Cape Breton woman tracks down great-uncle’s lost WWII medals in time for Remembrance Day
A Port Hawkesbury woman, Angel Scott-Skinner, has always had a deep curiosity about her great-uncle’s war medals. This year, her dream of holding those medals in her hands will finally come true, thanks to some investigative work and the generosity of her great-uncle’s foster family.
As a child, Angel came across a photograph of a young man in her grandmother’s living room in Hadleyville, N.S. Intrigued by this mysterious figure, she learned that he was her grandmother’s brother, Douglas Albert Hadley, who tragically lost his life in the Second World War at just 24 years old.
Over the years, Angel’s fascination with her great-uncle grew, especially on Remembrance Day, as she sought to uncover more about the man who had left such a profound impact on her family. Born in Dominion, Cape Breton, Douglas and his siblings were orphaned at a young age and raised by different foster families.
Determined to honor Douglas’s memory, Angel reached out to Veterans Affairs Canada to request his medals. Unfortunately, her request was denied as she was not a direct descendant. Undeterred, she turned to social media and eventually connected with John Douglas Seaman, the son of Douglas’s foster mother, Bertha Seaman, in Pictou County.
After a heartwarming meeting with the Seaman family, Angel was presented with Douglas’s medals, pictures, and a small Bible that belonged to him. The family had kept these precious items all these years, a testament to the high regard they held for Douglas.
Angel’s quest also caught the attention of Bruce MacDonald, an amateur historian from Antigonish, who provided valuable historical context and helped identify the five medals earned by Douglas during his service. Douglas enlisted in 1941 and served with the Cape Breton Highlanders in Italy, where he tragically lost his life in the Rubicone Valley in 1944.
Reflecting on Douglas’s sacrifice, MacDonald emphasized the importance of recognizing the contributions of soldiers who served in lesser-known campaigns like the Italian campaign. He commended Angel for her dedication to preserving her great-uncle’s memory and ensuring that his story is not forgotten.
As Angel prepares to commemorate Remembrance Day this year with her great-uncle’s medals in hand, she dreams of one day visiting his grave in Cesena, Italy to pay her respects. This journey of discovery and remembrance has been a poignant reminder of the sacrifices made by soldiers like Douglas Albert Hadley, whose bravery and service will always be remembered.
