This story is a part of Branch 25’s on-going National Legion Week campaign.

Branch 25 (San Francisco) of the Royal Canadian Legion maintains specific plots in two cemeteries: Greenlawn Memorial Park in Colma and Liberty Cemetery in Petaluma.

The Branch, and many of its individual members, also maintain individual Canadian and Commonwealth member graves throughout the Bay Area.  Here is the story of one of those veteran’s grave.

James Edwards

A Forgotten Soldier now Remembered thanks to the Royal Canadian Legion.

In the long shadows of war, some stories slip through the cracks of history. One such story belongs to Sapper James Edwards of the Royal New Zealand Engineers. Born on 15 December 1901, Edwards served his country with quiet dedication in both world wars, lying about his age saw him serve in France in World War I and again during World War 2 as a New Zealand Forrester with the second Nz division in Britain. He served not with rifle or bayonet, but with saws and mills. As part of the New Zealand Forestry Companies, Edwards worked alongside his comrades in England, North Africa, and Italy, providing the timber essential for camps, bridges and repairs which was vital to the war effort itself. It was skilled, back-breaking labor that kept the armies moving.

In 1943, the Forestry Companies were reorganized. Married men were sent home, while single men were dispatched to new postings in North Africa. Edwards, a married man, was on his way home.

Yet Edwards’ end came far from the battlefield. Passing through San Francisco, fate dealt him a cruel hand. Struck by a truck on the Embarcadero on 10 October 1943, he died far from New Zealand. He was laid to rest in Live Oak, a private and historic California cemetery in concord California.

He was given a military burial by his comrades and a US army Padre conducted the service. His grave was marked only with a simple white wooden cross for decades, until the Royal Canadian Legion placed a headstone in 1999. Today, Edwards is no longer forgotten. His story speaks to the sacrifice of those whose service, though often overlooked, built the foundations of victory.

Edwards’ story reminds us that sacrifice takes many forms — and that remembering the ordinary hands that built victory matters as much as honoring those who fought on the front lines.

LEST WE FORGET.

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Trevor Page, Branch 25 Vice President

This story is a part of Branch 25’s on-going National Legion Week campaign.

As noted earlier today, National Legion Week kicks off on the third Sunday of the month in honour of Battle of Britain Day. For several decades the Royal Canadian Air Force Association 900 Wing San Francisco (otherwise known as the “Golden Bear Wing”) hosted a Battle of Britain service at the Presidio Chapel in San Francisco. In honour of the 100th anniversary of the RCAF, Branch 25 (San Francisco) of the Royal Canadian Legion hosted their own Battle of Britain service in 2024.

Click on the image above or visit https://royalcanadianlegionus25.com/2024/09/15/battle-of-britain-service-2024/

Five years ago, Legion Magazine produced a series of videos to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of World War II.  One of those videos was focused on the Battle of Britain.

Canada played an important role in the Battle of Britain, as outlined by:

• Government of Canada – https://www.canada.ca/en/air-force/services/history-heritage/battle-britain/history.html
• Veterans Affairs Canada – https://veterans.gc.ca/en/remembrance/wars-and-conflicts/second-world-war/canada-and-the-second-world-war/battle-of-britain

While the Battle of Britain service was a one-time event for Branch 25 (San Francisco), it is important to note that the Branch also hosts an annual Memorial Day service at Greenlawn Memorial Park in Colma, CA and an annual Remembrance Day service at Liberty Cemetery in Petaluma, CA.  So be sure to join us!

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Michael Barbour, Branch 25 President

We’re excited to announce the return of National Legion Week for its third year as a national initiative, taking place from September 21 to 27, 2025.

National Legion Week is designed to educate visitors on the good work their local Branch does in their community. It reinforces the important role Branches play in our shared mission to serve and support our Veterans, as well as contribute to the well-being of so many communities. It serves as a vehicle to drive new traffic to Branches, attract new members and sign up new volunteers.

The event will continue to be held each September, with start and end dates that vary slightly from year to year. It kicks off on the third Sunday of the month in honour of Battle of Britain Day and wraps up on the following Saturday.

This year’s observance runs from Sunday, September 21 to Saturday, September 27, 2025.

Over the course of the week we will be posting a series of entries designed to highlight some of the Branch’s activities and the impact it has on the local and Canadian ex-pat community in the San Francisco Bay Area.