Honorary Members / Friends of the Glens

Honorary Members / Friends of the Glens of The Glens' Association included the following people who have provided extraordinary support to The Regiment:

 

  • Doctor Jean-Pierre Benamou, OBE, MSM, MT

 

  • Daniel Black

 

  • Reverend H.J. Dykman

 

  • Donald E. Graves

 

  • Fred Jones

 

  • Harold Kip

 

  • Harm Kuijper

 

  • Carol MacAleese

 

  • John Angus McDonald (Deceased 2012)

 

  • Westlake Brothers Souvenir Association

 

  • Wigger van der Horst

 

  • Wouter van Dijken 

 

Doctor Jean-Pierre Benamou, OBE, MSM, MT is an orthodontist by profession and a historian by passion. As a Boy Scout, he started collecting artefacts in the fields of Normandy following the Second World War. He established the "Musee de la Battaille Normandy" in Bayeux, Normandy. Following attempted political interference, he removed his collection. He now operates the "D-Day Normandy Academy" (http://ddaca.com) as a mobile teaching facility pending the construction of a new building alongside the German gun battery at Longues-sur-Mer.

 

Jean-Pierre has generously closed his office to act as host and tour guide for Glens Tours in the Normandy area for over 20 years. He has been instrumental in the installation of Glens plaques at Magny, Courseulles-sur-Mer, and Bernieres-sur-Mer.

 

Jean-Pierre was awarded the "Order of the British Empire" by Queen Elizabeth II and the "Meritorious Service Medal" by Governor General Adrianne Clarkson.

 

He has been recognized as an "Honorary Life Associate Member, 1st Battalion, SD&G Highlanders", a "Friend of the Glens", and an "Honorary Life Member, Glens' Association".

Daniel Black is a former editor of the Legion Magazine. 

 

In the Legion's magazine's "Special Collector Issue" for the 65th Anniversary for D-Day by Dr. Jack Granatstein, the emblematic photograph of Landing Craft Infantry (Large) 299 was on the cover. The men going ashore were identified as soldiers of the North Nova Scotia Highlanders. Promptly, a letter was sent to Dan as the magazine's editor pointing out that they were Glens not North Novas. A response from Dr. Granatstein was "the Glens always grumble". Those were fighting words.  A long connection was started with Dan Black.

 

With considerable research and many Glens providing essential data, correspondence continued with Dan. Dan assisted with our submission to Library & Archives Canada. The result was a change in the records of the Archives after 65 years.

 

For his support of our case, Dan Black was presented with a "Friend of the Glens" plaque in 2010. The plaque was presented by George O'Dair as a member of the Glens' Association and Past President, Ontario Command, Royal Canadian Legion with Glen Bill Shearing as a witness. 

 

ICONIC MOMENT. This famous photo shows troops of the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry Highlanders disembarking from LCI(L) 299 at Bernieres-sur-Mer, Normandy, France, June 6, 1944. The SD&Gs were part of the 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade. Thanks to Dan Black and others, it was right this time.

Reverend Hendrick (Henk) J. Dykman as a young boy witnessed the SD&G Highlanders attack at Leesten, The Netherlands on April 4, 1945. He is a retired United Church of Canada minister living in Guelph, Ontario.

 

In 1993, he attended the reunion of the 1st Battalion, SD&G Highlanders Association. This was the start of a long relation with the Regiment. He used the occasion to visit with Frank and Fleurette Periard of Alexandria. Frank's older brother was Corporal Aime Periard who died about 300 yards from the Dykman home on April 4, 1945. In 1994, Henk led Frank over the ground that his brother would have covered before being shot.

 

On that trip, Henk accompanied by Frank Periard visited the Mayor of Warnsveld. this visit planted the seed for the memorial in Warnsveld that commemorates 33 Canadians and one British soldier killed including 11 Glens during the liberation of the area. This started Henk's efforts to locate families of the Canadians who paid the supreme sacrifice from April 2 to April 6, 1945. The Warnsveld Memorial was unveiled on May 1, 1995. Whenever Glens visit the area, there is always a memorial service at the Warnsveld Memorial.

 

Henk was also instrumental in the naming of ten streets and one bridge in the new developments in Leesten after the 11 Glens killed on April 4, 1945.

 

Rev. H.J. Dykman was recognized as an "Honorary Life Member" of the Glens' Association in 2009.

Donald Graves with escorts
Donald Graves with escorts

Donald Edward Graves is an internationally known expert on the War of 1812. He has written a number of books on the War of 1812.


In Grave’s “Field of Glory, The Battle of Crysler’s Farm, 1813”, first published in 1999, he noted “ the Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders would qualify to claim a traditional connections to the Battle of Crysler’s Farm”. So for many years, he has been an advocate of battle honours for units with traditional connections with the units that fought in the War of
1812. In recent years, Donald Graves and others have lobbied hard for battle honours on behalf of units such as the Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders.


