A HISTORY OF THE 3RD (TORONTO REGIMENT) BATTALION Part One

 

One of the items I have in my collection of items related to the 3rd Battalion is a small booklet titled " A Brief History of the 3rd Canadian Battalion Toronto Regiment". It is a 30 page synopsis of the founding, fighting and finishing days of this 1st Brigade, 1st Canadian Division battalion during World War One, the battalion my grandfather, Corporal John Cody.

I thought it might be interesting some to reproduce this booklet in a series of chronological blogs, featuring men of the battalion and archival material. This item does not show an author nor does it mention anything about a date or copyright so I am assuming it is safe to publish as it appears to be extremely old. A much more comprehensive history of the 3rd Battalion can be found in the book Battle Royal, Major D.J. Godspeed, The Royal Regiment of Canada, 1962.

1914

S.S. Tunisian
 

The 3rd Canadian Battalion was formed in September, 1914, at Valcartier, Que., from drafts from three Toronto units, the 2nd Regiment, Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, the 10th Royal Grenadiers and the Governor-General's Bodyguard. Lieut.-Col.Robert Rennie, M.V.O., (QOR) was placed in command. It at once became a unit of the 1st Canadian Infantry-Brigade under command of Brig.-General M.S. Mercer, (then Lieut.-Col.).

On October 3rd, in company with the remainder of the 1st Contingent, the battalion having embarked at Quebec on the S.S. Tunisian, sailed from Gaspe Bay for England and went under canvas on Salisbury Plain. Three and a half months were spent there in training, organizing and equipping and during this time the 1st Canadian Division was formed from the units comprising the First Contingent. Each of the selected battalions then received a name, and the battalion became the "3rd Canadian Battalion, Toronto Regiment."

1915



Captain G.C. Ryerson, 3rd Battalion

In February the division crossed to France, the remainder of the contingent being left in England to supply (reinforcement) drafts. (editor's note: a large number of men, about 200, from the broken-up 9th Battalion were sent to the 3rd Battalion to replace ill, over aged, under aged and deserted soldiers of the 3rd).  On February 11th, the 3rd Battalion landed in France at St. Nazaire and after a 48 hours' train journey, went into it's first billets at Merris, 15 miles west of Armentieres. A few days later it received its initiation into trench warfare from the Imperial Divisions, holding the line before Armentieres, and on March 4th went into the line on its own for the first time, a little further south at Fleurbaix. Toward the end of March the division was relieved and moved south to take part in an attack on the Aubers Ridge, but this attack was cancelled, and the division marched up to the neighbourhood of Cassel, in the rear of the Ypres Salient, taking over in the middle of April the French trenches from Langemarck to Zonnebeke, northwest of Ypres, and thus forming the extreme left of the British Army.



Kitchener's Wood, 1915
 

On April 22nd the 2nd and 3rd Brigades were holding the line, the 2nd on the right, the 3rd on the left with the 1st Brigade in reserve about Vlamertinghe. In the afternoon the enemy launched the first gas attack of the war against the French and to a lesser extent against the Canadian left. The attack entirely broke the French, exposing the Canadian left flank which bent but held. The 2nd and 3rd Battalions, the latter commanded by Lieut.-Col. Rennie, were rushed up in support, arriving at midnight, and were attached to the Third Brigade at Shell-trap Farm. The former at once went into the line on the exposed left flank. During the following morning "C" and "D" Companies of the 3rd Battalion were placed under command of Major Kirkpatrick and moved forward to fill in a gap on the right of the 2nd Battalion between the famous Kitchener's Wood and the village of St. Julien. Throughout the day and night this flank held in spite of desperate German attacks, but the following day it was pushed back, "C" and "D" Companies being completely wiped out in a vain attempt to stem the tide. All this was done under heavy artillery fire and without artillery support, for the line had not been expected to hold and most artillery had been withdrawn. Meanwhile, many British battalions were being rushed up and about April 27th, the line was stabilized and the Division relieved, the 3rd Battalion being the last to be withdrawn. After several days in support, the division left the Salient and moved south. (editor's note: actually the Battalion moved back into the front line briefly on May 2, suffering a number of casualties). This was the battalion's first battle. It is known as the Second Battle of Ypres and the Canadian part of it as St. Julien sometimes Langemarck. It cost the battalion 19 officers and 460 men in casualties. (editor's note: It was at this time the 3rd Battalion received its first substantial reinforcements May 3 when some 296 men from the 23rd Battalion were sent to the 3rd Battalion while in reserve, including my grandfather).

