Kenora Great War Project

 

Personal Details
Date of BirthAugust 26, 1890
Place of BirthRat Portage (Kenora), Ontario
CountryCanada
Marital StatusSingle
Next of KinMrs Jacob Linklater, mother, Kenora, Ontario
Trade / CallingCarpenter
ReligionChurch of England
Service Details
Regimental Number500787
Service Record Link to Service Record
Battalion2nd Divisional Engineers
ForceCanadian Expeditionary Force
BranchCanadian Engineers
Enlisted / ConscriptedEnlisted
Date of EnlistmentSeptember 21, 1915
Age at Enlistment25
Theatre of ServiceEurope
Prisoner of WarNo
Survived WarYes
Death Details
Date of DeathOctober 27, 1968
Age at Death78
Buried AtLake of the Woods Cemetery, Kenora, Ontario
Plot41E-34-4

Linklater, Charles

Charles Linklater was born on 26 August 1890 in Rat Portage (later renamed Kenora), Ontario. His father Jacob Linklater had been born in the Northwest Territories and had entered service with the Hudson’s Bay Company in 1868. Jacob served in the Norway House District as runner, midman, and fisherman until 1878 and then renewed his contract from 1878 until his service ended as a freeman in 1884. Found in the 1881 Canada census for the District called the Manitoba Extension, subdistrict Northeastern Extension, of the province of Manitoba, family members included father Jacob with occupation given as servant, mother Charlotte (Muskego), and children John (age 6),    Mary (age 4), Jacob (3 months). In all likelihood, Hugh’s formal name was Jacob Hugh Linklater.

The Linklater family was next found living in Rat Portage in 1901, with household members of Jacob and Charlotte, and children Hugh, Charles, Jessie, Nancy, Charlotte, and Richard. Racial or Tribal origin for the family  was given as Scotch Breed. John, having married Agnes Cameron on 10 December 1900, was living next door. By the 1911 Canada census, household members were Jacob and Charlotte, and children Hugh, Charles, Richard, Elizabeth (Nancy), and Christie. Jessie had married John Bunn on 25 December 1909 and they were living next door with their two children.

Charles Linklater enlisted on 21 September 1915 in Winnipeg, Manitoba, occupation given as carpenter. With the Canadian Engineers Training Depot he arrived in England on 10 January 1916, taken on strength at Shorncliffe the next day. Transferred to the 2nd Canadian Division Engineers, 6th Field Company he embarked for France on 18 May 1916, joining the unit in the field on the 23rd. In mid September he was attached to HQ 2nd Division Engineers, returning to the 6th Field Company in mid October. In  June of 1917 Charles was admitted at the No 5 Canadian Field Ambulance with PUO (fever of unknown origin), rejoining the unit a few days later. In August he was granted a seven day leave. On 17 December 1917, Charles was admitted  to No 42 Casualty Clearing Station with a contusion to the thigh and the following January required medical attention for a connective tissue problem with a finger. In March he was granted a 14 day leave to Paris, rejoining the unit on the 14th of April.   Another leave was granted in March of 1919, 14 days to the  UK. Back in France until mid April, Driver Charles Linklater left Liverpool for Canada on May 19th.

After the war Charles returned to Kenora and worked for a number of years with the Ontario Department of Lands and Forest in the Kenora District. In 1935 he was stationed in Ignace as a Fire Ranger and then after serving in WW2 (according to his obituary), in Sioux Narrows as Forest Ranger until the late 1950’s, early 1960’s.  Upon retirement, he moved back to Kenora, residing on 3rd Street South.

Charles Linklater died on 27 October 1968 in Deer Lodge Hospital in Winnipeg. He is interred in the Lake of the Woods Cemetery in Kenora. His brother Hugh also served during WW1, going overseas with the 94th Battalion. He died on 30 October 1965, also in Deer Lodge.

Charles  is commemorated on the St. Alban’s Pro-Cathedral First World War Roll of Honour.

by Judy Stockham

Linklater-Charles-2 Linklater-Charles-1 Linklater-Charles-3 Linklater-Charles-5


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