CORPORAL SAMUEL YULE #9640, 3RD BATTALION, A FRONTIERSMAN

Medals of Corporal Samuel Richard Yule

When my daughter, Beverly, who lives in Lincolnshire, U.K. recently sent me a hard-to-find magazine in North America, Britain At War, little did I know it would lead to this blog. For one of the feature articles was titled An East Africa Victoria Cross. When I started to read the article, it reminded that I had a set of medals in my collection that required further research and attributed to a veteran of the Royal Fusiliers who served in East Africa. I wonder....

His Majesty's Troopship Neuralia

Globe Hotel, Collingwood, Ontario

Corporal Samuel Richard Yule was born in London, England June 11, 1881 and had emigrated with wife, Margaret Ellen, an Oxfordshire native whom he had married in 1909, to Toronto on the S.S. Megantic April 22, 1911. They are shown on the 1911 UK Census as living at 78 Portobello Road, Notting Hill, London with Samuel employed as a "vacuum cleaner".  After arriving in Canada, they also show up on the 1911 Canada Census as both being employed as servants and residing in the Grand Union Hotel, 174 Front Street, Toronto. According to his C.E.F. service record, at the time he enlisted August, 1914 into the 3rd (Toronto Regiment) Battalion, he was working as a waiter and in the prestigious Globe Hotel in Collingwood, Ontario and a member of the 2nd Regiment Queen's Own Rifles militia. Samuel's attestation paper shows he served 12 years in the UK with the Royal West Kent Regiment this being confirmed by the Queen's South African Medal with five date clasps in the medal set. Little is known of his West Kent and Boer War service other than he received a gun shot wound from a "pom-pom" in the right hip and was "dragged along in a saddle suffering a knee contusion". He also served overseas other than in South Africa, possibly in India. Private Yule accompanied the 3rd Battalion to England as a Batsman in the Battalion's base company and was with the 3rd Battalion during the winter of 1914-15 while the unit was training on the Salisbury Plain. Private Yule was solicited  by the London Branch of the Legion of Frontiersmen to join the now-forming up of the 25th (Frontiersmen) Service Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment). My research suggests strongly that this was negotiated with the knowledge of the officers in the 3rd Battalion with the result that Private Yule was granted an Honourable Discharge January 30, 1915, by paragraph 392 (XXV) King's Regulations which reads "Cause of discharge: His services no longer required". His military character was described as "Good - but physically unfit for military service". This comment may have been made based on his height which was shown to be 5' 4 1/2" on his attestation paper however other documents claim him as 5' 3" - not inductive to creating a great infantry soldier, certainly not in the 3rd Battalion who were known to be physically selective. For his service in England with the 3rd Battalion, C.E.F. he was given a British War Medal inscribed correctly with his 3rd Battalion information

through their training in Bustard Camp, Salisbury Plains from October, November 1914, and January 1915. However January 18, Samuel was granted 8 days leave. His service record notes on January 30 "Deprived 13 days pay. Absent without leave. Breaking camp remaining absent without leave. Overstaying pass 8 days". At some point, wife Margaret followed him back to England. (however she returned to Canada August 1, 1916 on the S.S. Corinthian as a returning Canadian with a destination of Collingwood and presumably resuming employment at the Globe Hotel).  A previous owner of my medal set made the observation "that he was a deserter" and indeed one of the documents in the service file uses this word. 

Dominion Orthopedic Hospital, Christie St., Toronto

According to his British service record Private Yule enlisted February 13, 1915 in the 25th Service  (Frontiersmen) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London) with the original service number 12833, presumably the 33rd man enlisted. The stories of  25th (Frontiersmen) Battalion, affectionately known as "Driscoll's Scout's"  in German East Africa are legendary and possibly the subject of a future blog. They were recruited and lead by their commanding officer, Lt. Col. Daniel Patrick Driscoll, C.M.G., D.S.O. who also happened to be the Commandant General of the world-wide movement Legion of the Frontiersmen. He "wanted a mixture of the irregular Scout guerrillas of the Boer War and Commandos. His full biography can be found on-line HERE.The age limit was 25-48 years, but soldiers up to 65 years actually were on the roster". Included were famous African hunters F.C. Selous (64 years old), Martin Ryan, George Outram and Jock Richardson as well as noted African wild life photographer Cherry Kearton. Other members were a British millionaire, American cowboys, a Scottish light-house keeper, a naturalist, a circus clown, an Arctic explorer, an opera singer and a lion tamer. Also of note was the fact that the 25th, Royal Fusiliers were the only Battalion of the British Expeditionary Force to embark and enter the field without training. Although I have not been able to locate a Nominal Roll for the unit (apparently none exists at National Archives, Kew) however I think that perhaps some of the Legion of Frontiersmen that travelled from Saskatchewan August 1914 on the same train as the PPCLI recruits may have ultimately made the rooster of the 25th Battalion. They sailed from London on the S.S. Neuralia, arriving in Mombasa, Kenya May 6, 1915.

Lt. Col.D.P. Driscoll, C.M.G.,D.S.O.

