D-Day remembrances of Uxbridge men who served
Submitted by Tish MacDonald
Their name liveth for evermore.
In leading remembrance tours, and travelling to many Canadian war cemeteries, I have seen this inscription many times. In addition to the typical Commonwealth War Graves Commission gravestones, with rounded top and engraved lettering, every cemetery maintained by the CWGC incorporates two central structures: a Christian-inspired Cross of Sacrifice; and a secular stone of Remembrance. English writer Rudyard Kipling recommended the inscription “Their name liveth for evermore” for each Stone of Remembrance, a biblical text from the Jewish Book of Ecclesiasticus.
With the 80th anniversary of the D-Day landings and the invasion of Normandy on Thursday, June 6, many people will be visiting and paying their respects at CWGC cemeteries near the Canadian landing site, code named “JUNO,” an eight kilometre-long stretch of beach bordering Saint-Aubin, Bernières, Courseulles-sur-Mer and Graye-sur-Mer, France, where 14,000 Canadian soldiers landed.
Many of the men who fell on the beaches and after the fierce inland battles in the days following the invasion, are buried in Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery. All but five of the 2,048 young men lay buried in this beautiful cemetery, lined with maple trees on a gently sloping hill just up from the invasion beaches, are Canadian.
Tish MacDonald at the grave of Donald McKay Barnard, who died on Juno Beach on June 6, 1944, mere feet away from his brother, Fred, who survived the invasion.
Photo submitted by Tish MacDonald
I’ve stood, many times, often weeping, at the grave of one.
Donald McKay Barnard was the brother of my friend, the late Fred Barnard. Fred recounted to me that on June 6, 1944, brothers Fred and Don were crouched down along with other soldiers in the 12th Platoon, B Company, Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada, about six men apart from each other as they approached Juno Beach, Nan White Sector at Bernières-sur-Mer. As the front ramp dropped, Fred yelled, “Give ‘em hell, Don,” and the brothers jumped into waist-deep water. Those were the last words ever spoken between them.
“After going down the landing ramp from the front of the landing craft, I was just a few feet behind Don. The next time I saw him, a few feet up on the beach, he was gone. There was just a black hole in his uniform. He must have died instantly.”
Rifleman Donald McKay Barnard B/137985
Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada
d. June 6, 1944, Age 20
Buried at Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, France.
Grave Reference I. A. 4.
Donald McKay Barnard … Your name liveth for evermore.
Second World War Veteran Jim Parks, now 99 years of age, landed on Juno Beach two minutes before the main assault on June 6, 1944, as a mortarman with the Royal Winnipeg Rifles. After being interviewed by Adrienne Arsenault, chief correspondent of CBC news and host of The National, a couple of weeks ago at Royal Canadian Legion Branch 170 Uxbridge, Jim and I chatted. Jim was talking about his upcoming trip to France for the ceremonies marking the 80th anniversary of D-Day. “I’ve been looking forward to attending for months!” He will be one of a few Canadian veterans attending the ceremonies and events planned to mark the 80th anniversary.
The Canadian War Cemetery at Beny-sur-Mer. Photo submitted by Tish MacDonald
On June 1, Jim attended the premiere of the film Little Black Devils – From Juno to Putot, a documentary film produced in tribute to the men of the Royal Winnipeg Rifles. A French actor portrays Jim in the film. Expected to arrive on June 3, days after the preview, the cast, crew, and audience of the packed theater were overjoyed to see Jim walk in to surprise them all and say a few words.
On June 3, Jim and his family arrived on Juno Beach in a DUKW, a vintage amphibious truck used for ferrying men and supplies to the invasion beaches compliments of the Dutch Association, Stichting Canadian Liberators.
June 6 will see Jim attend the commemorative service at Canada’s Second World War Museum, the Juno Beach Centre, at Courseulles-sur-Mer, mere feet away from where he landed 80 years ago.
Most importantly, Jim went on to say: “I’m going to visit the boys who never made it home. All the young guys at Beny-sur-Mer. When I visit, I recognize the names and I can see their faces. You know…their name liveth for evermore.”
I’ve seen the inscription hundreds of times, but in that one instant, hearing Jim say it emphasizing the words…it hit me to the core.
Every other time I have interviewed Jim or invited him to speak to students as part of our Honour Them Well Program, Jim always mentioned two names. Always.
Corporal Scaife and Corporal Martin.
The landing craft on which Jim approached the beach was hit, sinking the carriers, and Jim and his comrades quickly realized they’d have to swim to shore. He was sideswiped by another landing craft, and dazed, he finally made it to shore, saddling up beside Corporal Scaife. Scaife he soon discovered was mortally wounded.
“I remember Scaife. I always say his name,” Jim told me on many occasions.
Corporal Lawrence Chester Scaife H/40742
Royal Winnipeg Rifles
d. June 6, 1944, Age 28
Buried at Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, France.
Grave Reference II. B. 6.
Lawrence Chester Scaife…. Your name liveth for evermore.
Jim remembers Corporal Martin, whom he pulled from the water, also mortally wounded. Martin said to Jim, “Hold me, I’m cold.”
“I ended up holding him until he passed away.” Jim said.
Lance Corporal William John Martin H/40963
Royal Winnipeg Rifles
d. June 6, 1944, Age 24
Buried at Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery, France.
Grave Reference II. B. 8.
William John Martin…. Your name liveth for evermore.
Jim Parks will be visiting the boys at Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery this week.
He Will Remember Them.
We Will Remember Them.
THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE
