Kenora Great War Project

 

Personal Details
Date of BirthApril 3, 1887
Place of BirthArthur, Ontario
CountryCanada
Marital StatusSingle
Next of KinCyrus Galloway, father, Keewatin, Ontario
Trade / CallingTrainman for the CPR
ReligionPresbyterian
Service Details
Regimental Number2650702
Service Record Link to Service Record
Battalion52nd Battery
ForceCanadian Expeditionary Force
BranchCanadian Field Artillery
Enlisted / ConscriptedConscripted
Address at EnlistmentKeewatin, Ontario
Date of EnlistmentFebruary 7, 1918
Age at Enlistment30
Theatre of ServiceGreat Britain
Prisoner of WarNo
Survived WarYes
Death Details
Date of DeathMay 13, 1959
Age at Death72
Buried AtLake of the Woods Cemetery, Kenora, Ontario
Plot58E-28-1

Galloway, William Joseph Osgoode

William Joseph Osgoode Galloway was born on 3 April 1887 in Arthur, Wellington, Ontario. His parents were Cyrus and Janet Scott (Small) Galloway who had married on 14 December 1881 in Arthur. William had four brothers, Cyrus Leslie, Hubert Scott, Cecil Charles, and Norman Lloyd, and a younger sister, Janet (Jennie) Florence.

For both the 1881 and 1891 censuses the family was in Arthur, with Cyrus having the occupation of shoemaker. By 1901, the family had moved to Keewatin, Ontario where once again Cyrus was working as a shoemaker. In the 1911 Canada census, the family was living on Bay Street in Keewatin, family members living in the household included  the  parents and children Hubert, William, Norman, and Janet.  At that time William was working as a clerk at the Post Office.

William Galloway signed his recruitment papers with the 76th Battery Draft, Canadian Field Artillery  on 7 February 1918 in Winnipeg. Occupation given as trainman, he listed his father Cyrus Galloway of Keewatin as next of kin. He arrived in England in mid August, taken on strength with the 8th Reserve Battalion at Witley on the 15th. By March of 1919 the process for return to Canada had begun with final discharge in Winnipeg on 31st of July.

After the war, William, later known as Osgoode, returned to Keewatin. With the Canadian Pacific Railway he was promoted to conductor in 1929 and retired in 1952. He was known as an ardent sportsman, playing both hockey and baseball. Osgoode died 13 May 1959 following a lengthy illness. He is interred in the Lake of the Woods Cemetery, Kenora.

Two  of Osgoode’s brothers also served. Norman had signed his recruitment papers in Winnipeg on 17 November 1917 and less than a year later was reported as killed in action on 27 September 1918 near the village of Bourlon in France. He is commemorated on the Vimy Memorial. Brother Cecil Charles also signed his recruitment papers in Winnipeg, on 5 July 1918, and served with the Canadian Artillery as well.

Osgoode’s mother died in Keewatin on 15 April 1921 and his father on 18 March 1946. Both are interred in the Lake of the Woods Cemetery. His brothers Leslie and Cecil as well as sister Janet stayed in the Kenora/Keewatin area, marrying and raising their families. All are interred in the Lake of the Woods Cemetery. His brother Hubert also married and eventually moved to Victoria, British Columbia where he later died.

The Municipality of Keewatin held an Honour Roll service in August of 1919 where Cecil, Osgoode, and Norman Galloway were among those honoured with badges and medals, Norman’s going to next of kin.

by Judy Stockham

 


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