Captain William Arthur Durie in the Great War

Repatriated

Captain William Arthur Durie previously buried in Corkscrew Cemetery and Loos British Cemetery (Pas-de-Calais, France). Exhumed by his mother Anna from Loos in 1925 following a failed attempt to do so at Corkscrew in 1921. Mrs Anna Durie a strong woman, unwilling to take no or ‘non’ for an answer. Arthur one of many officer’s illegally repatriated to Canada. His remains now lie in St. James’ Cemetery, Toronto.

58th Battalion

Organized in May 1915 under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Harry Augustus Genet DSO. Mobilized at Niagara-on-the Lake and recruited in Toronto, Aurora, Hamilton, St. Catherines, Milton, Parry Sound, Owen Sound, Whitby, Brampton, Cayuga, Brantford, Simcoe, Niagara Falls and Dundas.

Lt William Arthur Peel Durie

Lt William Arthur Peel Durie a 58th original with seven years service in the 36th Regiment (6 years as a Private in QOR). Durie stood 5′ 10″ tall with fresh complexion, hazel eyes and brown hair.

A draft of 5 officers and 248 other ranks sent to England on 17 August 1915. The 58th Battalion embarked from Halifax 22 November 1915 aboard SAXONIA, and later disembarked in England on 30 November 1915 with a strength of 40 officers, 1091 other ranks.

Arrived in France 20 February 1916 with the 3rd Canadian Division, 9th Canadian Infantry Brigade and later reinforced by 8th Canadian Reserve Battalion.

16 March 1916

Lt William Arthur Durie proceeded overseas to join the 58th Battalion on 16 March 1916, catching up with his unit at Vierstraat. Working parties supplied to Railway Dugouts by the end of the month.

1 April 1916

The 58th Battalion in the trenches, relieving the 43rd Battalion on 1 April 1916.

Wounded

4 May 1916

Lt William Durie reported wounded slightly, along with one Other Rank (shell shock). As often the case, those reported wounded slightly, soon become dangerously ill.

Admitted to No. 10 CCS, Poperinghe for two days, then No.24 General Hospital, Etaples for six weeks.

8 June 1916

Admitted to 17 Park Lane for a month, then Red Cross Hospital, Brighton for six weeks.

11 August 1916

Effective expansion of right lung aided by exercises. Bullet still lodged in lung which gives no trouble.

11 September 1916

A medical board reports Durie’s right lung still needs time (two months) to recover.

11 December 1916

Lt Durie proceeds overseas for his second tour of duty, joining his unit on 18 December 1916, just in time for a visit from the Corps Commander, Sir Julian Byng.

Prior to Durie’s arrival, his mother Anna had convinced Sir Sam Hughes to appoint her son to a staff position, in the hopes of ending his days with a battlefield battalion. However, Arthur refused the appointment.

1917

1 January 1917

Lt Lancelot William Empson sniped, and later buried at Ecoivres Military Cemetery, Mont-St.Eloi.

29 January 1917

Durie admitted to Michelham Convalescent Home, Sussex for Officers (neurasthenia) and later discharged on 28 February 1917. During this time, his mother Anna attempted to secure an administrative job for her son in England. And, once again, Arthur refused and returned to the 58th Battalion at the front.

11 February 1917

Death of Sergeant Ronald Maxwell Gray later buried at Aubigny Communal Cemetery and Extension.

20 March 1917

Trench raid on the night of 20/21 March 1917 with Lt J L Dashwood in command.

13 April 1917

Major John Lovell Dashwood MC killed in action and later buried at Bois-Carre British Cemetery, Thelus.

9 April 1917

29 June 1917

To be Temporary Captain.

25 October 1917

The death of Lt Henry Richard Thompson, later buried at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery.

29 December 1917

Captain William Arthur Durie returned from leave on 22 December 1917. Only a week later, Durie killed in action.

10:15 AM December 29 1917

Anna’s return to Canada

Anna Durie received news of her son’s death just as she had returned to Canada from England.

Corkscrew Cemetery

Captain William Arthur Durie’s body came into Loos British Cemetery from Corkscrew Cemetery in the second week of February 1925. Loos just a kilometer north-east of Corkscrew Cemetery.

Corkscrew cemetery no longer exists with a roadway directly over the former location. The grave at the base of Terril No. 74 (Fosse II), now under the A21 highway.

Anna Durie

Anna Peel Durie became known as a war poet. Her first poem, A soldier’s grave in France, written while visiting Arthur’s grave in Corkscrew Cemetery in 1919.

With their comrades in arms our heroes sleep in an enchanted ground.

Anna Dure in 1918

Anna Durie with her many connections, once again appealed to the current Minister for Militia, Hugh Guthrie, but this time to have her son’s remains repatriated to Canada. She also managed to speak directly with Prime Minister Arthur Meighen.

