Our 2020 Pilot Project
In commemoration of the 75th Anniversary of the Second World War, Faces to Names honoured 28 men from Guelph who served in the Dutch liberation and are buried in the Netherlands.
Ranging in age from 19 to 37 – averaging 26-years-old when they died – about half of these young men were married, with children. William Cox left behind a wife and five daughters. Two of the men died just a week before the war ended.
They were your neighbours, and lived on the following streets: Gordon, Surrey, Kathleen, Wellington, Nottingham, Queen, Garden, Lucan, Woolwich, Mount, Suffolk, Verney, Cork, Quebec, Harris, Duke, Derry, Merion, Liverpool, Arthur, Mill, Stevenson, and Waterloo Ave. Now, many local streets are named after them.
They attended local schools: Tytler, Central, St. Stanislas, GCVI, and Ontario Agricultural College.
The 28 men worked in a wide range of occupations: salesman, leather finisher, mill worker, bank teller, machine hand, machinist, carpenter, labourer, hat maker, florist, stock-keeper, silver miner, store clerk, clothing presser, real estate agent, cylindrical grinder, toolmaker, foreman, truck driver, shoe salesman, and press moulder. Notably, William Cox was employed as a baker at Guthrie Bakery, the Mayor’s family’s former business.
Some of their employers are still operating in Guelph: Cooke & Denison, Hammond Manufacturing, Canadian Ingot Iron (Armtec), and the Bank of Commerce – St. George’s Square (CIBC).
However, most of their employers have gone out of business, been sold, or moved: Callender Foundry, Colonial Dress Co, Biltmore Hats, W.C. Woods, Lancashire Felt, Guelph Carpet Mills, Spiers Grocery Store, Jack Stuart Cleaners, Williams & Price Real Estate, Northern Rubber Co., and Federal Wire & Cable.
They attended local churches: Knox Presbyterian, St. James Anglican, Dublin United, Church of Our Lady, Sacred Heart, St. George’s Anglican, St. Paul’s Lutheran, and First Baptist.
Charles Wilson played hockey with the Guelph Juveniles; others were athletes who enjoyed tennis, softball/baseball, basketball, swimming and skating. Their hobbies included: chemistry, photography, hunting, mechanics, gardening, woodworking, fishing, bowling, and metal working. Both William Cowan and William Whyte loved model-building. William Thornton raised pigeons.
Scroll down to learn more about the 28 Guelph men who helped liberate the Dutch and contributed to the peace and freedom that we, as Canadians, enjoy today.
Click here for the list of Guelph streets named after First World War and Second World War soldiers.
Click on the map to search for the streets where the men lived and the streets that have been named in their honour.
Sergeant Harry Jacob Bockner
- Royal Canadian Artillery
- Born in Guelph November 27, 1911
- Killed in Action April 11, 1945; age 34
- Buried at Holten Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands
Sergeant Bockner was the son of Mendel and Anna Bockner, Jewish immigrants from Austria. They lived on Gordon St. In 1922 the family moved to Toronto. At the time of his enlistment Bockner was employed as a salesman. He trained on the west coast of Canada before going overseas in 1943. He served in Italy until his Division was transferred to the western front. He was killed during his first battle on the western front; Operation Cannonshot, which was directed against enemy positions west of the Ijssel River.
Private James Nevin Bonar
- Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders of Canada
- Born in Guelph, Aug. 30, 1915
- Killed in Action Oct. 23, 1944; age 29
- Buried at Bergen-Op-Zoom Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands
Private Bonar was the son of James and Rachel Bonar. He attended Tytler Public School and the Guelph Collegiate. At the time of Bonar’s enlistment, he was employed as a leather finisher and resided on Waterloo Ave. He served with a military unit in Labrador before being sent to the Western Front. He was survived by his wife Lillian and son Charles. Bonar Place is named in his honour.
