Gathering Our Heroes – Chatham-Kent's WWI & WWII Veterans

Hero gathering effort continues

Colleen L'Abbe — Thu, 08 May 2025 14:57:00 +0000

By Pam Wright
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Marshall DeJaegher’s bravery in the Second World War is a story for the ages.

The Chatham resident was part of the Allied Forces that stormed the beaches of Normandy, France in 1944. A tank driver and mechanic, the 20-year-old was chosen for the mission because he knew how to handle a Sherman tank.

On June 6, 1944 – D-Day – DeJaegher found himself on Juno Beach under heavy fire from German forces. The 10-kilometre stretch of beach was the site of a major Canadian assault, in which the 3rd Canadian Infantry Division and 2nd Armoured Brigade seized the beach and surrounding villages.

Originally, DeJaegher was supposed to land on Juno in a floatable tank. But the armoured vehicle sunk in 50 feet of water and the young soldier found himself swimming to shore.

For a time, he was pinned down on the beach by enemy fire, but managed to find another tank whose driver had been injured. He survived, becoming part of the contingent that pushed the Germans back amongst some of the most brutal fighting in the war.

There were heavy casualties, as 1,096 Canadians died at Juno Beach. A mechanic, who enlisted in Windsor at age 17, DeJaegher was part of the 54th Light Aid Detachment which was attached to the 1st Hussars. During this period, the 1st Hussars won 72 decorations, certificates or mentions in dispatches – more than any other unit in the 1st Canadian Army.

The young soldier stayed in Europe until 1946 and then returned to Canada. He married, raised a family and retired from Navistar before passing away at the age of 90. His second wife Sheila continues to be a member of the Kent IODE to this day.

DeJaegher’s name is but one of 10,111 listed in the Gathering Our Heroes Chatham-Kent World War I and World War II Enlistments website (GOH). Founded by the Kent Regiment Chapter IODE (Imperial Order of the Daughters of the Empire), the online “heroes directory” details the names, and, if available, the experiences of every Kent County resident who served in either of the World Wars.

In the works since 2013, the GOH project has a new partner. The IODE is teaming up with the Kent Branch of The Ontario Genealogical Society (Ontario Ancestors Kent Branch) to share information, expand the site’s reach and digitize all records.

Kent IODE member Garna Argenti, who is the GOH project co-ordinator, said welcoming the Ontario Ancestors Kent Branch into the fold increases the strength of the project, ensuring it remains a “strong genealogical tool in our community for many years to come.”

Argenti, who is co-president of the Kent Regiment chapter with Bonnie Verfaille, explained the site is open to all.

“It’s available for anyone to use,” she said. “It’s a genealogical, historical research tool. We get inquiries from all over the world.”

According to Argenti, the site is accessed by a wide range of people, from students to professors, with inquiries coming from as far away as Malaysia.

Colleen L’Abbe, chair of tech support for the Ontario Ancestors Kent Branch, said the group is very impressed with what they’ve seen so far.

“Obviously the sources on this website are priceless; you’re never going to find that anyplace else,” L’Abbe said. “It’s this massive database of names, pictures and stories and that’s something you just don’t get anywhere. We want this website to be maintained going forward.”

The Kent Regiment IODE has been focusing on digitizing records for the last eight to 10 years, she added, and members are looking forward to bringing their expertise to the gatheringourheroes.ca cache of information.

The stories are what makes the site stand out.

“It is pretty amazing when you hear the stories,” Argenti said. “What amazes me the most is how fast it all came together. The war machine went bang and it came together so quickly.”

L’Abbe agreed, noting people learn valuable history stories, rather than facts and figures.

“It helps when everyone is united,” L’Abbe said of the effort. “When everyone is like, ‘yes we have something we need to do,’ I think that that makes a big difference.

Many have contributed to the GOH project that was started to mark the IODE’s 100th anniversary. Other partners include local historian Jerry Hind of the Search Goes On; Abstract Marketing; and the Chatham-Kent Museum.

Anyone with a story about a Chatham-Kent resident who enlisted in either the First or Second World Wars can access the form on the site and submit the information at gatheringourheroes.ca.

