Personal Details | |
Date of Birth | August 22, 1894 |
Place of Birth | Rat Portage (Kenora), Ontario |
Country | Canada |
Marital Status | Single |
Next of Kin | Mrs. Helen Caucutt (Mother) |
Trade / Calling | Switchman-CPR |
Religion | Church of England |
Service Details | |
Regimental Number | 439534 |
Service Record | Link to Service Record |
Battalion | 52nd Battalion |
Force | Canadian Expeditionary Force |
Branch | Canadian Infantry |
Enlisted / Conscripted | Enlisted |
Address at Enlistment | Kenora, Ontario |
Date of Enlistment | August 3, 1915 |
Age at Enlistment | 21 |
Theatre of Service | Europe |
Prisoner of War | No |
Survived War | Yes |
Death Details | |
Date of Death | December 19, 1975 |
Age at Death | 81 |
Buried At | Lake of the Woods Cemetery, Kenora, Ontario |
Plot | 37E-3-4 |
Edward (Ted) Caucutt was born on 22 August 1894 in Rat Portage (now Kenora), Ontario. His parents were Charles J. Caucutt and Ellen Annie Osgood. They were both from England and had married in 1886. Charles worked for the Canadian Pacific Railway – first as a section man, then a trainman and finally a conductor. Edward had two siblings: Charles Hector (1892-1916) and Polly Osgood (1889-1982) who married Hiram Walter Johnson.
Edward was working as a switch man for the CPR when he enlisted with the 52nd Battalion for duty overseas during WW1. He signed his attestation papers on 03 August 1915 in Kenora and reported for training in Port Arthur. On 04 November 1915 the 52nd Battalion moved by train to St. John, New Brunswick. They stopped in Ottawa and were inspected by the Governor General of Canada. The battalion left St. John aboard the S.S. California on 08 November 1918. After arriving in England the 52nd trained at Witley Camp and Bramshott under British instructors.
On 21 February 1916 Edward landed in France with the 52nd Battalion. He was to spend the next two years serving with the battalion as they took their turns rotating to the front trenches earning battle honours at the Somme, Arras, Vimy, Hill 70, Ypres and Passchendaele. During this time Edward had two leaves – one to Paris in August of 1917 and the other to the UK in February of 1918. On 28 March 1918 he received shrapnel wounds to his shoulder and was returned to England for treatment and convalescence. Edward was discharged from hospital on 17 May 1918 and was placed in the 18th Reserve Battalion at Seaford. He stayed in England until being returned to Canada in January of 1919. Edward’s official discharge due to demobilization was on 04 March 1919 in Winnipeg.
Edward returned to Kenora and his job on the CPR. The 1921 Canadian Census shows him living at 207 2nd St. with his parents and working as a brakeman. On 28 February 1922 Edward married Dianna Villeneuve in Salt Lake City, Utah. She was the daughter of Simon and Marie Villeneuve who had lived in Kenora since 1884. Edward and Dianna settled in Kenora and raised two daughters – Jennifer Ellen (who married Harry Zaruk) and Claryse (who married Wilson Dunan). Edward continued working for the CPR and spent a number of years as yard master. He belonged to the Oddfellows Lodge and Branch 12 of the Legion.
Edward Caucutt died on 19 December 1975 in Kenora. He and his wife (who passed away in 1981) are buried in Lake of the Woods Cemetery.