Kenora Great War Project

 

Personal Details
Date of BirthJanuary 9, 1900
Place of BirthDevonshire
CountryEngland
Marital StatusSingle
Next of KinMrs E. Hucker, Mother, Kenora, Ontario
Trade / CallingLabourer
ReligionChurch of Christ
Service Details
Regimental Number198886
Service Record Link to Service Record
Battalion16th Battalion
ForceCanadian Expeditionary Force
BranchCanadian Infantry
Enlisted / ConscriptedEnlisted
Address at EnlistmentKenora, Ontario
Date of EnlistmentFebruary 2, 1916
Age at Enlistment16
Theatre of ServiceEurope
Prisoner of WarNo
Survived WarYes
Death Details
Date of DeathJanuary 16, 1987
Age at Death87
Buried AtMountain View Cemetery, Thunder Bay, Ontario

Hucker, Thomas John Junior

Thomas John Hucker Junior was born on 9 January 1900 in Devon, England to Thomas John Hucker  Senior and Elizabeth Ann Evans.  On the 1901 census the family was living on Exeter Street, North Tawton, Okehampton, Devon, England.  The record shows Thomas J. senior age 27, a wool comber born Okehampton, his wife Elizabeth age 20 also a wool comber born North Tawton and son Thomas J. age 1 born North Tawton.  Thomas’s stepsister, Elizabeth Ellen (Lillian) Evans was living with her Evans’ grandparents.  In November 1905 Thomas Senior, Elizabeth, Lillian, Thomas Junior, Beatrice Bernice, and Gertrude Violet immigrated to Canada, settling in Kenora, Ontario.  By the 1911 census, the family was living at 441 6th Ave South and included four children: Thomas, Beatrice, Gertrude, and Arthur.

In February 1916 Thomas enlisted in Kenora and was assigned to the 94th Overseas Battalion.  He gave his religion as the Church of Christ and his occupation as laborer.  In order to be old enough to sign up, Thomas added two years to his age, stating that his year of birth was 1898.  In reality, he had just turned 16.  He gave his mother as his next of kin.  The local newspaper reported that the 94th left Kenora in late May 1916, headed to Valcartier and Thomas is on the list of departing soldiers. The 94th left Canada on 28 June 1916 on the SS Olympian arriving in Liverpool on 5 July 1916.  In mid July, Thomas’s service record shows he was transferred to the 17th Battalion East Sandling and then to the 16th Overseas Battalion in September. Thomas’s pay book will dated 22 September 1916, leaves all his belongings to his mother Mrs. E. Hucker, Kenora, Ontario.  Thomas arrived in France on 8 October 1916 and joined the 16th Canadian Battalion in the field.  He received a gunshot wound to the right thigh on 28 April 1917 and was sent to Hospital #26 in Etaples, France.   In May 1917, the local newspaper reported that Thomas’s mother had been notified that he was dangerously ill and in No. 6 Hospital in London, England.  By 9 May 1917, Thomas was removed from the dangerously ill list in Lakenham Military Hospital, Norwich, England.  He was discharged from the hospital on 25 May 1917 with the notation that the flesh wound on the outer side of his right thigh was healing nicely.  In August 1917, the medical file notes that the wound was discharging and a dressing was put on it.  Thomas was to do no duty and when the wound was healed he was to receive follow up treatment which included PTR massage and later PJR. It was at this point that authorities discovered Thomas’s true date of birth and a note has been added to his attestation papers, dated 16 August 1917 that his birth certificate shows his date of birth as 9 January 1900. Another notation on Thomas’s medical records is dated 15 February 1918 and written in red pen, noting that Thomas is a minor born 9 January 1900. Thomas next had the Spanish Influenza in August 1918.

When Thomas was discharged at Port Arthur on 31 December 1918, his record shows he was awarded one gold bar.  He had served a total of 213 days in France.  His physical condition is described as good with a scar from the gunshot wound that measured 5.5 inches by 1 inch.  He had a tattoo on his right forearm which read ‘France 1917′.  Thomas intended to reside at 1315 Brown Street West in Fort William, Ontario.

By the 1921 census, Thomas age 21, working as a stropper and living at 1315 1/2 Brown St. West with his parents Thomas and Elizabeth Ann, his sister Gertrude and his brothers Arthur and Reginald.  The record states that the family immigrated in 1906.  Next door at 1315 Brown St. West is an Evans family who are probably related to Elizabeth.

Thomas first married on 29 December 1930 to Adele Jane Piper in Winnipeg, Manitoba, possibly in a double wedding with his sister Gertrude who married Edward Licklider on the same day.  Thomas’s second marriage was to Blanche Minerva Johnson on 20 September 1941.  She died in 1972.  In 1949, in his father’s obituary, Thomas was living at 527 Christina Street, Thunder Bay.  In 1957, he was at 510 Norah Street S., Fort William and gave his occupation as a wood mechanic.  In 1965 Thomas retired with 50 years of service with the CNR.  In 1974, the voters’ list shows him as retired, still at 510 Norah St, with his daughter Lois living with him.

When Thomas died 16 January 1987 in Thunder Bay, Ontario, his address was #602 – 925 Simpson Street, Thunder Bay.  His obituary mentions two children – daughter Lois Dianne Hall of Thunder Bay and son George Hucker and wife Gabrielle of Calgary.  Thomas belonged to the St. Paul’s Anglican Church and the Brotherhood of Mt. McKay Lodge #298.  He is buried at Mountain View Cemetery.

By Rhonda Glofcheski

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