Private Frederick Bentley

Private Frederick Bentley

643847

Born: Cottingham, England

Killed in Action – Vimy Sector May 26, 1917

Interred at Noeux-les-Mines Communal Cemetery

It was a sudden flash. At least that is how his mind perceived it. When he came to, one single word bellowed out to waiting ears…”Stretcher!!” Private Frederick Bentley, the young immigrant to Canada and former resident of the quaint village of Cottingham, Yorkshire has been hit. Initially, it was disbelief…followed by confusion. Shock had yet to set in…like a visitor, sympathetically blurring the intense pain that was about to descend upon him. Prone in the trench, in the dirt, covered in dirt and blood one image flashed before his eyes…it was one of the eyes of his only love, Olive.

One and a half week’s shy of their first wedding anniversary, suffering from severe gunshot wounds that mutilated his body, Fred only thought of the young bride he left behind. The scene was often experienced in towns across Canada in the summer of 1916. In his case, the setting was a small town situated between two lakes. Lake Simcoe to the south and Lake Couchiching to the north and the town of Orillia nestled in the middle. Beauty on both sides and when combined with a warm summer day, cool fresh breezes from the lake cascading over them while two young lovers exchanged vow of eternal love and companionship…one a 22 year old wearing his dress khaki’s and the other, a 17 year old ravishingly beauty beaming with happiness, clad in all white.

Help rushed over to him quickly. Without delay, two battalion mates raised Fred on their stretcher and raced their way through the trenches…trying to desperately remove the private as quickly as they could to the safety of the rear. Once assessed, he was placed upon a truck and then forced to endure an 18km journey to the closest Casualty Clearing Station. Their destination was Noeux-les-Mines, a town situated behind the lines and close to transport options back to the coast and safely home in England.

Sharp pains cascaded across his body, waking him up again….and once again he saw her. He knew the second he saw her. 18 is an exciting time for a young man. Frederick Bentley was born and educated in Cottingham, a town located just outside the town of Hull, UK and situated on the Humber which flowed out into the North Sea. Upon reaching this age, he joined his sister, mother and father and immigrated to Canada. Their destination was Orillia, Ontario. Being a new face in a small town, Frederick would face the typical challenges of meeting new friends, trying to fit in and getting a job. The transition would soon become almost too easy. Where and when it happened…only they could tell…at a town fair? a trip to the market? or more commonly, two sets of eyes would meet on a Sunday morning, glances exchanged across the rows of pews, possibly utilizing the monotonous breaks in the pastor’s sermon to a more fortuitously end, that being initiating something new, fresh and exciting.

With each mile, each pothole, each shell hole…the lifeblood of Private Frederick Bentley would slowly slip away. Between bouts of consciousness, his mind raced between images of his family, his early life in England, the day he proudly signed his name to join the 157th Simcoe Foresters. Closer. Closer. Almost there. The final flashes would linger…one could only guess the content…thoughts of regret, of leaving her, flighting feelings of what could have been…if only. Feelings of loving care, eternal concern for the one he would soon leave alone. His transport to the No. 7 Casualty Clearing Station at Noeux-les-Mines would have just taken too long and his injuries proved to be too severe. On May 26th, 1917 as a result of being another victim of the awesome power of machine gun fire, Frederick would finally, terribly and tragically, succumb to his wounds.

Lest we forget.

Private Frederick Marshall

Private Frederick Marshall

644072 – Former member of 157th Simcoe Foresters

Born 1888 in Renfrew, ON

Lived at 123 Mississauga St. Orillia On

Killed in Action – May 21st, 1917 – Vimy Sector of Front

It was the evening of Oct 9th, 1916. The final refrain from the town band had long since ended and it was only silence that was heard as they walked hand in hand. Celestine, his vibrant young 22 year old bride-to-be, was by his side. With each step she would nudge herself closer, as if she was squeezing a few more minutes of her time with him. The walk to the station was relatively short being only a mile away. And correspondingly, she too hoped that their separation would also be short. The couple was returning from the gathering held in their honour down at Couchiching Park. ‘Their’ being the local men from the 157th Battalion. The town had gathered to thank their boys for their service, wish them luck and shower them with support. These last few minutes were the final few on the final day of their last leave before the men departed for England and France.

