Kenora Great War Project

 

Personal Details
Date of BirthApril 24, 1885
Place of BirthLondon
CountryEngland
Marital StatusMarried
Next of KinMrs Kate E. Horwood, Wife, 109 Glenwood Road, St Anns Road, Harringay N, London England
Trade / CallingLabourer
ReligionChurch of England
Service Details
Regimental Number298096
Service Record Link to Service Record
Battalion224th Battalion
ForceCanadian Expeditionary Force
BranchCanadian Infantry
Enlisted / ConscriptedEnlisted
Address at Enlistment109 Glenwood Road, St Anns Road, Harringay N, London, England
Date of EnlistmentNovember 9, 1916
Age at Enlistment31
Theatre of ServiceEurope
Prisoner of WarNo
Survived WarYes
Death Details
Date of DeathNovember 10, 1967
Age at Death82
Buried AtLake of the Woods Cemetery, Kenora, Ontario
Plot17E-13-2

Horwood, Amos Fred

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

Horwood-Amos-Fred-3 Horwood-Amos-99 Horwood-Amos-Fred-4


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