Kitchener's Wood, 3rd Battalion, 1915
 

In May, in order to relieve the enormous pressure at Ypres, the First Army opened an attack at Festubert, a little north of Labassee, then the right of the British Line and after a couple of weeks rest, the Canadian Division was thrown in at this point.

Corporal J.W. "Jack" Finnemore  #9785 - 3rd Battalion
April 22, 1915  - 2nd Battle of Ypres
"I was wounded on the last jump over between leaving an old trench and building a new one. My brother F.A. Finnimore (Staff Sargeant Frank Finnimore #9781) was wounded there just before I was.I started to take his putee off when Captain Strait (Major John Everett Streight, Prisoner of War)said to me ".Come on Finnimore. Look after your section. Never mind, you'll have to leave him (my brother)." A newspaper back home reported that we kissed each other goodbye on the front, but I only did his leg up.That was all!." Jack was captured by the Germans and became a Prisoner of War. Frank survived his wounds.

Private Frank V. Ashbourne #9170 - 3rd Battalion
April 24, 1915 - 2nd Battle of Ypres
"We went into the line with a thousand and only two hundred of us came out of it. Sir John French said that it was our Battalion that stopped the advance of the Germans. "C" and "D" Companies suffered the most and were almost wiped out. I was with my brother Bert (Private Bertram Ashbourne #9171), shortly before we were separated by the gas attack at St. Julien, on April 24-25, 1915. My brother was wounded at Langemarck and taken prisoner of war. During the gas attack at St. Julien we lost the first line of trenches and had to move back to the supports. At the back of those trenches we lay down flat and covered our mouths with wet clothes, waiting for the Germans to come up. They came up slowly thinking we were all dead from their gas, but not so. It drifted slowly over us and showed the Germans about seventy-five yards away. We were suddenly ordered to rapid fire and I don't think that about more than a dozen Germans got away alive. We advanced again and regained our front trenches with minimum losses".

These men all survived the war.


(to be continued)

WITH LOVE FROM DADDY - SARGEANT ALFRED E. PATERSON

"Miss Dorothy Paterson, 360 Queen Street, Peterboro, Ontario, Canada

Nov 23

My Dear little Daughter

I hope you are still looking after your Momma & Betty for me. Tell your Mom to hold your hand & write me a letter. Hope you are enjoying yourself.

From your loving Daddy"

So after a successful bid and it's arrival in the mail, I began my search for this author of this beautiful postcard, A search for the family in the 1911 Canadian Census brought no results, not surprising given that our young lady was probably less than 5 years old in 1916. A search of Canadian Expeditionary Force attestation papers proved inconclusive with a number of possibilities. A Google search for "Paterson" and "Peterborough" led me to the Trent Valley Archives website and their collection of early 20th Century Peterborough City Directories. My request to the archives was addressed by archivist Heather Aiton-Landry, who within a few days had found our Paterson family at the same address in the 1916 directory. With Heather's assistance, we were able to identify our "soldier Paterson" as Sergeant Albert Edward Paterson, #113476. With this information and the information on his attestation paper located with Library and Archives Canada, we were no able to locate the man and his family on Ancestry.ca. We could then order his World War One service record from the same organization thus enabling us to trace his movements and activities during the war.

Alfred Edward Paterson was born October 11, 1881 in Birkenhead, Cheshire, England. Parents were Robert Paterson and Amelia Malone. In the 1901 English Census he is shown as having an older sister, Katie, We have found the service record for Albert Paterson joining the historic 17th Duke of Connaught's Own Lancers Regiment, September 5, 1901 in Ballincollig, Cork, Ireland with service number 5637. He gave his home address as 112 Shoe Lane, Fleet Street, London, next of kin Agnes, living in Paris. He served with the Lancers 11 years, five of those years in India with the last four as a Reservist living in Canada. He was diagnosed with Typhoid Fever in 1905 spending 9 months in hospital. We next found Albert Paterson immigrating to Canada arriving Quebec on the S.S.Tunisian sailing from Liverpool September 10, 1910. Soon after, he apparently found employment in Hamilton, Ontario at the Canadian General Electric (formerly Thomas Edison Canada) plant. Soon after we find him marrying Emma Rose Smith in Hamilton June 10, 1911. We did find a single "Emma Smith", living in Hamilton, born 1881, in both the 1901 and 1911 Canadian Census, We also found an "Emma Smith" in the LAC database Home Children born 1882,  arriving S.S. Dominion, one of 137 Barnardo Children headed for Peterborough. Heather-Aiton-Landry did locate the young Paterson family in several Peterborough city directories in a number of locations spread over several years., The common denominator having Albert Paterson employed as a receiver with  Canadian General Electric  in the city. I located the birth registration for Dorothy Agnes Paterson, born August 31, 1913 in Peterborough, with the family living at 51 Hunter Street East, parents Alfred and Emma Rose Paterson,

