Honouring Canadian Sacrifice with the Maple Leaf Trust and Commonwealth War Graves Foundation

We were honoured to partner with the Maple Leaf Trust to honour fallen Canadian servicemen at Stratford-upon-Avon Cemetery this December.

Honouring Canadian servicemen

On 5 December 2024, two representatives from the Maple Leaf Trust joined Commonwealth War Graves Foundation team members and Commission staff at Stratford-upon-Avon.

We came together to honour the sacrifice of the Canadian servicemen commemorated at the site, as well as all those Canadians who made the ultimate sacrifice during the World Wars.

Image: Maple Leaf Trust representative Jenny McCann

Two new maple trees, bearing the iconic maple leaf integral to Canadian national identity, have been planted within Stratford-upon-Avon Cemetery.

The pair will represent those Canadians buried so far from home and the huge price paid for their war service.

Stratford-upon-Avon Cemetery is the final resting place of nearly 100 Canadian casualties. Most Canadian burials here served in the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) during the Second World War, serving with the Operational Training Unit Bomber Command.

The Canadian war graves in Stratford-upon-Avon Cemetery were formally dedicated by the Canadian High Commissioner in 1949. 

The site originally featured two maples donated by the Horticultural Society of Ontario. Sadly, the pair were lost to disease, prompting their re-planting with Maple Leaf Trust support.

Maple Leaf Trust representatives Trustee Ashely Gallant and Jenny McCann were joined by CWGF Director of Fundraising Laura Stoker and CWGC Regional Manager (West) Andy Knowlson for the ceremonial tree planting.

Andy and his horticultural team prepared the site for the planting and will continue to care for and nurture them as they grow, continuing the legacy that began over seven decades ago.

Image: Maple Leaf Trust representative Ashley Gallant

The party were joined by David and Jane Brown, two of our dedicated Eyes On, Hands On volunteers, who gave Ashley and Jenny an extensive tour of the CWGC plot, sharing stories of some of the Canadian casualties buried here.

Wreaths were also laid, including on the grave of Flight Sergeant Gordon Brassett Stevens. Flight Sergeant Stevens was a native of Moncton, New Brunswick, where Ashley also comes from. 

Flight Sergeant Stevens was the last member of the Royal Canadian Air Force to be laid to rest in Stratford-upon-Avon Cemetery. He was killed disembarking his aircraft after a training flight, walking straight into the still-spinning propeller.

The replanting of the maple trees and the support of the Maple Leaf Trust highlights the enduring partnership between Commonwealth War Graves and Canada in commemorating and honouring those who served. 

The Foundation is incredibly grateful to the Maple Leaf Trust. We look forward to continuing our relationship in the future.