Category: Soldiers
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Driver John Stanislaus McTague in the Great War
Driver John Stanislaus McTague 324961 son of John Stanislaus McTague and Agnes Purcell McTague, of 79, Durham St., Guelph, Ontario. Born 27 March 1897. ‘Jack’, a Reporter by trade with the Guelph Mercury newspaper. Here a family picture circa 1906 – possibly about the time when Charlie Mctague graduated from high school. Charlie the tall…
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Corporal Norman Fry in the Great War
First Canadian casualty on the Western Front Many know the last Canadian casualty to die in the Great War, Private George Lawrence Price 256265 buried near the first Commonwealth casualty of the war, Private John Parr L/14196 in the magnificent St Symphorien Military Cemetery. But, who was the first Canadian battlefield casualty of the Great…
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Nursing Sister Henrietta Mellett in the Great War
Nursing Sister Henrietta Mellett, died 10 October 1918 in the sinking of RMS Leinster. The ship torpedoed in the Irish Sea, 16 miles east of Dublin, in the morning, while travelling from Kingstown (now Dun Laoghaire), Dublin, to Holyhead, Anglesey, North Wales. Three torpedoes fired at the ship by German submarine, UB-123, commanded by Kapitänleutnant…
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Sergeant Walter Leigh Rayfield VC in the Great War
Sergeant Walter Leigh Rayfield VC a Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy in the British Empire. His Victoria Cross displayed at the Canadian War Museum in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Early Life The 1891 English census shows ten-year-old Walter going by the last name Lee,…
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Nursing Sister Matilda Ethel Green in the Great War
Nursing Sister Matilda Ethel Green born 14 August 1886 in Listowel, Ontario, and later graduated at Medicine Hat General Hospital, Alberta. Next of kin: Harold E. Green, brother, Harmsworth, Manitoba. Mother Mrs S S Green, father Mr James Green of Girdwood Farm, Manitoba. Green enlisted 23 April 1917 in Calgary, Alberta, at this time, Matilda…
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Private George Webb in the Great War
RE-UNIONIS OUR ABIDING HOPETHY WILL BE DONE Private George Webb spent six months on the Western Front with the 116th Battalion in the Great War. George Webb born 19 December 1883 in Tottenham, Middlesex, England. Attestation Private George Webb 1090410 enlisted with the 253rd Overseas Queen’s University Highland Battalion, Cobolt, Ontario on 12 March 1917.…
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Private Hormisdas Haynes MM and Bar in the Great War
Private Hormisdas Haynes born 19 August 1874 in St James Parish, Montreal. Son of Johnny and Mary Louise (Rheaume) Haynes of Montreal. Husband of Marie Florida Haynes (nee Plessis-Belair), of 3086 St Dominique, Montreal. Married 11 September 1909. Their son, Joseph Alexandre Sosthène Haynes, baptized 27 May 1910. Attestation Hormisdas (Hormidas) Haynes (Hayiens) 2002009 attested…
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Major Roderick Bell-Irving DSO MC in the Great War
The Bell-Irving Family The Bell-Irving family descendants of Henry Bell-Irving, a Glasgow, Scotland, merchant. Bell-Irving resided in Milkbank, Dumfries County, and in 1851 he married Williamina McBean Irving. The couple had seven children, two of whom later established the family in Vancouver. The eldest son, Henry Ogle Bell-Irving (1856-1931) and his brother, Dr Duncan Bell-Irving,…
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Sergeant Thomas Ricketts VC in the Great War
17-year-old Newfoundland soldier Sergeant Thomas Ricketts VC the youngest-ever recipient of the Victoria Cross, Monday 14 October 1918. On enlistment, Tommy stated his age as 18 years and 3 months, much older than his real age of 15. Like many of his buddies, Tommy lied about his age to enlist. Later in October 1918, one…
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Private Vincent Zwingel in the Great War
Private Vincent Zwingel born 1 May 1880 in Suwałki, Russia. Suwałki located about 30 kilometres from the southwestern Lithuanian border and gives its name to the Polish protected area, known as Suwałki Landscape Park. Vincent a labourer and resided at 50 Stephen Street, Montreal (later 535 St Antoine Street, Montreal), his wife Mrs Tena (Antanina)…