So Albert Paterson at the age of 33 years enlisted with "B" Company of the 8th Regiment Canadian Mounted Rifles, that were recruiting in Peterborough, on March 29, 1916 as a Sergeant, He trained with the 8th CMR in Barriefield (Kingston) May and June 1915 and shipped with the Battalion to England from Montreal October 8, 1915 on the S.S. Missanbie, commanded by Lieut -Col. John R. Munro, from the 5th Dragoons in Ottawa. The 8th CMR were broken up for reinforcements shortly after arrival in England with 327 other ranks heading to the trenches of Belgium and France with Toronto's 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles and 374 other ranks heading to Ottawa's 39th Battalion, which in turn supplied infantry reinforcements to various units of the 4th Canadian Division  in the field. Our Sergeant Paterson was included in this latter movement.

May1, 1916, Sergeant Paterson was reduced in rank to Private, at his own request, probably in order to be sent into battle. He was transferred May 3, 1916 to the Canadian Army Service Corps Training Camp, Shorncliffe Camp. While serving with this unit on May 15, 1916, he was kicked by a horse suffering a fractured lower patella and had an operation "joining the edges by passing silver wire through drill holes" being hospitalized over 140 days before being discharged to duty and unit in Shorncliffe Camp, Oct. 19, 1916. Private Paterson was transferred to the Canadian Casualty Assembly Centre, Hastings, Feb. 2, 1917 and then to 3rd Canadian Convalescent Centre, St. Leonard's Hospital. Finally released back to the Canadian Army Service Corps DD, Shorncliffe, July 31, 1917. Taken on service Canadian Army Veterinary Corps, Shorncliffe, Oct. 19, 1917. Transferred to 1st Canadian Veterinary Hospital, France, Jan. 1,1918. Transferred to Canadian Labour Pool Jan.25, 1918. Finally to 24th Company, Canadian Forestry Corps (as B2 clerk), France. Treated for bronchitis and leg weakness Oct. 1918.

Private Albert Paterson returned to Halifax, NS on the HMT Baltic Feb. 5, 1919. He was discharged as"having been found as medically unfit for service" March 3, 1919 in Toronto. His intended place of residence was, where else, 380 Queen Street, Peterborough, Ontario.

At this point I have found no further information on the family or their whereabouts except to note from his service file, the death of Alfred E. Paterson, #113476, Feb. 6, 1966 in Veteran's Section, University Hospital, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Young Dorothy Paterson would be 100 years old this year. And younger sister, Betty? We wonder if any family survive?

 

CAPTAIN EDWARD JOHN VESSEY, 60TH BATTALION KIA 04/06/1916

This is a story about cowboys, the settlement of Western Canada, British nobility, brave soldiers and an Ontario family of overachievers. Our story begins with the original column of Joe Fiorito in the Toronto Star about the finding of the long-lost grave of Private Bertie Nakogee. A Toronto firefighter, Bob Clarke, read this column and through Joe, contacted me. He had in his possession an old Saratoga steamer trunk that had been given to him by a Raike family member from near Orillia. This large trunk bore the initials E.J.V. in black lettering on each end. Bob explained on the phone that the trunk had belonged to Captain Edward John Vessey, a World War One soldier that had lived with the Raike family and who had been killed in the war. He asked if I had any interest in it as he had no room for it. Recently it was dropped off and now holds a temporary place in my garage until I complete space in the basement.