29Fi37 Canadian soldiers on rue Georges Docquois on Sept. 18, 1944

Abstract Marketing — Wed, 29 Nov 2023 19:36:27 +0000

[See image gallery at www.gatheringourheroes.ca]

One of Vimy Oaks Now Planted in Chatham

Gathering Our Heroes C-K — Fri, 17 Nov 2017 20:02:28 +0000

An oak sapling planted on the front lawn of the Colonel E.M. Ansell Armoury in Chatham may not yet catch the eye of many a passerby.
But, the thin, fragile stick, which will someday become a mighty oak tree, has a connection to a battle fought a century ago that is credited for the birth of national pride due to the heroic efforts of brave Canadian soldiers in winning the Battle of Vimy Ridge.
A ceremony was held a Saturday to plant the sapling and tell the story of its origins.
Lt. Leslie Miller, who was looking for a souvenir at Vimy Ridge in 1917, found a half-buried oak tree and gathered a handful of acorns to bring home. He later planted them on his family’s farmland, that is now part of a church property in Toronto.
Fast-forward a 100 years later and a sapling from one of those century-old oak trees has been planted here thanks to the efforts of Chatham resident Henry Taekema and local military historian Jerry Hind.
Taekema said while doing research to plan a trip to Vimy Ridge in France to mark the 100th year of Canada’s most celebrated military victory, he discovered the Vimy Oaks project, to have saplings, descendants of the Miller trees, be planted across Canada in 100 communities.
He enlisted the help of Hind and together, they were able to secure two saplings, including one that has already been planted at the Windsor Armoury, which is home to the Essex & Kent Scottish Regiment.
Noting that there are no longer any Canadian veterans alive who served in the First World War, Taekema said to those attending the planting ceremony, “they have no voice left but ours.
“It’s our task to remember,” he added.
Taekema told those gathered that “this little tree is really a tangible connection to that the place and time.”
Hind said, “war is nasty business . . . and Vimy Ridge was one of the more nasty occasions to show that.”
He noted this effort is “a way of saying to the whole Canadian experience that finally, the Canadians that went to Vimy and didn’t return are now recognized with the planting of a tree from Vimy.”
A total of 16 men from various communities across Chatham-Kent were killed within days after the battle began in April 9, 1917.
The Essex and Kent Scots are proud that one of their own, Lance-Sergeant Ellis Sifton, from nearby Wallacetown, in Elgin County, who was awarded the Victoria Cross for his efforts in charging and taking out one of the German machine-gun nests that were inflicting heavy casualties.
Chatham Coun. Darrin Canniff, who attend the ceremony on behalf of the municipality, said the event has special significance to him, because his grandfather, Wilfred Littlejohns, of Highgate, fought in the Battle of Vimy Ridge and survived.
Just before Christmas 2009, Canniff unexpectedly received several letters that were written by his grandfather during his time serving as a sergeant with the First Battalion Expeditionary Force during the First World War.
He said this prompted him to do his own research and to learn that what the Canadian military did during the Battle of Vimy Ridge “was really quite amazing . . . and established the Canadian military as one of the best in the world.”
Phil Berthiaume, Honourary Colonel of the Essex & Kent Scots, said Vimy Ridge is “our story, is our history.”
He noted the planting of this tree “helps bring our military history and heritage to the community.”

The featured image is about: An oak sapling that is a descendant from an oak tree on the battle field of Vimy Ridge, was planted at the Col. E.M. Ansel Armoury in Chatham, Ont. on Saturday November 4, 2017. Pictured from left, are Regimental Sgt. Major Brian Jordan, Henry Taekema and Jerry Hind, local residents who arranged to get the oak sapling, and Lt. Col. John Hodgins, Commanding Officer. Ellwood Shreve/Chatham Daily News/Postmedia Network
eshreve@postmedia.com
@DailyNewsES

National IODE President at Cenotaph Vigil

Gathering Our Heroes C-K — Fri, 17 Nov 2017 19:57:55 +0000

The 150-hour vigil at the Chatham cenotaph attracted the national president of the IODE to the downtown area Tuesday to participate in the ongoing ceremony with members from the four local chapters of the organization.

Bonnie Rees drove from Waterloo Region to be part of the C-K Keeping 150 vigil, which is being held over the 150 hours leading up to Remembrance Day.

“I thought it was a unique idea that I haven’t heard before,” said the national president. “It sounded like a reasonable thing to do, so I offered myself as one of the people who would help stand guard and here we are.”

Garna Argenti, the past president of the Kent Regiment IODE, reached out to chapters across Canada to take part, which is how Rees found out it was happening.

The vigil was organized by Rev. Mark Sceviour from Christ Church. Several different organizations, families and individuals have offered their time to watch the cenotaph over this period.

The IODE put down its roots in the Boer War in 1900 when a Montreal woman expressed her concern about Canadian soldiers fighting oversees. She brought women together to “promote patriotism, loyalty and service to others,” according to the organization’s website.

Rees said given these origins, the cenotaph watch seemed like a good fit for the IODE.

“It’s wonderful that the church has organized this CK150 vigil and I think the local ladies have really embraced the concept and are very happy to do this,” she said.

