The Beechwood Way #39.pub

THE BEECHWOOD WAY
BEECHWOOD, THE NATIONAL CEMETERY OF CANADA
Photo: Richard Lawrence
Members of Beechwood’s Board of Directors and management team were present at the unveiling of the Dr. Roger Garden on June 14, 2012.
Remembering Dr. Roger’s contributions to Beechwood
and the preservation of our rich Canadian heritage
Robert White
Director,
The Beechwood Cemetery Foundation
A
remarkable Canadian, Doctor J.
David Roger passed away on June 14,
2015 at the age of 98 after what he
himself said was “more than his fair share
of a long and happy life.” He served on
Beechwood’s Board of Directors for over
35 years, first as a Director from 1977 to
1992, as the President from 1993 to
2002, and finally as Director Emeritus
for the remainder of his life in recognition of his huge contribution to Beechwood.
Dr. Roger’s sense of honour and great
integrity were never more apparent than
throughout the 10-year legal battle in the
1990’s, during which his leadership prevented the sale of part of the Cemetery
to commercial interests. Among other
things, this would likely have led to a
very large portion of the Cemetery’s 160
acres of land being sold off for real estate
development. Once the legal battle had
been won, Dr. Roger led the
way for the creation of The
Beechwood Cemetery Foundation, which was done to ensure
that Beechwood would operate
as a not-for-profit organization
forever for the benefit of the
citizens of Ottawa and for all of Canada.
It was also during Dr. Roger’s term as
President that Beechwood became the
National Military Cemetery of the Canadian Forces. Once he was made aware
that the Department of National Defence (DND) was interested in creating a
National Military Cemetery, Dr. Roger
became particularly enthusiastic about
this initiative. From 1942 to 1945 he
had served as Royal Canadian Air Force
(RCAF) Medical Officer of 410 Squadron, a Mosquito Night Fighter Squadron, in England, France and Holland
and was present at military burials of
Canadian Forces casualties in all three
countries.
On April 4, 2000 the Beechwood
Board of Directors held a special
meeting to authorize making a formal
(See “Dr. Roger” on page 3)
The Beechwood Way
Published by The Beechwood Cemetery Foundation
Volume 10, Issue 39
Photo: Richard Lawrence
Members of the Bryce family and representatives of the Aboriginal community gather around the newly unveiled Great Canadian Profile plaque honouring Dr. Peter Bryce.
Between Friends
Ian Guthrie
Friends of Beechwood
S
ection 60 in Beechwood must
have seen busier times in the early
days of the cemetery, as it was beside the original entry roadway which
came up from what is now Hemlock.
Like some archaeological reminder,
the remains of that roadway can still
be discerned beside Section 60. The
section, the resting place of ancestors
of many notable Canadian families,
is now somewhat removed from most
of the ‘life’ of the cemetery. It is a
delightful glade surrounded by magnificent maples and is remarkably
tranquil considering it is virtually in
the centre of a vibrant city.
On a Sunday morning in August
almost one hundred Canadians in all
our diversity gathered there to honour Dr. Peter Henderson Bryce, who
lies with other family members in
Volume 10, Issue 39
Section 60. Dr. Bryce, (1853-1932, a
medical doctor), was employed by
the federal government in the early
years of the last century and on his
travels across the new country, particularly in the north and west, he
visited the institutions we now know
as Indian Residential Schools. He
was appalled by the terrible living
conditions of the native children in
the schools, the widespread abuses he
witnessed and the high rates of sickness and mortality experienced by
the young people. He composed detailed reports deploring the Residential School System and sent them to
his superiors in Ottawa, where they
were ignored. But he was persistent,
and consequently was shunted out of
his job, a fate we might recognise in
the present day. However his work
did begin to inform the population
of what was being done in their
name.
The assembled group was led in a
prayer circle by Aboriginal elders and
2
then addressed by Cindy Blackstock,
a member of the Gitxsan nation and
an Associate Professor at the University of Alberta. She spoke eloquently
and passionately of the courage of
Dr. Bryce and his concern for these
young Canadians. Perhaps the majority of Canadians at the time were too
involved in their own struggles for
survival in mines, fisheries, forests,
on pioneer farms and in the difficult
circumstances of emerging urban
centres to be particularly outraged,
but a more general awareness and the
eventual closing of these schools were
begun with the witness of Dr. Bryce.
