Gordon, Charles

Charles Brown Gordon was born to Alexander & Mary (McLeod) Gordon on June 29, 1889 in Maybole, Scotland, the 12^th   of 14 children. With automation coming to Maybole resulting in job losses, several of the Gordon clan set sail for Canada coming directly Keewatin, Ontario in 1906 – including Charlie.

Charlie was a teamster working for the Keewatin Water Department driving the water   wagon when he signed his attestation papers at Camp Sewell, Manitoba on June 25, 1915 and declared fit for duty on July 4, 1915. September 4, 1915 he sailed from Montreal aboard the   SS Missanabie, arriving in England on September 13, 1915 and taken on strength with his Unit at Shorncliffe.   Charlie was a Private with the 44^th Battalion.   The first couple of months, Charlie had difficulty adjusting to military life but soon became an excellent soldier.

March 24, 1916 he embarked for France and transferred to the 2^nd   Canadian Mounted Rifles.   April 14, he was taken on strength in the field; July 29, he received a field promotion of Corporal. August 27, he was appointed Lance Sergeant.   By his own request, on September 20, he reverted to the ranks.

Charlie was wounded at Courcelette on September 30, 2016 – a gunshot wound to his left arm and back.   He spent one day at 14 British General Hospital at Bourloyne; shipped back to England and admitted to Queen Mary’s Military Hospital at Whalley on October 5, 1916 where he spent a month in rehab.  November 3 sent to the Military   Hospital at Shorncliffe, then to   Monks Horton Canadian Convalescent Hospital in Monks Norton, Kent, England. He was discharged from there on November 14, 1916. He spent the next 7 months in England, arriving at the Canadian Base Details in France on July 17, 1917, and re-joining his Battalion on July 25, 1917. November 10, 1917 he was taken on strength with the Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp (CCRC).   From there, he transferred to the Canadian Light Railway Operating Corps.   June 1, 1918 from the Officer Command, he was promoted to 2^nd Corporal while in the field.   September 21, he was granted 14 day leave to the United Kingdom, rejoining his unit October 12, 1918.   January 27, 1919 he was taken off strength from his unit,  sent to England and posted to Canadian Engineer Reinforcement Depot (CERD) at Seaford.   February 8, 1919 he was taken off strength   from 1^st Tramways Company, Seaford and sent to Kinmel Park Camp, North Wales to await his final orders.  He set sail for Canada March 29, arriving in Canada April 5, and received his discharge April 8, 1919 in Port Arthur, Ontario.

Charlie returned home to Keewatin, married Catherine Ann McLean on February 14, 1921 at Keewatin, Ontario. The 1921 Canada Census has them living on Tenth Street.   Later, they moved to the east end of Ottawa Street, and the beach there is still known as Gordon’s Beach.   They raised eleven children – Charles, Donald, Catherine, Jean, Mary, William, James, Agnes (Bunty), Hugh (Joe), Margaret and Lindsay.   Sons Charlie and Don both served in Canadian Armed Forces during World War 2.   Don was killed overseas on August 30, 1944 and is buried in the Brookwood Military Cemetery, Woking, Surrey, England.

Charlie was employed by the Water Department of the Town of Keewatin from the early days of the horse drawn wagon to the delivery of water by trucks.   He retired from the Town in 1955.   In 1925 he served as the Town’s assistant Fire Chief, becoming Chief in 1296.   1927 he become the first President of the Royal Canadian Legion, Branch 13 Keewatin.   Charlie and his family were members of the Keewatin United Church.

Charlie passed away at his home on Ottawa Street, Keewatin on January 5, 1957.   His wife, Kate, died July 26, 1982.   Both are buried at the Lake of the Woods Cemetery, Kenora, Ontario.

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