From here on his service record is sparse. Private Yule was treated for malaria and enlarged spleen in August 1915 in hospitals in Nairobi and Cape Town. Presumably he fought in most of the 25th Battalion battles which are outlined on various on-line sites, books and in the article in the May 2012 issue of Britain At War chasing the German Army across East African. This may have included the actions September 3, 1915 at Maktau from which 2nd Lieutenant Wilbur Dartnell was awarded his Victoria Cross. Private Yule was invalided to Cape Town in 1916 after having 20 relapses of malaria. When the Germans had been removed from East African in August 1917, the 25th Battalion was dissolved with members being sent to other units. Subsequently Private Yule served for short periods with the Leinster and Royal Munster Regiments, returned to the U.K. September 1917 before being assigned April, 1918 to the Gloucester Regiment with service number 55101. On July, 1918 he was sent to Royal Defence Corps 267 Company. He received his U.K. discharge March, 1919. "entitled to wear nil wound stripes and two blue chevrons with a very good character". Next of kin was shown as Margaret Yule, 294 South Lambeth Road, London, who must have lived there during the war before her return to Canada in 1916. Samuel Yule was repatriated (assuming at the expense of the British Army) back to Canada on the S.S. Toloa March 9, 1919. For his service with the B.E.F. he was sent a British War Medal, Victory Medal and 1914-1915 Star all correctly inscribed with the information from the Royal Fusiliers. He received a small (20%) pension for 26 weeks due to his bout with malaria. It should be note that according to Ewart Grogan, South African explorer, author and Frontiersmen, in his book Lost Lion of the Empire describes the 25th Battalion as follows; "nineteen months after it's arrival only 60 of the original 1166 Frontiersmen were left alive". Private Samuel Richard Yule was one of those few lucky 60! However his military story does not end here. A full description of the Legion of the Frontiersmen and the 25th (Frontiersmen) Battalion, Royal Fusiliers can be found HERE.

S.S. Toloa, United Fruit Co.

Samuel Richard Yule re-enlisted once again in the C.E.F. May 3, 1919 as Private Yule #2607021 Canadian Army Medical Corps, #2 Depot (Toronto), category B2, listing his address and that of Margaret as 176 King Street, Toronto. On June 3, 1919, he was promoted to Provisional Corporal, with that rank being confirmed as Corporal a short time later. At some point, he received treatment to his right leg from "falling out of an ambulance". May 8, 1920 he was posted to the Dominion Orthopedic Hospital, Christie Street, Toronto and finally demobilized with a final discharge October 31, 1920 at the age of 40. A great souvenir of this hospital exists on-line HERE.Corporal Yule can probably be found in one of the many photographs of the staff found in this illustrated booklet. At this point I can find absolutely no further information on either Samuel Yule or his wife, Margaret. They had no children that I am aware of and presumably continued employed in the hotel industry as waiters.

ADDENDUM

Since the publishing of this blog, fellow C.E.F. Study Group Forum member, friend and super sleuth, Annette Fulford, has been able to provide more biographical information on Samuel Yule and his service. Most principally, she has found his Boer War service record which provides a wealth of information. Samuel Yule enlisted showing his height as 5' 3 1/2" tall weighing 116 pounds. With a service number of 5923, Samuel served 12 years with the Royal West Kent Regiment, from attesting in London May 17, 1900 in London until his final discharge May 16, 1912 (whilst in Canada). As well as serving over 2 years in South Africa, he was posted to Hong Kong and Singapore respectively over 3 years. The last 4 years of his service were spent in the "First Class of the Army Reserve" thus allowing he and his wife to emigrate to Canada prior to his release. He married Margaret Helen Elizabeth Wilkins, spinster, July 3, 1909 in Calne, Wiltshire (an Army base). His mother was Olivia Yule, 20 Farriday Road, Tabrooke Grove, London 15. He had an older brother, Alfred H. Yule (b.1880) whose medal card I located in National Archives, served in the Middlesex Regiment, December 27, 1914 until demobilization, entitled to the 1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.

As well, Annette located the family in the 1881 Census (prior to Samuel's birth) living in Lambeth with father Samuel H. Yule employed as a "commercial traveller". The family could not be found in the 1891 Census but in the 1901 Census mother Olivia is listed as a widow, with Samuel H. dying December 1890 in the District of St. Olave, London. Wife Margaret's death was located by Annette in the British Columbia Archives as occurring May 3, 1971 at the age of 85, in Victoria, B.C. We haven't located Samuel Richard's date as yet.  Thanks for everything, Annette.

PRIVATE BERTIE NACKOGIE #1006931, 228TH BATTALION

One of the soldiers found on the Halifax Memorial addenda tablet (an add-on panel to the Memorial added in the 1980's) while researching Private Adam Sandy was Private Bertie Nackogie. Unlike Private Sandy, Bertie Nackogie was not a victim of the Halifax Explosion in 1917. Rather he was diagnosed with pneumonia while training with the 228th (Northern Fusiliers) Battalion in Camp Borden prior to the battalion departing for England February 16, 1917.

