Letter from the past reveals human side of lost soldier

Ken Johnston
Editor

As Remembrance Day approaches this Thursday many of us will take time to reflect on the ultimate sacrifice that so many young men gave for our freedom. But for some families, even 60 years later, the memories are very personal, as is the case for the family and friends of Private Carl Westburg (Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders).
Westberg, of Bergland, was killed in action on August 29, 1944. His memory has lived on through the efforts of his nieces, who made the trip to his grave in France, and his sister-in-law Asta Westberg who has made a scrapbook featuring many letters about his fate and one that stirred Asta just last week.
In that letter, dated Nov. 3, 1944, Mrs. E.J. Zinkan recopied a letter her husband had written to her about Westberg. Mrs. Zinkan said her husband thought very highly of Carl and had this to say about him:
Everything has gone well today (Sept. 30, 1944), except I had some very sad news. You never did meet “Westberg” and now I am afraid that you will never have that very great pleasure. He was one of the grandest men I ever knew. He was simple in his ways and wants. He was an intelligent man, far more intelligent than most people realized. He was always smiling and always happy; he never had a mean word for anyone, about anyone. We had many things in common. I learned to love the woods, the water and the sky, he was brought up in that atmosphere and never knew anything else. He loved them as I do. The woods and animals have also lost a wonderful friend.
How often we laughed and talked about the future. He was, of course, coming to work at our Boy’s Camp after the war. We had many, many discussions about it. There will always be a place there for him. You would have loved him dear. He would have been the most faithful and willing person.
As I write this, I find a tear in my eye, not a tear of sorrow, as much as a tear of vengeance. Up until now I never really possessed a deep hatred of the enemy. I do now... I wonder how his end came? or perhaps I should say the beginning. I would stake my life that he was facing the enemy and had, in all probability, accounted for quite a number of them as he was an exceptionally fine shot.

Westberg was killed by a sniper and in a letter to his mother Kristine, from the Office of the Prime Minister and President of the Council of Ontario, Mr. George Drew said, “May I express my personal sympathy and the assurance that those who have paid the supreme sacrifice will never be forgotten by the people of Ontario.”
Truly the efforts of his sister-in-law and nieces have helped keep his memory alive, even 60 years after his death.
Before enlisting, Carl Westberg spent his days guiding on Lake of the Woods, showing people from all over the joys of this free nation’s splendor. While he never returned to resume that life, his memory and spirit has. His sacrifice, along with thousands of others helped to insure that the freedoms he enjoyed before the war live on today.