A mother’s love for her son
On My Walk at St. James’ Cemetery, Toronto — Remembering WWI Veteran William “Arthur” Peel Durie
While wandering through St. James’ Cemetery in Toronto, I came upon the grave of William “Arthur” Peel Durie, a brave World War I veteran whose story is as remarkable as his sacrifice.
Born into a prominent Toronto family, Arthur was determined to join the war effort in 1914, despite the heartfelt objections of his mother, Anna. He served valiantly on some of the fiercest battlefields of the Great War — Vimy Ridge, Avion, Passchendaele, and Ypres — embodying the courage of a true Canadian hero.
Just before Christmas 1917, during a brief leave, Anna gifted Arthur a new pair of boots. Tragically, shortly after returning to the front near Lens, France, Captain Durie was killed in combat. He was buried in Corkscrew Cemetery close by.
Years later, in 1925, when the remains in Corkscrew Cemetery were being moved to the larger Loos British Cemetery, Anna seized the opportunity to reclaim her son. Under cover of night, with the help of locals, she identified Arthur’s remains by the boots she had given him and secretly smuggled him home in a suitcase aboard an ocean liner.
After eight long years of planning and hope, Anna’s unwavering determination finally brought Arthur home. On August 22, 1925, William “Arthur” Peel Durie was laid to rest in the family plot at St. James’, where his memory endures.
Anna Burgess Peel Durie died in Toronto on December 22, 1933. She was 77.
William Arthur Peel Durie died on December 29, 1917 in Lens, France. He was 36.
1881-1917
Map of Lens, France where Arthur Durie was killed and the cemetery (Loos) where Arthur was to be re-interred but his mother, Anna intercepted his remains and brought them home to Toronto.
