Personal Details | |
Date of Birth | September 16, 1892 |
Place of Birth | Girvan, Ayrshire |
Country | Scotland |
Marital Status | Married |
Next of Kin | wife, Katherine Ilwraith |
Trade / Calling | Flour Packer |
Religion | Presbyterian |
Service Details | |
Regimental Number | 439547 |
Service Record | Link to Service Record |
Battalion | 52nd Battalion |
Force | Canadian Expeditionary Force |
Branch | Canadian Infantry |
Enlisted / Conscripted | Enlisted |
Address at Enlistment | Keewatin, Ontario |
Date of Enlistment | August 5, 1915 |
Age at Enlistment | 22 |
Theatre of Service | Europe |
Prisoner of War | No |
Survived War | Yes |
Death Details | |
Date of Death | October 4, 1940 |
Age at Death | 48 |
Buried At | Lake of the Woods Cemetery, Kenora, Ontario |
Plot | 34E-18-1 |
Hastings Shankland McIlwraith was born September 16, 1892 at 25 High Street, Girvan, Ayrshire, Scotland to David & Agnes (Shankland) McIlwraith. (from the official birth register of the Parish of Girvan, County of Ayr, page 57).
Setting sail from Glasgow Scotland on the ‘Grampian’, Hastings arrived at Quebec City, Canada on May 6, 1913. He made his way to Keewatin, Ontario where some of his relations had settled, and obtained work with the Lake of the Woods Milling Company as a flour packer.
Enlisting on May 5, 1915 in the 52nd Battalion, he married Katherine Falconer Gordon May 21, 1915. The service was performed by the Rev. Edward Diamond of St. James’ Anglican Church, Keewatin, ON.
The 52nd Battalion sailed for England on November 23, 1915, arriving in France on February 20, 1916. He was promoted to Corporal on March 24, 1917, had a ten day leave in the United Kingdom in September 1917. He served in France until February 1919 when he returned to Canada In March, 1919. His official discharge date was March 31, 1919 at Port Arthur, Ontario
He returned to the family farm at Laclu, just west of Keewatin, and worked again for the Lake of the Woods Milling Company. He and Katherine had two children – Katherine Agnes (January 29, 1920) and David James (November 9, 1922.) The McIlwraiths adopted their nephew, Hugh Hastings White McIlwraith (August 12, 1922) whose mother died in childbirth. Both Dave and Hugh served in World War 2.
Katherine died tragically by drowning October 17, 1937. Hastings passed away in October 1940 and both are buried in the Lake of the Woods Cemetery, Kenora, Ontario.