Captain Edward John Vessey, 60th Battalion

Edward John Vessey was a 27 year old senior executive within the Bank of Montreal head office in Montreal in 1914 holding the title of Private Secretary to Sir Frederick Williams-Taylor, General Manager and apparently thought of very highly in the bank's future. While working for the bank, Edward enlisted in the newly-formed (August 1914) 58th Regiment Westmount Rifles militia.  Edward took a leave of absence from the bank September 1915 and attested to the 60th (Victoria Rifles of Canada) Battalion, C.E.F. with the rank of Captain then training in Camp Valcartier. An imposing figure at 6' 2" and 180 pounds, he listed his birthplace as Barnstaple (Devon), England and next of kin as George Raikes (b.1852, Barrie, ON. He accompanied the battalion commanded by Lt.-Col. F.Arthur de L.Gascoigne to England on the S.S. Scandinavian in early November. The battalion went into training in Shorncliffe Camp with Captain Vessey being assigned to the Canadian Military School 3-month Officer's Course then accompanied his battalion February 20 into France. The 60th Battalion had been assigned to the 9th Brigade, 3rd Canadian Battalion, heading to France. Captain Vessey graduated from his Captain's training course "1st in Class Order of Merit, Distinguished in Tactics, Topography, Engineering, Administration, Organization and Law". An outstanding officer prepared for combat and possibly a future Commanding Officer.

Richard Raikes M.D., O.B.E. and wife, Lucy,
 St. James Anglican Cemetery, Penetanguishine, ON

The Captain's early years are a bit of a mystery. He listed his birthplace as Barnstaple, Devon, England however I can find no birth with his name in this location. There is however a Edward John Vessey born early 1887 in Astor, Erdington, Warwickshire, a town in the Midlands. I have ordered this birth certificate to obtain further information. Likewise I can not definitely confirm our man on any U.K. census at this time. Next we find 5 year old Edward J. Vessey on the Canadian Passenger Lists 1865-1935 as arriving July 30, 1892 on the S.S. Circassian Liverpool/Montreal accompanied by a Miss. Mary Raikes. We also have found Mary Raikes on the incoming UK Passenger Lists arriving Southampton from New York on the S.S. Minnehaha January 23, 1905. Presumably this Mary Raikes was the daughter of Walter Raikes (b.1824) and possibly the niece of George Raikes. While is is not my intention to provide a Raikes family history, they could certainly be considered as an influential family throughout the 1800's in Simcoe County. Walter and Jane Raikes (born England) owned a large and prosperous farm in Oro Township (Shanty Bay). They appear to have had three sons: George (farmer Oro, b. 1852); Richard (physician - Midland, b. 1859); Harry (rancher and cowboy - Red Deer, b. 1862) and three daughters: Fanny (b. 1853); Georgina (b.1859) and Mary (b.1856). Harry (Henry)  and his son homesteaded tracts of land in Alberta and was at various times a large ranch owner, manager of a huge cattle operation and an influential citizen. Mr. Walter Raikes was the 4th son of George Raikes, Honourable East India Service Company Service (by his wife Marianne, daughter of Issac Currie) and a nephew paternally of Lady William Fitzroy and maternally of Raikes Currie, Esq., M.P., J.P.., D.L., of Minley Manor, Hants. Mr. George Raikes was the 4th son of Thomas Raikes, Governor of the Bank of England, by his wife Charlotte, dau. of the Hon.Henry Finch, son of Daniel, Earl of Winchelsea. Quit a pedigree for the Raikes family! So it was into this family that our young Edward John Vessey was brought in 1905. Although George's wife Annette (nee Saunders, b. 1870) died Feb. 15, 1906 after bearing children in 1900, 1902 and 1904, Edward was brought into the family and according to various sources, adopted by George Raikes (who himself died 1919). George was possibly married earlier as there is another son listed born 1886, mother unknown. This son was Walter George Raikes, born 1887 who died in 1908 by choking.

The 60th (Victoria Rifles of Canada) was the second C.E.F. Battalion formed by this prestigious regiment, the first being the 24th Battalion serving in the 2nd Canadian Division. The 60th sent an early reinforcement draft of 250 men August 27,1916 with the main body sailing from Montreal on the S.S. Scandinavian November 6, 1916. This reinforcement draft may well as contributed to the ultimate demise of the battalion as after valiantly fighting within the 9th Brigade, 3rd Canadian Division, on April 30, 1917 the unit was disbanded supposedly for lack of "French speaking" reinforcements from Montreal. A bit strange as the 60th, Battalion for the most part, were composed entirely of English speaking personnel.