Lieutenant Joseph Eugene Boulet
- Royal Hamilton Light Infantry, R.C.I.C
- Born in Fort William (Thunder Bay), Ontario, Nov. 19, 1912
- Died of wounds received in action February 26, 1945; age 32
- Buried at Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands
Lieutenant Boulet was the son of Joseph Amie and Mima Mae Boulet. He studied for five years at the Ontario Agricultural College in Guelph, earning a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture degree. He also played in the OAC orchestra. At the time of his enlistment Boulet was employed as a mill worker in Copper Cliff, Ontario. He was survived by his wife Elizabeth and daughter Jane Ann, who resided on Surrey St.
Lieutenant William MacDonald Cowan
- Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment)
- Born in Guelph March 2, 1919
- Killed in action November 16, 1944; age 25
- Buried at Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery
William MacDonald Cowan was the son of William Alexander and Edith Marian Cowan. He grew up on Kathleen Street in the house his father designed and built. As a boy, Bill helped his father and two older brothers replicate a miniature model of Guelph’s first building, the Priory, which is at the Guelph Museum. After graduating from Guelph Collegiate and taking accounting courses, Bill worked at the Bank of Commerce on St. George’s Square. In school, he’d been a stellar athlete. As an adult, he liked to play tennis. Cowan was serving in Holland as a CANLOAN officer when he was killed by a sniper six weeks after his brother David died in the war. Cowan Court is named in his honour.
Bombardier William Cox
- Royal Canadian Artillery, 12th Field Regiment
- Born in Darvel, Ayrshire, Scotland, Dec. 27, 1913
- Died from wounds received in action March 24, 1945; age 31
- Buried at Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands
Bombardier Cox was the son of Robert and Mary Cox. The family immigrated to Guelph when he was six. He went to Central School and attended Knox Presbyterian Church. Cox was employed as a baker at the Guthrie Bakery. At the time of his enlistment he resided on Wellington St. Cox was survived by his wife Gladys and daughters Jean, Betty Ann, Myrth, Gladys and Joyce. He was awarded the 1939-45 Star, the France and Germany Star, the Defense Medal, the War Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and clasp. Cox Court is named in his honour.
Private William John Dawes
- Essex Scottish Regiment, R.C.I.C.
- Born in Florence, Nova Scotia, July 2, 1909
- Killed in Action March 8, 1945; age 35
- Buried at Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands
Private Dawes was the son of William and Mary Dawes. The family moved to Guelph from Cape Breton while he was still in elementary school. When his father was crippled by rheumatism, young William became the family’s sole source of income and went to work as a machine hand at the Callander Foundry. At the time of his enlistment the family resided on Gordon St. Dawes Ave. is named in his honour.
Private Clarence Joseph Drummond
- Toronto Scottish Regiment (M.G.), R.C.I.C.
- Born in Guelph, June 29, 1917
- Killed in Action Feb. 18, 1945; age 27
- Buried at Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands
Private Drummond was the son of Peter and Cecilia Drummond of Preston St. He was employed as a machinist at the Colonial Dresses Company. At the time of his enlistment, Drummond resided on Nottingham St. with his wife Helen and baby son Ronald Peter. He was awarded the 1939-45 Star, the France and Germany Star, the War Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and clasp.
Rifleman Richard Isaac Dyson
- Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada, R.C.I.C.
- Born in Guelph July 19, 1923
- Killed in Action February 26, 1945; age 21
- Buried at Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands
Rifleman Dyson was the son of Reginald and Mary Dyson of Kathleen St. He was a graduate of the Guelph Collegiate and attended St. James’ Anglican Church. His hobbies were chemistry and photography. Dyson once worked at the Biltmore Hat Company, and then was employed as a machinist’s apprentice at the W.C. Woods Company. He was awarded the 1939-45 Star, the France and Germany Star, the War Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and clasp.
Private Gorman Victor Ferris
- The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada
- Born in Burwash, Ontario, May 21, 1925
- Killed in Action Oct. 13, 1944; age 19
- Buried at Bergen-Op-Zoom Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands
Born in Burwash, Ontario, Private Ferris was the son of John (Jack) and Minto Almeda Ferris. He attended Tytler School and the Guelph Collegiate. At the time of his enlistment he resided on Queen St. in Guelph and was employed as a carpenter’s apprentice. Private Ferris died on Friday, October 13th – Black Friday – when the Black Watch battalion was virtually wiped out in heavy fighting during the Battle of the Scheldt.
