Tag: Canada

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Corporal William Stanley Goodchild

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William Stanley Goodchild, known as Stanley, was born in Oxbow, Saskatchewan on 03 January 1918. He was the eldest of eight children born to George Frederick Goodchild and Leila Ida Moore, with siblings Marion, Walter, Edna, Myrtle, Gladys, Bernice, and Martha.

In 1919, the Goodchild family moved to the Lonely Lake district of Manitoba, where they lived for several years. In 1926, they returned to Oxbow, residing on various rental farms. Their first home was the Winteringham farm, situated on a hill. Later, they moved to the Sair farm in the valley, and finally to the Simpson farm.

Stanley received his primary education at a local one-room schoolhouse and a year of High school in Oxbow. He was skilled with his hands, enjoyed building, and actively participant in sports, playing baseball, football, and softball. In the winter, he often skated on the frozen ponds and rivers. At 17, Stanley left school and moved to Winnipeg, Manitoba, where he worked for six years as a truck driver for Dawson Road Dairy Farm and Dellots Dairy Farm in St. Boniface.

On 29 January 1940, Stanley enlisted in the Canadian Army in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He was posted to Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry Corps, named after Princess Patricia of Connaught, daughter of the then-Governor General of Canada. Before enlisting, Stanley had served with the 2nd Armoured Car Regiment from 01 October 1939 to 28 January 1950. He expressed a desire to become a mechanic after the war. According to his military records, Stanley was 5 feet tall and weighed 144 pounds, had blue eyes and brown hair, and was described as a healthy young man.

Stanley’s military journey began with a sinus infection that hospitalized him from February 19th to 27th, 1940. On 25 May 1940, he completed a driving course at the Canadian Armoured Fighting Vehicles Training Center at Camp Borden, qualifying as a Driver Wheels and Track Class II, Driving Instructor, and Driver Mechanic Group C. By 28 July 1940, Stanley had returned to Winnipeg where he was granted a two-week leave to visit his parents in Oxbow.

Following his continued training at Camp Borden, Stanley was sent overseas to England, arriving on 08 October 1941. He was assigned to the Canadian Base Transit Depot and was promoted to Lance Corporal on 27 November 1941. While serving as a mechanic instructor and motorcycle courier, Stanley suffered a serious motorcycle accident on 10 September 1943 during a convoy. He was thrown from his bike and sustained head injuries, along with fractures to his left cheekbone and his jaw. He was hospitalized until 12 October 1943. Despite injuries and the Army’s desire to send him home, Stanley refused, stating he “had joined the Army to fight for his country”. After a medical reassessment, he was transferred to the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise’s) Regiment in the rank of Corporal. It was part of the 10th Infantry Brigade, 4th Canadian Armoured Division. In November 1944, he was deployed to Northwest Europe.

On 18 November 1944, Stanley arrived in Drunen, Brabant, with the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada. The next day, their position came under German mortar fire. Although there was no immediate damage, the shelling intensified later, damaging a Bailey bridge linking their positions to the Algonquin Regiment.

The ensuing battle lasted five weeks and was marked by brutal combat and harsh winter conditions. Four major attacks were launched, beginning with two failed Polish assaults on December 30th and January 6th-7th, 1945. A subsequent British and Norwegian attack on January 13th-14thalso failed. Finally, the 4th Canadian Armoured Division launched a successful attack from January 26th to 31st, 1945, forcing the Germans to withdraw after a grueling five weeks of fighting with numerous causalities.

On  08 February 1945, the Argylls were stationed in Waalwijk, where they were relieved by the Lincoln and Welland Regiment. They then moved to Toxtel, preparing for their next mission in Germany. Stanley’s regiment supported Operation Veritable, which began on February 8th to advance towards the River Rhine at Emmerich, Rees, and Xanten. On February 22nd, the regiment reached Hau, Germany, where they participated in Operation Blockbuster.

