A cemetery seems an unlikely thing to spur a group of elementary school students in England to visit Newfoundland, but a group of six students and their families arrived in St. John’s Tuesday night because of what happened at a London cemetery 15 years ago.
It began when students at Beatrix Potter Primary School attended a Remembrance Day service at a military cemetery in Wandsworth, London, in 2003.
“They came upon Newfoundland graves and wondered who they were because the Regiment has the caribou head on that group, so they kind of stood out,” said Ken Gatehouse with The Royal Newfoundland Regiment Association.
Ever since, students at the school have been researching the 17 soldiers and one nurse who are buried in the cemetery.
They also visit the cemetery often to place forget-me-nots and poppies on the graves.
They’ve even managed to connect with some of the soldiers’ families — but not all.
“Where their families are today one never knows because some of these guys were young and weren’t married — they were single, young men. So, their connection is through great nieces and nephews,” said Gatehouse.
So, six of the students are in Newfoundland for a week and are hoping to hear from anyone related to or with knowledge of the soldiers buried in the Wandsworth Cemetery.
When they landed at St. John’s International Airport Tuesday evening the school’s headteacher Steph Neale said that the soldiers have become like family to everyone at the school.
“We know their names, we’ve got pictures of them,” he said.
“There’s one in particular, a guy called Robert Lebuff. You just look at his picture and you just feel so much empathy because, I think he was 23 – it’s ridiculous. Absolutely ridiculous. They were very young. Of course, the kids say, ‘They’re like my older brothers.’”
Student George Overy said he feels it’s important to respect them. He said the soldiers have taught the students important lessons.
“They’ve taught us about remembrance – the importance of remembering them.”
The students are hosting a meet and greet for families of the Wandsworth cemetery soldiers at the Canadian Forces base in Pleasantville this Saturday at 3 p.m.
To help connect the students with family members of those buried at the cemetery, the following is a list of the soldiers and the nurse: Arthur John Abbot from Charlottetown; Bertha Bartlett from Brigus; Frederick Donald Bastow from St. John’s; Patrick Joseph Brown from St. John’s; Thomas Carter from Stephenville Crossing; William Rex Cook from St. John’s; Silas Edgecombe from Ochre Pit Cove; John Charles Edwards from St. John’s; Philip Gillett from Leading Tickles; Adolphus Garrett Heath from Long Island, Green Bay; James Houlihan from Cape St. Mary’s; Robert W Lebuff from Springdale; Chesley Mercer from St. John’s; Heber John Miles from Bonavista; Edward Peckford from Gander Bay; Gordon Stanley Pike from St. John’s; Augustus Quinton from Red Cliff, Bonavista Bay; and Alfred A Reid from St. John’s.
Families of the soldiers can connect with the students through Gatehouse by e-mailing [email protected].
Neale said meeting family members of the soldiers who themselves have become like family to the students will be the highlight of the trip.
“To be able to actually go up to somebody who can say, ‘Yea, that was my great great uncle’ is going to be amazing to them.”
Twitter: @juanitamercer_
