On November 11th 2012 while most Strathconas marked Remembrance Day in snowy Edmonton remembering far off places, a friend of the Regiment, M. Jean-Paul Brunel was in one of those exact places doing us the great honour of remembering the Strathcona’s. 

 

For many years, M. Brunel has owned and worked on the land of Moreuil Wood where Lt Flowerdew’s historic charge occurred many years ago, and has been quite aware of its history.  In the 1980s M. Brunel discovered the remains of Tpr John Willoughby, one of our soldiers who still lay where he had fallen almost 70 years previously. After significant efforts, M Brunel eventually tracked down his family to return some artefacts from the fallen soldier.

 

This Remembrance Day M. Brunel led a small ceremony at Moreuil Wood itself where M Brunel has erected a small memorial to Tpr Willoughby.  Our sincerest thanks goes out to M Brunel for his years of friendship with the Regiment and for keeping the memory of Moreuil Wood alive.