On 26 February 1945, Stanley’s regiment was tasked with securing a high-altitude area between Kalker and Uedem. The following day, they advanced through heavy artillery and mortar fire. During the fierce combat in the Hochwald Gap, Stanley was severely injured. On 03 March 1945, at the age of 27, he succumbed to his wounds.

Stanley was, initially, buried in Bedburg, Germany. On 07 September 1945, he was buried in the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery in the Netherlands, grave 2, row A, plot 9. Groesbeek is located 10 km southeast of Nijmegen, near the German border. The Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery is 3 km north of the village.

Temporary grave marker for Stanley Goodchild
Grave at Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery

Medals Awarded:

  • 1939-1945 Star
  • France and Germany Star
  • War Medal 1939-1945
  • Defense Medal
  • Canadian Volunteer Service Medal and Clasp
  • Memorial Bar

Since 1947, the Province of Manitoba has honoured fallen heroes through its Commemorative Names Program, which names geographical features, such as lakes, rivers, bays, and peninsulas in memory of those who sacrificed their lives in service to their province or country. In recognition of Stanley Goodchild’s sacrifice, a lake in northern Manitoba was named after him on 31 January 1975. Goodchild Lake is located at coordinates 58.210278, -99.945556, northeast of Lynn Lake and southwest of Tadoule Lake.

Name Goodchild Lake
Toponymic Feature ID 4266b315bee311d892e2080020a0f4c9
Key GAJKU
Status Official
Concise Term LAKE-Lake
Generic Term Lake
Location
Province/Territory Manitoba
Latitude – Longitude (DMS) 58° 12′ 37″ N, 99° 56′ 44″ W
Latitude – Longitude (decimal) 58.210278, -99.945556
NTS Map Number 064J04
Decision Date 1975-01-31
Source Manitoba-Natural Resources and Northern Development

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Pilot Officer John (Jack) Kenneth Hobson

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Jack was born on 03 April 1921 in Hamiota, Manitoba, to Harry Hobson and Annie Grierson Palmer. He was the youngest of eight children; with four sisters and three brothers: Mary, Hazel, Marguerite, William, Ruth, Arthur, and Douglas.

In 1926, Jack’s family relocated from Manitoba to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, where he grew up. Jack was an athletic young man who enjoyed playing hockey, tennis, basketball, and broomball. He attended Wilson School for his primary education, City Park Collegiate for his high school studies, and Saskatoon Technical for his commercial education. Before enlisting in the military Jack worked as a warehouse clerk at Walter Woods Ltd. since 1940.

On 06 Jun 1941, Jack enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) in Saskatoon. His records show that he was 5 feet 9 inches tall, weighed 152 pounds, had brown eyes, black hair, and a fresh complexion. He was Presbyterian and smoked 10 cigarettes a day. Notably, the Medical Officer described him as, “a desirable type of material” with a “good appearance” a “pleasing personality” and was “polite & mannerly”.

Jack started his basic training in Brandon, Manitoba and later trained at various stations across Saskatchewan, Manitoba, and Ontario. On 11 April 1942 at Rivers, Manitoba, Jack received his observer’s wings. On 08 June 1942, he was transferred to Charlottetown, PEI for General Reconnaissance Training. A month later, on 05 July 1942, Jack went to 31 OTU (Operation Training Unit) at Debert, Nova Scotia, where he trained on operational aircraft, such as the Lockheed Hudson, as part of a bomber crew. His instructors generally regarded him as an average student, noting that he was eager to learn but sometimes careless in his work. One remarked, “I believe this lad could do better work than is indicated by his marks”, while others noted his keenness to get into action.

The OTU was the last stop for aircrew trainees before they were sent into active duty. They spent 8 to 14 weeks learning to fly operational aircraft, such as the Hawker Hurricane, the Fairey Swordfish, and the Lockheed Hudson. Their instructors had experience in actual operations and would be stationed there on their return from an operational tour.

