Wednesday, November 10, 1999

'Unknown' war hero has a name here in Okotoks
By Gillian Beckett Staff Reporter				In almost every country across the globe, there are names of fallen soldiers engraved in memorials to serve as a reminder of the wars which have plagued the 20th century. However, one name in particular, which is etched in stone at the Okotoks Cenotaph, will also be forever etched in the memories of some French villagers as the name of their 'unknown' hero. Former Okotoks resident Arnold Walter Roseland was the subject of a 50-year-long mystery which haunted the small village of St. Martin de Mailloc in Normandy, France since his plane was shot down above the tiny community on July 13, 1944. That mystery ended in July this year after correspondence between the village's mayor Pierre Behier, who witnessed Roseland's demise as a teenager, and Roseland's niece Shirley Walker who was researching the family's history, led to the eventual identification of the unknown, courageous fighter pilot. According to a letter sent to Walker, Behier explained that following a dogfight between Royal Canadian Air Force Squadron 442, of which Roseland was commander, and about a dozen German fighter planes, Roseland's Spitfire was shot down. However, in his final moments, Roseland maneuvered his plummeting aircraft into a nearby field in order to avoid crashing into a house full of people. Behier and several other villagers who witnessed the crash immediately ran to help Roseland, but before they could reach him, German soldiers had already arrived, stripping Roseland of any identifying documentation. Behier explained that the only clues they had to work with to identify the heroic pilot was his Canadian shoulder patch on his uniform and his cigarette lighter which was inscribed 'Roseland.' Roseland, who died in the crash, was buried by the villagers in their cemetery under an anonymous marker. Following the war, Canadian military authorities who knew of Roseland's reconnaissance mission, traveled to St. Martin de Mailloc to identify and retrieve his body which now rests in the Canadian Cemetery of Cinthaux, located near the city of Falaise in France. Upon being notified of the nameless hero's true identity, Behier contacted the Canadian War Archives to try to reach any family members -- this led to the correspondence between him and Walker. 'I had been researching our family history for about nine years,' said Walker. 'I had no idea that it would lead to something like this . . . that is the great thing about researching the family, you just don't know what stories will unturn.' According to an article written in The Toronto Star, Behier met with Roseland's youngest son Ron Roseland-Barnes of Ontario, who was nine months old when his father died and Roseland-Barnes' own sons Sean and Keith to commemorate St. Martin de Mailloc's war memorial created in Roseland's name. 'That was especially touching for Arnold's two sons who live in Toronto,' said Walker. 'Ron was totally overwhelmed.' 'The really amazing thing is the French tried so much and cared enough to find out who (Roseland) was,' she added. 'You don't often get much feedback on how much the Canadian soldiers meant to them.' Roseland was born in Youngstown, AB in 1915 and moved to Okotoks with his father, mother and seven siblings where he lived from 1927 to 1940. Walker said that Roseland, as did his siblings, graduated from Okotoks High School which was located where Okotoks Junior High School now stands. 'Arnold was quite popular among his younger crowd,' said Walker. 'He was also a very good student and helped his mom after his father died in 1934.' Walker added that well-known Okotoks resident Maurice Ardiel, who passed away this spring, was a good friend of Roseland's. Following graduation, Roseland worked in various garages around town and like many young men in the area, enlisted in the military upon the onset of the Second World War. 'Arnold went into the Air Force on July 2, 1940 when he was 24 years old,' said Walker. 'From there he went on to have quite an interesting career -- he did very well in the Air Force.' Walker explained that Roseland was sent to the Aleutians where he was second in command of an air squadron. He was awarded an American Air Medal for his role in the campaign to free the Aleutians which the Japanese had captured. Roseland was then sent to Europe in June 1944 where he fought on D-Day. One month later, Roseland would die at the age of 29, one of many young soldiers who perished during the Second World War. Although this is one of so many stories that lie behind the names of brave soldiers etched in stone, like those engraved at the Okotoks Cenotaph, it is also important to realize their actions during the Second World War and other wars in which honorable men and women fought so valiantly. For this we have Remembrance Day and although it occurs one day of the year, it is to remind us that we will spend every day of every year in freedom.
other Remembrance Day stories in this issue:
		Letters to the Editor revive memories from the front Foothills to host services to reflect, respect and remember RCAF POWs rekindle old friendships at reunion Resident named last Silver Cross Mother of millennium 'Unknown' war hero has a name here in Okotoks

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