It seemed like the entire town had come out to wish them well. 28 yr old Private Frederick Marshall looked out and recognized so many of the faces. Many were his clients. Frederick worked as a blacksmith in town. As this was 1916, most of the farmers and townsfolks still used wagons pulled by horses as their primary mode of travel. Essentially, Frederick was their mechanic. He was the guy who made sure their form of personal transportation was safe and well maintained…even if that only meant a new horseshoe or a mended wagon wheel. Thus, smiling and waving back at him were neighbours, prominent businessmen, local farmers and politicians…all coming out to see him off. Clad in his khaki and proudly standing on the make-shift stage, Frederick would also recognize the looks and nervous senses of apprehension staring back at him.

This final leave only lasted 6 days. A blink of the eye for young couples in love…but the shortness of time would linger for decades in the memories of those who remained. The members of the battalion were granted the freedom to spend the last few precious moments together with their loved ones on the return to the station. Thus, with the excitement and positivity of the town gathering now dissipated the awareness that these men were going off to war…some never to return would finally sink in. Final kisses, handshakes and hugs were exchanged one last time. Another belch of black smoke from the engine signaled to the men to make their final goodbyes…and with waves from open windows, outstretched hands pressed against glass the men of the 157th set off from the Orillia train station.

The men of the 157th Simcoe and Foresters Battalion set off for England soon after and arrived in Liverpool on Oct 28th. Within a month the battalion that was raised from boys and men from communities dotting the Simcoe County region was broken up. Private Marshall and many of his battalion mates were now soldiers in Sam Sharpe’s 116th Battalion. From the training grounds at Witley and Bramshott to the trenches at Vimy, the boys were now officially in it. And hence, after making it through the recent victory on April 9th, Frederick spent his time in relatively quiet parts of the front…many days safely situated in the inherent protection of underground tunnels and bunkers. However, it not until their relief of the RCR on the 20th of May when they returned to the front. And one day later, once again the victim of being in the wrong place at the wrong time, the young fiancée of his blushing bride-to-be Celestine Briggs, the Frederick Marshall, the blacksmith from Orillia was killed in action.

He is forever interred at the Petit-Vimy British Cemetery in Vimy France.

Lest we forget.

- For more detail on the August 9th Orillia departure event, please refer to Fighting Men, Leslie Frost, Clark, Irwin & Company Limited, 1967; pg 79-80

- Interesting tidbit of information I cannot verify. Frederick Marshall worked as a blacksmith in Orillia. One of the Blacksmith shops that was in operation until 1911 was DG Carmichael Orillia Wagon and Sleigh Works. The son of David Carmichael was one of the founders of the Group of Seven, Franklin Carmichael. Thus, there was a good chance that Frederick and one of Canada’s most famous painters once worked together.

Private Albert Stronge

Private Albert Stronge

775564

Born: 1890 Farnworth, Bolton, Lancashire, England

Lived in Palgrave, Ontario

Enlisted with the 126th Peel Battalion, served with 116th

Killed in Action – May 21, 1917 Vimy Sector, France

The story of Private Albert Stronge

When someone who grew up in Canada reads that he was educated at Bolton Grammar School their mind immediately pictures a one or two room schoolhouse. The school would be located on the edge of a relatively remote farming community. Children from the local farms with their modest homesteads would travel great distances for their modest education. The mind images youngsters making the prototypical 5 km trek, through 2-3 feet deep snow, on a route that happened to require a long upwards climb interestingly on both on the walk to and from school. However, after a few minutes on the Google, one discovers that they can not be more wrong.

Being educated (not going to school) at Grammar school in Bolton, UK, was a bit different. He won a scholarship to and attended Farnsworth Grammar school in Bolton. He followed up his studies at both The Bolton School and Owen’s College. These buildings remind one more of Hogwarts than the dusty shack originally envisioned. Adorned with stately gated entrances and expansive well-groomed grounds, from the exterior his school would resemble a university campus. Once inside, everything would remind them of the appearances and purposeful countenance of the elite. The boys entering these institutions would emerge as well-educated and refined young men…expected to be the individuals the empire is relying upon to lead Britons into the next generation. This was the early life and expectation of one Albert Stronge.