Private Wilbert Carl Hart
- The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) of Canada
- Born in Wingham, Ontario, Nov. 7, 1907
- Killed in Action December 24, 1944; age 37
- Buried at Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands
Private Hart was the son of Herbert and Edith May Hart. He lived on Garden St. in Guelph with his wife Sarah and sons Wilbert, David and William; but was employed as a labourer at the Western Foundry Company in Wingham. He enlisted in Guelph on April 29, 1941. Hart was awarded the 1939-45 Star, the France and Germany Star, the War Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and clasp.
Trooper Clarence Oliver James
- 1st Hussars, R.C.A.C.
- Born in Grand Valley, Ontario, Sept. 6, 1917
- Killed in Action February 26, 1945; age 27
- Buried at Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands
Trooper James was the son of Albert and Annie Isabel James. As a youth he sometimes worked on his uncle’s farm in Grand Valley. He enjoyed hunting and mechanics. James attended the Dublin Street United Church. At the time of his enlistment he resided on Lucan St. and was employed as a hat maker by the Lancashire Felt Factory. James served with the 1st Hussars as a tank driver. He was awarded the 1939-45 Star, the France and Germany Star, the War Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Medal and clasp. He was survived by his wife Jean. In the post-war, James’ mother was asked to serve one year as Guelph’s Silver Cross Mother.
Private John Kapron
- Royal Hamilton Light Infantry, R.C.I.C.
- Born May 5, 1915, Berlin (Kitchener), ON
- Killed in Action Feb. 27, 1945; age 29
- Buried at Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands
Private Kapron was the son of Polish immigrants Lawrence and Annie Kapron, and spoke fluent Polish. He ran a florist shop in downtown Guelph and resided on Woolwich St. with his wife Mary and daughter Patricia. Kapron was awarded the 1939 – 45 Star, the France and Germany Star, the Defence Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and clasp.
Sergeant John Alfred Leaning
- Royal Canadian Artillery, 43rd Battery, 12th Field Regiment
- Born in Birmingham, England, Dec. 17, 1913
- Killed in Action April 24, 1945; age 31
- Buried at Holten Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands
Sergeant Leaning was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Edward Leaning who brought their family to Guelph when John was twelve. He enjoyed gardening, woodworking, swimming, hunting and fishing, and hockey. At the time of his enlistment, Leaning resided on Mount St. and was employed as a stock keeper with Guelph Carpet Mills. He was survived by his wife Isabelle and sons Edmund and John.
Private Lloyd Thomas Legate
- Lincoln and Welland Regiment, R.C.I.C.
- Born in Grand Valley, Ontario, August 29, 1919
- Killed in Action Jan. 26, 1945; age 26
- Buried at Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands
Private Legate was the son of William and Margaret Legate. William was a railway section foreman who was frequently transferred, so the family lived in numerous communities before arriving in Guelph in 1940 and moving into a house on Suffolk St. They attended Dublin St. United Church. Lloyd was known to family and friends as “Curly.” After enlisting, he served at postings in Ontario, Quebec and Nova Scotia before being sent overseas.
Trooper Thomas Patrick McGarry
- Sherbrook Fusiliers Regiment, R.C.A.C.
- Born in Cobalt, Ontario, July 22, 1916
- Killed in Action Oct. 7, 1944; age 28
- Buried at Bergen-Op-Zoom Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands
Trooper McGarry was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph McGarry. At the time of his enlistment he was employed as a silver miner. He received the 1939 – 45 Star, the France and Germany Star and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with clasp. His connection to Guelph is uncertain.
Sergeant Roy Sandfield Miller
- Highland Light Infantry of Canada
- Born in Acton, Ontario, Oct. 29, 1919
- Killed in Action Feb. 23, 1945; age 24
- Buried at Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands.
