The South Shore Tide Watch: Remembrance Day 2024 ~ Chester

On this very wet and overcast Remembrance Day, I attended the service at Chester which is about 50Km along the coast from Pleasantville. In all the Armistice Day/Remembrance Day outdoor services I have ever attended, today was the first time I have experienced the event having to be moved indoors. Due to the rainy weather, it took place within Chester's Royal Canadian Legion Branch 44 facility.

Chester has a very impressive war memorial displaying a bronze statue of a Nova Scotia Highland soldier. It was unveiled on August 4, 1922 in memory of 54 men who laid down their lives from the area during the First World War, but now bears the names of those who gave their lives in the Second World War, Korea, and Afghanistan.

The design and cast were the gift of J. Massey Rhind, a Scottish-American sculptor. He began his studies under his father before attending the prestigious Royal Scottish Academy in Edinburgh as a 15-year old prodigy. He then continued his studies in England, followed by two more years in Paris, before moving to New York in 1889 when he was 29. After the First World War, Rhind lived in Chester. His work in Nova Scotia includes the Halifax Grand Parade Cenotaph, New Glasgow Cenotaph, and Cornwallis Statue.

The plaque and bronze figure on the memorial cost $2050 and was cast in New York. The base and steps of the monument were cut from one granite boulder.

It has become customary after each annual Remembrance Day service, to stop off and leave my poppy at the grave of WWI casualty Edson Daniel Berrigan, who is buried in Maple Leaf Cemetery in Pleasantville.

You can read more about Edson by clicking on the image or link below ~

https://southshoretidewatch.blogspot.com/2018/11/one-of-many-remembered-today.html

For me this year was poignant reminder of the tragedy of war, and also the personal family loss that it brings. During the month of June, I travelled to Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) cemeteries, memorials and many other war related sites in Scotland, Belgium, The Netherlands and France. During my journeys I was able to visit the war graves of four of my five known relatives killed in war ~

Hugh Wright, 4511, Black Watch (Royal Highlanders), aged 32, died 30 June 1916 of injuries sustained in France or Belgium, buried Southern Necropolis Cemetery, Glasgow, Scotland.

Hugh Wright, 2003820, Royal Engineer, aged 26, killed 21 October 1944, buried Leopoldsburg War Cemetery, Limburg, Belgium.

Hugh James Wright, 40539, The 10th Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders, aged 21, killed 2 October 1918, buried Joncourt British Cemetery, Joncourt, Aisne, France.

John Kerr, Clyde Z/4980, Drake Battalion, Royal Naval Division, aged 19, killed 4 February 1917, buried Hamel Military Cemetery, Beaumont~Hamel, Somme, France.

My fifth known relative killed in war is ~

George Maxwell, Merchant Navy (S.S. Arbonne), aged 63, lost at sea on 24 February 1916, and is therefore commemorated at Tower Hill Memorial, London, England.

George Maxwell was the Chief Engineer aboard the S.S. Arbonne when on passage from Le Havre for Newcastle-on-Tyne, she was torpedoed by German submarine UB-2, about 3 miles east of Kentish Knock in the River Thames estuary. There were no survivors from the crew of fourteen, all their names are inscribed at Tower Hill.

I plan at some time in the future to visit Tower Hill in London.

Below are listed the blogs for my visits to family war graves and other war related sites while in Scotland, Belgium, The Netherlands and France ~ click on the images or the links below …