Personal Details | |
Date of Birth | April 24, 1885 |
Place of Birth | London |
Country | England |
Marital Status | Married |
Next of Kin | Mrs Kate E. Horwood, Wife, 109 Glenwood Road, St Anns Road, Harringay N, London England |
Trade / Calling | Labourer |
Religion | Church of England |
Service Details | |
Regimental Number | 298096 |
Service Record | Link to Service Record |
Battalion | 224th Battalion |
Force | Canadian Expeditionary Force |
Branch | Canadian Infantry |
Enlisted / Conscripted | Enlisted |
Address at Enlistment | 109 Glenwood Road, St Anns Road, Harringay N, London, England |
Date of Enlistment | November 9, 1916 |
Age at Enlistment | 31 |
Theatre of Service | Europe |
Prisoner of War | No |
Survived War | Yes |
Death Details | |
Date of Death | November 10, 1967 |
Age at Death | 82 |
Buried At | Lake of the Woods Cemetery, Kenora, Ontario |
Plot | 17E-13-2 |
On April 24, 1885 Amos Fred Horwood (known as Fred), was born in London, England to Amos Horwood (Sr.) and Eliza L. Oates. Immigrating to Canada May 1906 on board the ship Lake Manitoba, 21 year old, Amos disembarked at Montreal from Liverpool and he made his way to Keewatin, Ontario. His occupation is listed as ‘Lab’ (Labourer).
On November 2, 1907 Amos (Fred) married a London born girl Katherine Emily Lawley in Keewatin, Ontario.
Although Amos had signed his attestation papers with his ‘proper’ given name he was known as ‘Fred’. By the census of 1911 Fred and Kate were living on Superior Street in Keewatin. Before the war 3 daughters were born; Gertrude Elizabeth – 1909, Lillian Christenia – 1912 and Edith L. – 1915. By 1916 Fred was a ‘flour packer’ at the Lake of the Woods Milling Company in Keewatin. The family travelled back to London, England arriving on the ship the ‘Grampian’ on September 25, 1916. Fred volunteered his service and signed his attestation papers while in London on November 9, 1916 being placed with the 224th (Canadian Forestry) Battalion. This battalion (224th), along with some other infantry battalions, was absorbed into the Canadian Forestry Corps in 1916. Their task was to clear airfields, prepare railway ties and produce lumber for the building of trenches, barracks and hospitals.
Kate returned to Keewatin in September 1918 by way of New York on board the ship the Olympic. Their likely way of transportation from New York back to Keewatin was by train with transfers before reaching home in Keewatin. A long journey for a mother with 3 young children. Fred was one of the soldiers named in an article in the local newspaper on April 2, 1919; ‘Great Reception for Returned Men’ that was held in Kenora at the Tourist Hotel.
After the war they also raised another child, Douglas. Fred returned to work at the flour mill as a ‘flour packer’. Making their home on the corner of Superior and Sixth Street, Fred started up a business of ‘F.Horwood – Corner Store’. They sold a variety of goods from penny candy for the kids, to a birthday card for a friend, to a quart of milk for breakfast and to ‘rubbers’ which fitted over the shoes when the weather became wet outside. It was known by the locals to ‘just ask Fred’ and he would find it for you, referring to the items you may not see on the shelves. Those were the days of the corner store before everyone had a car to travel further to get their basics.
Amos ‘Fred’ Horwood passed away on 10 November 1967 and was laid to rest with his wife Kate who predeceased him in 1960. Both are buried in the Lake of the Woods Cemetery in Kenora, Ontario. Amos ‘Fred’ Horwood is remembered on a Roll of Honour in the St. James Anglican Church.
By Linda Pelletier