Kenora Great War Project

 

Personal Details
Date of BirthSeptember 7, 1888
Place of BirthSummerstown, Glengarry, Ontario
CountryCanada
Marital StatusSingle
Next of KinJoseph Vipond (Father), Summerstown, Glengarry, Ontario
Trade / CallingTelegraph Operator
ReligionWesleyan
Service Details
Regimental Number438919
Service Record Link to Service Record
Battalion52nd Battalion
ForceCanadian Expeditionary Force
BranchCanadian Infantry
Enlisted / ConscriptedEnlisted
Address at EnlistmentDryden, Ontario
Date of EnlistmentDecember 23, 1914
Age at Enlistment26
Theatre of ServiceEurope
Prisoner of WarNo
Survived WarYes
Decorations and MedalsDistinguished Conduct Medal
Death Details
Date of DeathMay 23, 1928
Age at Death39
Buried AtSalem United Church Cemetery, Summerstown, Ontario

Vipond, Howard Cameron

Howard Cameron Vipond was born on September 7, 1888 to Joseph and Janet (Cameron), in Summerstown, Glengarry, Ontario.   By 1910 he was in the Northwest, and married to Laura M. Eastman (1904).

When he enlisted, he was working in Dryden as a telegraph operator. He was assigned to the 52nd Battalion. They were sent to Saint John, New Brunswick in November 1915, and from there they were shipped to Plymouth, England on the S.S. California. By February 1916, he had embarked  for France. In June he was injured with a shrapnel wound to his left thigh and heel, along with a fracture of his tibia. He was sent to #14 Hospital in Wimereux, then to Bethnal Green Military Hospital in Cambridge. In July, he was sent to Convalescent Camp, Bromley, where his wound had healed and the bones were in good position. In September the following report was made: ‘While on duty at Ypres was knocked down by explosion of shell. He had the left tibia fractured and rec’d pieces of shell in left heel and left thigh. This one pierced long muscles of the back of the thigh. Leg was set and operated to clean wound in thigh and establish drainage.’ The report goes on to say when healed, Vipond had stiffness and pain upon walking. He was not fit for active duty, but could resume base duty.

On September 22, he was sent to School of Stenography at Folkestone, and returned to duty with  the 52nd Manitoba Regiment. In 1917, his records show he was once again ill, and invalided sick to England, so he must have been posted to France once again. By April he was TOS to the 52nd, and in May promoted to be Acting Sergeant with pay, still in England at Dibgate.  In November he was  SOS from the 52nd Battalion overseas. Shortly thereafter he was appointed to Lt. Sgt. in the field, then Sergeant in December 1917. The Battle of Cambrai took place in November 1917, where he earned a Distinguished Conduct medal (see notes below).

1918 saw him ill in April with ICT (inflammation of the connective tissue) to his neck, and also impetigo. By May he was fit and back in the field. In August, during the Battle of Amiens, he was once again wounded with gun shot wounds to his right leg and left wrist.  He was sent to the Convalescent Depot in Trouville, Etaples. Shortly thereafter he was promoted to L/Cpl, warrant officer Class II. In September he was discharged to reinforce. The notes stated he was in the field in November, so must have been able to celebrate the armistice with his fellow soldiers on November 11th.

Howard was awarded the Distinguished Conduct medal.  The following is the description of his performance for which he was awarded the medal:

Vipond, Howard Cameron, Sgt (A/CSM),  438919
‘For courage and devotion to duty over the whole period that he has been in France, from February, 1916, to October, 1918. After the Cambrai fighting, when casualties were very heavy, he took over the duty of battalion sergeant-major and rendered invaluable service’ (LG 31819/p121, 09 March 1920).

He returned from the war on the ‘Cretic’ on March 24, 1919. He and wife Laura had two children, Dalton Eastman Vipond (1921-1942, Wootton, Berkshire, England), and Milton G. (1924-1955, Korea). At the time of the 1921 census they were living on 3rd Street North in Kenora.

Howard died from accidental drowning on Hawk Lake on May 23, 1928 at which time he was a dispatcher in Kenora.   He was buried in the Salem Cemetery in Summerstown, Ontario, the place of his birth.

Howard and Laura’s two sons served in the military, Dalton in WW2 and Milton in the Korean War. Both were killed while on active service.

by Penny Beal

Images and information about Dalton and Milton is from the Canadian Virtual War Memorial website.
Howard’s grave marker photograph is by Nancy Dunlop, findagrave.com.

 

 


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