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These are the stories of Kenora participants in the First World War.
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Private Robert Henry Sparks enlisted with the 52nd Battalion in May 1915 and served in England, France and Belgium. He was wounded in 1916 at the Battle of Mount Sorrel and spent the rest of the war in the UK and Canada. Robert was the son of Thomas George Sparks (Sparkes) and Eliza Mackler of… Read More »
Joseph Oscar Guillet was born on 7 September 1877 in Marieville, Rouville, Quebec. His parents Jacques Guillet and Celina Desroches had married on 8 February 1864 in Marieville, Jacques having previously been married to Marie Sophie Lussier who died in 1862. Jacques and Celina had five known children, all born in Marieville: Denise (1866), Felix… Read More »
Although he gave his year of birth as 1891 on his attestation papers, John Henry (Jack) Kelley was born on 7 November 1890 in Keewatin, Ontario. Located in northwestern Ontario, Keewatin was a thriving community of the time, largely due to the Lake of the Woods Milling Company. Jack was the first born son of… Read More »
Private Julius Begg joined the U.S. Army Forestry Engineers in 1917. He served overseas for more than a year and returned home in February 1919. Julius was the son of William Charles Begg and Mary Ann Muggaberg. William was likely born in the Red River Settlement, which became part of the province of Manitoba. His… Read More »
According to his attestation papers and Officers’ Declaration Paper, Edgerton (Egerton) Wellington Byers was born on 11 July 1882 in Bailieboro, Ontario, a village in the Township of Cavan near Peterborough. His parents William and Sarah Ann (née Francey) Byers were both from Cavan where they had married in 1862. Farmers, the family was listed… Read More »
James (Jim) Hamilton was born on 25 April 1901 in the parish of Cambusnethan in Wishaw, Lanarkshire, Scotland. Both of his parents, Alexander Hamilton and Mary Lindsay, were from the area, marrying on 24 June 1892 in Cambusnethan. At the time of the marriage Alexander Sr’s occupation was given as sawmill engine keeper. Jim had… Read More »
Allan McLean was born on 24 March 1898 in Selkirk, Manitoba on the outskirts of Winnipeg. His parents were Findley McLean and Sarah Ann Donald, both having Métis roots in the Red River Settlement. The couple married on 8 February 1883 in St Andrews, Manitoba and over the years gave birth to children Charlotte (abt… Read More »
According to his attestation papers, Ernest Watts was born on 1 March 1888 in Portsmouth in England. His marriage record along with census records suggested that he was likely born in 1886 or 1887 while his obituary gave the year as 1877, the year also inscribed on his grave marker. Details of Ernest’s early life… Read More »
Robert (Bob) Murray MacDonald was born on 14 April 1892 in Hamilton, Lanarkshire in Scotland. His father Neil MacDonald was from Arisaig in Inverness-shire while his mother Isabella Murray was from Skirling in Peeblesshire, the couple marrying in 1883 in Helensburgh. Son Donald McDonald was born in 1883 in Drumelzier and daughter Mary Laidlaw in… Read More »
Charles Arthur Carlson was born on 11 September 1892 in Rat Portage (later renamed Kenora) in northwestern Ontario. His father John Carlson, a carpenter, immigrated to Canada from Sweden around 1880 while his mother Mary Chemalska was from Poland or Germany, her arrival listed as 1887 in the 1901 Canada census. Other children born to… Read More »