Sergeant Miller was the son of William and Mary Jemima Miller. He had three brothers and a brother-in-law also serving in the armed forces. Miller was about 14 when his family moved to Guelph, where he went to GCVI. He attended Knox Presbyterian Church. At the time of his enlistment he resided on Verney St. and was employed as a store clerk. Miller landed on Juno Beach on D Day. Just before he was killed he wrote a letter home in which he said, “… there is a chance that I’ll never come back but just the same if I can do my part to help make the world a safe and decent place for Mother and the rest of you to live in I won’t mind.” Miller Street is named in his honour.
Gunner Edward James Patterson
- 19th Field Regiment, Royal Canadian Artillery
- Born February 25, 1923
- Killed in Action November 7, 1944; age 21
- Buried at Bergen-Op-Zoom Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands
Gunner Patterson was employed by Jack Stuart Cleaners and Pressers as a presser in Guelph. The son of Harold and Sarah Patterson of Cork Street, he attended Central School and GCVI, and had previous military experience with 2/43rd Field Battery, R.C.A.F.
Lieutenant John Evans Price
- Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise’s)
- Born in Toronto, 1913
- Killed in Action May 1, 1945; age 31
- Buried at Holten Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands
Lieutenant Price was the son of Norman and Elizabeth Price of Toronto. He moved to Guelph in 1933 and became a partner in the real estate firm of Williams and Price. Price served with the Lanark and Renfrew Scottish Regiment in Italy before being transferred to the Western Front. He was survived by his wife Constance and son Edward.
Private Leo Francis Pringlemeir
- Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise’s)
- Born Sept. 16, 1925
- Killed in Action March 1, 1945; age 21
- Buried at Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands
Private Pringlemeir was one of seven children born to Charles and Catherine Pringlemeir in Arthur, Ontario. His parents died of tuberculosis when he was 5, so he and one of his sisters lived with their grandmother. He attended St. John School and Arthur High School. He enlisted with his brother, Jack, and sister, Dorothy. At the time, he resided on Quebec St. in Guelph. Leo was killed instantly when a German mortar bomb exploded in his trench.
Pilot Officer Philip Charles Revell
- Royal Canadian Air Force, 428 Squadron
- Born in Guelph, Nov. 14, 1923
- Killed in Action August 15, 1944; age 20
- Buried at Amersfoort (Old Leusden) General Cemetery, Netherlands
Pilot Officer Revell was the son of Thomas and Winifred Revell. He grew up on a farm at RR #5 outside Guelph. He attended Wellington County SS #4 and the Guelph Collegiate, and enjoyed softball, hockey, basketball and woodworking. At the time of his enlistment Revell was employed as a cylindrical grinder with the Canadian Acme Screw Company in Toronto. Revell Drive is named in his honour.
Staff Sergeant Charles Wesley Sankey
- Royal Canadian Artillery, 12th Field Regiment
- Born in Toronto May 18, 1913
- Died in a drowning accident June 24, 1945; age 32
- Buried at Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands
Staff Sergeant Sankey was the son of Karl and Julia Sankey. The family moved to Guelph when he was three. He attended St. Stanislaus School and the Guelph Collegiate, and was a member of the Holy Name Society of Sacred Heart Church. He played baseball and hockey. At the time of his enlistment Sankey resided on Harris St. and was employed at the Northern Rubber Company. Several weeks before his fatal accident, Sankey was injured when his jeep was blown off the road, but he convinced his superior officers not to send him to hospital. He was survived by his wife Alliette and sons Derreck and Paul.
Private Douglas Reginald Schofield
- Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders, R.C.I.C.
- Born in Guelph December 20, 1924
- Killed in Action November 26, 1944; age 19
- Buried at Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands
Private Schofield was the son of English immigrants William and Florence Schofield. He attended the Guelph Collegiate and St. George’s Church. At the time of his enlistment he resided on Duke St. and was employed as an apprentice toolmaker at the Callander Foundry. He received the 1939 -45 Star, the France – Germany Star, the War Medal and the Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and clasp.
