Wallaceburg Retirement Residence – Morning Coffee

Weather forecast for Monday, May 28, 2018

Today – Sunny this morning and early this afternoon then a mix of sun and cloud with 30 percent chance of showers late this afternoon. Risk of a thunderstorm late this afternoon. High 33 except 25 near Lake Erie. Humidex 39. UV index 9 or very high.

Tonight – Partly cloudy with 30 percent chance of showers early this evening. Becoming clear late this evening and overnight. Risk of a thunderstorm early this evening. Low 20.

Canadian First World War soldier found in France and identified

The Department of National Defence (DND) and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) have identified the remains of a Canadian First World War soldier found at the site of a construction project in Lens, France, as Private John (Jack) Henry Thomas, of Chewale, South Wales, UK, and Birch Ridge, N.B.

Private Thomas was a member of the 26th Canadian Infantry Battalion (New Brunswick), Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF). He died on August 19, 1917, at the age of 28, during the Battle of Hill 70.

DND and the CAF have notified members of Private Thomas’s family, and Veterans Affairs Canada is providing them with ongoing support as final arrangements are made.

Private Thomas will be buried by his regiment, in the presence of family and Government of Canada representatives, at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) Loos British Cemetery outside Loos-en-Gohelle, France, on August 23 at 1:30 p.m. (Central European Time).

The public is welcome to attend.

“One hundred years after the end of the First World War, we honour and remember Private Thomas,” stated Harjit S. Sajjan, Defence Minister.

“We will never forget his sacrifice, or those of the nearly 61,000 brave Canadians who gave their lives in the First World War so that all of us might live in peace and security.”

The goal of DND’s Casualty Identification Program is to identify unknown soldiers when their remains are discovered, so that they may be buried with a name by their regiment and in the presence of their family.

In striving towards this aim, the program fosters a sense of continuity and identity within the CAF, as it provides an opportunity for all Canadians to reflect upon the experiences of those men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.

“We are grateful for the opportunity to support Private Thomas’s family during this time,” stated Seamus O’Regan, Veterans Affairs Minister and Associate Minister of National Defence.

“We will lay him to rest with the honour he and his family deserve. While a century has passed, time has not lessened our gratitude to Private Thomas. May he, and those who fell with him, never be forgotten.”

More details:

– Private John (Jack) Henry Thomas was born on January 25, 1889, in Chewale, South Wales, UK. He grew up in Birch Ridge, N.B., where he worked as a farmer. He enlisted with the 115th Canadian Infantry Battalion, CEF, in Saint John, N.B., on April 20, 1916, at the age of 27. He joined the 26th Canadian Infantry Battalion (New Brunswick), CEF on May 21, 1917. He died on August 19, 1917, at the age of 28, during the Battle of Hill 70.

– In August 2016, human remains with associated First World War artefacts were discovered at the site of a construction project in Lens, France. The CWGC was notified, and with the support of French regional authorities, took possession of the remains and artefacts, transporting them to a CWGC facility in Beaurains, France, for safekeeping. The remains were later identified as those of Private Thomas.

– The Casualty Identification Program’s Casualty Identification Review Board, which includes participants from the Canadian Forces Forensic Odontology Response Team and the Canadian Museum of History, confirmed the identity of Private Thomas through historical, genealogical, anthropological, archaeological, and DNA analysis.

– The Battle of Hill 70 took place 15-25 August 1917. It was the first major action fought by the Canadian Corps under a Canadian commander in the First World War. Approximately 2100 Canadians gave their lives in the battle, over 1300 of whom have no known grave. The strategic high point of Hill 70 remained in Allied hands until the end of the war.

– The CWGC commemorates the 1.7 million Commonwealth servicemen and women who died during the two world wars. It also holds and updates an extensive records archive. The Commission operates in more than 23,000 locations in over 150 countries.

CUPE Local 12 continues their support for local Hospice families

Members of Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) Local 12 recently made a generous donation of $10,000 to Chatham-Kent Hospice Foundation to support the end-of-life services offered by Chatham-Kent Hospice to local families when they need it the most.

“We are so thankful to the members of CUPE Local 12 for their generosity. Their ongoing support helps cover the Hospice’s monthly operating expenses, allowing Hospice to care for families at no cost to them,” stated Jodi Maroney, Chatham-Kent Hospice Foundation Executive Director.

Shown in the photo, from left: CUPE members, Dennis Jenner (Treasurer CUPE Local 12), Jodi Maroney
(Executive Director – Chatham-Kent Hospice Foundation), Kelly Stowe (President CUPE Local 12).