St Norbert Remembrance Day logo

The Cenotaph, erected in the St. Norbert Cemetery, was an over-grown, long forgotten homage to the thirteen men who fought and died in World War I and who were connected to the St. Norbert area.

In 2008, Art Bloomfield, long-time St. Norbert resident, took a closer look at the overgrown monument while walking his young grandson to preschool. Soon after, he and his family made it their personal mission to ensure that the cenotaph and those thirteen men whose names are etched in stone were forgotten no more.

Celebrate and honour these men at the 11^th hour, of the 11^th day, of the 11^th month.

Lest We Forget image

PRIVATE ALFRED OLIVER LORD
Regimental #1013437

Born: March 17, 1890, St. Norbert MB

Occupation: Carpenter

Enlisted: January 31, 1917, 21^st Company, Canadian Forestry Corps

Died on Duty: October 28, 1918 (28 years) of pneumonia in a hospital in Boulogne, France

Awarded:

While born to Octave and Alphonsine Lord, Alfred's Attestation paper refers only to his sister, Cecile, as his next of kin. This 26 year old, Roman Catholic, single man measured 5 foot 4.5 inches tall and weighed 130 lbs. With a fair complexion, he had blue eyes and dark brown hair.

image of the Cap Badge for the 230th Forestry Corps

230th (Forestry) Bn
Cap Badge

Alfred Lord was the only one noted on the cenotaph who enlisted in a non-combat unit, the Canadian Forestry Corps. The CFC provided raw and milled lumber to the Allies on the Western Front. One little known fact about the CFC is that they had two companies that specialized in building airfields, some of which became famous as RAF stations during World War Two. Alfred enlisted with the 230^th (Forestry) Bn, a francophone battalion headquartered at Ottawa. The 230^th raised and sent at least 6 RD's to England, but did not cross the Atlantic as a battalion.

He was posted to the 21^st Company of the Jura Group, based near the French town of La Joux, on the French-Swiss border. The 21^st Company was a long way from the war. In October, 1918, he was granted leave to the UK. When his leave boat returned to Boulogne, he reported sick and was hospitalized. A week later, at #23 Casualty Clearing Station, he was dead. The official cause of death was Pneumonia, but he and Joseph Frobisher may have been two early victims of the Influenza epidemic about to sweep Europe and Canada.

Manitoba Vital Statistics recorded his name as Joseph Alfred Olivier Lord on his birth registration.

Attestation and other Papers
His grave is in the Terlincthun British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France, VI. E. 16
He is commemorated in the First World War Book of Remembrance, page 451
His name is inscribed on the St Norbert, MB War Memorial
Veterans Affairs Canada Link
Library and Archives Canada File RG150, 1992-93/166, Box 5738-17

*with files from Jim Busby and Brian Cyr

Lest We Forget

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PRIVATE ALFRED OLIVER LORD Regimental #1013437

Lest We Forget

PRIVATE ALFRED OLIVER LORD
Regimental #1013437