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Kenneth Irvine Stewart

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Kenneth Irvine Stewart

Birth	:	7 Sep 1923 Taymouth, York County, New Brunswick, Canada
Death	:	19 Jun 1995 Fredericton, York County, New Brunswick, Canada
Burial	:	Brown Cemetery, Donegal Township, Westmoreland County, USA
Coordinate	:	40.1016998, -79.4064026
Description	:	Prisoner of War The longest Home Run In History Kenneth I. Stewart G 50685 of the Royal Hamilton Regiment, enlisted in the Canadian army at the age of 16 after falsifying his birth certificate. He was trained and at the age of 17 on a draft list for overseas duty when his true age was discovered. He was sent to NewFoundland until he turned 18, at which time he was sent overseas as a machine gunner fighting in various battles, then on Aug. 19, 1942, 19 year old Ken Stewart fought in the raid on Dieppe, here he witnessed the... Read More	Prisoner of War The longest Home Run In History Kenneth I. Stewart G 50685 of the Royal Hamilton Regiment, enlisted in the Canadian army at the age of 16 after falsifying his birth certificate. He was trained and at the age of 17 on a draft list for overseas duty when his true age was discovered. He was sent to NewFoundland until he turned 18, at which time he was sent overseas as a machine gunner fighting in various battles, then on Aug. 19, 1942, 19 year old Ken Stewart fought in the raid on Dieppe, here he witnessed the massacre of many of our Canadian soldiers. June 6, 1944, D-Day Ken landed on the beach of Normandy and later helped in the seizure of Antwerp. On Oct.17, 1944 Ken's division drove hard for Bergen-Op-Zoom, Holland. While trying to get a parachute drop there Ken's unit was cut off from the rest of the army as German troops dropped in behind. Surrounded and under heavy fire they held off for eight hours before 65 were taken prisoner and the rest left for dead in the field. Ken had been fired on by an enemy tank hitting his machine gun which exploded and left 45 pieces of shrapnel in his legs. Taken prisoner Ken was given a roll of paper to bandage his legs, then he and the other prisoners were herded like cattle to a train and taken to Arnhem then on to a prison camp 53 Stalag X1B at Luger-Bezeichnung just outside Berlin. Ken Stewart: " We had board beds...one for each person, they were stacked three high..the bottom a middle and one on top, they were just wide enough for you to lay in...no blankets or pillow just boards." Here he was put to work in an munitions factory, and was caught putting the gun powder ( that he was supposed to be putting in shells ) down the cracks of the floor. Caught in the act his guard busted Ken's hand with the butt end of his rifle. Ken Stewart: " They couldn't hit you with their fist it was in the Genova Convention, so they hit you with their rifle butts." While at 53 Stalag X1B, Ken attempted to escape but was caught and held down by two German soldiers while a third drove his knife up Ken's foot to his ankle. This he was told would be his only warning the next time the German guards would aim for the red star that was sawn on the back of his prison cloths. Ken was then sent to work in the salt mines at Fallingbrostal, a holding camp Stalag 11B. Ken Stewart: " we went to work in the salt mine at 4:00 in the morning and worked 12 hours before returning for the 4:00 meal the next afternoon for our meal. The meal consisted of turnips and water and a slice of black bread." His legs were still open and draining, his feet slashed, and receiving only one meal a day turnips and water at 4:00 in the afternoon, Ken had dropped from 189 lbs to 114 lbs. He was weakened an experiencing dizzy spells, still the urge to escape had not left Ken, and he and 45 others devised another plan for escape. Across from the holding camp outside the prison fence was a large field. Ken was sent to ask the guard for permission to play baseball in that field. When asked how many players it took to stage a game, Ken replied one hundred and ten aside. The german guard questioned this but Ken informed him that was how it was played in Canada. The guard decided he had enough men to guard the ball players and let them onto the two acre field with woods bordering the outfield, and an extremely weird ball game began. The men who wished to escape,( those who had not been in long enough to give up hope) played the outfield. The game had not been long in progress when the chance they had been hoping for came in the form of a long fly ball hit directly towards Ken. Instead of catching the ball, he let it bounce out of his hands over his head towards the woods, all the outfielders promptly ran after it, Ken had to kick the ball three times before it landed in the woods. Ken Stewart of Taymouth, N.B., Andy Campbell of Saint John, N.B., a Mr. Scott from Nova Scotia and a