Cenotaph - IOOF at Greenwood Cemetery, Owen Sound

I have written previously about the IOOF cenotaph located north of the Mausoleum in Greenwood Cemetery, Owen Sound.

The plaque reads

In Loving Memory

Thomas Allen

George Arthur Ewens

Douglas Archibald Hay

Roy Brown McKenzie

Wesley Clarence McFaul

Charles Edgar Orford

Robert Pollock

Jonathan Rennie

James Thomson Robb

Gregor McKenzie Young

Members of 

Owen Sound Lodge no. 180

Home Lodge no. 441

Who gave their lives in the cause 

of Freedom in the Great War

1914-1918

Erected IOOF and Rebekahs

Remembering

In Greenwood Cemetery, Owen Sound, I found this monument as I strolled through the cemetery on a mission to find military memorials back in November 2009.

838171 Private

Lorne J. Ross

24th Battn CEF

24th June 1934

Lorne had served in the First World War but he did return home after the War but his health was affected by his time overseas. A search on Ancestry, led me to Canada, War Graves Registers: Circumstances of Casualty, 1914-1948 Record [database] for Lorne J Ross. It provided a link to the digital image of the form. Lorne's early death at the age of 36 was attributed to his service. He died in Christie St. Hospital in Toronto, Ontario  where he had been a patient for seven weeks according to his death registration. Lorne was single and had worked as a civil servant. He was working as a waiter when he enlisted in December 1915.  He gave his birth as a year earlier than it actually was, as did many young men did when they enlisted. Lornton John  Ross was born 21 June 1898 to  John Ross and Margaret Jane Hammond of Owen Sound.

Tombstone Tuesday - Canadian Legion Memorials - Lest We Forget

Thomas Seton Gordon

The memorial plaque at Knox United Church, Owen Sound, bears the name of two brothers – Charles Haughton McKay Gordon and Thomas Seton Gordon. They were the children of Charles Gordon and Josephine Gimby.


Thomas Seton Gordon is the subject of today's remembrance.


Thomas was born 29 November 1890 in Owen Sound. After attending OSCI, he attended Victoria College and the University of Toronto where he earned his BA in political science. Thomas joined the University of Toronto’s Canadian Officers’ Training Corps (C.O.T.C). He attended a training camp in Quebec.


On 22 May 1915, at the age of 25, Thomas joined the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force as a private with the 2nd University Company. He was 5 foot 11 inches with fair complexion, blue-grey eyes and dark brown hair.

Thomas went to England in June where he was promoted to the rank of sergeant. While being reviewed by King George, his Majesty and the Earl of Lonsdale selected Thomas to be commissioned as a lieutenant. Upon examination, he received his command with the 11th Battalion Border Regiment. In November 1915, Thomas went to the trenches in France. He served on the Somme front in the Albert section.


During the early morning of 22 January 1916, the enemy was shelling the trenches. It is reported that Thomas heard the cries of the wounded and he left the trenches to go to their aid. Tragically, he was wounded when a shell struck him. That night Thomas died. Thomas is buried at Warloy-Baillon, Grave Reference C.6.

A full military memorial service was held at Knox Presbyterian Church (now United) Owen Sound to honour Thomas. His father, Thomas Gordon, town clerk, received a message of condolences from their Majesties. 
The church was filled for the service. The Gordon family pew was draped in purple.

Photographs courtesy Charles Gordon of British Columbia. 
References available upon request.

Cenotaphs - Donald E. Stiver (Markham)

Recently while reading Amy's Genealogy. etc. blog, I learned something I didn't know. She was writing about cenotaphs.

Question: When is a tombstone not a tombstone? Answer: When it’s a cenotaph. A cenotaph (literally “empty tomb”) is a memorial for someone who is not buried at that place, either because they are buried someplace else or the body could not be recovered. Sometimes the marker will give you a clue that it is a cenotaph rather than a tombstone.

I have always thought that a cenotaph had to be a military memorial. So thanks to Amy, I have have learned something new. I will be on the watch for examples of cenotaphs, not only those that are military memorials to remember a group of people who served their country, when visiting cemeteries.


The following would be a cenotaph to a young man who died in the service of his country -- P.O. Donald Ewart Stiver (4th cousin once removed).

This cenotaph is found in the Bethesda Lutheran Cemetery (southwest part of lot 17, Concession 6 in the Town of Markham, formerly the Township of Markham, York County, Ontario).
Shown above is the east side of the monument.
"This fragment is from Tegernsee, Bavaria, where P.O. Donald E. Stiver is buried in Durnbeck Cemetery. "
On the west side of the monument

"In loving memory of Winnifred E. Cassie
1901-1970
beloved wife of Ewart J. Stiver
1869-1979
their son
P.O. Donald E. Stiver
1923-1943"

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission gives his date of death as 6/9/1943. [ September 6, 1943] He was a pilot with the Royal Canadian Air Force the 44th Squadron. He is buried in a Joint grave 2. J. 20-21.
Cemetery: = DURNBACH WAR CEMETERY
On Donald's death registration, his date of birth was given as July 4, 1923. He was presumed dead from air operations. I believe that he was last seen on September 6, 1943 as in a memorial service for George Coathup at Central United Church [Unionville] reported on July 29, 1944, Don Stiver was remembered in prayer as being missing. His name was also read in the Honour Roll of Bethesda Lutheran Church on August 20, 1944. "P.O Don Stiver, the only casualty on the roll, who was reported missing a year ago, was remembered."
Donald Ewart Stiver Ontario death registration #701154 (6 September 1943); digital image Ancestry.ca (www.ancestry.ca : accessed 23 December 2006), citing MS 994 reel 2, Archives of Ontario, Toronto
See a companion article about cenotaphs at Janet the Researcher.