Driver Earl Gilbert Wheeler | Soldiers | Great War

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The Missing

Driver Earl Gilbert Wheeler the only member of the 5th Divisional Artillery listed on the Vimy Memorial. His name should be removed, for his body found to be buried in Dury Mill British Cemetery by a CEFSG Research Team in 2015, headed by the late Richard Laughton.

Enlistment of Driver Earl Gilbert Wheeler

Driver Earl Gilbert Wheeler 2327329 enlisted with the Cobourg Heavy Battery, Canadian Field Artillery on 24 April 1917. Earl born 2 January 1899 in Chicago, Illinois to Fred and Ada Maude Wheeler of 190 James St, Belleville, Ontario, later 9 Lincoln Street, Montreal.

Reunion of the 2nd Heavy Battery Cobourg Armouries

In addition, three years previous experience in the Cadet Corps, a Methodist, standing 5′ 6″ tall with dark complexion, hazel eyes and brown hair. Finally, witness Gunner Carl William Cohoon 2001098. Brother Raymond Wheeler born March of 1900.

Amusing the crowd, Lethbridge, Alberta Drivers William Scott 301959 and Frederick Charles Werley 301948, DAC. (Canadian Corps Horse Show – Reningelst, Belgium). July 19, 1916. MIKAN No. 3520952

In the image above, Driver William Scott had just arrived in France a few days earlier on 14 July 1916. Driver Frederick Charles Werley died of wounds on 1 November 1917, and later buried at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery in Belgium.

2nd Heavy Battery, Canadian Field Artillery

Organized in November 1914, initially under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel J W Odell, and mobilized at Halifax, and recruited men from Montreal Heavy Brigade, Prince Edward Island Heavy Brigade, Cobourg Heavy Battery, 1st Garrison Artillery at Halifax, 3rd Garrison Artillery at Saint John and 6th Garrison Artillery at Lévis and Quebec. Left Halifax 15 June 1915 aboard CALEDONIAN, and later arrived in England 22 June 1915 with a strength of 7 officers, 212 other ranks.

Heavy Howitzer in Action. This photograph shows a BL 60 pounder heavy field gun firing. Possibly Sgt. Francis P. Walshe on day and location he was wounded. 3 September 1916. MIKAN No. 3395179

Finally, arrived in France 16 September 1915, and attached to British formations until March 1917 when it became part of 2nd Brigade, Canadian Heavy Artillery.

13th Brigade, 5th Canadian Divisional Artillery

Driver Wheeler completed his Last Will on 13 June 1917 in Canada, witnessed by Harry Cunningham and James Newbury Houston 5679, Caretakers of Cobourg Armouries. Embarked from Halifax on 25 June 1917, later arriving in Liverpool on 4 July 1917 and taken on strength by the 1st Brigade, Canadian Reserve Artillery at Shorncliffe.

Major Thomas Duncan John Ringwood — A happy scene at a Canadian Ammunition Dump. Canadians are cradling 18-pounder shells. MIKAN No. 3395203

Earl entered the Western Front on 1 February 1918 with the 13th Brigade, 5th Canadian Divisional Artillery. Driver Wheeler later sentenced to 5 Days Field Punishment No 1 for having been absent 11/12 July 1918.

The Death of Driver Earl Gilbert Wheeler

The service record of Driver Earl Gilbert Wheeler notes admission to hospital, wounded, on 2 September 1918, however, entries continue into early 1919, noting no location known for the body.

Driver Earl Gilbert Wheeler the only artilleryman of the 5th Canadian Division Artillery listed on the Vimy Memorial.

Driver Wheeler Attachment 1 — Grave Registration Report Form

French History students seated on the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, 6 May 2014.

Investigative Report

CEFSG Research Team

Steve St. Amant, London U.K.
Richard Laughton, Milton ON Canada
Timothy McTague, Little Compton, RI USA
Tighe McManus, Winnipeg MN Canada

SUBMITTED TO:
CWGC Canadian Agency
66 Slater Street
Suite 1707
Ottawa Ontario Canada K1A 0P4

Report Date: 11 March 2015

Reason for Submission

Casualty Identification: Confirmed Identity, Burial Information; Burial Location Identified.

Summary of Findings

The CWGC records for Dury Mill British Cemetery reveal Grave 2.E.1 contains an unknown soldier of the 5th Canadian Division. The only active component of the 5th Division in the Great War – the 5th Divisional Artillery.