Private Charles Joseph Searle
- Essex Scottish Regiment, R.C.I.C.
- Born in Guelph, March 19, 1913
- Killed in Action Feb. 19, 1945; age 31
- Buried at Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands
Private Searle was the son of William and Pearl Searle. He attended Separate Vocational School and the Church of Our Lady. Searle enjoyed baseball, hockey, bowling, woodworking and metal working. At the time of his enlistment he resided on Derry St. and was a foreman at the Canada Ingot Iron Company. Searle was killed just sixteen days after he first saw action. He was survived by his wife Helen Gladys and their children Don, Marlene and William.
Corporal William Edward Thornton
- Highland Light Infantry of Canada, R.C.I.C.
- Born in Guelph March 20, 1922
- Killed in Action Jan. 3, 1945; age 22
- Remembered at Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands
Corporal Thornton was the son of William and Beatrice Thornton of Merion St. His father died when he was 4 months old and his mother died when he was 12. He attended the Guelph Collegiate and St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, and liked hockey, baseball and raising pigeons. He was employed as a truck driver by Biltmore Hats. At the time of his enlistment Thornton resided on Liverpool St. with his wife Orrene and baby son William Barry. Thornton was reported missing in action when, at night, his patrol came under attack by automatic weapons and grenades. He was later presumed dead. Thornton St. is named in his honour.
Flying Officer William Edward Whyte
- Royal Canadian Air Force, 128 (RAF) Squadron
- Born in Toronto, June 30, 1923
- Killed in Action March 7, 1945; age 21
- Buried at Bergen-Op-Zoom Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands
Flying Officer Whyte was the son of Frederick and Edith Whyte. The family moved to Guelph when he was very young and resided on Arthur St. Whyte attended Central Public School and the Guelph Collegiate. He enjoyed a variety of sports, as well as building model aeroplanes. At the time of his enlistment he was employed as a shoe salesman. Whyte was killed while serving with a Mosquito squadron.
Private Charles Humphrey Wilson
- 10th Canadian Infantry Brigade, Lincoln and Welland Regiment
- Born June 13, 1922
- Killed in Action March 8, 1945; age 22
- Buried at Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery
Private Wilson, the only child of Wilkins and Susan Wilson of Eden Mills, attended high school in Guelph and played hockey for the Guelph Juveniles. After leaving school at age 17, he worked for Cooke and Denison Tool and Die Works in Guelph until he enlisted at London, Ontario in September 1943. He was killed in action while taking part in fierce fighting in the German town of Veen.
Pilot Officer Sidney Albert Wilson
- Royal Canadian Air Force, 419 Squadron
- Born in Toronto, March 26, 1915
- Killed in Action June 17, 1944; age 29
- Buried at Amersfoort (Old Leusden) General Cemetery, Netherlands
Pilot Officer Wilson was the son of Arthur and Jennie Wilson. When he moved to Guelph he worked for several different employers before taking a job as a press moulder with Hammond Manufacturing. A resident of Mill St., he attended the First Baptist Church on Woolwich St. and enjoyed skating and baseball. Before enlisting, Miller had two years of experience with the Reserve Ambulance Corps. Miller was listed as missing when his Lancaster bomber failed to return from an operation over enemy territory. His remains were later found interred in Holland. Miller was survived by his wife Marjorie and son Lawrence Albert.
Private Nicholas Zaduk
- Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise’s)
- Born in Guelph, Oct. 17, 1925
- Died May 1, 1945, after being wounded in the chest on April 24; age 19
- Buried at Holten Canadian War Cemetery, Netherlands.
Private Zaduk was the son of Ukrainian immigrants John and Irene Zaduk of Stevenson St. He spoke fluent Ukrainian. He attended the Tytler Public School and was known as a stand-out athlete. At the time of his enlistment he worked as a labourer for the Federal Wire and Cable Company. He died just one week before Victory in Europe Day on May 8th, which is when the family learned of his death. Zaduk Place is named in his honour.