Bertie Nackogie was a 24 year-old aboriginal Ojibwa Indian who called Moose Factory home but was born in the small native settlement of  New Post, Ontario, Taykwa Tagamou Nation, close to Cochrane and present day site of a controversial hydro power generating project. He listed his occupation as "guide and hunter" on his attestation paper signed July 20, 1916 while listing his next of kin as his aunt Annie Sedlion. At that time Dr. A. Wills, the acting Medical Officer for the 228th Battalion considered Bertie "fit for the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force". He again passed medical inspection September 27, 1916 at Camp Borden as the Medical History Sheet in his service file has an entry as "passed" again signed by Captain Dr. A. Wills, Medical Officer. However his Proceedings on Discharge Certificate dated December 26, 1916 and found in his service file signed by Lieut.-Colonel Archibald Earchman never signed by Bertie Nackogie, rather was noted as "the above named-man is discharged in consequence of deceased at Base hospital". His conduct and character were described as "good".


There are no medical sheets or information in his service file. Only a medals' card (Nackogie received no medals as he served in Canada only), standard soldier's ID Rolodex cards, Last Pay Certificate (showing a balance of $60.45 owing to the soldier) and a Casualty Card with the last inscription reading " Died in Hospital, December 26, 1916 - D.O. 270 - 29-12-16". We know now that Bertie Nackogie contracted pneumonia at some point and was admitted to "Base Hospital" Toronto which in fact is believed to be the old Toronto General Hospital located then at 400 Gerrard Street East, Toronto.

Fellow CEF Study Group Forum member Marika Pirie  located a Toronto Star newspaper clipping dated December 27, 1916 and posted it to Nackogie's page on the Veteran Affairs Canada website Canadian Virtual War Memorial. The article describes his burial within Toronto's Prospect Cemetery due to  "the difficulty of transportation by dog train" to his home in Moose Factory. Therefore Private Nackogie does indeed have a known grave - his name should not have been added to the Halifax Memorial, a Memorial that includes the names of men of the Canadian Army stationed in Canada who have no known graves. A simple phone call to Prospect Cemetery confirmed that indeed he was buried in Section 17, Plot 43-46. They stated that no grave stone had ever been erected and a recent visit confirmed this fact.

Believing that the Last Post Fund might take the initiative to install a grave stone I first contacted them, with a copy to Veteran Affairs - their reply was that they would certainly get involved if no other parties were forthcoming. However I also received replies from Peter Mill, Director, Canada Remembers, Veteran Affairs Canada, who in return had copied Gerald Meyer, CD, Inspecting Officer (Works), Commonwealth War Graves Commission (Ottawa) as well as receiving a message from Dominique Boulais, Deputy Secretary-General, Canadian Agency, Commonwealth War Graves Commission. All thanked me for my involvement and confirmed that CWGC were responsible for ensuring that Private Bertie Nackogie has a proper and fit grave marker and that steps will be taken to ensure that one will be installed at his grave location within Toronto's Prospect Cemetery. Gerry also promised to keep me advised of their progress and to notify me when the installation date at the cemetery is established. He also updated me of the progress on locating graves of other Aboriginal names listed on the Halifax Memorial addenda tablet and in which I am interested. Future blogs to follow.



Bertie Nackogie is listed on both a listing of Native Veterans First World War Treaty #9, an on-line list of soldiers that served from the Nishnawbe-Aski Nation (Treaty #9) area in Northern Ontario as well as the nation-wide Aboriginal Veterans Tribute. I have tried to contact the current Chief of the Moose Factory Reserve to inform him of the current status and the probability of a gravestone installation in the Spring but at this time I have not heard back.
A couple of further notes. The 228th Battalion gained some notoriety as they established an ice hockey team, which played in the 1916-17 NHA season. The team playing in military uniforms proved very popular, and was third in league standings with a 6-4 record when they dropped out of the league when leaving for overseas in February, 1917. A scandal arose when hockey stars Eddie Oatman and Gordon Meeking were discharged, both subsequently claiming that they had been paid bonuses and promised commissions in the Battalion to play hockey for the 228th. On arrival in England, the 228th Battalion were renamed the 6th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops. Their Commanding Officer was the same Lieut.-Colonel Archibald Earchman, the man that signed Bertie's discharge papers.

***UPDATED***

January 31, 2012

With the lack of success in contacting relatives of Bertie Nackogie and after trying to contact First Nation Cree communities in New Post, Moose Factory and Moosonee, I decided to revisit his service file. Because Bertie had signed his attestation papers with an "X" my assumption is that Bertie was illiterate. Therefore his papers would have been completed by a recruiting clerk with the 228th Overseas Battalion in Moose Factory. We all know of names on these records that have been bungled and misspelled. If this was the case with Bertie, is it possible his name was actually Nakogee?

That is a popular Cree surname, still found in the James Bay Cree communities. The town of Attawapiskat that has been infamously mentioned in the news recently has it's school named after a Nakogee family member. There are something like close to 40 family members to be found in the White Pages for Ontario. With this new information I am again contacting the Chief of the Cree Moose Factory, Norm Hardisty, for his assistance in locating relatives. As well I copied Veterans Affairs Canada and the CWGC with this possible new insight.