A biographical plaque detailing his
life has been installed by his grave
and was unveiled by members of Peter Bryce’s family and Dr. Blackstock.
That August morning presented the
beauty of Beechwood at its finest as
we remembered and honoured a person of immense integrity, an occasion
to be treasured as cooler temperatures
close in to begin another winter.
Fall 2015
Dr. Roger (cont’d)
proposal to DND. The three-page
letter, which was signed by Dr. Roger
and addressed to General Maurice
Baril, Chief of Defence Staff, provided a relatively detailed outline of
how the arrangement might work. In
its closing paragraph the letter stated:
“The Beechwood Board makes this
proposal in a spirit of public service, and
with the interests of our Nation, our
Canadian heritage and our Canadian
Armed Forces in mind. We trust that it
will be received in the same spirit, and
that we may look forward to working
together to realize this most important
and worthy objective.”
It is not an exaggeration to state that
without Dr. Roger’s tremendous leadership and vision Beechwood would not
exist as it does today as a beautiful community cemetery, Canada’s National
Military Cemetery, the RCMP National
Memorial Cemetery, a National Historic
Site and, through an Act of Parliament,
The National Cemetery of Canada. Dr.
Roger’s huge contribution to Beechwood, the Ottawa community and to
Canadian heritage is in part recognized
with a plaque and garden in his name at
the entrance to the Beechwood National
Memorial Centre.
Born on July 13, 1916 and raised in
Alta Vista, Ottawa, Dr. Roger was one of
five children. He studied Medicine at the
Beechwood Report
Andrew Roy
Director of Operations
B
eechwood had the honour of participating in a restoration of an historic monument and the placing of a
new plaque of dedication with St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church. From the
event press release: On Tuesday, Sept.
29, 2015, at 11:00 a.m., Rev. Dr. Karen
Dimock of St. Andrew's Presbyterian
Fall 2015
From left, Robert White, Margie Howsam, Dr. Roger, Grete Hale and John French standing in front of
the cenotaph at the National Military Cemetery of the Canadian Forces at its unveiling in 2001.
University of Toronto where at age 17 he
was second youngest in a class of 180
students. After graduation he interned at
the Ottawa Civic Hospital and in 1942
joined the RCAF. Before returning home
after the war, Dr. Roger wrote and passed
the Royal College of Physicians of London (England) exams for specialization
in Internal Medicine. Later he added a
second specialty, Radiology, to his skills.
He was on staff at The Civic Hospital for
over 60 years, as well as the Grace Hospital and briefly at both the General Hospital and the Rideau Veterans Home.
Recently, The Academy of Medicine Ottawa (AMO) honoured him by naming
an award after him. “The Dr. J. David
Roger Distinguished Service Award” will
be awarded annually to an AMO physician who demonstrates excellence in advocacy and professional roles, as well as
providing outstanding service to the
community both as a physician and a
public-spirited citizen.
As per his wishes, Dr. Rogers’ body was
donated to the University of Ottawa for
the advancement of science and medical
education. Later his cremated remains will
be interred in the Roger family plot at
Beechwood beside Doris, his beloved wife
of 51 years, who passed away in 2002. He
was the dearly loved father of Margie, Jean
and Dave, and a proud grandfather and
great-grandfather. Above all else, he will
be fondly remembered by those who had
the pleasure to know him.
Church (82 Kent Street) led a short service at Beechwood Cemetery to rededicate the restored monument and to
dedicate the recently installed plaque at
the grave of the Rev. William Durie,
located in Section 37, Lot 68.
Durie arrived from Scotland in December 1846 to become the 3rd minister
of St. Andrew's Church. His eloquent
sermons and his deep concern for the
poor and sick of all creeds endeared him
not only to his congregation, but also to
the larger Bytown community.
