Six new heritage banners were unveiled during an early October presentation by the Municipal Heritage Committee. Banner Committee Chairman Bill Streeter (right) stands with Southampton Legion Branch 155 President John Willetts (centre) and Charlie Schmalz, Branch 155 Sargent at Arms (left).
Hub Staff
Following a year of research, photos of six men who lost their lives to war will now hang alongside the 39 commemorative banners that were unveiled in 2017 and lined the downtown cores of both Port Elgin and Southampton.
During an early October unveiling at the Southampton Legion Branch 155, the banners of Gordon Cummings 1875-1900, Albert Henry Meyer 1895-1915, Charles Morris Gilbert 1895-1915, Daniel Nawash 1893-1918, Melvin Graham France 1915-1944 and Gordon Lewis Saunders 1909-1943 were announced by Heritage Committee member and Chairman of the Banner Committee Bill Streeter.
Streeter started began his research in 2009 when he participated in a WW1 trench tour which covered 85 miles of the British Expeditionary Force who were assisted by the Canadian Expeditionary Force along the Western Front. From that tour Streeter learned a lot about how to research soldiers and has been looking for the fallen soldiers from Saugeen Township, Saugeen First Nation, Port Elgin and Southampton ever since.
Streeter said 81 men from the four communities perished during the World Wars, 56 during WW1 fighting for British forces and 25 in World War 2. Gordon Cumming was the only serviceman to die from Bruce County in the Boer War. Steeter said that Boer Guerrillas trapped Cummings and other servicemen in a canyon. When Cummings was retrieving ammunition he lost is life. During that battle 700 British soldiers, including Cummings, died. Daniel Nawash, who was identified by Saugeen First Nation elder Vernon Roote, was part of the Western Ontario Battalion and died during the Battle of Ager. He is one of 924 Canadians who were buried in the Ager War cemetery where Streeter says he lays overlooking water.
Streeter noted that Albert Henry Meyers was the hardest name to come by as his last name is spelled incorrectly on a cenotaph and in documents at the Bruce County Museum. Streeter remarked that he had many lives, seeking treatment in the hospital two times; one being for a gunshot wound to his head. Following his release Meyers died in battle, where he received a battle field burial, however, his body was never recovered.
Following Streeter's stories, Southampton Legion’s President John Willetts said Branch 155 was very proud of the program that Streeter put into effect for Saugeen Shores with help from the Heritage Committee.
“It’s a great representation and a real reminder when you walk up and down the street when the banners are up and you look at the young faces of those local boys...from this community, who lived and grew up here, married here, had girlfriends here and didn't come back,” said Willetts.
Following the presentation Streeter noted that pictures are getting more difficult to find. "We got 45 but that just means that there’s 36 we don't have. This year we now have 100 percent of Port Elgin and Southampton’s WW2 Memenn, missing two First Nations and WW1 is still and enormous challenge,” he said.
Melvin Graham France lost his life in World War 2 and Daniel Nawash lost his life during WW1.
Gordon Lewis Saunders lost his life during WW2 and Albert (Bert) Henry Meyers lost his life in WW1.
Charles Morris Gilbert was ill his entire time overseas where he became a clerk and passed away with pneumonia during the first World War.
