Kenora Great War Project

 

Personal Details
Date of BirthMarch 24, 1880
Place of BirthMaybole
CountryScotland
Marital StatusWidower
Next of KinFather: William Fisher - Box 274, Keewatin, Ontario
Trade / CallingPacker
ReligionPresbyterian
Service Details
Regimental Number198926
Service Record Link to Service Record
BattalionCanadian Forestry Corps
ForceCanadian Expeditionary Force
BranchCanadian Forestry Corps
Enlisted / ConscriptedEnlisted
Address at EnlistmentKeewatin, Ontario
Date of EnlistmentFebruary 10, 1916
Age at Enlistment36
Theatre of ServiceEurope
Prisoner of WarNo
Survived WarYes
Death Details
Date of DeathDecember 11, 1954
Age at Death74
Buried AtLake of the Woods Cemetery, Kenora, Ontario
Plot51E-15-4

Fisher, Robert Armour

Robert Armour Fisher immigrated to Keewatin from Scotland in 1904 and his wife and  one son Robert D (1896-1971)  joined him 3 years later.  While living in Keewatin he worked in the local flour mill as a packer. Three more children were born, William (1908), Elizabeth (1900), and Helen/Nellie (1910).  His wife Mary Jane Davidson was born in England.  Mary Jane died in 1912 leaving him with a young family.

Robert first joined the 94th Overseas Battalion but was discharged while still in Quebec on training due to being medically unfit. His medical record indicated he had a heart murmur, due to rheumatism. Robert claimed he had no difficulties as a result, but he was still denied access to the forces and was sent home just before his ship sailed in June 1916. He had been with the forces for 5 months and 3 days upon dismissal.

The next year  Robert signed up once more in  Winnipeg under the No. 2 Forestry Draft;  50th Forestry Battalion #2260325. This time he was accepted. His group left Halifax on May 1st, 1917 and landed in Liverpool on the 14th.

After several months in England, he was sent to France to join No. 50 Company on July 10th. He was granted permission on September 9th to remarry, but it wasn’t until January that he was granted 14 days leave. He married Gladys Mabel Bates, who was from Hastings, Sussex, England. He rejoined his unit on January 22nd. He was given one more leave to the UK in September for 14 days. He remained in France until January 25, 1919, when his unit was sent to Sunningdale in England. He was sent home to St John New Brunswick on April 10, 1919. He stated he was heading to Winnipeg where he would be a farmer.

In fact, according to the 1921 census, he returned to Mill Street in Keewatin, continuing to work for the flour mill. Gladys had joined him in 1919 and they had two more children, Gladys in 1920, and Maureen Iris in 1923.

A letter was written to the Armed Forces in 1985 by a granddaughter, who wished to join the Ladies’ Legion Auxiliary in Peterborough, and requested her grandfather’s records in order to be able to do so.

His ‘under-age’ son, Robert (Jr), 198688, also joined up in Kenora with the 94th Overseas Battalion.

Robert  passed away at age 74 and both he and his two wives are buried at the Lake of the Woods Cemetery in Kenora. He is commemorated for his service on the Municipality of Keewatin For King and Country plaque, on the Town of Keewatin Roll of Honour, and on the Lake of the Woods Milling Company Roll of Honour.

by Penny Beal

 


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