The Lockheed Hudson, an American-built light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft, was widely used by the Royal Air Force (RAF) and RCAF during World War II, particularly for anti-submarine squadrons.

Shortly after arriving at Debert, Jack wrote to his brother, Doug, a Warrant Officer stationed in northern Africa. In his letter dated, 22 July 1942, Jack mentioned his recent posting with the Coastal Command in Charlottetown. He wrote:

We are preparing for our trip across the Atlantic in a Hudson. I’m in a good crew, an Aussie pilot and two Canuck WAGs and I think we shall be OK.”

Later in the letter, he added:

This Coastal Command is a great layout, a lot of work and a great headache, too. Much water but a lot of fun and a good experience. It gets pretty foggy, hard for flying sometimes, but I expect to be here until the end of August.”

On the night of 09 August 1942, Jack was part of a five-man crew aboard the Hudson BW401, participating in a cross-country night flight exercise as the observer. In the early hours of 10 August 1942, the weather deteriorated, and the crew received orders to divert to Charlottetown. Jack acknowledged the order, and the plane turned towards its new destination. Jack’s “over and out” was the last communication received from the aircraft. Flying over hilly terrain in the darkness of the night and poor visibility, the crew did not see the hilltop ahead, and the  plane crashed into Dalhousie Mountain, near Scotsburn, Nova Scotia, disintegrating on impact. All five crew members were killed, including Pilot Officer (RAAF) J.A. Bursill (pilot); Pilot Officer A. Rogers (observer), Sgt A.W. Cooke (wireless air gunner); Sgt. J.K. Hobson (observer); and Sgt. H.J. Vincent (wireless air gunner). Jack sustained severe multiple burns and injuries resulting in immediate death. The aircraft was reported missing for most of the day, and the families of the crew were notified. After receiving several sighting reports, a recovery party from Debert was dispatched to Dalhousie Mountain, where they discovered the wreckage.

Jack’s body was returned to his hometown of Saskatoon where he was laid to rest with military honours in the family plot at the Woodlawn Cemetery.

Doug, Jack’s brother, recalled one last memory of Jack. During a brief leave in Saskatoon, the brothers said goodbye as they prepared to return to their respective air stations, Jack turned to their mother and said,

“Doug will come back when this war is over but I won’t.”

ADDENDUM

Margurite, Jack’s sister, sent two ‘Armed Forces Air Letters’ to Doug to inform him of his brother’s death (see letters below). The first one was dated 12 August 1942 and comprised of the information the family had received in the two telegrams from the Military, as well as, information Marguerite was able to obtain from the local newspaper. The second letter, dated 15 August 1942, contained two letters the family received from Jack’s station that provided a little more detail about the crash, as well as, Jack’s standing with his peers and staff at the station.

12 August 1942 Letter – Page 1
12 August 1942 Letter – Page 2
15 August 1942 Letter – Page 1
15 August 1942 Letter – Page 2

On 11 August 1942, a Court of Inquiry was convened to investigate the circumstances of the crash. The board was comprised of Squadron Leader JA Coltart from No. 36 OUT Greenwood, and  Flight Lieutenants JFK Barton, and CW McNeill, both from No. 31 OTU Debert. The inquiry concluded the primary cause of the crash was the pilot’s failure to spot the hilltop due to the darkness and poor visibility at their altitude. While attempting to alter course for Charlottetown, the pilot did not maintain a safe height while flying over hilly terrain. The aircraft struck the hillside at approximately 900 feet above sea level, with the starboard wing striking the ground, igniting a fire upon impact that killed all the crew members.

