Local World War 1 Veteran’s Tunic and Cap Handed Over to Museum

Local World War 1 Veteran’s Tunic and Cap Handed Over to Museum

Family of Chester McGowan Submitted

On Feb. 25, 2020, on the 52nd anniversary of his death, the family of Sergeant Chester McGowan M.M. transferred the care of his WW1 tunic and cap from the Royal Canadian Legion No. 39 to the Loyal Edmonton Regiment Military Museum in Edmonton.

Chester fought with the 49th Battalion in France during WW1 and the museum was pleased to add these items to their collection. The family thanked the Legion for taking such good care and attention to the uniform these past years and presented them with a shadow box of pictures and an article that Chester wrote to the Vegreville Observer while he was in France in 1917.

Pictured from left to right are Vegreville Legion Honours & Awards Chairman Rod Stewart, Vegreville Legion President Terry Kuzyk, McGowan’s granddaughter Karen Campbell and his grandson Dale McGowan

The article that was published on August 15, 1917, read as follows: Hairy Hill boys sees war at close range. Corp. C.O. McGowan, whose family lives at Hairy Hill, writes in the Observer on July 13 from the trenches in France where he’s been in active service for 13 months.

After some references to the Observer he says, “I have been in active service for 13 months and never had a scratch, but I must say that I have been in some hot places and have seen some horrible sights; sights that I never could have imagined one could stand to watch or go through. I consider myself pretty lucky; I have never missed a trip to the trenches yet with my battalion; and they have been through several stiff engagements. I have seen several of the boys who came over with the 151st and they all seemed well satisfied, but of course we would all rather be back in our darling town of Vegreville.”

The uniform was originally donated to the legion by Chester’s eldest daughter, Thelma Westrom. The handover ceremony was attended by Terry Kuzyk President and Rod Stewart, Honours & Awards Chairman with the Vegreville Legion No.39, as well as the grandchildren and greatgrandchildren of Chester.

The Loyal Edmonton Regiment Military Museum is located in the Prince of Whales Armouries Heritage Centre in Edmonton which is dedicated to preserving the military heritage of the Loyal Edmonton Regiment.