Passchendaele soldier remembered at Vaughan Remembrance Day ceremony
Great-great niece of Woodbridge man: 'I wanted to let him know that somebody still remembers'
YorkRegion.com
Tim Kelly
Nov. 11, 2017
Hundreds braved the cold in Woodbridge Saturday morning to honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms.
Dozens of wreaths were laid at the foot of the cenotaph and speeches were made in praise of our men and women in uniform on Nov. 11.
When it came time for his speech, Vaughan-Woodbridge MP Francesco Sorbara pointed out the presence of the great-great niece of Woodbridge native Frederick Evans, 27, who perished just over 100 years ago in the mud and blood of Passchendaele in Belgium where 4,000 Canadians lost their lives.
That battle ended Nov. 10, 1917, but Evans, one of 12 children born to David and Mary Evans, Welsh immigrants who owned a farm on what later became the National Golf Club, died Oct. 30, 1917.
His great-great niece, Sue Eglin, was indeed in the crowd Saturday morning having come from Kitchener to pay tribute to her relative.
She made a sign showing Evans’s birthdate of July 22, 1890, and date of death as well as a picture of his parents and what she believes is a photo of Evans with Woodbridge’s own Major Addison Alexander Mackenzie, known for his valour in the Battle of the Somme and Vimy Ridge.
“I wanted to let him know that somebody still remembers, because I’m sure he felt pretty alone when he died,” said Eglin who grew up here before moving to Kitchener at age 14.
She said four or five generations of the Evans family were born in the Woodbridge area.
“Frederick was with the Governor General’s bodyguard. He signed up just before Christmas in 1915 and died Oct. 30, 1917. He died in the mud and mire of Passchendaele,” said Eglin who has done plenty of research on the battle and on her relative.
She said she appreciated having Sorbara mention Evans by name.