A lingering mystery remained in Pictou County surrounding the crash. Military authorities swiftly removed much of the wreckage, creating an air of secrecy and spawning numerous rumours. Arthur S Mackay, a resident of Scotsburn who witnessed the crash at the age of 18 stated when interviewed, “On August 10, 1942, approximately between 1:00 a.m. and 1:30 a.m., I was at my house at which time I was half-asleep in bed. I heard the roar of an aircraft which awoke me. I went to the window and first observed a red glow against the sky outlining the foothills which are about a mile away. Accompanied by this glow were puffs of white light which seemed to explode and then die out. Following this was a red flare which lit the sky right up with a sort of heat wave effect. In a few minutes I heard two explosions which jarred our house. In about five minutes the light went out — this being followed by a light rain.”

The crash twisted metal over a large area, with one of the engines plowing the soil into a mound as it cut through the trees. It was reported that vegetation took years to regrow on the spot where the plane burned or where fuel had spilled. Despite the impact of the event, no historical marker was erected for many years.

For decades, local residents discussed the possibility of creating a memorial to honour the young men who lost their lives that night. Thanks to the efforts of Gordon McLeod from Lyons Brook, and several others from Pictou County, the idea finally became a reality. On 10 August 2008, exactly 66 years after the crash, a dedication service was held at the Durham Presbyterian Church, followed by a military style ceremony at the crash site. A memorial stone and plaque were unveiled in honour of the fallen crew members. Family members of those who perished were invited to the service, including Douglas E Hobson and his wife, Shaun, who participated in the ceremony to honour Jack Hobson, his uncle.

Jack was awarded:     

          • Air Observer’s Badge 11 April 1942
          • Memorial Cross 08 September 1942 (received posthumously and presented to his mother, Annie Hobson)

Since 1947, the Province of Saskatchewan has honoured fallen heroes through the GeoMemorial Commemorative Naming Program, which names geographical features, such as lakes, rivers, streams, sand dunes and beaches in memory of citizens who sacrifice their lives in service to the province or country. In recognition of Jack Hobson’s service, a lake in northern Saskatchewan was named after him on 01 May 1958. It is located at coordinates 56.819753,-106.191945. Doug Chisholm, a bush pilot and aircraft mechanic, initiated a project to visit these GeoMemorial sites, where he installed bronze plaques on the shoreline in honour of the individuals for whom the sites were named. He also photographed each location from the air. Hobson Lake was among the sites Doug visited, and a memorial photograph was obtained as a tribute to Jack’s legacy.

Figure 2: Hobson Lake Certificate
Figure 3: Map indicating location of Hobson Lake in Northern Saskatchewan
Figure 4: Hobson Lake memorial photo obtained from Doug Chisholm

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Guðríður, the ‘far traveller’.

This video, by Profilm, is about my 24th great grandmother, Guðríður. She was not only a viking explorer who may have been the most travelled female in the Middle Ages, but she was also the first European to give birth to the first Eurpean child born in North America. Check out my post from 04 January 2018, Snorri Þorfinnsson, to learn more.

THE FAR TRAVELLER – trailer #2 4K from Profilm on Vimeo.

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Snorri Þorfinnsson

This week’s prompt for 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks is ‘Start’. How do I interpret that? I have decided it means the start of my blogging, the start of my interest in genealogy and the start of Europeans in North America.

New Year’s 1999 my older sister and I discussed our interest in continuing the genealogy research our parents had started.  My sister chose my mother’s side and I chose my father’s. My parent’s efforts to collect documents and photographs was time-consuming as they had to rely on contacting individuals or government offices by mail or phone to request information. When working by mail the correspondence sometimes went back and forth a few times before the requested information was received.

With enthusiasm to undertake this new task, I ordered Family Tree Maker, installed it on my computer and was eager to get started. I did not have much information past my great-grandparents and decided that since all of them immigrated from Iceland I would post my requests on the Icelandic Message Board of the Genealogy Genforum site.

February 20th, 1999, I posted a request for each of the four sets of great-great-grandparents (eight great-great-grandparents in all). Within a short few days I had received lineage information on six of my eight great-great-grandparents. One of the reports provided information going back to an ancestor born in 520 C.E. I felt like I had hit the jackpot!