And so Captain Vessey accompanied the 60th Battalion when they entered France February 21, 1916. He was Captain of "D" Company. According to the profiles contained in The Bank of Montreal's Memorial of the Great War 1914-1918, A Record of Service, "at Hooge, Belgium (Battle of Mount Sorrel, June 2-14, 1916) , on June 3, 1916, his battalion was heavily shelled and suffered many casualties.(after relieving the P.P.C.L.I.) Orders came to reduce the garrison in the front line and to move into a communication trench nearby. He had just completed the removal of his men when he was instantly killed by an enemy machine-gun bullet" early morning June 4. Captain Edward John Vessey was buried in the Menin Road South Military Cemetery, located outside of Ypres, Belgium. There is a photo collection relating to the Captain on the Veterans Affairs Canada Virtual Memory website. His medals (British War medal, Victory medal), Memorial Plaque and Scroll were sent to his "foster-brother" Campbell Dyce Raikes in Oro Township. No Memorial Cross was issued as he was unmarried and his mother had "predeceased" him.
Interestingly, Edward's adopted uncle, Richard Raikes, CAMC,  enlisted September 22, 1914 Valcartier as the Medical Officer of the 4th Battalion, serving through much of the war only to die April 7, 1926 in Penetanguishine, ON. Two of his cousins served as well (sons of  Harry in Alberta):  Lieutenant Walter Henry Raikes #116396, joined the 11 Canadian Mounted Rifles, serving in the 47th Battalion, also direct from the Bank of Montreal, later raising to the rank of Captain Observer No.4 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps. Brother of Walter, Cecil Raikes #117492 enlisted in the 12th CMR in Red Deer. He was gassed twice while serving in France.

So this is the history of my valued trunk. Captain Vessey would had used it in his journey to England and possibly while in France. It would have been sent back to his home in Oro Township after his death, containing his officers effects. Another brave soldier R.I.P.

Once again, thanks to Marika Pirie for the posting of the newspaper clipping and the excerpt from the Bank of Montreal Memorial Roll. Thanks to Marg Liessens for the grave photo parked on the VAC Virtual Memorial site and to Toronto firefighter, Bob Clarke, for sharing the history of the trunk.

***NOTE***

I received the birth certificate today (July 31, 2012) for Edward John Vessey. His birthday is the same as shown on the attestation paper so there can be no doubt this is the same man. Born February 26, 1887 in Erdington, Aston, county of Warwick to Richard Edward Vessey, land surveyor and J. Catherine Vessey (formerly Vessey); witnessed by Sarah Andrews, present at birth, Easy Row, Erlington;  George Hill Registrar. That's it! Really doesn't answer anything.

August 8, 2012

Received today a certified copy of the birth certificate. John Edward Vessey was born February 26, 1887 in Aston, Erdington, Warwick, son, to Richard Edward Vessey, land surveyor, and Catherine Vessey (nee Vessey). Witness at birth: Sarah Andrews, Easy Row, Erlington, George Hill, Registrar.

April 30, 2013

It should be noted that Captain Vessey was also a topic subject on the CEF Study Group Forum www.cefresearch.ca October 2012. One of our esteemed members has speculated that given the somewhat mysterious circumstances that Edward John Vessey came to be resident in Canada and the more than passing resemblance to the then King of England, King Edward VII, son of Queen Victoria,  perhaps our brave Canadian Captain actually had Royal Blood flowing through him? Comparison photos are to be found on the appropriate thread.

Monday September 1, 2014

Yesterday and strictly by accident coincidence, we discovered the grave of Dr. Richard Raikes, his wife, Lucy, and their infant son, John Keith, in the historic St. James Anglican Cemetery in Penetanguishine, ON

PRIVATE CHARLES HENRY PRINGLE #663113, 164TH BATTALION

It was only after we moved to our new home in Milton, ON several years ago that my wife, Lynn, drew my attention to some of the street signs and the fact that some carried a poppy emblem. On further inquiry with the town, we were to learn that the Town has an approved street name category of naming certain new streets in the town after "local persons having served in various wars". These streets were designated with a colourful red poppy. Apparently the naming of streets after serving veterans is a common practice in many Canadian communities however I suspect affixing a poppy to  street signs I don't think is that common. At first we both assumed that the poppy meant that the soldier for whom the street had been named was killed during a conflict however we soon learned that was not the case.

The junction of Pringle Ave. and Jelinik Terrace, Milton,ON

Our street is named after a former Member of Parliament for Halton, former prominent Oakville business man and champion figure skater Otto Jelinik. I met this man several times and thought him as arrogant and pompous. I didn't like his ultra-Conservative politics so don't I don't take any particular pride in the naming of our street after him especially as he never lived in the town. In addition he left Canada in 1994 returning to the Czech Republic. However, our access main thoroughfare is Pringle Avenue, a street for which the signs carry the poppy emblem. I soon found that the street was named after Charles Henry Pringle #663113, a young man that enlisted in the local 164th Battalion here in the town January 26, 1916. We were also to learn that there are some vague connections with this man and our family. My daughter, Beverly and her young family live on a Royal Air Force based on the edge of the city of Lincoln.