At the age of 20, with his education completed, young Albert decided to make his life and fortune in the Commonwealth country of Canada. His destination would not be more alien to the life and circumstances he had become accustomed to. From a heavily congested and polluted metropolis to the sparsely populated farming community of Palgrave…a place that was accented by small town people with small town values. Tradition. Faith. Hard work and manual labour. It would have been quite the culture shock for the young man. However, he was well respected by the community and was duly missed when he decided at the age of 26 to enlist with the 126th Peel Battalion. Once again, the call of duty won the young man over.

The records suggest that he was able to secure a position as a scout with the 126th and trained for this role while at Camp Borden. The men proceeded to England in the summer and he was soon transferred to the 116th Battalion. Throughout the fall and winter, the men would train at Bramschott then Whitley before moving to France before the great operations at Vimy Ridge.

In early part of 1917, the 116th Battalion was primarily included as a reserve or support battalion. More time was spent with shovel in hand or hauling supplies than handling a weapon. Thus, like the others who came to share Albert’s unfortunate fate was not gained by a glorified dash across a crater filled battlefield while dodging a downpours of machine gun bullets. Rather their ultimate demise was more often attributed to the unfortunate circumstance of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. The randomness of shellfire took the lives of many men on the Western Front. And on the 21st of May sometime while the men moved back into the line to relieve the Royal Canadian Regiment young Albert was hit. As random and purposeless as a death could be…another promising young life was snuffed out.

Today, two parish churches an ocean apart, share memorial plaques with this name on it. One, is in the St. Alban’s Church in his adopted home of Palgrave, located just down the road from Bolton Ontario. The other is at St. John’s Church, located in the community of his youth, Farnsworth…located just down the road from Bolton, UK. 104 years may have passed since his passing and still citizens from both communities, both located just outside of a town of the same name can together remember the loss of the one of their own, Private Albert Stronge.

Lieutenant William Kitchener Kift

Lieutenant William Kitchener Kift

Born: Cannington, ON 1898

Died of Wounds received in the Battle of Vimy Ridge – April 29th, 1917

(4 minute read)

Novembers in Cannington can be fickle. Some years you have to stand out in the rain…some years amidst the flakes of snow and some years, on occasion, you are rewarded with a great day with the sun shining brightly and the cool crisp autumn air helping to straighten your back as you stand respectfully in silence. The assembly of those gathering in attendance has always been sporadic. Some years they remember. Some years they don’t. Local school children are always there, lining the roadside, eagerly awaiting the slow arrival of the marching band followed by the kilted bagpipers. They assemble on the convergence of the three streets in honour of the men who are named on the cenotaph that stands alone in the middle. It was here where, on some special years, marching alongside the veterans were two of the brothers who made it through.

They are the reason why we make the effort to remember. Two of the brother’s names are prominently memorialized on the cenotaph. The names of their two brothers, the ones who marched in the street, are not. Yet, the four of them represent a display of service, selflessness and patriotism that should have us all remembering their name. Kift.

Back in 1914, Cannington was a sleepy rural town of 1200 souls. Then was a different time. Neighbours knew their neighbours. A walk through the town would consist of an endless series of smiles, cordials and well wishes. The Kifts were a prominent family and with the onset of war, the news that one of their younger sons, Harry, had enlisted would be celebrated by all. He signed up with the 20th Central Ontario Battalion on Nov 13, 1914. A few months later two other Kift boys would join the ranks. 23 yr old Horace joined the 37th Northern Ontario Battalion and 25 yr old Leonard joined up with the 23rd Battalion (Later designated as 199th Duchess of Connaught’s Own Irish Canadian Rangers). Three Kift brothers heading off to fight for the colours. All of the townsfolks would have been so proud.

