WALKERTON – Near the farm fence on the east side of Walkerton Cemetery, their names etched on stones next to one another, lie the memories of two men killed in action during the First World War.
Everett Truax was older than Alvin Wilton but they grew up together, attended the same school and both names appear on a memorial Window in St. Paul’s United Church.
Both were 5’7” with grey eyes, and both were killed in 1917 in France – Alvin on Jan. 5 and Everett on March 11.
In the close-knit community of Walkerton, their friends and neighbours would have been shocked to read the Feb. 8 edition of the Walkerton Telescope, which told of the death of Alvin, and then barely a month later, came news of Everett’s death. A later article about Alvin entitled “Buried in Dugout” even appeared on Sept. 27, which would have been Everett’s birthday.
Alvin Wilton was born March 21, 1894 in Walkerton, son of Mary A [Gibson] and Dan S. Wilton. He was a bookkeeper and had served militia before enlisting on Oct. 13, 1915. Private Wilton was one of over 11,000 Canadian soldiers posted as “missing, presumed dead,” so his name is also on the east side of the Vimy memorial, as well as on the Walkerton cenotaph and the United Church memorial window.
Everett Ashbury Truax was born on Durham Street, Walkerton on Sept. 27, 1891, son of Samuel Truax and Elizabeth Jane [Ashbury]. He was a factory hand when he enlisted Sept. 6, 1915 at Walkerton, and husband of the late Laura Kerney. His name is commemorated on her cemetery stone, St. Paul’s memorial window, as well as the Walkerton cenotaph.
Volunteers from the Walkerton Legion have placed poppy rocks on their stones and on every known veteran burial or commemoration in the cemetery. Later this summer, volunteers will be touching up stones, and are encouraging individuals to let the Legion know if their veteran’s poppy rock needs replacing.
Veterans who served during the Second World War or later are particularly difficult for the researchers to locate. If you know of a veteran whose grave is not marked with a poppy rock, please leave a message at the Walkerton Legion by calling 519-881-0821 for Jan Briggs-McGowan.
