Latest news with #IanKelly
CBC
2 days ago
- General
- CBC
Son of Newfoundland soldier retraces his father's footsteps – all the way to England
Ian Kelly's father was a member of the 59th (Newfoundland) Heavy Artillery Regiment Where once his father stood in 1941, last week Ian Kelly stood on the grounds of the Ashford School in Kent, England. The school across the Atlantic Ocean has a special connection to the 59th (Newfoundland) Heavy Artillery Regiment. Its students moved out temporarily in 1941 so it could serve as a barracks while the soldiers defended the coast of England during the Second World War. Kelly said his father Lewis Kelly was stationed there until 1943, where he was then sent to France, followed by Holland and Germany. "It's been an amazing experience… to walk in the footsteps of not only where my father's been, but the soldiers of the 59th who gave so much during the war," Kelly told CBC Radio's On the Go. More than 80 years later, the school is commemorating that connection. A monument to the regiment was erected near the old barracks and gun sites in 2024. It also celebrated its second Newfoundland Memorial Day on Saturday. "They intend to do this every year," said Kelly. Memorial Day in Newfoundland and Labrador falls on July 1. Kelly is currently touring the south of England with the help of Judith Holloway and the school's chaplain Rev. Richard Bellamy, who live in the area. "Judith just gets a tremendous amount of credit," said Kelly. "She is an amazing researcher." Holloway has been digging into Newfoundland's war history for several years now. It started when she found the headstone of Walter Pike, the only Newfoundlander buried in Ashford. He died while stationed at the school. "Although he was so far away from home, he wasn't forgotten," said Holloway. She found out Pike was a gunner with the 59th Regiment, and travelled to St. John's in 2019 to meet his brother Frank, who did not have the chance to visit the grave site in Kent. Holloway has launched a project with Bellamy called History Around Us, with Ashford School students working to locate people connected to the men who spent time on the very same grounds. "We're trying to help our young people to appreciate the sacrifices that were made in the interests of justice and peace in the European conflict," said Bellamy. "This story is close to home — you know — this is on our doorstep."
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Son of Newfoundland soldier retraces his father's footsteps – all the way to England
Where once his father stood in 1941, last week Ian Kelly stood on the grounds of the Ashford School in Kent, England. The school across the Atlantic Ocean has a special connection to the 59th (Newfoundland) Heavy Artillery Regiment. Its students moved out temporarily in 1941 so it could serve as a barracks while the soldiers defended the coast of England during the Second World War. Kelly said his father Lewis Kelly was stationed there until 1943, where he was then sent to France, followed by Holland and Germany. "It's been an amazing experience… to walk in the footsteps of not only where my father's been, but the soldiers of the 59th who gave so much during the war," Kelly told CBC Radio's On the Go. More than 80 years later, the school is commemorating that connection. A monument to the regiment was erected near the old barracks and gun sites in 2024. It also celebrated its second Newfoundland Memorial Day on Saturday. "They intend to do this every year," said Kelly. Memorial Day in Newfoundland and Labrador falls on July 1. Kelly is currently touring the south of England with the help of Judith Holloway and the school's chaplain Rev. Richard Bellamy, who live in the area. "Judith just gets a tremendous amount of credit," said Kelly. "She is an amazing researcher." Holloway has been digging into Newfoundland's war history for several years now. It started when she found the headstone of Walter Pike, the only Newfoundlander buried in Ashford. He died while stationed at the school. "Although he was so far away from home, he wasn't forgotten," said Holloway. She found out Pike was a gunner with the 59th Regiment, and travelled to St. John's in 2019 to meet his brother Frank, who did not have the chance to visit the grave site in Kent. Holloway has launched a project with Bellamy called History Around Us, with Ashford School students working to locate people connected to the men who spent time on the very same grounds. "We're trying to help our young people to appreciate the sacrifices that were made in the interests of justice and peace in the European conflict," said Bellamy. "This story is close to home — you know — this is on our doorstep." Download our to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Sign up for our . Click .
CBC
05-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Ceremony for Battle of the Atlantic marks 80 years since end of WWII
A parade of Canadian Armed Forces and HMCS Cabot members marched in unison — their footsteps coming down softly on wet pavement along Water Street in downtown St. John's. They marched from the St. John's Port Authority to the National War Memorial on Sunday morning to commemorate the end of the Battle of the Atlantic, and to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second World War. "Our freedom today is derived from what they did 80 years ago," said Ian Kelly, a member of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment advisory council. Kelly's personal connections to WWII are not distant, despite the growing years. His father, great uncle and grandfather served. "I had a great uncle who was actually the captain of an escort ship on convoy duty in December 1940 who was lost at sea," he said. WATCH | Honouring N.L. soldiers 80 years since the end of WWII: Ceremony for the Battle of the Atlantic marks 80 years since the end of World War II 22 hours ago Duration 1:23 Roughly 22,000 Newfoundlanders and Labradorians served during that war, a time before Canadian burial of these young soldiers spans the world, Kelly says, across England, the Netherlands, North Africa and Italy. Members of the HMCS Cabot and Canadian Armed Forces held Sunday's ceremony. This year's ceremony was organized in collaboration with the naval services and the Royal Newfoundland Regiment advisory council. Residents young and old took part in the ceremony in prideful remembrance. Between the clacking of footsteps on pavement and the soft naval hymns and prayers was the ceremonious tolling of a bell for each ship lost at sea or in battle. For some, 80 years is a lifetime. But Kelly says it's important not to let the passing of time take away the weight of the sacrifices made. "There were some children here today, and I've seen other family members from people who served during the war as well," Kelly said. "It's wonderful to see them turn out to honour those from Newfoundland who served." May 8 is the official date marking the end of the Battle of the Atlantic and Victory in Europe, when Nazi Germany officially surrendered to the Allied forces.