Durie’s ministry lasted just nine
months. In early June, typhus arrived in
Bytown with Irish emigrants. Known
also as Ship Fever and spread principally
by lice, typhus accompanied and struck
the emigrants as they travelled. Through
the summer of 1847, with others, Durie
and Father Molloy worked hand in hand
to do all they could to help Bytown’s
typhus victims. The strain proved too
much, and on Sept. 12, 1847 at age 43,
Reverend Durie succumbed to typhus in
3
(See “Beechwood Report” on page 5)
Volume 10, Issue 39
Photo: British Government, 1942
The Handley Page HP.52 Hampden was a British twin-engine medium bomber
of the Royal Air Force serving in the Second World War. With the Whitley and
the Wellington, the Hampden bore the brunt of the early bombing war over
Europe. Timmerman joined No.49 RAF Bomber Squadron, earlier in the war
and, in 1941, was appointed Commanding Officer of the RCAF No.408 (Goose)
Squadron, Bomber Command.
RCAF Timmerman first saw action with the RAF during World War II
The late Thomas Ritchie
Friends of Beechwood
N
elles Woods Timmerman was
born in Kingston, Ontario in 1913
and was educated there. He studied
mining engineering at Queen's University in the 1930s, ran out of money for
the course but was able to pay for lessons at the Kingston flying club. He obtained his pilot's license and hoped it
would enable him to join the Royal Air
Force in England and make aviation his
career.
He left Kingston in 1936 for Montreal
where he boarded a ship for England,
obtaining free passage for feeding and
watering the cattle it carried. He made
his way to London, successfully applied
to join the RAF, was commissioned in
August of that year, and after taking a
number of flying training courses he
joined No.49 RAF Bomber Squadron.
Its aircraft was the single-engine Hawker
Hind, a front-line bomber/dive bomber
of the time, but in 1938 he took conversion courses to fly new bombers entering
RAF service, the twin-engine Blenheim
Volume 10, Issue 39
and Hampden. When WWII started
No.49 Squadron was flying the Hampden, its crew including the pilot, an observer (mainly responsible for navigation), one gunner and two wireless operators who were also trained as gunners.
On September 3, 1939, the first day
of WWII, three Hampdens from 49
Squadron were among the 28 Bomber
Command aircraft that flew over the
North Sea searching for German warships to bomb, but found none. At that
time, RAF bombers flew in close formation to targets, relying on the combined
guns of the formation for protection
from fighter attacks. Early bomber encounters with fighters, however, resulted
in such heavy losses that Bomber Command changed to night bombing, in the
hope that darkness and the scarcity of
night fighters would give bomber crews
a chance of survival. Night flying, however, made navigation to a target, and
bombing it, much more difficult.
In addition to the search for German
ships to bomb, early Bomber Command
operations included the dropping of sea
mines in shipping lanes, reconnaissance
4
Source: ‘A Canadian Hero in the Royal Air Force’ by Paul Nyznik,
Airforce magazine, Spring 2001, issue 29
Due almost entirely to the initiative and persistence of W/C Timmerman, the squadron badge,
with the Canada goose as the centerpiece and
“FOR FREEDOM” as the motto, was approved by
King George VI in October 1942.
Fall 2015
flights, the dropping of propaganda leaflets on cities and, in later raids, RAF
bombers attacked the steel and other
mills that produced war materials, particularly in the industrial Ruhr Valley.
During one of his early sea patrols,
Timmerman attacked and sank a "flak"
ship, fitted with many anti-aircraft guns
intended to protect the ships it accompanied from air attack. On his return
from mine-laying in shipping lanes at
the mouth of the Elbe River leading to
the important port of Hamburg,
Timmerman noticed a flare-path used
by German sea-planes, saw one following the flares, and using his Hampden as
a fighter, with the single machine gun in
its nose that he controlled, he shot down
the sea-plane. He later repeated the
process at a German-occupied airport in
Holland, following and shooting down a
German bomber returning from a raid
on England and using the airport's approach lights to make its landing.
Timmerman's courage, determination
and leadership resulted in his appointment as Commanding Officer of a
bomber squadron and the award of the
Distinguished Flying Cross, and on
completing his first tour of operations
he was removed from squadron service
to serve for a time on the staff of a training station. He started his second tour
in March, 1941 but in August of that
year was appointed Commanding Officer of the second RCAF squadron
(No.408) formed in Bomber Command.