Mr. Keetch from Hamilton Ontario, simply kept going when they reached the woods. The rest of the ball players brought the ball back into play and the German guards did not miss the escapee's until two hours later when the game was over. Ken and his companions were now the hunted. For seven days and nights they travelled on roads by night and in the woods during the day knowing they would be shot on site. Ken travelled with wounded feet in wooden shoes, his legs open wounds that had not received medical attention and would not heal. After seven days of running, and stealing food from farmers fields they reached the British lines in Hanover a distance of approximately 100 miles. The Germans and British were in battle, Ken and his companions lay in a ditch and covered themselves with branches and debris, remaining hidden until the Germans retreated, moving back beyond their ditch. The four Canadian prisoner's of war then gave themselves over to the British, who took them prisoner until they could verify there stories. On April 7, 1945 Ken finally made it back to England and was sent to a military hospital where the shrapnel was finally removed from his legs. He was unable to keep down solid food do to the treatment he received in the prison camp and was therefore put on a diet of milk and pills. Alive or Dead - A Family Waits Ken was a surviver, he was alive but for over a month his next of Kin, his sister Florence Cass of Taymouth did not know if he was dead or alive on November 1, 1944 she received a telegram form the war office it read: " Minister of National Defence deeply regrets to inform you that G-50685 Private Kenneth Irvine Stewart has been officially reported missing in action seventeenth October 1944 Stop. When further information becomes available it will be forwarded as soon as received." Towards the end of November Florence received a letter from Edna Johnson of Birmingham England, it read: " Dear Madam I picked up a message on the radio tonight (October 24), so I am passing it on to you; it may ease the suspense of that awful missing, it was from Private K. Stewart. G. 50685. to "Dear Florence, I am quite well, don't worry, hope all are O.K. at home, A Merry Xmas." It is difficult to catch all the words on such a remote station, it sounded like Florence, and I did not catch his name at the end, but I am quoting all I heard; I listen each night for my nephews name on the P.O.W. list; sometimes there is a message, but some nights it is hopeless to catch any words. I do hope this will ease your anxiety a little, it is a long way for your boys to come to fight; but you do know he is safe now, Goodnight, and Good luck, Yours Sincerely Edna Johnson" Florence Cass: " I'll never forget the letter, from a good Lady in England, telling me that my brother Kenneth was taken prisoner. Cold chills went through me in waves as I held the letter in my hand, thinking of the treatment POW'S suffered at the hands of the Germans. I wanted to enlist, to kill. The current song went through my mind, " Remember Pearl Harbour as you sight down the barrel of your gun." What was happening to me was I going over the edge? When Florence forwarded the letter to the war department she received this reply: " Receipt is acknowledged of your letter of the 24th instant stating that you had received a letter from Mrs. Johnson, informing you that your brother, G 50685, Private Kenneth Stewart, was a prisoner of war. In reply please be advised that these short-wave broadcasts from Berlin form part of the enemy propaganda and are treated as such by this Directorate. I am sure you will appreciate the fact that as your brother is supposed to be in Germany, being at war, we are unable to contact him. However, usually these names given out over short-wave broadcasts are eventually confirmed officially as being prisoners, and you may be assured that when this Directorate is notified that such is the case, you will be immediately informed by telegram. ( C.L.Laurin ) Colonel Director of Records, for Adjutant-General " November 1, 1944 brought fear and worry for Florence and her other brothers and sisters, Ken was always in their thoughts, what had become of him? On January 15,1945 the suspense ended Florence received official notification that Ken was a prisoner of war in Germany. Florence Cass: " The horrifying thoughts of what could be happening to Ken in that POW camp were worse than even I could imagine. Eight traumatic months passed before we heard of Ken's death defying escape and of his being in England. He had come from the edge of death and wanted to go back to the front, but they sent him home. Other families were not as lucky, for they received telegrams or personal notification that their loved ones would never be seen again. KILLED IN ACTION. Recorded and Written by Niece Marilyn Stewart-Evans

frequently asked questions (FAQ):

