Kenora Great War Project

 

Personal Details
Date of BirthOctober 27, 1881
Place of BirthHamilton, Ontario
CountryCanada
Marital StatusSingle
Next of KinThos. Lang (Father), 394 Waterloo St., London, Ontario
Trade / CallingFireman
ReligionMethodist
Service Details
Regimental NumberA39311
Service Record Link to Service Record
Battalion52nd Battalion
ForceCanadian Expeditionary Force
BranchCanadian Infantry
Enlisted / ConscriptedEnlisted
Address at EnlistmentKenora, Ontario
Date of EnlistmentMay 25, 1915
Age at Enlistment32
Theatre of ServiceEurope
Prisoner of WarNo
Survived WarYes
Death Details

Lang, William John

William John Lang was born 27 October 1881 in Hamilton, Ontario. His parents were Thomas Henry Lang (a brakeman on the railroad) and Louisa Lewis. Siblings included Charles (b. 1883) and Maggie (b. 1888). The family was living in St. Thomas Ontario in 1891 and 1901. William’s mother, Louisa, died in 1897 when he was 16 years old. The 1911 Canadian Census shows William working as a cook for the railway and living in Fort William, Ontario.

William enlisted for WW1 in Kenora on 25 May 1915. His occupation at the time was fireman for the CPR and he was single. In June 1915 the Kenora Miner & News lists him as one of many recruits from the local unit leaving for the camp of the 52nd Battalion in Port Arthur.   William was discharged on 04 August 1915 as ‘not likely to become efficient’.

On 18 February 1918 in London, Ontario  William enlists again, this time with the Forestry & Railway Construction Depot, M.D. No. 1. His occupation is Locomotive Engineer and he is given the regimental number 2627108. He embarked Canada on 11 July 1918 aboard the SS Thongwa. Upon his arrival in England he was taken on strength by the Canadian Railway Transport Depot. On 20 September 1918 William went to France with the 3rd Battalion of the CRT and joined his unit in the field on 03 October. He served in France until 05 January 1919 when he was returned to England. In February he returned to Canada aboard the Carmania and received his official discharge due to demobilization on 01 March 1919 in London, Ontario. His proposed residence on discharge was London, Ontario.

The 1921 Canadian Census shows William living in Toronto, Ontario working as a switchman. At the time he was listed as a widower. Details of his life after this are not known.

Lang-William-2

 


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