The grave of a Canadian soldier who went missing in the Netherlands during the Second World War has been identified as that of Private Arthur Vanance, according to the Department of National Defence and the Canadian Armed Forces.
Vanance, who served with the 1st Battalion of the Lake Superior Regiment (Motor), was killed in action on Feb. 15, 1945, near the Dutch town of ‘s-Hertogenbosch. But, for decades, he was listed as missing with no known grave.
His final resting place was confirmed through extensive historical and archival research by the Casualty Identification Program. His grave is located at Holten Canadian War Cemetery in the Netherlands, where a headstone rededication ceremony will be held at a later date.
“His courage embodies the unwavering commitment of Canadians who have always risked everything in the name of duty,” Defence Minister Bill Blair said in a statement. “It is a debt that can never be repaid, but will not be forgotten.”
A soldier’s journey
Arthur Vanance was born in Kenora, Ont., on Jan. 5, 1919, to Emmanuel Joseph and Annie Vanance. He was one of six children. His family farmed in Melick, now part of Kenora, before moving to Ottawa. His father died in 1934, and his mother later remarried.
Vanance enlisted in July 1940 with the Lake Superior Regiment, which had been mobilized for active duty two months earlier. He trained in Canada and the U.K. before landing in Normandy in July 1944. He fought in the liberation of France and the Netherlands.
In early 1945, as part of the 4th Canadian Armoured Division, Vanance’s regiment was stationed along the Maas River. On Feb. 15, B Company launched a patrol into enemy territory. Vanance and Lance Cpl. Harold Frederick Hilderley set up a Bren gun position to provide cover, but the patrol came under heavy machine-gun fire. The unit was forced to retreat, leaving behind Vanance, who was badly wounded.
After the war, Vanance remained the only soldier from his unit that day without a known grave. His name was inscribed on panel 11 of the Groesbeek Memorial, which honours more than 1,000 Commonwealth soldiers who died in northwest Europe.
A family’s decades-long wait
For nearly 80 years, the Vanance family had little information about Arthur’s fate. His grand-niece, Tina Romanuk, said her grandfather, Albert Vanance, who also served with the Lake Superior Regiment, rarely spoke about his brother’s disappearance.
“He was very sad when his brother didn’t come back from a mission and he didn’t really want to talk about it ever,” Romanuk said. “He just mentioned odds and ends… He went out on a mission voluntarily and never came back.”
That changed in 2016 when an independent researcher suggested an unidentified Canadian soldier buried in Holten might be Vanance. The Department of National Defence and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission launched an investigation. In December 2024, the Casualty Identification Review Board confirmed Vanance’s identity. His family was notified earlier this year.
Veterans Affairs Minister Darren Fisher said the identification is especially meaningful as Canada marks the 80th anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands.
“There is no greater tribute to the fallen than ensuring their stories of courage endure for years to come,” he said. “To his loved ones: know that his legacy will live on in our hearts.”
Honouring his sacrifice
Vanance was 26 when he died. He left behind a wife, Rita Margaret Meservier, and their young child.
His grand-niece says the news was unexpected.
“We had no idea where he was,” Romanuk said. “So it was a shock when I got the call from the War Department because I was like, ‘Oh, OK. Maybe that guy was right.'”
His family will now have the chance to see his name on a dedicated headstone at Holten Canadian War Cemetery.
The identification of Vanance is part of an ongoing effort by the Casualty Identification Program to ensure fallen soldiers receive the recognition they deserve.
“He was fighting for us… We wouldn’t be where we are today without that, [he] played a role in all of our lives,” said Romanuk.