Donald Graves was very much a part of the lobbying process that resulted in the Regiment being awarded the three War of 1812 battle honours:


CRYSLER’S FARM – perpetuating the 1st Regiment of Dundas


NIAGARA – commemorating the connection to the historic British unit, the Glengarry Light Infantry Fencibles


DEFENCE OF CANDA – 1812 – 1815 – perpetuating the 1st Regiment of Dundas, the 1st Regiment of Stormont, the 1st Regiment of Glengarry, and the 2nd Regiment of Glengarry


At the Association’s general meeting in March 2013, Donald E. Graves was made an honorary life member of the Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders’ Association for his efforts in lobbying for the three War of 1812 emblazonable battle honours awarded to the Regiment.

Fred Jones, son of a British soldier and his Belgian bride, raised in Knokke, Belgium, developed an obsession for war memorabilia and history at an early age. Knokke (now Knokke-Heist) was liberated by the SD&G Highlanders together with the other 9 Canadian Infantry Brigade infantry battalions - Highland Light Infantry and the North Nova Scotia Highlanders.

 

Fred, his mother and brother Danny have hosted Glens Tours for nearly two decades and guided them in the Knokke-Heist and the the Battle of the Scheldt areas.

 

Fred had a long-time goal of establishing a collection of WWII artefacts and opening a museum in the Knokke-Heist area. Part of his collection include items donated by members of the 1st Battalion, SD&G Highlanders. In the Spring of 2009, Fred's first class "For Freedom Museum" was opened in Ramskapple on the outskirts of Knokke-Heist.

 

Fred is an "Honorary Life Associate Member of the 1st Battalion, SD&G Highlanders", a "Friend of The Glens", and an "Honorary Life Member" of the Glens' Association,

Information on the "For Freedom Museum" and the great pictures of its displays can be found at www.forfreedommuseum.be.

 

If you cannot make the trip, these pictures are second best.

 

The museum has been rated as the second best of eight things to do on a visit to Knokke-Heist, Belgium.

Since the 1st Battalion, Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders played a key role in the liberation of the Knokke-Heist area during the end of October and November 1st, 1944, Fred Jones had ensured that Glens are well displayed in his museum.

 

Our first visit was in 2008 while the museum was under its initial construction. For those of us who returned on the Glens Tours of 2009, 2012, and 2018, we were impressed by the progress that had been made to ensure that the "For Freedom Museum" is a high quality military museum.

 

There is now a "For Freedom Pipe and Drum Band" that dress in our tartan and glengarries. The band welcomed the 2018 Glens Tour to the museum.

 

Thank you Fred.

In 2008, Harold Kip was a young resident of 10 Hawkinsstraat, Leeston, The Netherlands. He became interested in the origins of his street's name and started doing some research. Soon, he became obsessed with the Glens and became good friends of Harm Kuijper. We came to know Harold during the 2008 GlensTour. This picture of Harold was taken during the memorial ceremony at the Warnsveld Memorial in September 2008. During our visit, Harold hosted a street party at his home for our group, for all residents of Hawkinsstraat, and others who participated in the ceremonies that day. The street party stands out as a high point on the 2008 Glens Tour. Harold and Harm Kuijper were again hosts to a Glens Tour in November 2009. This time, we had a great time interacting with young students at a local school (Lea Dasberg School).

 

Harold Kip is a "Friend of The Glens" and was made an "Honorary Life Member" of the Glens'Association in 2010.

Harm & his wife Nina touring War of 1812 sites, May 2013
Harm & his wife Nina touring War of 1812 sites, May 2013

Here we have the smallest picture showing the tallest "Honorary Life Member" of the Glens' Association. Harm Kuijper is so tall that he became exempt from military service because Dutch Army didn't have any clothing to fit him. (So the story goes, but he is a big fellow.)

 

Harm became known to the Glens' Association during the planning of 2008 Glens Tour. Harm lives in Warnsveld, The Netherlands. He graciously co-hosted Glens' Tours in 2008, 2009, 2012, and 2018 when in the area of Zutphen, Warnsveld, and Leesten.

 

Harm and his brother created the Normandy Veterans Association Friends. Harm is a regular participant in D-Day events in Normandy.

 

Now retired, Harm has devoted time to honouring those killed during the Second World War in the area of Zutphen, Warnsveld, and Leesten. He has created a website - www.ww2memorial.nl. In this website, 116 fallen are honoured who were from the Netherlands, Britain, New Zeeland, and Canada. 

 

Harm is a "Friend of the Glens". He was made an "Honorary Life Member" of the Glens' Association in 2010.

