The graves of four First World War veterans buried in the remote coastal community of Ocean Falls, B.C. will receive new headstones.
The veterans - Pte. Oscar Breault (1895-1922) 1st Depot Bn, BCR; Pte. William Robert Bruce (1884-1934) 102nd Bn; Pte. Donald Alexander Robinson (1896-1943) 2nd Bn CMGC; Pte. William Hawthorne (1888-1944) 152nd Bn - all served in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the First World War.
Over time their headstones have deteriorated beyond recognition because of the rain and salt air of B.C.'s central coast, said Ted Usher of Comox.
Usher is the president of the Last Post Fund BC Branch.
He credited Comox Valley resident Paul Dexter, chief steward of the BC Ferries Northern Seawolf and his crew for coming up with the idea to replace the headstones.
In July 2023, Dexter wrote an email to the national office of the Last Post Fund (LPF) located in Montreal, seeking help replacing the headstones in Ocean Falls.
The Northern Seawolf visits various locations on the central coast each week, including Ocean Falls.
As Usher is a volunteer researcher for the Last Post Fund Unmarked Grave Program, Dexter's email was forwarded to him.
Coincidentally, Usher had been researching the Ocean Falls cemetery looking for any veterans who happened to be laying in unmarked graves.
"The timing could not have been anymore perfect," Usher said of receiving Dexter's email.
Usher explained the Unmarked Grave Program of the Last Post Fund, involves volunteer researchers from across Canada searching out cemeteries for veterans laying in graves that are unmarked without any headstone. With funding from Veteran’s Affairs Canada, the LPF will supply a headstone to the cemetery to be installed on the veteran's grave with no cost to family.
Through his research, Usher learned the Ocean Falls cemetery had several veterans buried there, but he had no idea if they had headstones or not and this would require someone from the local area to help out by actually searching the cemetery and comparing names with the map.
Usher asked Dexter if perhaps the next time he and the Northern Seawolf crew were docked in Ocean Falls, they could search out the cemetery for any of the veterans' graves Usher had identified.
Provided a location map and name list, Dexter and his chief engineer, Jamie Neil, searched the cemetery in August 2023.
They identified four headstones for First World War veterans, all very worn and illegible.
Usher recommended they apply to the Last Post Fund for new headstones.
When it became apparent it would take at least two years before even two headstones could be installed, due to a backlog and a limit of 600 headstones being replaced a year through the program, Dexter, Neil and Usher developed a plan of their own.
Dexter and Neil have lengthy service with the BC Ferries Corporation and before retiring wanted to be part of the entire process and witness the headstones being installed, Usher said.
They decided to hold a raffle to raise funds to purchase the headstones and have them installed quicker.
Dexter secured a trip for two on BC Ferries to the Inside Passage, including a two-night stay in Port Hardy.
Second prize was a fishing charter in Ladysmith along with a beautiful framed print and third prize was a two-night stay at the Old Bank Inn in Ocean Falls and a BC Ferries $100 gift card.
He also arranged for 2,500 tickets to be printed with a selling price of $2, set by the BC Lottery Corporation. Tickets sold quickly and some were purchased by Ocean Falls residents and BC Ferries staff as well as people from all over B.C.
Cumberland and Comox Royal Canadian Legion Branches also got involved by allowing Dexter and Neil to attend their weekly meat draws to sell tickets and by late May 2024, all 2,500 tickets were sold, Usher said.
When it came to the headstone purchase, Usher arranged with Mortimer’s Monumental Works Ltd in Victoria, to sell the four headstones at the wholesale price the Last Post Fund pays when purchasing from Mortimer’s.
For help in Ocean Falls, Dexter contacted Amber Finch, Corporate Officer of the Ocean Falls Improvement District to discuss how her organization could be of assistance because it was responsible for the cemetery.
"Amber became very excited about what was happening and gave the group her full support in the project to replace the headstones and would make sure the installation of the headstone went according to plan," Usher said.
The raffle draw was held on Thursday, June 6, at the Comox legion.
Eileen Harrison of Campbell River won first prize, Josh Brand of Sidney won second prize and Al Mose of Combs won third prize.
Usher expressed gratitude to all those who helped with the cause for these four First World War veterans.
He thanked the BC Ferry Corporation for donating the trip up the Inside Passage and $100 gift card; The Zignash-Marston family, owners of the Old Bank Inn in Oceans Falls, for a complimentary stay. A fishing charter courtesy of Mr. Laurence Spencer of Ladysmith and a beautiful print donated by famed photographer Michael Robinson of Vancouver Island; Kwa’lilas Hotel in Port Hardy for a two-night stay; Mortimer’s Monumental Works Ltd in Victoria for their effort on making this project come together with their fine granite work.
Usher also thanked the Last Post Fund for providing direction and background on the veterans and the Unmarked Grave Program; Royal Canadian Legion Branch 160 4 Comox for allowing the draw to take place there; and, Royal Canadian Legion Branch 28 Cumberland for their support in allowing the group to sell tickets on the premise.
"We will remember them," he said.
With files from Ted Usher
