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Category: Soldiers

Between 1914 and 1919, over 650,000 Canadians served at home and overseas during the Great War. On the Western Front in Belgium and France, Canadian soldiers of the Great War distinguished themselves in numerous battles, including Second Battle of Ypres, Battle of Vimy Ridge, and Second Battle of Passchendaele. In Canada’s Last Hundred Days of the Great War, Canadian soldiers at the sharp end of the spear breaking through the enemy’s formidable trench defences, the Hindenburg Line. Their efforts have inspired these soldier stories.

Collections

Many collections used to bring the soldier stories to life. First, and foremost, the Personnel Records of the soldiers serving in the Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF). This collection, like the others to follow, digitized and made available by Library and Archives Canada (LAC). Secondly, the War Diaries of the CEF often provide vital information about a soldier’s life not contained in their service file. Finally, Circumstances of Death (CoD), War Graves Registers (GRRF), and Veterans Death Cards provide further information on The Fallen. These three collections in conjunction with records of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (CWGC) vital to cases of identification and recovery of The Missing.

Courts Martial Records (FGCM)

Additional collections used to present the soldier stories include Courts Martial Records. Courts martial had the authority to try a wide range of military offences that resembled civilian crimes like fraud, theft or perjury. Others, like desertion and cowardice – purely military crimes. Records of individual courts martial consist of an average of 20 to 25 documents, mainly standardized forms. These document the trial and the charges under the Army Act.

MIKAN photo collection

Finally, the most powerful way of bringing soldier stories of the Great War to life, the images of the MIKAN collection digitized by LAC.  Often complementing these photos – images held by the Imperial War Museum (IWM), some of which also contain images captured by the Official Canadian War Photographers (CWRO) during the Great War. Both LAC and IWM have film collections which further bring the reality of the soldier stories of the Great War to life.

  • Lieutenant James Chester Hughes in the Great War

    Lieutenant James Chester Hughes in the Great War

    Lieutenant James Chester Hughes born 30 March 1888. Nephew of Brigadier-General William St. Pierre Hughes and General Sir Sam Hughes. Brigadier-General Garnet Hughes the son of the Minister of Militia (Sam Hughes).

    (Visit of General Sir Sam Hughes to the Front) The three Hughes. August, 1916. L. to R. Sir Sam, His son Garnet and Sir Sam’s brother Brig.-Gen. St. Pierre Hughes. MIKAN No. 3521750

    Chester Hughes a Civil Engineer by trade. Only son of father Dr James L Hughes and mother Adelaide M Hughes of 47 Dundonald Street, Toronto, ON. Two years previous service in F.C.C.E.

    Education of James Chester Hughes

    Hughes educated at the Parkdale Collegiate Institute and the University of Toronto in 1909 with a B.Sc. (Mech. Eng.) degree. A member of the University Training Corps. Upon graduation, he took up construction work and superintended the building of several bridges in Scarboro township. Then, he joined the Canadian Pacific Railway engineering department and located the line from Bellevilla to Newtonville. Following this work, he went to New Brunswick, where he took charge of important railway construction.

    Bayonet Fighting and Physical Training Classes, Toronto, Ont. March 1916. MIKAN No. 4473316

    Attestation

    In September of 1914, Hughes came back to Toronto to enlist as a Private with the 6th Field Company, Divisional Engineers. At this time, he stood 5′ 11″ tall with medium complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. A few months later, this corps sent to Ottawa, and when Hughes returned to Toronto for a few days at Christmas, he wore the stripes of a Sergeant.

    Engineers repairing damaged roads following advance, 9 March 1917. MIKAN No. 3405423
    Engineers repairing damaged roads following advance, 9 March 1917. MIKAN No. 3405423

    Returning to military camp, his uncle Colonel William Hughes offered him a commission, but he refused, wishing to remain an engineer. However, before the engineers went to England in April 1915, Hughes given a commission in the company, and promoted to Lieutenant on 1 January 1915.

    Belgium

    Disembarking at Le Havre, France in September 1915, Lieutenant James Chester Hughes immediately employed in charge of construction of strong points for machine guns, near Locre, Belgium, and bivouacked near Locre Chateau.