We have also noted that the Veterans Affairs Canada Virtual Memorial database has amended the listing for Private Bertie Nackogie to show that he is in fact buried within Toronto's Prospect Cemetery. Commonwealth War Graves Commission still have not amended their database as of this date.

Hopefully, more to come....
I would like to acknowledge the assistance of Marika Pirie, who without posting the Toronto Star article (and thousands of other photo and newspaper clippings for other soldiers) locating Nackogie's final resting location would not be possible. As well thanks to Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia for information on the 228th Battalion.

***UPDATED***

April 22, 2012

Thanks to John Long, Nipissing University, North Bay, ON we have received further information on Bertie's background as follows:

"Bertie's father (George) died in 1885, when Bertie was about 3 years of age. His mother (Isabelle, nee surname Michel) died about 1908. Bertie apparently had no siblings. His father was Cree, his mother Anishinaabe (Algonquin or Ojibwa). After his father died, Bertie was probably raised Anishinaabe - although Cree was probably his second language and he would have been told of his paternal lineage".

John also found the baptismal of Bertie as follows, "baptised on June 3, 1884 by Bishop John Horden (Moose Factory Register of Baptisms 1869-1893, No.518".

September 21, 2012

***UPDATE***

We have now had the opportunity to visit Moose Factory and learn more about the culture and environment from which Bertie Nakogee came. This will be described in a future blog. As well we recently heard from Commonwealth War Graves Commission to state that their budget for this year has been expended however a replacement headstone for Private Nakogee's grave with the correct family spelling has high priority and will be included in the budget for next year.

FAMILY KIN OF LYNN AND BOB WHO SERVED IN THE C.E.F.

As the hours grow closer to our November 11, 2014 Remembrance Day I believe it is time to again remember the young men of our families who enlisted and fought in lands far away in someone else's war and whom returned to live with memories and wounds for their remaining years.

Of the eight soldiers with the surname "Clearwater" listed on Library and Archives Canada's website Soldiers of World War One, Wife Lynn is directly related to five and indirectly related to the remaining three. The two Canadian Clearwaters listed on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website are brothers, distant cousins to Lynn and have been the subject of previous blogs. All these direct relations were born in or near Huntsville, Ontario.

I have also previously blogged on the life and military service of Lynn's grandfather, Lance Corporal Martin Herbert (Bert) Clearwater #201562 who served in the 1st (Western Ontario) Battalion and who was gassed while fighting with his unit in the Battle of Passchendaele, November 1917. Bert tragically lived a shortened life due to the complications from the gassing. He passed March 23, 1934 at the age of 51 years.

Private Fred Clearwater #408607, Lynn's great uncle, attested to the Northern Ontario 37th Battalion September 15, 1915 in Camp Niagara at the age of 19. He was transferred to Alberta's 31st Battalion August 6, 1916. Weeks later at the Somme, he received a shell wound to the back. Again November 6, 1917 at Passchandaele, like his brother Bert, Fred was wounded receiving a bullet wound to his foot. He was demobilized March 27, 1919 in Toronto having received a Good Conduit badge in the field. He died January 24, 1979 unmarried and is buried in Park Lawn Cemetery, his grave marked by a small flat marker.

Private Gordon Leroy (Roy) Clearwater #451198 another great uncle attested August 27, 1915 again at Camp Niagara directly into Toronto's 58th Battalion at the age of 17. He proceeded with the battalion to France February 20, 1916. He served valiantly in the all the Canadian Corps's battles unscathed and was awarded the Good Conduit badge in the field August 5, 1917. Demobilized in Toronto April 9, 1919 and died November 11, 1969. He is buried in Huntsville's Hutcheson Memorial Cemetery in a grave with his second wife, Vera Rhiness.


 
Again, I have previously blogged on the lives of Private Robert Clinton Clearwater #115065, who died of TB July 2, 1921 and his younger brother Flight Lieutenant Roy Clearwater, 12 Squadron, RAF killed over Duisberg, Germany October 14, 1944 while piloting his Lancaster bomber during "operation Hurricane".

Brothers of Lynn's grandmother, Mamie Keating, a Huntsville native were: Private John (Jack) Keating #763574 attested into the 122nd Battalion April 17, 1916 in Huntsville, a veteran of 3 years in the 23rd Northern Pioneers militia, released as medically unfit August 18, 1918 at Camp Borden; Private James Keating #763571 attested into the 122nd Battalion April 17, 1916, served with the Canadian forestry Corps in Britain and France, discharged Toronto May 27, 1919; Trooper Howard Keating #4360 attested into the Royal Canadian Dragoons January 9, 1917 at the age of sixteen, discharged as underage January 31, 1917; Private Trueman Keating #408479 attested in the 37th Battalion June 4, 1915 Camp Niagara, transferred to the 42nd Battalion in the field suffering an eye injury from shell explosion June 1916 Ypres area, transferred to the YMCA and 4th CRT before discharging in Toronto April 16, 1918 as physically unfit. Died November 6, 1934.