Six months later, and two months after reaching the age of 18, the fourth Kift, William Kitchener earned his commission as a Lieutenant in the 116th Canadian Infantry Battalion. As one by one, the Kift boys left town one can imagine the fear and trepidation shared by their parents Joseph and Elizabeth. It was 1915 and they saw the news reports about the murderous conditions along the Western Front. There was Neuve Chapelle, Second Ypres and Artois. Regional newspapers would include the names of local chaps wounded, killed or just going off to war. And now with the third year of the war quickly approaching, four of their sons would be going ‘over there’. Four empty seats at the dinner table. Four empty spots in the local church where the family attended Sunday service. One can imagine the terrible feeling of dread when the telegram delivering boy turned down their street…whether it be to their house or those of their neighbours.

The first telegram to arrive would be the one to inform that Horace was seriously wounded by shellfire at the Somme. He was hit in the thigh and shoulder on the 29th of September 1916. Thankfully he was able to recover from the injuries. Better yet, did was able to serve for the remainder of the war without incurring any additional injuries. However, it wasn’t until he returned to Canada in early 1919 when his health quickly deteriorated. He was sent to the Sanitorium in Hamilton to recover, but the overwhelming stress and burden of war was just too much for his young body. Horace Oswald Kift died on the 28th of February in 1920.

Horace’s eldest brother, Leonard Kift served as a Captain in the 23rd Irish Canadian Rangers. Taking full advantage of his civilian role in banking, he was appointed as Paymaster for the battalion. He was able to return home safe and lived a full life back in Canada. Harry Kift, the third brother, also returned from the war. The pair of them would be able to join the Armistice Day (later Remembrance Day) processions and marched together down McRae to Trootie Street before their thankful friends and townsfolk. Harry would proudly display his Distinguished Conduct Medal earned from the gallantry he displayed at the Battle of Passchendaele.

When Leonard and Harry completed their annual sombre walk to the cenotaph, they would do so with the constant reminder of their missing brothers. Horace, the brother whose body just gave out and William, the youngest of the Kift clan to serve. His story was one that should be remembered. Barely 19 years of age, William was an officer in the 116th Battalion acting as a Lieutenant with approximately 50 men under his care and responsibility. As the battalion readied for the planned attack on Vimy Ridge, William would have trained, prepared and lead the men in executing their orders. On March 13th, when they were serving in the trenches in the lead-up to the attack, he received minor wounds to a hand and leg. With his youthful nonchalance, he merely dusted himself off, bandaged himself up and returned to his men. A month later, William, surrounded by his battalion mates, would watch in reserve as his countrymen achieved a glorious victory on the 9th of April. Then four days later, he was ordered to lead his men into the trenches and form working parties to carry supplies and materials up to the newly won front line trenches. It was here where William was hit. Originally, the wounds from shellfire was not expected to be serious, however as he convalesced back at the Duchess of Westminster Hospital in Le Touquet his situation steadily deteriorated. 47 days after receiving his injury, William became the 12th person to die in the 116th Battalion.

The community of Cannington is situated just a short drive north from Toronto. It is a pleasant town. A small town that still shows a little piece of yesterday for those who care enough to take the side roads on the way north to your cottage or summer rental. As noted, the cenotaph is situated on an island between McRae and Trootie streets…just off Cameron. Next time you head north, make sure you stop by. And as you stand before it to honour the men whose names are listed on the memorial, look for the Kift brothers and as you do so, remember the service and sacrifice of all four of them.

Lest we forget.

Private William Ernest Hill

Pte. William Earnest Hill

758034

Born: Nov 2, 1886 in Hamilton ON

Lived in Hamilton, ON

Killed in Action at Vimy Ridge April 9, 1917

Buried at Bois Carre British Cemetery

Private Hill was a working-class lad from a hardscrabble working-class neighbourhood in Hamilton, ON. He worked as a loom fixer in the Hamilton textile industry which like many other jobs in the region required both toughness and skill. In 1915, like many of his mates, William signed up with the 120th City of Hamilton Regiment. The 120th operated as the 3rd Division of the Royal Hamilton Light Infantry- Wentworth Regiment...a regiment whose legacy stemmed back to the War of 1812.

The story of William Hill’s service, experienced and ultimate death, unfortunately, is rather short…both in time and is rather dearth of notable incidents. He arrived in France on March 17, 1917, joined the battalion 5 days later and was killed a little over two weeks later. This is barely enough time to get to know your battalion or the men you expect to share a carved-out cubby in the mud with. Yet, on the first day of the battle of Vimy Ridge Private William Earnest Hill’s life ended.

