CEFRG.ca

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.

  • Private Maurice Salt in the Great War

    Private Maurice Salt in the Great War

    Private Maurice Salt born in Shrewsbury, Shropshire, England on 11 July 1890. A single farmer residing in Enderby, B.C. He had a brother, George Moultrie Salt, of Grondrod, B.C. (Private Moultrie Salt 524571 of the CAMC). Parents Gerald C and Agnes M Salt of Cadboro Bay. Three sisters, Geraldine Elizabeth Little, Mara B.C., Katherine Montgomery Strougler, Enderby B.C., and Sybil Mary Gosnell, Enderby B.C.

    Cadboro Bay Hotel, (1912-13)

    Pte Maurice Salt 628578 enlisted 10 June 1915 at Vernon, B.C. A very tall man at 6′ 2″ tall with medium complexion, grey eyes and light brown hair. On 9 November 1915, George Moultrie Salt signed up with the CAMC in Vernon, B.C. George stood as tall as his brother Maurice. George served with No. 1 Canadian Field Ambulance.

    MKAN No. 3522496
    Corporal George George Moultrie Salt MM
    .C. and N.C.O.s, 1st Field Ambulance. January 1919. MKAN No. 3522496

    England

    Pvt Salt sailed to England on 13 November 1915. Treated for Rubella, 18-28 February 1916 at Aldershot.

    Platoon of the 47th Battalion, M-276, England

    Sgt V L Richmond and H R Harrison 628026 witnessed his will on 7 May 1916. Another three months however before he would travel overseas.

    France

    Private Maurice Salt travelled overseas on 11 August 1916.

    Lieutenant-Colonel Humphrey Webb
    47th Battalion officer (Lieutenant Colonel Ralph Humphrey MC DSO at left) giving his men advice in trenches. MIKAN No. 3520001

    Killed in Action

    Maurice’s service file has no less than three dates of death. Killed in action 29 March 1917, or 3 April or 10 April 1917.

    Vault opened by the Germans in the Churchyard at Misery, in search of metal, 29 March 1917.

    War Diary: Enemy wrought much destruction in front line tenches with Trench Mortars, High Explosives, enfilading from direction of Levin. Killed in action 687188, 628578 (Salt), 628060, 790658. Thirteen men wounded.

    Villers Station Cemetery

    CoD: Killed in action in trenches east of Souchez, 29 March 1917. Buried at Villers Station Cemetery.

    Villers Station Cemetery, 24 April 2015, CEFRG.ca

    GRRF: Plot VI, Row G, Grave 13 Villers Station Cemetery. Cemetery register sent to family on 17 December 1925.

    Corporal George Moultrie Salt MM

    Maurice’s brother Corporal George Moultrie Salt MM died 1 October 1969 at Shaughnessy Hospital, Vancouver.

    Would be wonderful if someone on the ground near Villers could help this great-great-nephew of Private Maurice Salt.

    “My great great uncle is there. I don’t think anyone has ever visited his grave in a hundred years. His name is Maurice Salt and was 24-year-old when he was killed in Action on March 29, 1917. He volunteered for the Canadian Expeditionary Force and was enlisted June 10, 1915, in Vernon, BC. . He served with the 47th Battalion Regimental Number: 628578. Plot VI, Row G, Grave 13. If anyone lives near there I will pay you for a couple photos of his grave. Sadly I will never be able to go there due to illness.” – www.youtube.com/@quivalla

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