The only soldier not accounted for from the 5th Canadian Division – Driver Earl Gilbert Wheeler, killed in the Arras-Cambrai Sector on September 2, 1918.

Details of Finding

The research evidence is conclusive in this case, based on the following.

Grave Registration Report Form

The records of the Commonwealth War Grave Commission (Grave Registration Report Form & Headstone Schedule) clear the grave located at Plot 2 Row E Grave 1 contains the remains of an UNKNOWN SOLDIER of the 5th Canadian Division.

Order of Battle

The ORBAT (Order of Battle) shows the only section of the 5th Canadian Division that served as an active component of the Canadian Expeditionary Force in the Great War of 1914-1921 was the 5th Divisional Artillery. The units of the 5th CFA were:
a. 13th Brigade C.F.A. (52nd Field Battery 53rd Field Battery 55th Field Battery 51st Howitzer Battery)
b. 14th Brigade C.F.A. (60th Field Battery 61st Field Battery 66th Field Battery 58th Howitzer Battery)
c. 5th Division Ammunition Column, Signal Detachment, Mechanical Transport, Train and Reinforcement Depot

Driver Wheeler Attachment 3 — Dury Mill Cemetery

Fatalities

There were 7 fatalities on September 2, 1918 which included four (4) in the 14th Brigade, two (2) in the 13th Brigade and in addition, one (1) in the 5th Trench Mortar Battery. In addition, all of the soldiers killed, except one, have known grave locations.

Driver Wheeler Attachment 4 — Fatalities

Gunner Earl Gilbert Wheeler (of the 13th Brigade) has no known grave and thus his name appears on the Vimy Memorial. The only date upon which an unknown soldier killed in action from the 5th Canadian Division in France during the Great War – September 2, 1918.

War Diary

The war diary reports the 13th Brigade of the 5th Divisional Artillery engaged in the cutting of wire along the Drocourt-Quéant Line in front of Dury on September 1, 1918 and later in a major barrage of the Drocourt-Quéant Line on September 2, 1918. During this period, components of the 13th Brigade moved from the vicinity of Boiry-Notre-Dame (51B O4) to the area between Haucourt and Dury (51B P19), where six (6) ORs (Other Ranks) injured. We know that two of those died, both drivers (Midy Willette 304657 and Earl Wheeler).

Commonwealth War Grave Register

We are able to rely on the Commonwealth War Grave Register, held by Library and Archives Canada, to confirm the date of September 2, 1918.

Unable to review the details of the “Circumstance of Death File” for Driver Wheeler as in the group lost or destroyed during the Second World War. In this particular case, that is not important as it might be in other situations, as there is only one possible candidate for this grave location.

Action Required

In conclusion, it is our contention, based on the evidentiary facts, the only possible remains in the grave located at Dury British Cemetery Plot 2 Row E Grave 1 are those of Driver Earl Gilbert Wheeler. The headstone at that location should be replaced to reflect this new information.

Dury Mill British Cemetery

In August 1918, Dury behind the German defence system known as the Drocourt-Queant line, but on 2 September 1918, this line broken by the Canadian and XVII Corps, and Dury village and the hill just South of it (Mont Dury, or Dury Ridge) captured.

The victory at the D-Q Line, though unexpected, another mark for the Canadian Corps very successful Hundred Days. Sir Arthur Currie believed the fighting during the Arras battles to be the most difficult the Corps had ever faced, however, the pace would not be slowed. Canadian losses for the D-Q Line fighting were 5 622 killed or wounded on 2 September alone.

The Mill (Moulin Damiens) stood beside the road from Dury to Villers-les-Cagnicourt, and later destroyed.

Gunner Earl Gilbert Wheeler — Grave of Driver Earl Gilbert Wheeler, 25 April 2019. CEFRG

The cemetery begun by Canadian units on the 5th September 1918, and closed sixteen days later. 335 Great War casualties buried in this cemetery, of these, 12 unidentified. The cemetery designed by Sir Edwin Lutyens.

https://youtu.be/BRM5uG_u6dc

Dury a village in the Department of Pas-de-Calais, 1 kilometre north of the straight main road (D939) from Arras to Cambrai. In addition, approximately 16 kilometres from Arras travelling towards Cambrai on the D939 is the Canadian Forces Battlefield Memorial at Dury, 300 metres after the Memorial the Cemetery signposted to the left towards Dury village. Located in open fields, and approached along an unsurfaced track about 500 metres long, however, access to this cemetery via a dirt track road – visitors should leave their cars on the main road.

Driver Earl Gilbert Wheeler in the Great War