As history recalls the weather was terrible of the morning of the attack. A virtual spring blizzard descended upon the men as they prepared to hop the bags and follow the creeping waves of shell file and knock the Germans off their perch. Private Hill, along with the men of the 116th were not assigned to the first waves of attacking troops. Rather, they were assigned to support and assist once the first waves successfully gained ground.

The Battalion Diary records that on that day, the majority of the men were assigned to carrying parties. Their job was to help deliver material and supplies to the men holding the line at the front. Other men were assigned to wiring parties. They helped establish communication between the front and the officers in the rear. If one could recreate the situation on that day, in successive waves the Canadians pushed back the Germans from their forward positions. It was a very successful morning. For the previous three years, a gain of 100 meters would be called a significant achievement. That morning the Canadians pushed the Germans back off the ridge and gained almost 7 km in territory. Thus, to consolidate their gains and cement their position, they would need to quickly establish footholds in the fields of battle. Private Hill’s job was to put down his gun and pick up his shovel. The 116th needed to build a trench that established a line of communication back to the rear.

To tragic effect, while the Canadians did push the Germans back off the ridge, they did not break them. The enemy still retained their guns and as they sought to reconsolidate their position they deployed them to dreadful effect. William, shovel in hand and standing in a spot known as ‘Bois de la Chaudiere’, was hit by a heavy barrage of 4.1 shells. He did not survive and his remains are interred at the Bois-Carre British Cemetery.

Lest we forget.

Private Vernon Lewis Borden

Private Vernon Lewis Borden

264420

Born Greenville, NJ, USA

Lived in Detroit, Michigan

Killed in Action – April 10th, 1917 Battle of Vimy Ridge

The Battle of Vimy Ridge has forever been celebrated as a distinctly Canadian affair. 100,000 men, enlistees to the Canadian Expeditionary Force were brought to a modest plain at the nape of a strategic height with the orders to dislodge the stubborn Germans holding it. They were comprised of men from dozens of battalions, batteries and companies. Each unit was raised in communities scattered across our great nation and each were proudly Canadian. However, is there a chance for other nations to claim even a little glory from that storied day? A closer look will show that while the patch on the arm signified the soldier was Canadian, a not so insignificant number were American.

And hence we come to the story of Vernon Lewis Bordon. Vernon was an American. He was born in Greenville, New Jersey in 1897. Greenville is a borough of Newark closely situated to Manhattan. Sometime in his youth, Vernon’s family moved to Detroit, Michigan. With the booming auto sector, Detroit was growing to one of the largest population centres in the USA. Soon after the end of the war it would boast that it was the 4th largest city in the country, all driven by the thirst for personal transportation. There was a side impact that came with Detroit’s proximity to Canada. After four years of war and the urgent call for more men to enlist, young energetic and adventurous men from America responded to the call, took the five minute trip across the border and enlisted with the Canadian Expeditionary Force.

With the growing number of ‘Yankees’ arriving in Canada to sign up and join the war, in 1916 the Canadian military leadership actually created a battalion just for them. Based in Toronto, but accepting enlistees from border towns like Windsor, the 213th American Legion Battalion was formed. Of the 162 men enlisted in the battalion 117 of them were born and bred Americans. Vernon, now Private Vernon Borden was one of them.

Vernon was just an average enlistee for the CEF. He was 5 ft 6, of relatively slight build and worked as a Labourer prior to enlisting. Soon after he joined, he would train and travel to England and arrive as a predominantly American unit in Dec 1916. However, once the preparations for the planned operations for 1917 were put into play the men of the 213th were absorbed into the 173rd Canadian Highlanders. This was Hamilton-based unit perpetuated by the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada.

