Phil Johnson was not alone at a Whonnock war memorial on 11.11.11.

The Whonnock Neighourhood Association long-time member who usually lays a wreath by each of the two cairns outside the Whonnock Lake Centre was joined this year by Jan and Alberta (Betsy) de Zeeuw, former Whonnock residents.

Forty residents of Whonnock served in the First World War, and a plaque dedicated to their memory is outside Whonnock Lake Centre along with another one dedicated to soldiers who served in the Second World War and the Korean War.

For Jan de Zeeuw, memories from his childhood in Holland during the war came flooding back.

"During that moment, I remembered the day... they dragged my dad away for forced labour," de Zeeuw said.

Luckily, his father was a good actor and was able to feign illness and was sent back.

The old Whonnock hall was first called the "Ladies Hall," but after First World War it was renamed "Whonnock Memorial Hall," dedicated to the memory of soldiers from Whonnock who had died.

When the hall was finally set for demolition more than 30 years ago, de Zeeuw was able to rescue the plaque.

He was able to unscrew the plaque from the outside wall and it was later mounted on a stone just outside the new Whonnock Lake Centre.