Public Reaction

Plenty of anger directed at the Commission as it established the ground rules for a uniform style of commemoration. Many people resented what they perceived as state-controlled bereavement, losing the ability to make personal decisions about how and where their loved ones would be remembered.

• The bodies of those who had died abroad would not be repatriated. This contrasted with American forces, who were usually returned to the USA.
• The rounded headstones neutral, rather than overtly Christian. Some felt they should take the form of crosses, as with American and French war graves.
• Large numbers of bodies scattered across former battlefields in isolated graves and makeshift burial grounds. They had to be exhumed and ‘concentrated’ into larger cemeteries, potentially causing further distress and confusion for relatives trying to locate a grave.
• Memorials to the missing still contentious, as there was no standard design for them.

ANNA DURIE: A MOTHER’S DEFIANCE

Anna Durie wrote to the IWGC questioning whether the grave at Loos really contained Captain William Arthur Durie’s body, and if so, she vowed to return him to Canada. Dissatisfied, to say the least with the response, Anna and her daughter Helen voyaged to France in June 1921.

1921

15 July 1921

“I met this lady and her mother in Toronto. Sir Edward Kemp knows them well, and I can assure you they are very estimable people. You may know that they have been endeavouring for a long time to get permission to move the body to Canada. Would it not be permissible to have some arrangement made for removing the body to a more suitable resting place in France.”

Anna Durie letter to Prime Minister Arthur Meighen

30 July 1921

True to her word, Anna Durie attempted but failed to remove Captain William Arthur Durie’s coffin.

“I WAS GOING LIKE A CRIMINAL, BY NIGHT, TO EXHUME THE BODY OF ONE OF THE BRAVEST OFFICERS THAT EVER LEFT CANADA!”

Anna Durie

Anna ‘persuaded’ two local men, and exhumed Arthur’s remains from Corkscrew Cemetery. Anna well prepared, and had them place the body in a zinc-lined coffin. Disaster struck while hoisting the coffin onto the cart. The horse shied, the shafts broke, and broken wood pierced the horse’s side. Anna and Helen had to give up and return Arthur’s remains to the grave. Captain Arthur William Durie’s second, unrecorded interment!

Wracked with “grief and pain”, Anna accused the IWGC of lying to her, arguing she had been assured Corkscrew Cemetery would not be closed and now her son’s body might be lost. Arthur would remain here at Corkscrew until February 1925.

1 August 1921

Officials notice Arthur’s grave disturbed. Anna had left a note on her son’s cross stating the body had not been removed. But, she would be back soon.

1924

Still in Europe, Anna wrote to Sir Rudyard Kipling. Surely he would understand, given his quest to find the body of his own son Second Lieutenant John Kipling.

In regards to the closure of Corkscrew Cemetery, a IWGC staff member wrote to Sir Rudyard Kipling.

“It is a most distressing case. Briefly, the poor woman [Anna Durie] has been several times in France trying every possible method to get her boy’s body back to Canada.

It is perfectly clear that she is in communication with somebody in this office or in France who keeps her informed of exactly what is happening. The cemetery will have to go as it is in an impossible situation and the French insist.”

IWGC

1925

13 February 1925

Graves Registration Report Form report from the IWGC showing that Captain William Arthur Durie had been buried in the Loos British Cemetery (Grid 44a.M6.a.7.3) in Plot 20 Row E Grave 19.

March 1925

Having declared her intention to shoot anyone who tried to move Arthur’s grave, in March 1925 Anna furious to learn he Arthur re-interred at Loos British Cemetery – a concentration type cemetery.

most unreasonable and one of the most difficult women

“Mrs. Durie asked me, that in the event of the body being moved by the commission, if I would inform the man who did it that she would shoot him, and unfortunately, in order to avoid making myself unpleasant towards her I had to listen to many similar foolish remarks.

She also proceeded to state that the commission was composed of a set of liars after which I informed her that I could not stay longer for further conversation. I regret I found her to be most unreasonable and one of the most difficult women I have ever had to deal with while engaged in this work.“

Major W.S. Brown, the area superintendent

25 July 1925

Once again, Anna persuaded two local men to exhume her son’s remains. The coffin left behind, along with partial remains and clothing. The remains brought back in Anna’s luggage, and remained in her home for three days before Arthur’s fifth and final burial. One more burial than Manfred Von Richthofen!

incomplete exhumations

Like, Arthur, MvR’s partial remains also suspected to have been left behind at Bertangles Communal Cemetery.

The IWGC immediately became aware the body of Captain William Arthur Durie had been removed from the zinc-lined coffin.

22 August 1925

Toronto Daily Star in August 1925 describing Arthur’s funeral service at St. James’ Cemetery, Toronto, Canada.