In Sept. 1941 he received from King
George VI the Distinguished Service
Order.
When he had completed 50 operational flights Timmerman returned to
Canada and in March, 1942 became the
Chief Instructor at a pilot-training station. He returned to England in July,
1943, responsible for the training of
Bomber Command aircrew and in November, 1944 he transferred from the
RAF to the RCAF.
Timmerman's post-WWII service included three years as chief operations officer of the Allied Air Force based in
France, four years as commanding officer of the RCAF Station, Chatham,
N.B., deputy commander positions with
NORAD Regions and Sectors, and on
retirement from the RCAF he became
the Director of Emergency Measures
Ontario. Following his death on Dec.4,
2001 Air Commodore Nelles Woods
Timmerman DSO DFC MiD CD was
buried in Beechwood's National Military Cemetery.
Some early Ottawa gravestone makers
Beechwood Report (cont’d)
D
the manse to the south of the church.
Durie’s funeral service was held at St.
Andrew’s, and all places of public business closed during the interment. In sorrow, the congregation erected a large
horizontal monument, bearing a powerful inscription, over Durie's grave (in the
Old Sandy Hill Cemetery). The grave
and monument were later moved to
Beechwood, and by 2015, age had taken
its toll of the monument, which showed
cracks, faults, and a flaking inscription.
The 168-year old monument was restored by Catherine Paterson PhD, a
Conservation Consultant from Guelph,
Ontario. The plaque, which bears the
monument's original inscription, was
prepared and mounted on granite by
Beechwood Cemetery staff. St. Andrew’s
congregation is most grateful to Catherine for her conservation work, and also
to Andrew Roy, Director of Operations
at Beechwood Cemetery, and to Beechwood staff for the care taken to preserve
the monument and the memory of the
Rev. William Durie.
r. Bruce Elliott of Carleton
University delivered the annual Ryan Taylor & Brian Gilchrist Memorial Lecture to Ottawa
Branch of the Ontario Genealogical
Society on Saturday, October 24. He
chose to speak about the producers
of early Ottawa gravestones, whose
work of course is generously represented at Beechwood Cemetery.
Gravestones are an important
source of genealogical information
but they also have their own history.
Initially craft products, they reflected locally available materials,
traditional skills, and local, regional,
or cultural stylistic and symbolic traditions. Through the course
of the 19th century, as Canada became part of a North American consumer marketplace, gravestones increasingly became modern, standardized, and mass produced industrial
products. Materials, designs, and
eventually monuments themFall 2015
selves now originated outside the
locality, produced near a few centralized quarry sites. They were wholesaled to local monument dealers,
who added the inscriptions, and became in many instances more retailers than craftsmen. The presentation
looked at the work of some of Ottawa’s early gravestone makers in the
context of this transition from craft
to industry.
Bruce Elliott is a life member of
the Ontario Genealogical Society
and a former chairman of its Ottawa
Branch. By day he is a professor in
the History Department at Carleton
University where he teaches a senior
seminar on gravestones and cemeteries. His current research project is
on the industrial evolution of the
North American monument industry.
In the pages of future issues Bruce
will recount the stories of some of
Ottawa’s monument makers and
dealers, and their work.
5
Volume 10, Issue 39
By the ‘Way’…Facts from the Company Minutes
Mark Sunderland
Friends of Beechwood
A
s the board members assembled during an October evening in 1925, young
Mr. Dewar led them to the table and kindly
offered to hang up their capes and canes. The
secretary asked to keep his cape and cane
because he was “coming down with something” that might require him to occasionally
leave the room in a hurry. He had told his
wife there wasn't much on the agenda (there
wasn’t) and not to wait up but to please leave
the Pepto-Bismol on the kitchen table before
going to bed. Unfortunately, a swift move
through the evening's agenda was not to be.
We all know that simple questions that are
easily comprehensible can have a way of protracting well beyond their worth and on this
particular evening ninety years ago, such a
question was put before the board. The minutes don't reveal who introduced it but the
answer would require a letter to all the owners
of perpetual care lots. Simply put, the cost of
maintaining plant life on perpetual care lots
exceeded the revenue derived from the lot
owners’ investment fund and the cemetery
appeared tied to an agreement to keep paying.