Where is Kenneth Irvine Stewart's memorial?
Kenneth Irvine Stewart's memorial is located at: Brown Cemetery, Donegal Township, Westmoreland County, USA.
When did Kenneth Irvine Stewart death?
Kenneth Irvine Stewart death on 19 Jun 1995 in Fredericton, York County, New Brunswick, Canada
Where are the coordinates of the Kenneth Irvine Stewart's memorial?
Latitude: 40.1016998
Longitude: -79.4064026

Family Members:

Parent

Samuel Elijah “Elijah” Stewart

(1881 - 1934)

Annie Belle Wade Stewart

(1895 - 1929)

Spouse

Dawn Arlene Johnston Stewart

(1931 - unknow)

Siblings

John Hiram Stewart

(1917 - 1979)

Scott Edward Stewart

(1918 - 1986)

Florence Stewart Cass

(1919 - 1993)

Lillian Jane Stewart Ingersoll

(1921 - 2008)

Douglas Wade Stewart

(1922 - 2014)

Basil Elijah Stewart

(1925 - 2013)

Percy Vinton Stewart

(1926 - 1996)

Elva Noreen Stewart Munn

(1927 - 2017)

Flowers:

Nearby Cemetories:

1. Brown Cemetery
Donegal Township, Westmoreland County, USA
Coordinate: 40.1016998, -79.4064026

2. Keslar Cemetery
Fayette County, USA
Coordinate: 40.0995100, -79.4145100

3. Donegal Cemetery
Donegal, Westmoreland County, USA
Coordinate: 40.1112000, -79.3785000

4. Hays Cemetery
Mount Pleasant, Westmoreland County, USA
Coordinate: 40.1259000, -79.4021000

5. Walnut Hill Cemetery
Donegal, Westmoreland County, USA
Coordinate: 40.1040000, -79.3659000

6. Eutsey Cemetery Old
Fayette County, USA
Coordinate: 40.0781400, -79.4427900

7. Porch Cemetery
Donegal, Westmoreland County, USA
Coordinate: 40.1306000, -79.3711014

8. Byerly Freeman Cemetery
Mount Pleasant, Westmoreland County, USA
Coordinate: 40.1432500, -79.4100900

9. Eutsey Cemetery
Fayette County, USA
Coordinate: 40.0742400, -79.4474900

10. Melcroft Cemetery
Fayette County, USA
Coordinate: 40.0561000, -79.3829000

11. Knopsnider Cemetery New
Bullskin Township, Fayette County, USA
Coordinate: 40.0685400, -79.4686800

12. Knopsnider Cemetery (Old)
Bullskin Township, Fayette County, USA
Coordinate: 40.0691400, -79.4704800

13. Stouffer Cemetery
Bullskin Township, Fayette County, USA
Coordinate: 40.0848990, -79.4816900

14. Saint Raymonds Cemetery
Melcroft, Fayette County, USA
Coordinate: 40.0572014, -79.3531036

15. Mount Nebo Cemetery
Indian Head, Fayette County, USA
Coordinate: 40.0531000, -79.3556000

16. Dan Snyder Cemetery
Fayette County, USA
Coordinate: 40.0408000, -79.4317000

17. Mellinger Cemetery
Mellingertown, Westmoreland County, USA
Coordinate: 40.1432050, -79.4784730

18. Nicholson Cemetery
Clinton, Fayette County, USA
Coordinate: 40.0506100, -79.4745600

19. Good Hope Lutheran Cemetery
Fayette County, USA
Coordinate: 40.0282000, -79.3893900

20. Lobingier Cemetery
Mount Pleasant Township, Westmoreland County, USA
Coordinate: 40.1439030, -79.4887870

21. Franklin Lutheran Cemetery
Kregar, Westmoreland County, USA
Coordinate: 40.1215000, -79.3085000

22. Sparks Cemetery
Indian Head, Fayette County, USA
Coordinate: 40.0239200, -79.3892500

23. Brothers Cemetery
Fayette County, USA
Coordinate: 40.1360700, -79.5004300

24. Fairview Cemetery
Kecksburg, Westmoreland County, USA
Coordinate: 40.1696000, -79.4634000