On March 16th 1917, less than a month before the planned attack of Vimy Ridge Private Vernon and some men from the 173rd were transferred to the 116th. It would be here where he and the 116th would get its’ first true taste of combat. That would turn out to be a most bitter one for the young man. He was one of the unfortunate soldiers who were deployed, armed with a shovel late in the evening of April 9th/10th to extend the Canadian trenches to the newly captured German ones. While feverously trying to consolidate the victory by creating safe havens for the men to traverse the battlefield, Private Bordon was hit in the armpit. Whether it be by a lucky shot in the dark or the absurd randomness of shellfire, he would be wounded and later succumb to those injuries. His death reminds us that the sad journey up the walk to notify distraught mothers and fathers of the loss of their sons happened both in our country and in those of our neighbours to the south in America.

Lest we forget.

Lieutenant John James Doble

Lieutenant John James Doble

Born Sunderland ON

Lived in Sunderland, ON

Officer Declaration – Feb 8, 1916 Uxbridge, ON

Killed in Action – April 11, 1917, Battle of Vimy Ridge

Loyalty is a powerful thing. What if you add the bonds of friendship, comradeship and add a little patriotism and sense of duty? John James Doble had embarked on significant steps in his career in Banking. He worked for a division of the Royal Bank of Canada called the National Crown Bank. They asked him to manage one of their branches but it required him to move…to a town situated in what would appear at the time, located in the middle of nowhere. And yet when asked to move to Swift Current, Saskatchewan, John accepted. Swift Current is situated in among the Great Plains was still occupied at the time by the last great free tribes of the West. In the years before the war, this land would still appear as it did for the past millennia hence the move offered John not only a new career opportunity but also a fine dose of adventure as well.

In October of 1915, John’s former Commanding Officer from the 34th Regiment, (an Ontario-based militia) received approval to raise a battalion. With this consent, Lieutenant Colonel Samuel Simpson Sharpe immediately reached out to his former officers. Sam needed to build a team and he wanted people who he could trust and rely upon. Without delay, through the power of loyalty and comradeship, former members of the 34th began to arrive at the Battalion Headquarters in Uxbridge. Eventually, the 40 former members of the former militia regiment signed up to help lead to the newly formed 116th Battalion. One of the men who arrived in Uxbridge to join Sam’s team was the banker from Swift Current, John James Doble.

John would soon be awarded a commission and become a Lieutenant in the new battalion. The assignment was an easy decision for Lt Col. Sam Sharpe. Outside of their history with the 34th, he would have known John for many years as he was a local lawyer and Member of Parliament for Ontario County. John was originally from Sunderland…a small town located just north of Uxbridge. Both Sharpe and Doble were also freemasons, thus would share in the brotherhood of the fraternity. As a result, the nature of their broad relationship would turn out to be closer than most other officers in the Battalion.

Once the battalion travelled to England for training, Lieutenant Doble would be responsible for drilling into the men the skills needed to make men soldiers. It was necessary to not only guarantee the operational effectiveness of the men in the field, however it was essential to ensuring they can protect themselves when out in the line. This included strict discipline, respect and responsiveness. If Lieutenant Doble issued an order, the 50 men under him had to be trained to execute that order without thought, debate or delay. This was his responsibility as a leader in the 116th.

At the Battle of Vimy Ridge, it has been noted that the men of the 116th were kept in reserve and not used as an active fighting force. They were much greener than the other Canadian battalions and Divisional Headquarters did not yet have the confidence in their abilities under pressure. Doble would have the benefit of watching the entire battle from their position at Dumpbell Camp. He would have watched and waited for the chance to join the fray. Doble would have his excitement nullified on Day 2 of the attack then the 116th was once again overlooked. However, as luck would have it the 116th was finally given their chance to move into the trenches and relived the 60th Victoria Rifles from their position manning the Support Trenches in the Allied lines. This transition occurred without incident…until it happened. The section of trenches occupied by “B” Company under the leadership of Lieutenant John James Doble was hit by some German 5.9s. 3 O.R.s were wounded and one man, the banker who travelled all the way from Swift Current to join the war, was killed.

Lest we forget.