    © IWM BOX 163-251-53B-28M-1918 28M 28 29 Land South and South West of Locre, Loosehof Farm and Locre Chateau 53 Squadron, 2nd Wing RFC 1918-08-10

    From 22 September to 30 September 1915, 6th Field Company commenced drainage of the following trenches: Via Gellia, Regent Street, Piccadilly, Pall Mall, Vigo Street and Kingsway, later improving the parapets of these trenches.

    Locre Church looking toward Kemmel, circa May 1919. MIKAN No. 3404102
    Locre Church looking toward Kemmel, circa May 1919. MIKAN No. 3404102

    A mine explosion in S1-S2 trenches on 8 October at 5:42 pm causes the loss of 21 men in the 28th Battalion. Lt Edwin Albert Baker and Lieutenant James Chester Hughes with 25 sappers and 75 infantry repaired the damage to the trenches. Lt Baker shot through the eyes at 11 pm on 9 October 1915.

    Nuns with a group of children tending to an unknown grave in a garden of the Hospice in Locre. The grave might be of a British soldier, 11 June 1917. © IWM Q 5475

    Death of Lieutenant James Chester Hughes

    Lieutenant James Chester Hughes (son of Dr. J L Hughes, Toronto, and nephew of Sir Sam Hughes) and Russell (Sapper Russell A Campbell 502) started from their dugout at about 4:45 pm to get a working party at a nearby village, which at this time was being shelled. The guard on the road stopped them to give warning. I expect, and while they were halted a shell came over, killing both instantly. The guard is also in very serious condition.

    Letter home by Sapper Charles A Poynton 613 of the 6th Field Company
    From the Rideau to the Rhine and back - the 6th Field Company and Battalion Canadian Engineers in the Great War by K. Weatherbe
    From the Rideau to the Rhine and back – the 6th Field Company and Battalion Canadian Engineers in the Great War by K. Weatherbe

    Locre Churchyard

    I came in from the trenches, as did Bert, for the double funeral, which took place from the camp at 10:40 am today. The men of No. 4 Section acted as pall-bearers. The funeral was the most impressive I have ever attended. All the men in the camp marched behind the waggons, the infantry band leading, playing of course, The Dead March.” We marched to a little village, the name of which I presume will be sent to Mr. Campbell. Here they were laid to rest. The Chaplain, Major John Beatty, read the service, the band played “The Last Post,” and then, as there is no firing party here, each man saluted and the band played us back to camp.

    Letter home by Sapper Charles A Poynton 633 of the 6th Field Company
    Grave of Lieutenant Chester Hughes and entrance to cemetery. Lt. Chester Hughes, 6th Field Company, Canadian Engineers, was the nephew of the Minister of Militia, Sir Sam Hughes, and was killed by a shell November 15th, 1915. MIKAN No. 3403312

    LOCRE CHURCHYARD located 11.5 Km south west of Ieper town centre on the Dikkebusseweg (N375). From Ieper town centre the Dikkebusseweg reached via Elverdingsestraat, straight over a roundabout onto J. Capronstraat (for 30 metres), then left along M. Fochlaan. Immediately after the train station, the first right hand turning the Dikkebusseweg. On passing through the village of Dikkebus the road continues for 6 Km to the village of Loker. The church and churchyard located at the side of the road in the village of Locre (Loker) itself.

    Grave of Lieutenant Chester Hughes and entrance to cemetery. His father, Brig.-Gen. St. Pierre Hughes. MIKAN No. 3403311

    History of Locre Churchyard

    Locre (now Loker) in Allied hands during the greater part of the war, and field ambulances stationed in the Convent of St. Antoine. The village changed hands several times between 25 and 30 April 1918, when recaptured by the French. The hospice, or convent, the scene of severe fighting on 20 May, but not retaken until first week in July. Loker Churchyard used by field ambulances and fighting units from December 1914 to June 1917, and it contains two Commonwealth plots. One grave brought in after the Armistice from LOCRE FRENCH CEMETERY No.4. The churchyard contains 215 Commonwealth burials of the Great War.

    Grave of Lieutenant Chester Hughes and entrance to cemetery. His father, Brig.-Gen. St. Pierre Hughes. MIKAN No. 3403313

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