Of course, the subject of a previous blog was Lynn's great uncle and the uncle to her late father Bill Alexander, brother of Grandfather Aaron, named after Farrier Sergeant William Alexander #104, 13th Light Horse Regiment, Australian Imperial Force. William Alexander succumbed to tuberculosis on a hospital ship returning to Australia December 17, 1917. He was a native of Lisglennon, Co. Mayo, Ireland and had previously served in Gallipoli, Egypt and the Western Front.

Further family members to serve include Private Herbert John Tuffrey #781521 (serving under the alias Herbert Bartlett) a cousin to my grandmother Alice Cody (nee Tuffrey) who was killed in action September 2, 1918 while serving with the 46th Battalion, a native of Bletchingdon, Oxfordshire, and who is buried in the Faubourg D' Amiens Cemetery in France. His younger brother Leonard Tuffrey #341246  attested into the 70th Battery, CFA April 19, 1917 but whom was soon classed as C-1 with poor eyesight and finished the war in Toronto serving with No. 2 CAMC being promoted to rank of Sergeant.

Of course there are also the Fulkerson brothers, Private Stanley Fulkerson #443548 and Private Frederick Fulkerson #443427, residents of Penticton whom I believe were related to my mother, Yvonne Fulkerson. Both attested to and went overseas with the 54th (Kootenay) Battalion. 20 year old Stanley served in the band as a stretcher bearer surviving the war. However younger brother Frederick, 18 years old not so lucky being Killed in Action the last day of the Battle of the Somme, November 18, 1916. His name is perpetuated on the Vimy Memorial in France.

Must do a blog someday on all family members who served in the Second World War. On second thought that will probably take several blogs. Amazing!

We will remember them!  Thank-you all.

SERGEANT HENRY GARLICK #63370, 3RD BATTALION C.E.F.

"The Toronto Regiment spent the first nine days of August, 1917 quietly out of the line at Les Brebis and Noux-les-Mines, but on the 10th moved into the trenches east of Lens to relieve the 14th (Royal Montreal Regiment) Battalion. Here a suspicious enemy patrolled No Man's Land more daringly than usual, a state of affairs The Toronto Regiment felt in honour bound to stop. By the time the Regiment was relieved by the 13th (Royal Highlanders of Canada The Black Watch) Battalion at 2:40 am on 14 August, the Germans had been chased out of the enemy territory between the lines. The night before the relief, in fact, Sergeant H. Garlick "D" Company, Lieutenant G.K. Holland, and Lieutenant N.A.Keys had all lead patrols up to the enemy's wire and had bombed one German patrol back to the trenches." Battle Royal, A History of the Royal Regiment of Canada 1862-1962, Major D.J. Goodspeed,CD Toronto, 1962

So survives the story of the subject of this blog, Henry Garlick. "Sergeant Garlick was awarded the Military Medal for Bravery in the Field for his actions in leading a Trench Patrol in "No Man's Land in the vicinity of Hill 70 on August 14th, 1917." He had enlisted from the 23rd Battalion in Montreal October 23, 1914 from a draft of the 1st Grenadier Guards of Canada

As so often happens in warfare, a heroic story often  turns  tragic and so it is with our Sergeant Garlick. Four days later during heavy German artillery bombardment Sergeant Garlick was Killed in Action at Hill 70 and is buried in Bully-Grenay Communal Cemetery British Extension, Pas de Calais, France. Aged 25. Son of William and Rose Hannah Garlick, Preston, Lancastershire, husband of Selina Jane Garlick, 77 Meadow Street, Preston. Henry Garlick had previously received a gunshot wound while fighting in the Somme at Courcelette September 23, 1916.
I am proud to possess Sergeant Henry Garlick's Military Medal. It was previously owned by fellow enthusiasts David Bluestein and Gary Switzer. Thanks to both of them for their assistance. Gary has professionally mounted the medal in a framed enclosure. It would be great for the Military Medal to be reunited with his trio (British War medal, 1914-15 Star and Victory Medal) and possibly a Memorial Scroll, Plaque and Silver Crosses.

Henry Garlick had a cousin who was also Killed in Action in the Great War. Private John Garlick #3283, The King's (Liverpool Regiment)/ 8th Battalion, aged 18,  was serving at the Somme the same time as his cousin Henry Garlick and was listed as missing August 2, 1916. His name is perpetuated on the Thiepval Memorial. Soldiers from the 3rd Battalion Killed in Action and buried alongside Sergeant Garlick were: Private Joseph Savage #785048; Private William Kelly #138464; Lance Corporal Herbert Francis #767146; and Private George Laidlaw #788577. Privates John Wignall #757221 (Fosse No.10 Communal Cemetery) and Private Archibald Morris (Vimy Memorial) from the 3rd Battalion were killed that same day as well. As the hours draw near to the 93rd. anniversary of the Armistice November 11, 1918 our wish is that Sergeant Henry Garlick and all the others lying in distant cemeteries. Rest In Peace and thank-you.