Sergeant Oscar Clayton Fuller

Sergeant Clayton Oscar Fuller

745825

Born in 1892 in Watford, Ontario

Lived in Watford, ON

Killed in Action on April 19th, 1917 at Vimy

The men have barely been at the front for ten days and it was becoming quite clear that this war spares no mercy. German artillery had been raiding down of on our supply routes ever since we neglected to finish off the Hun in this sector. Instead of breaking them, he essentially just bent the line. This resulted in allowing them to merely flex their lines, giving them sufficient time and space to reposition their guns and spew hate back down upon our men. It was in one of these retaliatory sessions of iron-fueled innate animosity when Private Clayton Oscar Fuller’s time in this conflict would come to an early end.

Clayton Fuller would have stood out from the others. It was not that he was tall or hefty, rather that he sported a dark complexion with dark brown eyes and black hair. These were not the features shared by his pasty-white battalion mates. He was a farm boy and hailed from the rural town of Watford. Watford is located nearby to the city of Sarnia, Ontario on the shores of Lake Huron. He noted that his occupation was a Ships Purser. One would think that a man who grew up on a farm in the midst of a region known for more farms would want to become well, a farmer. However, it turns out Clayton was a people person, someone who was interested in getting away from the staid, quiet rural setting of home. Instead, he chose a career whereby he worked with the public on a day to day basis. The Ship’s Purser would be responsible for taking care of the guests on a passenger ship. The traditional role would be to look after the ship’s purse or tickets and collect fares. It would be hard to validate, however there was an active ferry service between the USA and Canada from Sarnia to Port Huron, Michigan. His noted occupation may reflect this rather exciting job…exciting for a farm boy…that is.

However, with the waves of enlistment for the war and the raising of the 116th, Clayton soon found himself signing up. He became Private Fuller in July of 1916. This was quite late a bit later than most of the ‘original’ 116th Battalion volunteers as most others signed up between Oct 1915 to April 1916. It is uncertain if he chose to enlist with the 116th because they just happened to be training at the camp when he happened to arrive or if there was another reason. Either way, he joined Sam Sharpe’s team on the 12 of July and accompanied them to Halifax where he departed on the 23rd and arrived in Liverpool by the end of the month. Talk about speedy onboarding!

My suspicion that Private Fuller did not just happen to sign up with the 116th is reinforced by another factor. He does not seem to have any prior military experience and the job of ticket taker on a glorified rowboat also does not shout “promising leader of men”. Yet, on the day after Fuller arrived in England he was promoted to Acting Corporal. Following this, after a bout of training in England, his promotion was followed up with a second appointment. On Dec 12th he was named Acting Sergeant. Following this, he was granted the permission to marry which was provided on Jan 17th, 1917. One can ponder on the backstory, however it seemed that young Clayton had impressed the Officers of the 116th and big things were expected of him.

It is here where the promising series of advances for the Sergeant was quickly and tragically truncated. With the 116th being targeted for a Pioneer battalion and repeatedly asked to supply working parties, the men were being tasked with chores like rebuilding roads. In the time after Vimy and in the area that happened to be in the range of the bitter Huns, they were tasked to rebuild the Lens-Arras road. The allies needed dependable and passable terrain to quickly supply the front trenches and embedded gun emplacements and thus the road needed to be repaired. The Germans, on the other hand, needed to try to stop that from happening. Late in the evening on the 18th of April or early on the 19th, another array of multicaliber shellfire was lobbed on the working parties. It was on one of these deadly volleys when both men and their officers hit the dirt in the attempt to avoid being a victim of the shrapnel. It was also on one of these volleys where Sergeant Fuller was unlucky in his futile attempt to avoid being hit. Shrapnel shredded his legs with multiple injuries, of which he died shortly thereafter. He is buried at Ecoivres British Cemetery in Mont Saint Eloi.

Lest we forget.

Corporal Bertie William Branch

Corporal Bernie Williams Branch

745931

Born 1887, Norfolk England

Lived in Oshawa ON

Died June 5th, 1917

With a knock at the door, George Branch would receive the news that his son had fallen in battle. The notification would reveal that his son had “died of wounds”, “gunshot wounds multiple”. Two months earlier as Mr. Branch would have read the daily mastheads, the newspapers would proudly relay that Canada had just earned one of its’ greatest military victories ever in the largest military venture it had ever executed. However, while being a monumental victory, it also resulted in 3500 telegrams needing to be sent home to the loved ones of those who died in the battle. A knock at the door was expected by all, and when it did not come George would have been comforted that his son made it through. That comfort, however, would not last long.