S.S. Dominion, circa. 1906

The attestation paper Charles Henry Pringle signed in Milton January 26, 1916 claims that he was born October 1, 1997 however I believe he was actually born a year later. The one year difference would allow him to enlist in the Canadian Expeditionary Force legally and without a parent's permission. His age at the time of his marriage to Gladys Cradick in Toronto June 20, 1924 was given as 24. He is also listed on the 1901 UK Census as age two. As well in the Library and Archives Canada database for Home Children (1869-1930) there is a Charles Pringle listed who has his is given as seven in 1906. Yes, I believe that Charles Pringle was a Barnardo Boy. One of 379 Barnardo Homes children travelling together on the S.S. Dominion August 1906 destined for homes in Toronto and Peterborough.

Nevertheless Charles H. Pringle was born in the City of Lincoln, Lincolnshire, U.K.to Walter (b. 1870) and Kate E. Pringle (b.1870), according to the 1901 UK census his age was 2 years making him born in 1899. Their address was 54 Waterside and the couple had three other children at that time: Mabel, age 7; Joseph, age 4 and Millicent, age 6 months. There is a Walter Pringle (born 1870) showing up on the BMD Death Index as dying in Lincoln in the Spring of 1905. Kate's death is listed on the same source as Fall 1928 in the City of Grimsby. However confusing the issue is the fact that a Walter Pringle (head, widower), (b. 1880) and Kate Pringle (sister-in-law, married) (b.1881) show up in the 1911 census as living in Grimsby with three young children (Glady, age 7; Leslie, age 5 and Beatrice, age 4). A Charles Pringle (age 15, b. 1895) is found on in the 1911 Canadian Census as being an inmate of the Victoria Industrial School for Boys, Mimico, ON. I am confident this is our Charles H. Pringle that enlisted in the 164th Battalion. His birthplace is mentioned as Hungate, Lincoln, born October 1, 1897, next of kin sister Mabel, his occupation was a farm laborer who had "a left leg slightly shorter than his right leg".

Barnardo Boys Home distribution centre, Toronto, 1889-1908

The 164th (Halton and Dufferin) Battalion, C.E.F.sailed for England April 1, 1917 commanded by Lieut.-col. Percy Domville on the S.S. Carpathia from Halifax. On arrival, the battalion was assigned to the 13th Brigade, 5th Canadian division based at Witley Camp. However, when the 5th Division was broken up early 1918 for reinforcements for the existing 4 Canadians Divisions, men of the 164th were sent to the 102nd, 116th, 21st, P.P.C.L.I. and the Canadian Machine Gun Depot at Seaford.

It was to this latter unit that young Private Charle H. Pringle was assigned March 7, 1918. By the 31st day of that same month, Charles was dispatched to France and the newly formed 1st Battalion, Canadian Machine Gun Corps as one of 90 ordinary ranks (specialists) immediately taken on strength. His service with the 1st Battalion, CMGC was uninterrupted by either sickness, a wound or otherwise until April 1, 1919 when he was stricken off service, proceeding to England and thence to Canada on the S.S. Empress of Britain, April 26, 1918. He was discharged by "Demobilization" in Toronto May 5, 1919 with his intended resident being 8 Pine Terrace, Queen St. East. His only hospitalization during his entire service was 7 days for a face infection August 1916 while training at Camp Borden, outside of Toronto, while still serving in the 164th Battalion. During the time of his service in France, the 1st Battalion, CMGC supported the 1st Canadian Division in all battles during the war from March 1918 until the Armistice. A number of gallantry awards were awarded to members of the 1st Battalion, CMGC as well as the unit suffered many casualties. so to have Private Charles H. Pringle survive the conflict unscathed is indeed remarkable.The only other information I have located on Charles Pringle after his service is that he married a Gladys Cradick, dressmaker, age 22, native of Toronto in 1920 in Toronto. Their address was listed as 981 Gerrard St. East, his occupation "enameller". Charles then claimed that his parents "both died while groom was an infant". So did the Pringles move back to Milton? Did they remain in Toronto? Questions unanswered as of this writing. I do know that I am very pleased to have our nearby street named "Pringle Avenue, Town of Milton" after this young, brave man.

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.