"To the student who places a poppy at this grave..."
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Those are the words written by Peggy Small, on the front of a letter she has placed on her father in law’s headstone at Beechmount Cemetery in Edmonton each year since 2017.
The letter shares the personal story of second world war veteran Robert Johnston Small, who signed up to serve at just 17 years old, in 1941.
“Dear student,
Today you have participated in the No Stone Left Alone ceremony, and you have laid a poppy at the grave of Robert Small. Every Remembrance Day we visit this gravestone, and it warms our hearts to see the poppy and to know that a young person has paid tribute to him. You may like to know a little about Robert Small (Bob).
In 1941 Bob and his best friend Blair were only 17 years old when they decided that they wanted to join the Canadian Armed Forces to go overseas to serve in World War II. They signed up at HMCS Nonsuch, Bob to the Royal Canadian Navy and Blair to the Royal Canadian Air Force. When Bob got home that day and told his mother what he had done, she cried, worried that she would never see him again.
Bob, along with the other recent recruits, was sent by train to Vancouver for training exercises. Once training was completed, they were sent to Halifax. Bob was assigned to the HMCS Dunvegan, and they were off to Europe. Bob told us about the many prairie boys who were on board who were so seasick, the bitter cold and wet conditions they endured, and the terrible food they had to eat.
In 1943 Bob was reassigned to the HMCS Stormont, under the command of Captain George Myra. This ship was assigned to convoy escort operations during the Battle of the Atlantic. They escorted convoys of much needed food and supplies on the Mermansk Run to the Kola Inlet of Russia. The Stormont also served as one of 57 Royal Canadian Navy vessels to support “Operation Neptune”, the amphibious invasion of Normandy, France that was part of D-Day.
district chief R.J. small, 1980
While on a short leave in London, Bob decided to look up his friend Blair, as he had an address for where Blair would stay whenever he was on leave. When he asked the landlady if he could see Blair, she gave him the heartbreaking news that his friend had been killed in action, shot down over France. What a terrible blow that was for Bob.
The war eventually ended in 1945, and Bob returned to Edmonton. He became a firefighter for the City of Edmonton, retiring as a District Chief in 1980.
In 1972 Bob and his wife Marion travelled to Haifax for a vacation. While there, he contacted Captain Myra, and they had a wonderful visit with the Captain and his wife. When Bob and Marion were ready to leave, Captain Myra presented Bob with the White Ensign, the flag which was flown on the HMCS Stormont showing a safe return from a mission. The Captain explained that Bob was the only naval seaman who had contacted him since the war, and that he would like Bob to have the ensign to keep. Bob was very touched and honoured to receive the ensign from his Captain, and it was proudly displayed in his home from then on.
Bob didn’t talk much about his sad experiences during the war, but he loved to tell the family stories about funny things that happened, and there were many! Bob was a wonderful, kind, and funny man who was very proud to have served his country. He spoke to hundreds of students every November about his wartime experiences, how important it is to REMEMBER, and how everyone should be proud to be Canadian.
Each year on November 11 he would shine up his medals, and the join other veterans as they march in the Remembrance Day Parade. He marched every year until he passed away at age 89. WE WILL REMEMBER HIM, and all the others who served, so that we may have the freedom that we have today.
Hopefully you can share this letter with your classmates so that they too can learn about a very proud Royal Canadian Veteran.
Sincerely,
Peggy Small (Bob’s daughter in law)”