.
Able seaman, Frank served on the HMCS Ettrick as an torpedoman from January to June, 1945.
From what little my grandma said, he was haunted by his service. He died in 1965.
Thank you for your service. May your memory be a blessing.
Lindsay Wagner - Royal Canadian Artillery - WW2
Lindsay Wagner was my grand uncle, the oldest brother of my grandfather, Wesley Wagner.
In the photo is on the far right of the middle row.
Lindsay served in Sicily, Italy and in England. He returned from the war, according to his obituary, in July 1945. He was married to Ruth Browne, but they did not have any children.
I don't know much about his service other than what I could obtain from his obituary. I've been waiting, as of the time of this writing, nearly 3 years for his service record that I applied for as next of kin. I hope to one day discover more about his service.
Thank you for your service. May your memory be a blessing.
In the photo is on the far right of the middle row.
Lindsay served in Sicily, Italy and in England. He returned from the war, according to his obituary, in July 1945. He was married to Ruth Browne, but they did not have any children.
I don't know much about his service other than what I could obtain from his obituary. I've been waiting, as of the time of this writing, nearly 3 years for his service record that I applied for as next of kin. I hope to one day discover more about his service.
Thank you for your service. May your memory be a blessing.
Francis Melvin Kilfoyle - Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada - WW2
Francis Melvin Kilfoyle was my grandmother, Muriel Izzard's, first husband. They met following his service in the Ninette Sanitorium where he was being treated for tuberculosis where she was working as aide.
Melvin served with the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada who went on the suicide mission known as the Dieppe Raid in August of 1942. Melvin was fortunate - he survived the battle and the indescribable conditions of the Prisoner of War camp in Stargard, Poland where he lived in through the remainder of the war.
Melvin and my grandmother had 3 children before he sadly passed away in 1953.
The photos below were Melvin's but I don't know if he is pictured in any of them.
Thank you for your service. May your memory be a blessing.
Melvin served with the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada who went on the suicide mission known as the Dieppe Raid in August of 1942. Melvin was fortunate - he survived the battle and the indescribable conditions of the Prisoner of War camp in Stargard, Poland where he lived in through the remainder of the war.
Melvin and my grandmother had 3 children before he sadly passed away in 1953.
The photos below were Melvin's but I don't know if he is pictured in any of them.
Thank you for your service. May your memory be a blessing.
On the back it says 'our gang - 8th platoon'.
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On the back it says 'England at the retreat'.
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Robert James Kilfoyle - 226th Overseas Battalion C.E.F - WW1
Melvin's father, Robert James, was a soldier of the Great War and served in France. He returned from war.
Thank you for your service. May your memory be a blessing.
Thank you for your service. May your memory be a blessing.
Charlie Macdonald - Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada - WW2
Charlie Macdonald was my oldest Aunt's father. He and my grandmother, Muriel Izzard, did not have the opportunity to marry before he went overseas.
While he did return from the war, he was estranged from the family and the details of his service are not known.
Thank you for your service. May your memory be a blessing.
While he did return from the war, he was estranged from the family and the details of his service are not known.
Thank you for your service. May your memory be a blessing.
Kathleen 'Kay' Izzard - Canadian Women's Army Corps - WW2
My grand Aunt Kay, grandmother Muriel's sister, served with the Canadian Women's Army Corps. While her service didn't take her overseas, she did her part on Canadian soil.
Aunt Kay later married a Mr. Milton Elswood McLean, known fondly to many as Mick. He serviced in the RCAF and as a kid I remember hearing stories about his time as a tailgunner.
Thank you both for your service. May your memory be a blessing.
Aunt Kay later married a Mr. Milton Elswood McLean, known fondly to many as Mick. He serviced in the RCAF and as a kid I remember hearing stories about his time as a tailgunner.
Thank you both for your service. May your memory be a blessing.
Arthur Royce Izzard - WW2
My grand Uncle, Royce, grandmother Muriel's oldest brother. He survived the war and therefore I cannot look up his service record at this time. His family became estranged from my grandmother and our family and so very little is known to me, about his service.
Thank you for your service. May your memory be a blessing.
Thank you for your service. May your memory be a blessing.
Arthur George Izzard - Winnipeg Grenadiers - WW1
My great grand uncle - my great grandfather John William Izzard's brother.
Arthur served with the Winnipeg Grenadiers in the Great War and saw trench warfare during his service. According to his service record, he was injured in France at a battle known as the Capture of Regina Trench which occurred prior to the infamous Battle of Vimy Ridge.