PILOT OFFICER AIR OBSERVER JOHN RUSSELL CLEMENTS, R.C.A.F.

One of the prerogatives of authoring a blog site is that within the grounds of common decency, one can blog whatever his/her hearts desires. Therefore this blog does not fall within the realms of either the Canadian Expeditionary Force or World War One but admittedly does have a CEF connection.

Pilot Officer (Air Observer) John Clements, RCAF

RAF Waddington today remains as one of the Royal Air Force's mainstay airfields. It is currently the home of the RAF's Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance Units. They utilize NATO AWACs, flying the E-3 Sentry and Raytheon Sentinel aircraft, and the unmanned MQ-9 Reaper weapon. RAF Waddington is the home of 34 Air Wing, Combat Support Group 2 as well as the base of many flying and non-flying RAF units. It is the home base of the RAF Red Arrows aerobatic display team, the Lincolncolnshire County Ambulance (helicopter), and the only flying Avro B-1 Vulcan bomber. The RAF Memorial Flight Avro Lancaster, Spitfires, Hurricane and Dakota are frequent guests from nearby RAF Coningsby while the field is host since 1995 to the RAF Waddington International Air Show as well as being a nuclear weapon dispersal site. A very busy place and also home to my daughter Beverly, her husband Greg a RAF Corporal, and their young family.

The field was built in 1916 as a Royal Flying Corps training station. Its first occupant was 44 Squadron in 1917 flying Sopwith Camels and commanded by later World War II Bomber Command Leader "Bomber" Harris the Squadron being based here intermittently until 1982. During World War Two, RAF Waddington functioned as a large base for front line Bomber Command Squadrons particularly again 44 Squadron who entered the airbase once more in 1937 and later in the war were the first RAF Squadron to fly the Avro Lancaster heavy bomber. The field is ideally located higher up in elevation from the surrounding fens, positioned a few miles from the English Channel and fast flying times to the Lowland countries of  Holland and Belgium, and facing favourable prevailing winds.

The town of Waddington still maintains its Elizabethan-era charm albeit with a modern grocery mart and take-out food stores. St. Michael's Church,  Three Horseshoes Pub and Market Square still are main destinations within the town as they were during the war. It was in this context that myself and wife Lynn decided to spend a couple of weeks visiting Bev and her young family and tour the surrounding countryside. When arranging our visit I noted that St. Michael's Cemetery was the final resting place to a number of RAF men, specifically one Canadian whose Common War Graves Commission listing showed that Pilot Officer (Air Observer) John Russell Clements RCAF was in fact a native of Milton, Ontario our new hometown.

John Clements was the grandson of one of Milton's first families William Clements and Drusilla Bowbeer. He was born June 8, 1915 as the first son to Captain Russell Matthew Clements and wife Alma Pearl Burling. Russell Matthew had served in the South Africa War (Boer War) 1899-1902 with the Canadian Mounted Rifles at a very young age (b.1884). He was awarded Boer War Land Grant #366. Post war he remained with the local militia unit the 20th Halton Rifles 13 years rising to the rank of Captain. He enlisted in World War One in Ottawa with the Canadian Army Service Corps # 2688437 but returned to Milton to supervise recruiting of the recently raised 164th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force. Post World War One, Russell Clements became the town postmaster and fulfilled several town functions at various times.

John Russell Clements spent his early life in Milton attending public school and Milton High School in this picturesque town. He was a 1938 graduate of the University of Toronto and obtained employment in Sudbury's Hollinger mines as an engineer. This is where he was employed when he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Air Force in North Bay September 1940. Like most young Canadian men that enlisted in the R.C.A.F., John probably had dreams of flying a fighter Spitfire aircraft into the bowels of Germany. However that was not to be. He eventually ended up as a Pilot Officer (Air Observer) helping to fly large twin-engined Manchester bomber aircraft in British 207 Squadron, RAF out of RAF Waddington September 1942.

The infamous Avro Manchester 2-engined heavy bomber

The Avro Manchester bomber was not one of the Royal Air Force's finer moments. The aircraft was plagued throughout its service with troublesome and underpowered engines however the Manchester with two additional engines eventually developed into the Avro Lancaster heavy bomber - probably the best bomber of World War II. By the end of 1941, Manchester had restricted payloads (8,000 lbs) but mostly were restricted to attacking German naval ports in the English Chanel. By June 1942 they had been totally replaced in active service by their successor, the 4-engined Lancaster.

In this light, No. 207 Squadron Manchester # L7318 was sent on September 15, 1941 on a mechanical mission to Cumbria to assist another Manchester with hydraulic problems. L7318 carried  a flying crew of four, including P/O (Air Observer) John R. Clements #J/5313, RCAF and ground crew consisting of six men for an on board total of 10 as well as spare parts. They were able to repair the ailing Manchester and both took to the air for a return to Waddington. The repaired aircraft landed first while L7318 flew the circuit. "Suddenly and in full view of people at Waddington Hykeham near the Waddington runway apron. Today the location is sited near the town water facilities beside a farmer's field.