“I know probably a number of them had husbands who were veterans of the Second World War and (they) regularly attend Remembrance Day services at the cenotaph.”

Argenti said the vigil also fits with her chapter, in particular because it is behind the Gathering Our Heroes project, a website which aims to compile all of the Chatham-Kent veterans from the First and Second World Wars.

“The plaques that the ladies are holding are heroes that fell from this area, for whom IODE chapters were named, so we have a very strong connection right back from the beginning,” she said.

There were once 15 or 16 IODE chapters in the Chatham-Kent area, according to Argenti, but now there are four. All of them had representatives to stand guard at the vigil Tuesday.

Argenti said she appreciated the national president responded to her notice.

“We’re just amazed and thrilled that she would come and join us in this vigil,” she said. “She’s very supportive of the things that we do down here.”

According to Argenti, about 700 casualties from the First and Second World Wars were from Chatham-Kent.

The featured image is about: IODE national president Bonnie Rees is shown at the downtown Chatham cenotaph on Nov. 7. Rees visited as part of a 150-hour vigil at the cenotaph leading up to Remembrance Day organized by Christ Church. Representatives from the four local IODE chapters participated.

Few Late-Night Shifts Could Use More Volunteers

Gathering Our Heroes C-K — Fri, 17 Nov 2017 19:51:37 +0000

Rev. Mark Sceviour had a gut feeling people wanted a way to show their patriotic pride and it appears a 150-hour vigil being held at Chatham’s cenotaph is proof of that.

The vigil, which began on Sunday at 6 p.m. and will last until just prior to Saturday’s Remembrance Day Ceremony at the cenotaph has “been going fantastic,” said the chaplain-in-training at Christ Church, who is also a captain in the Royal Canadian Air Force.

Since it began, he said between the people standing vigil and those covering the hospitality side of the project at Christ Church, “we haven’t missed a minute, yet,” Sceviour said.

“We’ve got confirmation now that this is the only community doing this across the nation,” he said. “I think if more communities had done this, they would have found the same outpouring that we have.”

There are several personal stories of why people are taking part in the vigil, he said, adding it has been “very impactful” on residents.

Sceviour said an elderly man, who showed up for a 9 p.m. to midnight shift, said the last time he stood vigil at the cenotaph was as an army cadet in 1953.

“When this opportunity came up, he wasn’t going to miss his chance to stand vigil again.”

Sceviour said, “I think Canadians are fiercely proud and sometimes just want outlets.

He also believes “a lot of people wanted to way to say that in a very Canadian way, which is a very reserved way.”

Sheila Dejaegher, whose late husband Marshall served with the First Hussars Regiment in the Second World War, was among the members of Kent Regiment Chapter IODE who were standing vigil on Tuesday.

“I think it’s wonderful that they organized it,” she said

“I think most people they have compassion for what happened during the war,” Dejaegher said, adding people are patriotic and still come out to remember veterans.

“That’s what it’s all about, we must never forget,” she said.

Sceviour said there are still a few time slots where more participants are needed, which include Thursday and Friday at 3 a.m. as well as 3 p.m. on Friday.

He added people are needed to help at Christ Church, which is also staying open for 150 consecutive hours.

“For every hour we’re covering at the cenotaph, there’s a team of people here at the church providing the hospitality,” Sceviour said.

He noted there is hot soup and chili and warm drinks available 24-hours-a-day, which requires a lot of volunteers to run.

Those interesting in participating can contact Christ Church at 519-352-1640.

The featured image is about: Kent Regiment Chapter IODE members Sue Martin, left, and Sheila Dejaegher are among local residents taking part in the C-K Keeping 150 vigil that involves have someone stand vigil at the cenotaph in downtown Chatham, Ont. for 150 hours leading up to the Remembrance Day Ceremony on Saturday, November 11. Photo taken on Tuesday November 7, 2017. (Ellwood Shreve/Chatham Daily News/Postmedia Network)

eshreve@postmedia.com

@DailyNewsES

HISTORIC PHOTO COMES HOME TO PETROLIA

Abstract Marketing — Fri, 04 Mar 2016 00:46:42 +0000

History buff Jerry Hind like to find historic artifacts at home. The Chatham man is curating a project called Gathering Our Heroes – an effort to have a record and photos of the estimated 11,000 in Chatham-Kent who enlisted in the world wars.

But every so often, Hind comes across a photo without a home that doesn’t belong in Chatham-Kent. This happened recently with a picture of Petrolia’s Shamrock Club. “A lady brought the picture into the Chatham-Kent Library… saying ‘maybe this would fit into your project.’ She didn’t leave her name, she just left the picture.”