This news traveled back to the IWGC, and a decision made to remove the ’empty’ coffin. How empty was it? The IWGC could not set a precedent and recognize two concurrent burial sites. Or could they?

14 March 2014

The re-burial held for Private William McAleer and 19 unknown British soldiers at Loos British Cemetery on 14 March 2014. The servicemen laid to rest in Plot 20, Row G, Graves 20 – 26 of the cemetery almost a hundred years after they died.

We know Pte M O’Melia, 9th Battalion, East Surrey Regiment still lies in Plot XX, Row G, Grave 18. But, who now occupies the end of the row in Grave 19? Captain William Arthur Durie’s ‘previous’ grave?

2007

The Canadians at Passchendaele: October to November 1917, published in 2007 by Mr Norm Christie summarizes Anna’s quest.

On December 29, 1917 in the frontline trenches near Lens, a large trench mortar shell hit the parados, killing Durie instantly. He was buried in Corkscrew British Cemetery near Lens, France.

In 1919, his mother Anna approached the Imperial (now Commonwealth) War Graves Commission (CWGC) and asked about repatriating the body. Her application was rejected. In August 1921, determined to have her wish, Anna, her daughter and a Frenchman made an unsuccsessful nocturnal attempt to remove the body from the cemetary.

In August 1925, when all the graves in Corkscrew Cemetery were exhumed and moved to Loos British Cemetery, Anna took advantage of the shuffle to remove her son’s body. Although the ground disturbance was noted by the CWGC, a ground probe determined the coffin to still be there. The CWGC did not find out about Anna’s nighttime prowl until a Toronto newspaper reported the reburial.

Her son’s grave is in St. James Cemetery, Toronto. He was buried with full military honours with ex-soldiers of the 58th Canadian Infantry in uniform attending the ceremony.

pp 66-67, The Canadians at Passchendaele: October to November 1917

Reburials March 2014

A reburial of soldiers at Loos British Cemetery in March 2014 may have filled the grave in question. The remains of 20 British servicemen had been uncovered in a communal grave in Vendin Le Vieil, France. These bodies discovered during excavations for a new prison (Le centre pénitentiaire de Vendin–le–Vieil).

The remains of 30 German soldiers also found in close proximity and handed over to the German authorities (Volksbund).

Grave 19

Nine soldiers remain Know Only to God. Due to the high casualties in the regiments involved and the lack of personal artefacts, further identification impossible. Only one of the soldiers had an identity tag – Private William McAleer 13766, 7th Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers.

Grave 19 was not, and to this day, still has not been reused. CEFRG believes the IWGC/CWGC did not disturb what remained of Captain Durie’s body and effects. Perhaps the true reason why the grave has not been reused.

St. James Cemetery

Durie Family Memorial. Captain William Arthur Peel Durie the son of Lt.-Col. William Smith Durie (1813-1885), the founder of the Queen’s Own Rifles and Anna Peel Durie (1856-1933).

“Previously buried in Loos British Cemetery (20.G.19)”

Grave Reference: Block 8. Plot 136.

Grave Marker – Stone indicating that Capt. Durie originally buried in France, but re-interred in the St. James Cemetery (Parliament Street) Toronto in 1925. The Durie family plot at the east end of the cemetery next to a laneway. Photo taken in the fall of 2002.

1928

In 1928, Anna requested a personal inscription for her son’s grave at Loos, knowing perfectly well he was no longer there.

“HE TOOK THE ONLY WAY

AND FOLLOWED IT

UNTO THE GLORIOUS END”

St. Pierre Cemetery

The memorial plaque dedicated to Captain William Arthur Peel Durie in St. Thomas Church, Toronto claims his body once laid to rest at St. Pierre Cemetery, Amiens.

St. Pierre Cemetery located over 100km away in Amiens, too far from Corkscrew and Loos British Cemetery for the IWGC/CWGC to have ever considered even moving Durie’s body there.

Memorial Tablet – Captain William Arthur Peel Durie is remembered on this brass Memorial Tablet. It was unveiled on May 1st, 1921 in memory of Upper Canada College students who died on active service during the Great War. Upper Canada College is located in Toronto, Ontario.

The Commonwealth plot in St. Pierre Cemetery first used in September 1915 and closed in October 1919, but shortly afterwards 33 graves of 1918 brought in from positions in or near the city. 

Memorial Panel

Memorial – A detail of the memorial panel dedicated to Captain William Arthur Peel Durie.

Located in the St. Thomas Church Baptistry, Toronto, Ontario.

I have nothing but great admiration for this woman. She refused to take NO for an answer. She was up against a powerfful group of men, as always, in regard to war! She won!

Margaret – Sydney, Australia

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