P/O John Russell Clements, RCAF, Milton, ON

Both the aircraft pilot F/L Ernest Crump, RAF and observer P/O John Clements, RCAF occupying the right hand seat were buried in Waddington's St. Michael's Church Cemetery. Here they peacefully remain to this day amidst fellow comrades of the First and Second War Worlds. John Russell Clements carries the distinction of being the first casualty from Milton, Ontario in World War II. Many more were to follow.

It is worth noting that both the Canadian Virtual War Memorial and the Commonwealth War Graves Commission have John Russell Clements listed as a "Sergeant" while all other documentation I have seen list him as a "Pilot/Officer", a considerable difference, although admittedly I do not have a copy of his service file to confirm or deny his correct rank.

I told you there was a CEF connection. Well here it is. One of the other crew members to lose their life September 15, 1941 in L7318 was Pilot Officer (Navigator) John Patrick Sawyer, R.C.A.F. Sawyer aged 24 and the son of the late Lieutenant Robert Henry and Georgina Sawyer, formerly of Toronto, ON and now of Beaconsfield, Bucks, England. Lt. Robert Sawyer had joined the University of Toronto Training Company with a service number of 490813 June 12,1916, giving an address of 4 Maple Avenue.  He was a "steamship agent" and had previously been employed in that capacity in Nassau, Bahamas where son, John had been born in 1913. Lt. Robert Henry Sawyer transferred  to the Royal Flying Corps later became the Royal Air Force after joining the C.E.F.and was killed presumably in an air training accident August 3, 1918. Thus both father and son lost their lives flying in the airspace over England for the Royal Air Force in the two World Wars.

S.S. CITY OF CAIRO AND FLU EPIDEMIC

In a continuation from my last blog concerning Adam Sandy and the Halifax Explosion, the original soldier I was following on the Halifax Memorial was Private Alphonse Gosselin #3056616. His name is included as well on the Omemee, Ontario District War Memorial, the closest village to our former summer residence on Pigeon Lake.

I have submitted and had published the following story about Gosselin and the troopship S.S. City of Cairo in The Maple Leaf, Journal of the Western Front Association, Central Ontario Branch and the fine website on the S.S. City of Cairo authored by Scotsman, Hugh MacLean.

"I first became aware of the troopship S.S. City of Cairo when while recently investigating the 19 World War I names on the Omemee District War Memorial (Omemee, small Central Ontario resort village in the Kawarthas of 1200 inhabitants presently). Omemee has gained some notoriety lately as the former original home of Canada's last remaining soldier, Private Lloyd Clemett (and his 3 brothers) whose former residence was the wooden frame house still located at #10 King Street in the village. Many of the names on the Cenotaph relate to the area's 109th (Victoria and Haliburton) Battalion, based in nearby Lindsay. Omemee is also a boyhood home of Neil Young, who allegedly wrote his hit song Helpless after the living in the village as a young man. It is also the family home of Lady Flora McCrea Eaton, wife of Sir John Craig Eaton. The local elementary school is named in her honour. I was curious about Private Gosselin because as a Military Service Act 1917 conscript, his name was mentioned on the Halifax Memorial and because his date of death was listed as being only 26 days after being drafted in Lindsay, ON . On further investigation of his death date, I found a number of other men that died that same day or close to it also listed on the Halifax Memorial.

Thinking that the Memorial was used only for sailors that died at sea during the two World Wars, I was determined to find the source of the deaths of these young men. I was able to locate a reference to the loss of these soldiers on that date confirming my suspicions in The History of the Canadian Forces, 1914-1919 Medical Services, Sir Andrew McPhail. Here McPhail states in considerable detail that this time period was the peak of the worldwide Spanish Influenza epidemic. I was to learn that on the three troopships that had departed Canada in September, 1918, a total of 99 deaths occurred at sea and many more on arrival in England. These ships were: the S.S. City of Cairo; S.S. Victoria and the S.S./ Hunstead. My man Private Gosselin was 21 years old, a single farm labourer, possibly born in Quebec but working on a farm in Downeyville, a small community near the village of Omemee. He was included in Draft #175, Eastern Ontario Regiment, 1st Depot Battalion consisting of 1 officer and 50 soldiers who boarded the S.S. City of Cairo in Montreal that fatal September. Three of his mates from this Kingston, ON unit also succumbed to the flu while in transit.

The S.S. City of Cairo departed the Port of Montreal on September 26, 1918 with 1075 passengers, the majority of which (1057) were Canadian reinforcement soldiers for the Canadian Expeditionary Force and included six nursing sisters and a number of medical doctors. "Nearly all on board were sick and there were 32 deaths at sea. On arrival 244 flu cases were transferred to hospital, of which 114 were carried in on stretchers". The S.S. Hunstead and the S.S. Victoria had very similar numbers. With a brief stop in the Port of Quebec City September 28, she landed in England Port of Devonport (Plymouth) October 11, 1918".

All the names listed above can be found on the Halifax Memorial, Halifax, Nova Scotia.

MAY THEY REST IN PEACE!

