When the Cenotaph is dedicated this coming spring, there will be four more names added to the Honour Roll of men from Drumheller who fought and died for freedom.
The Drumheller Cenotaph was moved to its new place of prominence in front of the Badlands Community Facility last fall in time for Remembrance Day Ceremonies. The Legion is planning a ceremony to rededicate the newly refurbished Cenotaph, and through the work of a local history buff, four more names will be added.
In fact, they are hoping to have some of the remaining family members of the additions attend the ceremony.
Reg Bennett has completed an extensive Honour Roll of Drumheller community members who served Canada. In fact, he has completed the project for a number of Alberta communities and presents them to the local Legion Branches or libraries. Through his research he has come across names that were not known at the time the Cenotaph was erected, including the son of one of Drumheller’s founding fathers.
Reginald Greentree, son of Thomas Patrick Greentree served in World War II with the Royal Canadian Corps of Signals. He died on December 16, 1944 at the age of 32 and is buried in a Canadian War Cemetery in Belgium.
According to the Hills of Home, Reginald was born in 1912 and left the valley after 1926 and went with his father to Grande Prairie. It is not known where he enlisted, but his name does appear on a memorial plaque in the Onaping Falls Legion in Ontario. He left behind his wife and one child.
Another name that Bennett came across was Lieutenant Charles Alain Chisnall who served in World War I. He was the youngest of three and was born in 1888 in Essex, England. At the time he joined up, he was a farmer and enlisted in Rosedale, Alberta. He served with 2 Squadron RFC/RAF. He died on May 28, 1919 at Ripon Military Hospital and is buried at Ripon Cemetery, England.
“I found him by accident when I was working on Morrin or Munson,” said Bennett.
Another name is James Charles Preisig. The son of Cecil and Irene of Rosedale, he served with the Royal Canadian Electrical and Mechanical Engineers. One hint Bennett received of Preisig’s service was from a letter published in The Forty-Niner, the official publication of the 49th Battalion the Loyal Edmonton Regiment, in 1948.
“In a letter from Mrs. Peterson, she informs us her son Frank was attending the last session of the Alberta University, but unfortunately sickness did not allow of our visiting him. Her daughter, Sigrid, was married on April 3, and we wish her the very best for the future. They see 'Slim' Preisig frequently as he lives at Rosedale, and you will all be sorry to know he lost his only son, May 28, 1946. He had served overseas in the army, and developed a severe illness in Holland. Our belated sympathy is hereby extended to Slim and his family.”
He was just 25, and was buried in Drumheller.
“His dad was the first caretaker of the Rosedale School, and apparently he built the first skating rink, outside of the creek in Rosedale,” said Bennett.
Another interesting tale comes with the service of Private George Hill Brown. He didn’t die on the battlefields of Europe, but in the mines of East Coulee.
Private Brown was born in Cumbria, England, and resided in Bienfait, Saskatchewan and was working as a miner when he enlisted in Regina in late 1941.
After he joined up he was put into Active Service not in the trenches, but the mines. Because of the strategic significance of the coal industry during wartime, his service was in mining.
On January 4, 1944, Brown was a driver in the Atlas Coal Mine, East Coulee. He slipped under a coal car and fractured his pelvis. He died two days later from internal injuries. He was 38.
Bennett has been looking in to finding surviving members of these four families. He has made contact with Greentree’s great granddaughter, who lives in Grande Prairie. Bennett said she is planning on contacting other members of the family to come for the ceremony.
The dedication will take place on June 6. If anyone has a contact for any of the above families, they can contact Bennett at 403-334-1141.