Hind Studied the photo for a while, wondering for a short time whether the picture was of a Stanley Cup Championship team called the Shamrocks.But then, his wife noticed some small lettering on the corner of the photo which showed it was from Petrolia.

Hind called town hall, which put him in touch with Dave Hext, a member of Petrolia Heritage. The pair met and Hind handed over the photo. Hext is now trying to find the history behind the photo.

It’s not the first time Hind has reunited photos with their original homes. Recently, he returned a Role of Honour to the Untied Church of the Aamjiwnaang First Nation. Hind says whenever he finds a historic photo, he “tries to find it a home.”

Reference: http://online.pageflippdf.com/awdw/otfw/#p=4

Gathering Our Heroes website recognized

Abstract Marketing — Mon, 25 May 2015 15:50:17 +0000

The Chatham-Kent Museum, Jerry Hind of The Search Goes On, A. Thiel Marketing, and IODE Kent Regiment Chapter will be recognized for their contribution to the Gathering Our Heroes website project. Please join these groups on Friday, May 29, 2015, at the Chatham Cultural Centre, Studio One, at 2:00 p.m. for the presentation of the Community Heritage Medal by the History Department of the University of Windsor.

Enjoy refreshments and check out the website after the presentation. Partners and the site curator will be on hand to discuss the project as well as representatives from the University of Windsor.

The Gathering Our Heroes Project (gatheringourheroes.ca) has facilitated the collection and curation of information, stories, and artifacts from Chatham-Kent residents who served in World War One and World War Two. Taking as its unofficial motto, “Preserving the past for the future,” Gathering Our Heroes invites community members to contribute to a living history of those conflicts through an interactive website. In so doing, Gathering Our Heroes enhances the broader understanding of those wars, enriches our local community history, and provides the public with novel ways to participate in commemorating the conflicts.

A new initiative of the University of Windsor History Department, the Community Heritage Medal program recognizes outstanding achievement in raising the profile of local history and heritage in Windsor and surrounding Essex, Lambton and Kent Counties.

IODE 100TH ANNIVERSARY

Abstract Marketing — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 22:18:25 +0000

The Kent Regiment Chapter, Imperial Order Daughters of the Empire (IODE) members are pleased to announce their 100th anniversary as an IODE chapter. We are the oldest IODE chapter in Chatham-Kent.

On April 13, 1913, the 24th Kent Regiment Chapter IODE was formed at the request of the Commanding Officer of the 24th Kent Regiment, Colonel H.D. Smith, to assist the regiment and their families as well as women and children of our community. The chapter adopted the motto of the regiment: “Unto the Last Ditch” and 95 members enrolled. The first regent (today the president) was Mrs. A.C. Woodward.

Creation of the “Gathering Our Heroes” website is the 100th anniversary project of the chapter. The website will be launched at a reception and wine tasting to honour the 100th anniversary of the chapter. The reception will held on Wednesday, April 24, in Studio One of the Cultural Centre, from 2 to 5 PM, with the program beginning at 3 PM. Admission by invitation.

The website commemorates the contributions of our local veterans from both World War I & II. It includes a comprehensive, searchable database of the veterans who served from Chatham-Kent. Following each conflict, IODE recorded the service of many veterans from our area in 13 Books of Remembrance, which were donated to the Chatham-Kent Museum for safekeeping.

The website has been designed by A. Thiel Marketing and Graphic Design. Local historian, Jerry Hind, has completed much additional research and continues to research the names and stories of our veterans from these conflicts. Mr. Hind is sharing his research on the website and acting as the curator of what is, basically, an online museum. The Chatham-Kent Museum is also sharing the digital Books of Remembrance on the website. We have collected and continue to collect additional information about our veterans from both World Wars and it will be included on the website. We thank all those who have contributed information and supported our chapter to make this project possible.

Garna Argenti, President
Norma West, Historian

For additional information contact:
Sheila at 519-351-2741
Norma at 519-352-6715 or kentregimentiode@yahoo.ca

IODE Veterans’ Project Getting Major Technological Boost

Abstract Marketing — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 14:42:31 +0000

Chatham This Week, July 18, 2012 — By: Karen Robinet

Chatham-Kent’s First and Second World War veterans will be honoured in perpetuity thanks to a website being created in their honour.

The Kent Regiment Chapter IODE has received $25,000 in federal funding, which will be used to digitize its Remembrance Books as part of a new website to be created as part of the ongoing Gathering Our Heroes project. Following both of the world wars, members of the IODE gathered information on as many Chatham-Kent veteran as possible and their information is contained in the 13 books, which have since been donated to the Chatham-Kent Museum.

But the service of as many [as] 5,000 people has not been included, and local historian Jerry Hind has already identified another 1,900 people not included in the original books. That information will be added to the new website, expected to be launched in April 2013, the same year the chapter marks its 100th anniversary.

The funding was announced July 6 at the Eden Villa Residence, which has been providing office space for the project.

Garna Argenti, IODE vice president, credited chapter historian Norma West with having the vision to move forward with the project three of four years ago.

“We don’t think there’s another resource like this,” she told those on hand for the launch.

The IODE and Hind are still working to ensure that no veteran is overlooked as part of the project, and would like to hear from anyone who has information, photographs and stories about local veterans. To be eligible for inclusion in the online database, veterans must have been either born in Chatham-Kent, living in Chatham-Kent at the time of enlistment or actually enlisted in Chatham-Kent.

Hind said that as the son of a Second World War veteran, he’s long been intrigued by the stories of local veterans and has been working hard to make sure their memories aren’t forgotten.

“This project will give substance to these names,” he said.

While the names of First World War veterans are readily accessible, Hind said the Privacy Act has hampered efforts to identify all those who served in the Second World War.

Once the website has been launched, it will continue to expand, and Hind will serve as its curator.

He said, “we’d like to link to other organizations,” and said ultimately the project will be a resource that will be of envy to many other groups.

Over 10,000 entries have already been compiled, but there are still thousands of names outstanding.

Anyone interested in contributing information is asked to email kentregimentiode@yahoo.ca.

The website is being designed by Abstract Marketing.

Project Salutes Area Veterans

Abstract Marketing — Sat, 07 Jul 2012 14:01:26 +0000

Chatham Daily News, July 7, 2012 — By: Bob Boughner

Gathering Our Heroes!

That’s the name of a research project to locate the names of veterans from Chatham-Kent who served in Canada’s fighting forces in the First and Second World Wars.

Local historian jerry Hind has already recorded the names of more than 10,000 veterans from both conflicts and continues to research new names and stories.

The Kent Regiment chapter of the IODE of Chatham, which is behind the project, received a $25,000 grant Friday from the federal government’s New Horizons for Seniors program.

A new website will include a comprehensive database of veterans who served from Chatham-Kent or enlisted in Chatham-Kent.

the Kent Regiment chapter IODE which will mark its 100th anniversary in 2013, has recorded the service of many area veterans in 13 Books of Remembrance, which were donated to the Chatham-Kent Museum for safekeeping.

The new website is being developed by A. Thiel Marketing and Graphic design.

Local historian Jerry Hind has already recorded the names of more than 10,000 veterans from both conflicts and continues to research new names and stories. Hind will share his research on the website and serve as curator. The Chatham-Kent Museum will share the digital Books of Remembrance on the website.

“We have collected and will continue to collect additional information about our veterans from both conflicts and it will be included on the website,” said Hind.

It’s estimated the names of as many as 5,000 more veterans, not currently included in the Books of Remembrance, will turn up in ongoing research.

Hind said the aim is to find the names, photographs and stories of the lives of Second World War veterans.

To include a name, visit kentregimentiode@yahoo.ca.

bob.boughner@sunmedia.ca

Media Release: New Website – Gathering Our Heroes

Abstract Marketing — Mon, 25 Jun 2012 13:17:53 +0000

The Kent Regiment Chapter IODE members are pleased to announce the development of a new website entitled “Gathering Our Heroes” which will include the citizens of Kent County who served in World Wars I and II.

A grant of $25,000 received from the Government of Canada’s New Horizons for Seniors Program will enable the Chapter to complete this project. The website will include a comprehensive database of the veterans who served from Chatham-Kent. Following each war, IODE recorded the service of many veterans from our area in thirteen Books of Remembrance, which were donated to the Chatham-Kent Museum for safekeeping.

The website will be designed by A. Thiel Marketing and Graphic Design. Local historian Jerry Hind has completed much additional research and continues to research the names and stories of our veterans from these conflicts. Mr. Hind will share his research on the website and act as the curator. The Chatham-Kent Museum will share the digital Books of Remembrance on the website.

A reception will be held on July 6th, 2012 at 2 pm at Eden Villa Residence, 190 Stanley Avenue, to launch the official opening of this project.

We have collected and continue to collect additional information about our veterans from both World Wars and it will be included on the website. We thank all those who have contributed information and continue to make this project possible.

Sheila DeJaegher, President

Norma West, Historian
Garna Argenti, 1st Vice President
Kent Regiment Chapter IODE

For additional information contact: kentregimentiode@yahoo.ca