Special thanks to Hugh A. MacLean and to Tony Jones for his photos of the S.S. City of Cairo

THE HALIFAX EXPLOSION AND ADAM SANDY CANADIAN SOLDIER

Funny how military researchers (at least this one) always get easily sidetracked into other topics, sometimes a number of other topics. A few years ago I was researching the village of Omemee's Centotaph when one of the names stood out. Pte. Alphonse Gosselin #3056618 also had his name on the Halifax Memorial as dying Oct. 8, 1918. My findings found he (and a number of others) had succombed to the Asian Flu while on a troopship heading for England. I submitted a short article on this subject to the Editor of the SS City of Cairo website which will be the topic of my next blog.

Then I noticed that the Halifax Memorial, according to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, and in additon to it's 23 panels containing 3112 names of men and women of Commonwealth Forces who have no known grave, had an "Addenda Panel" with 14 names that were presumably added after 1967 when the Memorial was built. Two names again stood out as having died December 6, 1917 a date of notoriety - the date of the Halifax Explosion. Jumping ahead, after receiving his service record from Library and Archives Canada, my suspicions were confirmed - Private Adam Sandy #739267 had indeed been a victim of one of Canada's worst man-made disasters. I am still waiting for the service file of Pte. Charles Caplen #832713. Another fact is somewhat less obvious, both are First Nations natives. In fact of the 5 names listed on the "Addenda Panel" all are Canadian Aboriginal soldiers who apparently have "No Known Grave". Can't understand why the Commonwealth War Graves Commission didn't have that information in November 1967 when the Memorial was unveiled. On his service file is a telephone request from CWGC dated 1982 for information on the man so presumably that is around the time the "Addenda Panel" was added to the Halifax Memorial.

Private Adam Sandy # 739267 had been born in Tuscarora Township, Brant County on the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario and was a proud member of the Tuscarora Nation, Iroquois Confederacy. Working as a labourer, his attestation paper claims that he was married, born April 15, 1872 (making him 44 years old at the time of death) and having served 18 years in the 37th Haldimand Rifles, a Canadian militia unit almost entirely comprised of Six Nations natives. He attested into the 114th (Brocks Rangers) Battalion, C.E.F. on January 16, 1916 in Ohsweken listing his wife, Maggie, as next of kin signing the paper with an X signature. Apparently Pte. Sandy accompanied the battalion to Halifax where they departed for England on October 31, 1916 on the S.S. Coronia under the command of Lieut.-Colonel Andrew Thompson also a 37th Regiment veteran.

Now the story gleaned from his service record becomes contradictory. Private Sandy is listed "as a deserter - did not proceed overseas with the 114th". However his pay account was not closed and he is listed as being admitted to Rockhead Military Hospital in Halifax December 26, 1916 and being discharged to duty on January 1, 1917. Again on June 9, 1917 he was hospitalized with infected tonsils until his discharge on June 24. I think either he was asked to remain in Halifax because of his age and/or he was in ill health and was possibly hospitalized when the 114th Battalion proceeded overseas. The Casualty Form in his service file shows that Adam was transferred to the #6 District Special Services Company stationed in Halifax on October 31, 1916. This leads to his presence in Halifax the day of the great explosion of the French munition ship Mont-Blanc in the Harbour after colliding with the Norwegian vessel Imo. At this time we do not know if Adam was on duty or off duty in Wellington Barracks, the home of the Halifax Garrison that was directly in the path of the explosion and suffered heavy damage. Nevertheless Adam Sandy's body was never found or at least not identifiable.

Private Adam Sandy, according to then current regulations, was not entitled to either a British War Medal or a Victory Medal despite making the supreme sacrifice as a soldier of Canada for God, Country and King. His Last Pay Certificate shows that in addition to the normal Canadian soldier's pay of $1.00 per day, he was receiving the extra Service in the Field Allowance of $.10 per day. One would have to conclude that someone considered him employed in a war zone to receive the extra per Diem. His widow was entitled to a Silver Cross, Death Plaque and Scroll however I found no confirmation that they were ever sent out in his file. Maggie did receive the War Service Gratuity for Deceased Soldiers of $80.00 after his death.

The other four natives listed on the Halifax Memorial Addenda Panel are: Private Bertie Nackogie #1006931, 228th Battalion, Taykw Tagamou Nation (New Post, ON), Cree, Died December 25, 1916; Private Charles Caplen #832713, 145th Battalion, Lennox Islands First Nation (P.E.I.), Mi'kmaq, Died December 7, 1917; Private Francois Painted-Nose #1051587, 243rd Battalion, One Arrow First Nation (Batoche, SK) , Cree, Died December 26, 1918; and Private John Bones #820336, 141st Battalion, Manitou Rapids Band (Rainy River First Nation), Ojibwa, Died between 01/01/1919 and 31/12/1919. According to the late Edward H. Wigney in his book The C.E.F. Roll of Honour, the names of these five men collectively have never been recognized by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission (until 1982 ) and the four (excepting Private Sandy) all died from disease. THEIR FINAL RESTING PLACES NEED TO BE FOUND AND PROPERLY IDENTIFIED! Their stories need to be told!