This report provided information on the ancestors of my father’s maternal grandfather (Jon Einarson). As I looked over the 141 pages of the report (I wasn’t able to read much of it since it was written in Icelandic) notable historic names started jumping off the page at me. One of these names was Snorri Þorfinnsson. According to Wikipedia, Snorri is reported to have been the first European child born in North America. Estimates of his birth suggest he was born between 1004 C.E. and 1013 C.E. Snorri is my 24th great grandfather and I descended from him through his son, Þorgeir Snorrason.

Snorri was born to Þorfinnur “karlsefni” Þórðarson and Guðríður Þorbjarnardóttir. Guðríður had previously been married to Þorsteinn Eiríksson, a son of Eiríkur Þorvaldsson (Erik the Red) and a brother to Leifur (Leif the Lucky) and Þorvald. It is reported that Leifur explored the lands west of Greenland around 1000 C.E. and landed at a few places along the coast, one of them being Vinland, where he built some structures to start a settlement. These structures are thought to be those found by archealogists and located at L’Anse aux Meadows, Newfoundland, Canada. Þorvald is reported to have made the next voyage to Vinland and was killed during a conflict with the Skrælings (the natives). Þorvald is considered the first European to be buried in North America. Þorsteinn died of a fever during his voyage to Vinland with his wife, Guðríður. The widowed Guðríður returned to Greenland to the household of Erik the Red and later married Þorfinnur “karlsefni” Þórðarson. She was said to be stunningly beautiful, Christian and with exemplary manners. Þorfinnur and Guðríður are reported to have made a voyage to Vinland for the purpose of colonization. This expedition is reported to have expanded the exploration of the area, possibly as far as present day New York.

Map from http://www.webexhibits.org/vinland/archeological.html

Snorri is thought to have been born in L’Anse aux Meadows. The Vinland Sagas, The Saga of the Greenlanders and The Saga of Eric the Red, indicate the birth of Snorri. It is also written in these sagas that when Snorri was about three years old his family left Vinland and returned to Iceland.

Snorri resided at the Glaumbær farm, located in the Skagafjörður district of northern Iceland. He had two children, a daughter named Hallfríður and a son named Þorgeir.

Snorri is considered one of two main figures responsible for the Christianisation of Iceland. He built the first church at Glaumbær which helped increase the Christian faith in the area.  Hallfrid was the mother of Þorlákur Runólfsson (1086-1133) who was a bishop of Skálholt, located in the south of Iceland. Þorgeir was the grandfather of Brandur Sæmundsson (1163-1201) who was a bishop of Hólar, a small community located in the Skagafjörður.

After the death of Snorri’s father his mother, Guðríður, made a pilgrimage to Rome. Guðríður was considered the most widely travelled woman in the world then. On her return to Glaumbær she lived in solitary worship as a nun and established a nunnery there.

Photographed in Glaumbær, Iceland, August 1997 by Kathryn Buchanan

Identical statues of Guðríður standing in a boat with Snorri on her shoulder are located at Laugarbrekka, Guðríður’s birthplace, Glaumbær and in Ottawa, at the Canadian Museum of History.

My children standing beside a statue depicting their 25th Great-Grandfather and 26th Great-Grandmother. This statue is located at the Canadian Museum of History in Ottawa, Canada; July 2000 by Shaun Hobson.
Statue of Guðríður standing in a boat with Snorri on her shoulder located at at the Canadian Museum of History, July 2000 by Shaun Hobson.
Caption under the statue at the Canadian Museum of History located in Ottawa, Canada, July 2000 by Shaun Hobson.

In 2002 American archaeologists, led by a team from UCLA, discovered the remains of a thousand-year-old longhouse located in the field beside the Glaumbær Folk Museum. This longhouse is believed to be Snorri Þorfinnsson’s farmhouse and its features are consistent with the description of his farm, as written in the Sagas.