Kenora Great War Project

 

Personal Details
Date of BirthJanuary 13, 1984
Place of BirthSävar, Västerbotten
CountrySweden
Marital StatusSingle
Next of KinGustaf Anderson, brother, Umea, Sweden
Trade / CallingFisherman
ReligionLutheran
Service Details
Regimental Number913360
Service Record Link to Service Record
Battalion197th Battalion
ForceCanadian Expeditionary Force
BranchCanadian Infantry
Enlisted / ConscriptedEnlisted
Address at EnlistmentKenora, Ontario
Date of EnlistmentApril 17, 1916
Age at Enlistment32
Theatre of ServiceCanada
Death Details

Anderson, Jonas Helmer

Jonas Helmer Anderson was born on 13 January 1884 in in the village/croft of Täfteå in Sävar, Västerbotten, Sweden. His father Anders Gustaf Anderson was from Sävar while his mother Emma Johanna Hãgglund was from Nysätra in Västerbotten. The couple married in 1870 in Sävar. Children born to the family in Sävar were Gustaf (1870), Karl Ludvig (1875), Alma Karolina (1879), Olof Nikanos (1881-1885), Jonas, and Jenny Augustus (1888). Father Anders, a fisherman, died shortly shortly before the birth of Jenny.

At some point Jonas immigrated to Canada, working as a fisherman in Kenora in northwestern Ontario. He signed his attestation papers with the 197th Vikings of Canada Battalion in Winnipeg on 17 April 1916. He gave Umea as his place of birth, Umea being the nearest city to Sävar. His occupation was listed as fisherman in Kenora and his brother Gustaf back in Sweden as next of kin.

Jonas was reported as AWOL on 9 October 1916 and was listed as a deserter on 30 October. Although not there he was transferred to the Casualty Clearing Depot MD 10 in January of 1917 and then his case was closed on 28 February 1917. Jonas’ whereabouts after he left service are unknown.

by Judy Stockham

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