WWI veteran Sgt. McCloskey of Holden remembered through military memorabilia at Holden Museum

Last year when Dave Maruszeczka of Holden Museum was contacted regarding Holden war veteran, Sgt. John Montague McCloskey’s military memorabilia, he was more than pleased to accept it and went on to create a display at the museum.

“In 2017, we were contacted by Gavin Halliday, whose dad was friends with McCloskey’s sister, Phyllis McCloskey,” Maruszeczka said. “Since she had no known relations, Halliday’s dad, the executor of her estate inherited much of her belongings including her brother’s military memorabilia.”

The memorabilia consisted of a set of three medals, a 66th Battalion Canadian cap badge, and a ‘death penny,’ all for Sgt. McCloskey, also referred to as ‘Jack’ sometimes.

According to Halliday, Sgt. McCloskey was born in Glasgow, Scotland but had moved to Holden in 1910, and then signed up for the Winnipeg Rifles and went to France in 1915.

He died at Vimy Ridge on April 28, 1917. He is named on the Vimy Ridge Memorial and also named on the Holden Cenotaph as one of nine Holden men who died in WWI.

For more see the Dec. 12/18 Mercury