What can we do asked the board? Why are
we troubled with this question at the onset of
winter. We won't have to water the flowers
for at least six months during which time we
can think about what to do when the snow’s
gone. Do you think we should form a committee to study the question? Why not wait
till next spring when plant life will be sufficiently visible to conduct empirical tests for
cost analysis and maintenance. One member
asked what “perpetual” meant. Is it anything
like “eternal,” “always” and “forever”?
The superintendent explained that because
nobody seemed to know what “perpetual”
meant, it would be a good idea to keep it
linked to the cash flow - besides, “eternal
care” would have far reaching implications
that go beyond the scope of us mortals. Are
we really locked into an agreement with the
owners? Surely there's a clause that will let us
wriggle out or are we always stuck with it
forever and eternity? One of the board who
was struggling to contribute said he didn’t
know much about horticulture but had heard
that some plants, especially tropical ones,
didn't hold up well in Canadian winters.
The superintendent was getting annoyed.
Perpetual care didn't mean perpetual questions. His thoughts were only for the fiscal
health of the cemetery and if anyone was silly
enough to think that Beechwood was a venue
for growing tropical plants he had no intentions to pay for their care. Thereupon, the
board unanimously agreed to limit the caretaking to “flowers only” and raise the cost of
doing so - in perpetuity.
The secretary, now bent in pain and aching
for the Pepto-Bismol, didn't give a damn
what they did but was nonetheless able to
draft the letter that reads thus:
Heretofore, notwithstanding the fact
that the perpetual Care Agreement
given to you by our Company does not
cover anything but the caring for the
Lot, the revenue derived from the investment of this fund has been sufficient to enable us to water any flowers
which may have been placed on these
Lots, free of charge. Last year, on account of this additional service, the
charges against this fund were more
than the revenue. For that reason I am
sorry to have to advise you that from
now on if flowers are placed on any
Lots under Perpetual Care, the Company will water them, and will charge
for so doing, at the current rates.
Happily, and just prior to adjournment, a
little note was handed to the secretary that
caused him to cast a smile. It was from Judge
McKinley to thank him for his generous assistance in the Arnold Ferguson case
(mentioned in the preceding issue).
The Beechwood Cemetery Foundation Board of Directors
General (ret’d) Maurice Baril, Chair; Carol Beal; RCMP A/Commr. (ret’d) Ghyslaine Clément;
Stephen Gallagher; Cathy Gray; Ian Guthrie; RCMP D/Commr. (ret’d) Tim Killam;
Brigadier General (ret’d) Gerald E. Peddle; David Wallace; Richard Wagner; Robert White
Volume 10, Issue 39
6
Upcoming special events
Remembrance Day
National Military Cemetery
Wednesday, November 11, 10:30am
The Beechwood Stroll Guided Tour
Sunday, November 22, 2:00pm
RSVP: 613-741-9530
Wreaths Across Canada
National Military Cemetery
Sunday, December 6, 1:30pm
Christmas Candlelight Service
Beechwood National Memorial Centre
Sunday, December 13, 6:00pm
Published quarterly by the
Executive Director: Roger Boult
Editor: Jacques Faille
Design editor: Nicole Bedard
French translation: Jean-Luc Malherbe
Contributors: Robert White, Ian Guthrie, Andrew
Roy, Dr. Bruce Elliott and Mark Sunderland
ISSN 2368-545X, 2368-5468
THE BEECHWOOD WAY newsletter is a free,
independent publication and, unless otherwise
clearly stated, its articles imply no endorsement
of any product or service.
The Beechwood Cemetery Foundation is a
registered Canadian charity, and will issue an
income tax receipt for donations of $20 or more.
Registration number 88811 2018 RR0001.
How to contact us:
E-mail: [email protected]
Phone: (613) 741-9530
Mail: THE BEECHWOOD WAY
280 Beechwood Ave, PO Box 7025
Ottawa ON K1L 8E2
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Visit us online to learn more about Beechwood,
the National Cemetery of Canada and read back
issues of THE BEECHWOOD WAY at:
www.beechwoodottawa.ca
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Contact Jacques Faille at [email protected]
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Fall 2015