Campaign launched to honour Helen Durie, sister of Capt. W.A.P. Durie, 58th Bn
A message from COBWFA Secretary Adam Saunders about a fundraising campaign to honour Helen Francis Durie, daughter of Anna Durie and sister of Capt. William Arthur Peel Durie of the 58th Battalion CEF.
Dear Friends,
I am reaching out to participate in funding the inscription of an epitaph for Helen Frances Durie, daughter of Anna Durie and sister of Capt. William Arthur Peel Durie of the 58th Battalion CEF, who passed away in 1963. To get the process started, I have personally donated $1,000 towards the estimated $2,000+ needed to complete this important task.
If you’d like to contribute, you can make a donation through Canada Helps. Please follow the steps:
- Click this link: Canada Helps – Royal Regiment of Canada Foundation
- Enter the amount you’d like to donate.
- Under the “Category” drop-down, select “Museum”.
- In the “Send a message to the charity” field, type “Durie File”.
- Follow the instructions to complete your donation via credit card or PayPal.
Note: I did not contribute the additional $20 to Canada Helps, as suggested.
A tax receipt will be provided upon completion of your transaction. Please note that the Government of Canada has extended the 2024 charitable donation deadline to February 28, 2025.
This project has been initiated by the Central Ontario Branch of The Western Front Association (COBWFA), with the support of The Royal Regiment of Canada Foundation, The Queen’s Own Rifles Museum, and St. James Cemetery in Toronto.
As some of you may know, Anna’s husband, William Smith Durie, was the first Commanding Officer of The Queen’s Own Rifles. Their son, Arthur, joined the 58th Battalion CEF, which was later perpetuated by The Royal Regiment of Canada. Arthur was killed in action near Lens in December 1917, after being wounded in May 1916.
In a remarkable act of devotion, Anna and her daughter Helen (left) covertly retrieved Capt. Durie’s remains from France after a previous unsuccessful attempt. Arthur was eventually brought home to Toronto in one of Anna’s suitcases and was reburied with full honors in the Durie family plot at St. James Cemetery in the spring of 1925.
Helen earned an MA from Columbia University and became an English teacher at Jarvis Collegiate from 1912 to 1944. She was a devoted supporter of her mother’s initiatives, particularly during Arthur’s service overseas. Over the years, Helen was involved in numerous committees in Toronto, including the Women’s Canadian Historical Society, which advocated for the preservation of the University Armoury and Fort York. She attended Bishop Strachan School and the University of Toronto before earning her MA.
After reading Veronica Cusack’s book The Invisible Soldier, which chronicles Anna, Arthur and Helen’s lives, I was struck by the fact that Helen’s name is missing from the family memorial. Despite our frequent visits to the cemetery on Remembrance occasions, Helen’s legacy seems to have been overlooked. Ironically, Anna, who fought so hard to keep Arthur and Helen close, may not have ensured Helen’s place in history.
The estimated cost of the inscription is around $1,800 (tax included), but I am aiming to raise $2,200 to cover any unexpected costs.
The proposed inscription reads as follows:
A LOYAL DAUGHTER AND LOVING SISTER
HELEN FRANCES DURIE
1883 – 1963
“GIVE ALL THE LOVE I HAVE TO DEAREST HELEN”
The phrase “Give all the love I have to dearest Helen” is from the last letter written by Arthur to Anna on December 28, 1917—the day before he was killed.
The Royal Regiment of Canada Foundation is handling the donations with tax receipt issued via Canada Helps. The inscription is expected to be crafted in Spring 2025, with a public unveiling anticipated at that time. I hope to engage the community in this effort, with potential involvement from Jarvis Collegiate, Bishop Strachan School, St Thomas’s Anglican Church, The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada, The Royal Regiment of Canada, and local media.
Thank you for considering supporting this tribute to Helen’s legacy. Together, we can ensure that she is remembered alongside her family.
At this link is a detailed essay about the Durie family in Toronto, from the “Chiddicks Family Tree.”.
Warm regards,
Adam Saunders
416-575-6900
adamrobert.saunders@gmail.com
