Remains of Canadian Second World War Soldier identified - Canadian Forces Forensic Odontology Responses Team matches dental records

News Release

April 18, 2015

OTTAWA – The Department of National Defence (DND) and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) have identified the remains of a Second World War soldier found near the Maas River in the Netherlands, as those of Private Albert Laubenstein from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

DND and the CAF have since notified members of Pte Laubenstein’s family. Veterans Affairs Canada is providing the family with ongoing support as final arrangements are made. His remains will be interred at Bergen-op-Zoom Canadian War Cemetery in Noord-Brabant, in the Netherlands, on May 6, 2015, with members of his family, and representatives from the Government of Canada and the CAF, in attendance.

Newspaper Clipping – From the Edmonton Journal. Submitted for the project, Operation: Picture Me

Quick Facts

Pte Laubenstein was born in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, on March 28, 1914, and joined the Canadian Army in 1940. He served with the 102^nd Battalion of the Royal Canadian Artillery and the 4^th Light Anti-Aircraft Regiment, the Royal Canadian Infantry Corps and the Lincoln and Welland Regiment.
Pte Laubenstein was killed during the Battle of Kapelsche Veer on January 26, 1945, and his body was interred with care in a battlefield grave, which could not be re-located at the end of the war. He was one of 50 fatal casualties suffered by the Lincoln and Welland Regiment during the battle and was 30 years of age at the time of his death.
Pte Laubenstein’s name is recorded on panel 10 of the Groesbeek Memorial at the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery in the Netherlands, which commemorates by name more than 1,000 members of the Commonwealth land forces who died during the campaign in north-west Europe between the time of crossing the Seine at the end of August 1944 and the end of the war in Europe, and whose graves are not known.
In June 2014, a metal detector hobbyist discovered the remains of Pte Laubenstein on the southern bank of the river Maas near Sprang-Capelle, Netherlands.
Pte Laubenstein’s identification resulted from a combination of dental records, historical context and artefacts. Royal Canadian Dental Corps’ forensic dentists and auxiliaries verified the identification made by the Recovery and Identification Unit of the Royal Netherlands Army.
The Canadian War Museum will highlight this story in the upcoming exhibition” Oral History – A Century of Canadian Military Dentistry,” presented from May 12 to November 15, 2015.

Quotes

“After all these years, it is with great honour that we are finally able to lay Private Laubenstein to rest with the honour and dignity he so greatly deserves. His courage, dedication, and the ultimate sacrifice he made for his country will never be forgotten.”
The Honourable Jason Kenney, Minister of National Defence

“We will never forget the courage and sacrifice of our Canadian war heroes. In remembering Private Laubenstein, we reflect upon the freedom he fought to preserve and provide a sense of closure to his family.”
Lieutenant-General Hainse, Commander Canadian Army

“It is important for us to honour those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. The identification and upcoming burial of Private Laubenstein presents a valued opportunity for us to honour his contribution and provide him with a final known resting place. Canadian Forces Forensic Odontology Responses Team members have and will remain dedicated to supporting such ever-important endeavours.”
Colonel Kevin L. Goheen, Canadian Armed Forces Chief Dental Officer, Royal Canadian Dental Corps

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Contacts

Lauren Armstrong
Press Secretary to the Minister of National Defence
(613) 996-3100

Media Relations
Department of National Defence
Phone: (613) 996-2353
Toll-Free: 1 866 377-0811
mlo-blm@forces.gc.ca

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Date modified:: 2015-04-18

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Remains of Canadian Second World War Soldier identified - Canadian Forces Forensic Odontology Responses Team matches dental records

News Release

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