HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Times Advocate, 2004-02-11, Page 14Crossroads
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Wednesday, February 1 1, 2004
Exeter Times Advocate
Remembering the stories of the forgotten soldiers
By Mary Simmons
TIMES -ADVOCATE STAFF
EXETER — There is a
new resource in the town
of Exeter for finding the
forgotten stories of the
soldiers from the area
who lost their lives in the
First World War and the
Second World War.
The books, researched
and printed by Eric
Heywood, will be avail-
able to the public at the
Exeter library, the town
hall and South Huron dis-
trict high school.
Heywood, who spent the
past eight months finish-
ing the research he began
three years ago, said he
wanted the books to be
placed where they would
do the most good.
Heywood said the
remembrance books are
dedicated to the soldiers
who are largely forgotten
for giving their lives in
order to give Canadians
the freedom they enjoy
today.
The books take the
names of every soldier
listed on the Exeter War
Memorial and include a
picture where available, a
brief biography and the
cemetery where they are
buried.
They also include a his-
tory of the Exeter War
Memorial and the
Hurondale War
Memorial.
Heywood, a 55 -year
member of the R.E.
Pooley Branch 167 of the
Royal Canadian Legion,
presented the books to
Chief Administrator Larry
Brown, South Huron dis-
trict high school principal
Jeff Reaburn, Exeter
librarian Helen Hodgins
and legion first -vice-pres-
ident Ron Helm at the
Exeter Public Library
Feb. 5.
Heywood said he hopes
the books will be useful at
the high school when the
students put together
their Remembrance Day
ceremony. Heywood said
he has attended the
assembly for many years
and students take the
time to honour each of
the fallen soldiers.
"Now they can read
each story and know a lit-
tle bit more about the
guys," he said.
Heywood said he wants
the books to be accessible
to everyone and to be
available for copies to be
made.
"The more information
gets out there, the bet-
ter," he said. "Everyone
should know about these
guys and the sacrifices
they made."
Heywood said he was
able to find some of the
details in back issues of
the Times -Advocate. He
Legion branch historian Eric Heywood, left, presents copies of his remembrance books to South Huron dis-
trict high school principal Jeff Reaburn, Exeter librarian Helen Hodgins, chief administrator Larry Brown and
legion branch first vice president Ron Helm. (photo/Mary Simmons)
said it was a common
occurrence for relatives of
fallen soldiers to submit
letters to the editor to let
people know about their
loved one's death.
He said he found the
location of each man's
grave through the
Commonwealth War
Graves Commission.
He also checked the reg-
istries of Ontario and cen-
sus reports.
"The idea is to let peo-
ple have an idea of what
these men did for us," he
said.
Heywood said anyone
who goes to the library or
the town hall cannot miss
the cenotaph and he
hopes his books will make
them stop and look at the
names and think about
the men who made the
ultimate sacrifice.
"Now you can read all
about them," he said.
Heywood said he
enjoyed the process of
putting the books togeth-
er.
"When you do some-
thing you enjoy, it's not
work," he said.
"These guys deserve to
be shown for who they
were."
Heywood said he is also
known as the legion
branch historian.
"I do it for the good and
the welfare of the
branch," he said. "It does
so much good in the com-
munity."
Heywood said many
people don't realize how
involved the local legion is
in the community. He said
the branch gives back in
many ways to community
causes.
"We make money to
give it away," he said.
Above is a picture taken during the Second World War of a tank crew. From the
left are gunner O.K. Hunter, driver A. Perkins, Lieut. Bill McCormick, driver J.
Pritchard and loader Edison Pollock, who was raised on a farm in Stephen
Township and was killed in action in 1944. Pollock's story is one of many included
in two commemorative books printed and researched by Eric Heywood.
At right is a picture which ran in the Times -Advocate Nov. 8, 1945 and is also
included in Heywood's Second World War book. The girl shown is Denise Van
Ooteghem of Assenede, Belgium. She is visiting the grave of Edward Triebner, who
was killed in the Second World War. She sent the photo and a letter to Triebner's
parents in Stephen Township, who submitted them to be printed in the T-A.Van
Ooteghem came across the grave alone in some bushes and vowed to put flowers
on the lonely grave every day until it was transferred to the Canadian Military
Cemetery at Odegem. (photos/submitted)