When a young frenchman unearthed a few war-era items in his back yard garden in 2006, it began a detective story which would evolve into one of discovery for Garth Simms and his sister Laurie Parobec, both of Yorkton.
It was in 2006, when a young man named Fabien Demeusere found some cartridges in their backyard garden in a small town called Hallu, France, explained Parobec.
“His curiosity led him to dig and he discovered human remains,” she said, adding “experts were called in and eight bodies were discovered.”
Thanks to items found with the bodies they were identified as Canadian soldiers from the First World War, in particular members of the 78th Battalion (Winnipeg Grenadiers).
“They were all killed in the Battle of Amiens,” offered Parobec.
By using historical war records, genealogical research and DNA testing, they were able to identify five of the eight soldiers.
“It is believed that they were in a trench when hit by the enemy artillery,” said Parobec.
Simms said it was the efforts to identify the long dead soldiers which brought the story to them.
“Interestingly, dog tags in WWI were made of cardboard and would not have survived 90-years in the damp soil,” he said. “But one soldier had a metal ID tag specially made. It was found in the dig in Fabien’s backyard but was not on a body. The name inscribed was Pte. William Simms. This dog tag, combined with medical records confirmed a previous head wound earlier in the war plus a DNA match to his niece Rhoda Barry, confirmed one of the Hallu eight was Grandpa Arthur Simm’s Uncle Bill.”
The work to identify the remains (see sidebar this page), would be covered in a documentary film.
The CBC documentary ‘Forgotten No More’ aired 11-06-2014, explaining the discovery and identification.
“It led my sister to investigate who he was and how he fit in our family tree,” said Simms.
This is where the story turns into one of a family discovering its roots.
“Grandpa Arthur’s grandparents, Matthew and Catherine emigrated to Canada in 1881, with four children,” explained Simms. “They homesteaded northwest of Russell, Manitoba and there arrived nine more children (nine sons and four daughters). When the Great War started in 1914, four sons volunteered – Alex, Sam, William and George. Alex was killed and is remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres, Belgium.”
In addition two grandsons (sons of Thomas), Matthew and their grandfather Arthur, enlisted.
The journey of discovery would take the family to France earlier this spring.
“Laurie’s investigation revealed that the Hallu eight would be given a military funeral in France in May,” said Simms.
The two closest relatives to the soldiers were invited to attend as representatives of the families. In William Simms’ case that was nephew Roger McLaughlin (son of Agnes) and formally of Yorkton, and niece Shelley Herbert (daughter of George) were planning to attend.
“Laurie was convinced we should go and together we persuaded our Dad to go on an adventure of a lifetime,” said Simms.
On May 13, a military burial service was held at Caix British Cemetary in France where the eight soldiers were finally laid to rest.
Veterans Affairs Canada arranged the trip to the burial service for the family members. Seven members of the Simms family went to France. George Simms (formerly of Foxwarren), his son Garth Simms and daughter Laurie Parobec from Yorkton, Shelley Herbert and her son Peter from Russell/Winnipeg, and Roger and Stella McLaughlin of Medicine Hat.
The Princess Patricia Light Infantry from Shilo participated in the burial service. The caskets were draped with Canadian flags. The flags were removed, folded and presented to each family.
While the focus of the trip was the burial of the so-called ‘Hallu Eight’ and in particular William Simms, the family went looking to learn more.
“We went over with questions about family that needed answers,” said Simms. “We came home with a new appreciation for the hardships of other Canadian families, the utter devastation of much of Europe, the terror experienced by both soldiers and civilians.
“An entire generation was lost in France and Germany and twenty-five years later it would happen again.”
While in France the family took time to visit Vimy, the site of one of the most famous battles of the war, included touring the trenches, tunnels and Memorial.
“We found William Simm’s name on the Memorial,” said Garth Simms.
Parobec said the day after the burial service, the family hired a private tour guide to take them to search of where Arthur Simms was taken prisoner during the war. Arthur was George’s father and Garth & Laurie’s grandfather.
“The tour guide was able to obtain the war diary for the 78th Battalion 4th Division for the month of October 1916,” she said. “The diary entry on Oct. 27, gave the land location where Arthur was taken prisoner while on night patrol at Regina Trench near Courcellette, France.
“It was an emotional moment to stand in that spot and visualize what it might have been like for him on that night so long ago.”
And the discovery continued.
“From there we drove to Ypres, Belgium where Arthur first entered the front line,” said Parobec. “It was also where William Simms’s brother Alexander was killed in action. We found Alex’s name listed among the others on the Menin Gate Memorial. We attended the Last Post ceremony there, which has taken place every night at 8:00 pm since 1927.
“A visit to the Flanders Field museum finished off our trip.”
Simms said it is difficult to imagine the war, given the French countryside today, but standing on the battle lines you are able to gain some sense of it.
“Today it is such a peaceful country, especially the farm country, but it’s hard not to visualize young men charging up a hill to their death,” he said.
And those dead lie in cemeteries dotted across large areas of France.
“The cemeteries are immaculate and offer stark reminders of loss,” said Simms. “So many that read simply “A soldier of the Great War”, “Known only unto God”.
“In an email home I explained their ages and my son Kelly replied the under 25’s of today can’t imagine how lucky they are not to have to see what these young men lived through.”
Simms said the trip taught him the importance of remembering.
“As a young boy, I remember participating in Remembrance Day ceremonies at the Cenotaph in Foxwarren,” he offered. “I proudly laid a spruce bow with a poppy on the monument in honour of family who fought for our country (Grandpa Simms and Grandpa Breakey from WWI and Uncle Gordon Breakey from WWII),” he said. “School and family taught me the importance of the role each had played in keeping us ‘free’.
“Unfortunately, from the time I reached high school until last year, I let life get in the way and had not attended Nov. 11, events.”
Now he understands the reasons to pause to remember because it means honouring family too.
“When I was young, Grandpa made a speech at one of his birthday parties,” said Simms. “His words stuck with me. He suggested that each of us needs to respect their ‘name’, to always protect its honour, to hold it up proudly, respect the law and the word of God, for one day when you are alone, in darkness and without hope, it will be your ‘good name’ that will be your salvation. It will bring you help, hope and friendship.
“What we saw in France and Belgium made us exceedingly proud to be a ‘Simms’, and most certainly these men proudly held it high.”
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