Kenora Great War Project

 

Personal Details
Date of BirthMay 12, 1892
Place of BirthBeauchamp, Roding, Essex
CountryEngland
Marital StatusSingle
Next of KinSarah Warder, Mother, Gen.Del., Good Easter, Chalmford Essex, England
Trade / CallingBaker
ReligionChurch of England
Service Details
Regimental Number216441
Service Record Link to Service Record
Battalion1st Regiment Canadian Mounted Rifles
ForceCanadian Expeditionary Force
BranchCanadian Infantry
Enlisted / ConscriptedEnlisted
Address at EnlistmentKeewatin, Ontario
Date of EnlistmentFebruary 8, 1916
Age at Enlistment23
Theatre of ServiceEurope
Prisoner of WarNo
Survived WarYes
Death Details
Date of DeathJuly 3, 1956
Age at Death64
Buried AtElmwood Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Plot2-G0326

Warder, Harry Cecil

Harry Cecil Warder was born on 12 May 1892 in Beauchamp Roding, Essex, England. He was the youngest child of Nathan Thomas Warder (1849-1906) and Sarah Westwood (1851-1931). Siblings included: Beatrice, Clifford, Ella, John, Eliza, Edith, Lizzie and Alfred. The 1911 England Census shows Harry and two of his brothers, John & Alfred, working as bakers and living with their mother in Good Easter, Essex.

When Harry immigrated to Canada in May of 1912 he listed ‘farming’ as his occupation. He found his way to Keewatin, Ontario and got employment there as a baker.

On 08 February 1916 Harry enlisted with the 100th Battalion in Winnipeg, Manitoba. On his attestation papers he noted previous service with the 100th Winnipeg Grenadiers militia unit. He sailed to England aboard the S.S. Olympic in September 1916. Once there he was transferred to the First Canadian Mounted Rifles and on 01 December 1916 was sent to France.

The 1st CMR fought at Vimy in April 1917 and Hill 70 in August 1917. It was at the Second Passchendaele on 03 November 1917 that Harry was shell gassed. He was taken to #3 Australian Casualty Clearing Station, then #55 General Hospital before being invalided to England on 15 November. Harry was in hospital until 08 February 1918 and upon discharge was placed in the 15th Reserve Battalion.

He returned to France with the 1st CMR in April 1918 and rejoined his unit by 24 April. They fought in the battle of Amiens and on 8th August 1918 Canadian and Australian troops plus 600 tanks shattered the German forces and reached the Hindenburg line. Harry was appointed Lance Corporal on 11 August 1918 and promoted to Corporal on 23 September 1918. He was wounded a second time at Canal du Nord (Capture of Bourlon Wood) when he received a gun shot wound to his right leg on 29 September 1918. Harry was again invalided to England,  posted to the  Saskatchewan Regimental Depot and treated in various hospitals until 22 February 1919. He then was with the 15th Reserve Battalion until being struck off strength for his return to Canada on 22 March 1919. Harry’s official discharge due to demobilization came on 08 April 1919 in Port Arthur, Ontario. He was recognized by the Town of Keewatin at a ceremony for WW1 veterans in August 1919. Harry is commemorated on the Town of Keewatin Honour Roll which hangs in the Keewatin Legion.

Harry returned to Keewatin and on 22 July 1919 he married Ogareeta Mary Cromwell. Their son, Frank Cecil Warder was born in Kenora in 1923. The family moved to Winnipeg and daughters Evelyn and Irma were born. The 1935 Voter’s List shows that Harry was employed as a ‘motorman’. He then got work with Winnipeg Transit as an operator and then a dispatcher.

Harry Cecil Warder died on 03 July 1956 in Winnipeg, Manitoba and is buried in Elmwood Cemetery. His wife, Ogareeta passed away in 1979 and is interred beside him.

Warder-Harry-Cecil-3 Warder-Harry-Cecil-4 Keewatin-plaque-b

 


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