Arthur returned home to Canada a disabled veteran and married a young girl named Frances Jane Allbright who at the time, had an illegitimate child. Together, they had a son Arthur James Izzard. The couple moved to the wilderness of the Manitoba Interlake where she felt incredibly isolated. She left Arthur with her two sons and returned to Toronto. Their son Arthur took his adoptive father's name. Arthur Burke served in the Second World War in the Navy.
Arthur remarried and lived in Manitoba, then Fort Frances, Ontario where he died in 1958.
Thank you both for your service. May your memory be a blessing.
Arthur served with the Winnipeg Grenadiers in the Great War and saw trench warfare during his service. According to his service record, he was injured in France at a battle known as the Capture of Regina Trench which occurred prior to the infamous Battle of Vimy Ridge.
Arthur returned home to Canada a disabled veteran and married a young girl named Frances Jane Allbright who at the time, had an illegitimate child. Together, they had a son Arthur James Izzard. The couple moved to the wilderness of the Manitoba Interlake where she felt incredibly isolated. She left Arthur with her two sons and returned to Toronto. Their son Arthur took his adoptive father's name. Arthur Burke served in the Second World War in the Navy.
Arthur remarried and lived in Manitoba, then Fort Frances, Ontario where he died in 1958.
Thank you both for your service. May your memory be a blessing.
Arthur and young wife Frances Jane
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Arthur 'Burke' Izzard
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Herbert Henry Izzard - 1st Battalion Manitoba Regiment - WW1
My great grand uncle - another of my great grandfather John William Izzard's brothers.
Herbert served in England during the war, enlisting November 11, 1917.
It is unclear what Herbert's service entailed but it is clear that his service was contained to England.
Herbert returned home from the war and never married.
Thank you for your service. May your memory be a blessing.
Herbert served in England during the war, enlisting November 11, 1917.
It is unclear what Herbert's service entailed but it is clear that his service was contained to England.
Herbert returned home from the war and never married.
Thank you for your service. May your memory be a blessing.
Herbert in uniform.
Philip Rodgers - 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles - WW1
My great grand Uncle - Philip Rodgers, my great grandmother Minnie's half brother.
I have been searching and searching for a photo of Philip but I have yet to find one. He is shown here on the cenotaph in Madoc, Ontario.
Philip served with the 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles in the Great War. He was wounded at Vimy Ridge. His circumstances of casualty form says this:
"Died of Wounds"
' During operations at VIMY RIDGE, and when a few yards from the "jumping-off" trench, on the morning of April 9th, 1917, he was hit in the back and hip by shrapnel from a shell. His wounds were attended to and he was evacuated to No. 11. General Hospital, CAMIERS, where he succumbed to the effects of his wounds twenty days afterwards.'
He is buried at Etaples Cemetery in France.
We visited Vimy Ridge on one of our trips to Europe. At the time, I wasn't aware of his service there. I wasn't aware of his service at all. I wish I had known then.
Philip was engaged when he went overseas to a woman named Miss Ethel Wallace. He was yet another casualty of war who's tomorrow's never came. No children to carry on his name. No one to remember him.
Thank you for your service. May your memory be a blessing.
I have been searching and searching for a photo of Philip but I have yet to find one. He is shown here on the cenotaph in Madoc, Ontario.
Philip served with the 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles in the Great War. He was wounded at Vimy Ridge. His circumstances of casualty form says this:
"Died of Wounds"
' During operations at VIMY RIDGE, and when a few yards from the "jumping-off" trench, on the morning of April 9th, 1917, he was hit in the back and hip by shrapnel from a shell. His wounds were attended to and he was evacuated to No. 11. General Hospital, CAMIERS, where he succumbed to the effects of his wounds twenty days afterwards.'
He is buried at Etaples Cemetery in France.
We visited Vimy Ridge on one of our trips to Europe. At the time, I wasn't aware of his service there. I wasn't aware of his service at all. I wish I had known then.
Philip was engaged when he went overseas to a woman named Miss Ethel Wallace. He was yet another casualty of war who's tomorrow's never came. No children to carry on his name. No one to remember him.
Thank you for your service. May your memory be a blessing.
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Vimy Ridge - photos taken on our 2019 trip.
They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.
I absolutely love researching military history as I have a passion for both genealogy and war history. Do you have an ancestor who served? I’d love to help you discover their service! Ask me how I can help!