With the words, “gunshot wounds multiple” George would learn that his son had been involved in some encounter. While he was in the service of his king and country, it would provide meagre consolation to his great loss. A keen review of the battalion diary and the days leading up to his death would provide more context to the story.

The 116th moved into the Vimy corridor on June 1st to relive the 52nd Battalion. The orders for the Battalion were to provide working parties to help build defensive infrastructure and reinforce the Vimy sector. This included the construction of a new roadway to provide easy access to the area for resupply of good and war materials.

The section being worked on was called the Toronto area of the Vimy corridor. The battalion diary details that the work was predominantly completed at night between 9pm and 3 am. In the evening of June 2, 3 and 4th the battalion diary records that while they were working on the road construction that they were being harassed by enemy aeroplanes.

Night after night, Corporal Branch would lead his men out into the darkness. As they worked, out in the black they would hear it approach. First dull and faint…then as it slowly approached the sound would grow louder and louder, louder and closer and louder until the sound would grow more faint once again. It was during this interlude them the men would hit the deck and seek refuge. It was during this momentary minute of silent when the German Luftstreitkafte bombers would have released its’ payload onto the newly constructed road below. On the fourth night while working on the roadway, after the fourth night spent diving for cover in the darkness, Corporal Branch’s luck would finally run out. He was wounded by one of the bombs and would die the next morning.

Lest we forget.

Private Walter James Middleton

Private Walter James Middleton

678877

Born Agincourt, ON (modern day Scarberia)

Killed in Action June 15, 1917 within the Vimy Sector

Buried at Noeux-les-Mines Cemetery, Noeux-les-Mins France

I can imagine the decision to enlist in Toronto in 1916 was a rather easy one. The first rush to the recruiting stations occurred in 1914. These typically included men who either had experience as a soldier or served in the militia. The next round would have ridden the wave of patriotism with huge swaths of recruits rushing to the local recruiting stations as the new regional battalions started to be raised. Each battalion would consist of about 1000 men. However, as the army was able to be picky, they started by taking the brightest and the best. Prominent educated men were accepted for the officer class with by the strong young men, unattached and between the ages of 19 and 30 for the army.

In late 1915 and heading into early 1916 the next wave of battalions began to be raised. These units consisted of men either not accepted in the prior waves or those who by a sense of duty, obligation or peer and community pressure decided to sign their names and enlist. Walter James Middleton was one of these young men.

Prior to enlisting, Walter worked at Carter & Leonard’s Fruit Store as a driver. This store was located on King Street, right in the center or then Toronto, Ontario. One can surmise that his job was to deliver fruits and vegetables to local merchants, stores and restaurants situated across the downtown core. He lived in a very elegant house that still exists today on McGill Street just a few blocks north of King St. Like many of his contemporaries, the expectation to enlist would have been great for the young upstart and in February 1916, less than a month shy of his 20th birthday he enlisted in the 169th Battalion.

After basic training, the battalion departed for England, arrived in November and joined the 116th on New Years Eve. With the Battalion’s arrival in France in February, Walter would beging to refine his new role as a soldier and a warrior. He would have been there with his mates both celebrating the great victory at Vimy while seeing the devastation and tragedy of war first-hand. As the 116th played the role as a Reserve unit on the big day, he would have only joined the field of battle as the battalion was deployed to reconstruct trenches and repair needed communication infrastructure. It would have been in these days when the 20 yr old boy would have seen death first hand. Thousands of Canadians lay on the fields of battle while he was deployed with shovel in hand to cement our well-earned position.

After Vimy, the battalion was responsible for helping reinforce and improve the defences in the Vimy sector. This lasted throughout the rest of April and May and continued into June. It was on early morning of June 15th when the dark side of chance won out over the youngster. 200 men were returning from another night spent, shovel in hand, reinforcing the Canadian position in the Vimy Ridge sector when an artillery barrage was released upon them. Only one man was hit. It was the boy who only months prior spent his days delivering baskets of fruit and vegetables. It was young Private Walter James Middleton.

Lest we forget.