Personal Details | |
Date of Birth | August 10, 1884 |
Place of Birth | Newton-Stewart, Ayrshire |
Country | Scotland |
Marital Status | Married |
Next of Kin | Mrs. Sara Dinnell, wife, Moosehorn, Manitoba |
Trade / Calling | Farmer |
Religion | Presbyterian |
Service Details | |
Regimental Number | 860059 |
Service Record | Link to Service Record |
Battalion | 43rd Battalion |
Force | Canadian Expeditionary Force |
Branch | Canadian Infantry |
Enlisted / Conscripted | Enlisted |
Address at Enlistment | Moosehorn, Manitoba |
Date of Enlistment | May 23, 1916 |
Age at Enlistment | 31 |
Theatre of Service | Europe |
Prisoner of War | No |
Survived War | Yes |
Decorations and Medals | Military Medal |
Death Details | |
Date of Death | 19510904 |
Age at Death | 67 |
Buried At | Lake of the Woods Cemetery, Kenora, Ontario |
Plot | 41E-29-3 |
According to his attestation papers William John Dinnel was born 10 August 1884 in Newton Stewart, Ayrshire, Scotland. His obituary lists his birthdate as 05 August 1883. His parents were William Dinnel (gardener) and Agnes Campbell. At age 25, on 26 December 1908, William married Sarah Jane Young in Glasgow, Scotland. They made their way to Canada and settled in Moosehorn, Manitoba where William worked as a farmer. A daughter, Helen Shaw Dinnel was born in 1912.
On 23 May 1916 William enlisted with the 179th Battalion in Winnipeg, Manitoba and trained at Camp Hughes, Manitoba. His unit was sent overseas in October of 1916. Upon his arrival in England William was transferred to the 17th Reserve Battalion. In November of 1916 he was sent to France and transferred to the 43rd Battalion Cameron Highlanders. Shortly after his arrival in France he spent two weeks in hospital in Havre due to a burn on his neck. William was attached as a loader to the 3rd Canadian Division Train for the month of July 1917. In November 1917 he had a two week leave back to the UK. William was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry during the battle of Passchendaele in May 1918. The citation states:
‘For conspicuous gallantry and example when he rushed a Pill Box on right flank of his Coy which was inflicting heavy casualties amongst his comrades, and fearlessly bombed the Pill Box in face of its fire. He displayed a reckless disregard of personal safety.’
He had a second leave to the UK in November of 1918. In February of 1919 William returned to England and proceeded to Canada aboard the ‘Baltic’ in March of 1918. He received his official discharge due to demobilization on 24 March 1919 in Winnipeg, Manitoba.
After the war, William returned to Moosehorn, but in 1924 moved his family to Keewatin, Ontario. He and Sarah had two more daughters – Agnes and Sally. William worked for the Lake of the Woods Milling Company and was a member of the Keewatin Legion.
William died in the Kenora General Hospital on 04 September 1951. His Veteran Death Card lists his wife, Sarah Dinnel of Keewatin, Ontario as his next of kin. He is buried in the Legion Plot of Lake of the Woods Cemetery, Kenora.