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These are the stories of Kenora participants in the First World War.
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Private Ralph Youngman enlisted in January 1917 and served with the 52nd Battalion in France and Belgium. He was wounded at the Battle of Amiens and he suffered from trench fever and influenza, but he survived the war and returned to Canada in May 1919. Ralph was born on 7 November 1897 in Ava, Kinkaid… Read More »
Boy Seaman Charles Mitchell Neaves was born in Leven, County of Fife, Scotland on 30 May 1901. His parents were James Neaves and Isabella Mitchell and he was the oldest of at least four children, two boys and two girls. He was only 13 years old when the war started and he said he signed… Read More »
James Hayward was born on 3 August 1887 in the Holloway area of London, England. His father George James Hayward was from Tidworth in Hampshire while his mother Sabina Hale was from Monchton in Wiltshire. The couple had married in 1887 in Islington, London with George listed as a widower on the marriage registration. Sabina,… Read More »
William Thomas (Bill) Cotter was born on 10 December 1887 in Quebec City, date confirmed by his baptism record. Both of his parents, Andrew Cotter and Mary Jane O’Neill, were born in Quebec to Irish immigrants. The couple married on 21 April 1884 in Quebec City. Over the years Andrew worked as a plumber as… Read More »
David Battersby was one of an estimated 25,000 men who wanted to do their duty in the Great War, but were declared medically unfit. In Battersby’s case it wasn’t for lack of trying as he enlisted twice in an attempt to serve king and country. Born in Renfrew, Scotland, Feb. 12, 1876 to Robert Battersby… Read More »
According to his attestation papers, Joseph Charles Ferdinand Fortier was born on 2 December 1896 in Rat Portage (later named Kenora), Ontario. His parents were Joseph and Exilda (née Leblanc) Fortier who had married in St Boniface, Manitoba on 4 July 1891. Joseph was originally from Quebec while Exilda had moved to Manitoba with her… Read More »
Private William Thomas Howard enlisted at age 18 and served overseas for three years. He spent a year in France and Belgium with the 28th Battalion and several months with a trench mortar battery. William was the oldest son of William Henry Thomas and Gertrude Wilson of Kenora, Ontario. William Henry was born in England… Read More »
Axel Alfred Green was born November 4, 1892 in Tännäs, Sweden. His parents were John Green and Gertrude (Olson) Green. John and Gertrude emigrated from Sweden with their children in 1905/1906 and started farming in the Ostersund area of the Pellatt township near Keewatin/Kenora, Ontario. Axel was their second son with Olaf (Ole) as the… Read More »
Although Thomas Harold (Harry) Hall gave his place of birth as Pembroke, Ontario on his attestation papers, he was born on 26 April 1891 on the family farm across the Ottawa River in what is present day Sheenboro in Quebec. His parents Louis and Elizabeth (née Sweeney) Hall had married in 1872 in Ottawa. For… Read More »
James McLay was one of many Scottish immigrants to Canada and the Keewatin/Kenora area in the first decade of the last century. James, a millwright, came to Keewatin, Ontario in June of 1904 when he was 31 and took a job at one of the local sawmills. In September of that year his wife Mary… Read More »