Many of us have experienced touring the North West Europe battlefields. The 1st Battalion Association members made their first trip back in 1969. The 1st Battalion Association organized their early tours. As they aged, it was decided to seek help from Jolly Tours and Travel of Cornwall. Jolly Tours started their connection with Glens Tours in 2002. Since then, six more tours have been made with the assistance of Jolly Tours.

A key factor in the success of these tours has been Jolly Tours’ experience in directed tours under the leadership of Carol MacAleese, Director of Operations, Jolly Tours and Travel. In the photo on the left, you see Carol conferring with her 1st Battalion tour mentor John Angus McDonald in the Abbeye d'Ardennes Garden during the 2006 Glens Tour.

 

Carol has planned the tours since 2002 and has been the tour director on all but one. All tours were of the highest standard. It is Carol’s desire to achieve that level of service in all categories. Detailed planning went into all tours. No faults were ever experienced in any aspects of the tours. Unexpected disruptions during tours were handled with minimum concern for the travellers. 

 

If a traveller had a special request such as visiting a family member’s grave not part of the tour schedule, she would do her best to satisfy that request. Even when the grave was some distance away from the tour route, Carol arranged special travel arrangements and accompanied the person ensuring they got their wish. She has provided services to people with special needs like providing a guide for one member who was legally blind. Carol has gone beyond the expected by providing personal transportation to and from the airport for travellers going on Glen related events in Europe.

 

For her dedication to people and projects associated with our Regiment, Carol was formally acknowledged as a “Friend of the Glens” during the 2019 Annual Glens’ Association Reunion.

 

 

As you read this, Carol could be working on a Glens related project.

John Angus McDonald, Corporal, 1st Battalion was one of three brothers who landed in Normandy as members of the 1st Battalion, SD&G Highlanders. Regretably, his brother Francis died of wounds shortly after D Day. He and his fellow Glens began the tradition of annual reunions in 1948. His efforts to maintain the regimental system were recognized by his peers when he was made "Honorary Life Member of the 1st Battalion Association".

 

With the closure of all branches of the 1st Battalion Association, John Angus serves as the patriarch of the new Glens' Association. He provided a wealth of knowledge for the younger Glens coming behind concerning Glens Reunions and Glens Tours. This picture of John Angus was taken during the 2006 Glens' Tour at the Glens' Memorial, Caen, Normandy.

 

Quite rightly, John Angus McDonald was recognized as the first "Honorary Life Member" of the Glens' Association in 2007.

 

John Angus died on February 20, 2012. Dileas Gu Bas.

Westlake Brothers Souvenir Association

 

The Westlake Brothers Souvenir Association is a group of young people from the Caen area of Normandy. Under the leadership of teacher Christophe Collet, the young Normans of the Association have been honouring Allied soldiers who paid the supreme sacrifice liberating their country from the Nazis during the Second World War since 2006. The Glens met them during the Association’s 2015 pilgrimage to Canada when they conducted 20 commemorative ceremonies including one in Cornwall. A friendship was established on that visit. Since then for the Glens, the young people have held an annual ceremony at the Glens Memorial in Caen, as shown here, along with the many others they hold in Normandy. A moving twilight remembrance ceremony was held at the Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery remembering the Glens buried there for the people on the 2018 Glens Tour. “Friend of the Glens” certificates were presented to the young Normans at the end of that service.

 

Wigger van der Horst's home in the Zeist area of The Netherlands served as a billet for members of the 1st Battalion, SD&G Highlanders following V-E Day and pending their return home in December 1945. He remembers the Glens being in his home.

 

Later in his life, Wigger discovered a photograph in his deceased parent's papers. The photograph was of a group of about 150 Glens taken at a nearby school in 1945. He became obsessed with identifying everyone in the photograph. This photograph became many photos, hundreds of e-mails, many long distance telephone calls, and several DVDs.

 

Wigger has become so involved with the life of the Regiment that he often notifies the Glens' Association of the passing of 1st Battalion members.

 

During our 2008 Glens Tour, Wigger presented a series of Dutch postal stamps that he designed in honour of the Stormont, Dundas & Glengarry Highlanders. He has also designed signs for all Glens gravesites in the Holten Canadian War Cemetery. This photograph (courtesy of www.nvafriends.nl) of Wigger was taken in November 2009 in the Holten Cemetery. Wigger is with Drum Major Perry Coughlan. They are standing in front of the grave of a Glen. Wigger's gravesite sign can be seen at the lower left.

 

Wigger and his wife Lenie are gracious hosts during the Holland segment of Glens Tours. Wigger is a "Friend of the Glens". He was made an "Honorary Life Member" of the Glens' Association in 2009.

The Glens' Association

Cornwall Armoury

505 Fourth Street East

Cornwall, ON Canada

K6H 2J7 

 

www.glensassociation.ca