Anna Marie Jowsey – Memorial (Silver) Cross Mother
Colonel Paul Fleury (retraité)
The Silver Cross, officially known as the Memorial Cross, originated in Canada in 1919 to honour mothers and widows of Canadian military personnel who died on active duty. It was created as a memento of personal loss and sacrifice for the next of kin. The cross is engraved with the fallen service member’s name, rank and service number, and the recipient can wear it at any time.
Born on November 6th 1844, Anna Marie Jackson would marry Captain John Jowsey of Eardley (Now Aylmer) Quebec and the two raised twelve children (4 girls and 8 boys).
Unfortunately, John passed away in 1899, leaving Anna to raise the children on her own.
During the 1st World War, Anna had the unique distinction of having all 8 of her sons serving overseas simultaneously. She had more sons deployed than any other Canadian mother! In August 1918, when asked about why her sons had all gone to war, Anna told the Toronto Telegram that, “They could only go. They felt they must.”
They were: Nathan – Canadian Forestry Corps, Robert – Canadian Forestry Corps, John Arthur – Canadian Engineers, Harry – Canadian Engineers, Frederick – Central Ontario Regiment, Lawlor – 2nd Depot Battalion, George – Canadian Army Service Corps, and Beverley – Royal Field Artillery.
Seven of Anna’s sons would return home at the end of the war; Unfortunately, Frederick was killed in action while fighting with the 3rd Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force on May 23rd 1915. His name is inscribed on the Vimy Memorial, along with the names of over 11,000 fallen Canadians who have no known place of burial. John Arthur was to die in 1924 from injuries received from a German poison gas attack.
Anna would go on to live a long life. She was recognized for her sacrifice often and in 1927 she travelled to Parliament Hill in Ottawa for an audience with the Prince of Wales (Edward VIII) where she received a medal (Memorial Cross?). She died on May 5th 1939 at the age of 85 and is buried at Bellevue Cemetery in Aylmer. Frederick’s name can be found on the back of her tombstone.
Lest we Forget.
