These are the stories of Kenora participants in the First World War.
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Private Arthur George Awcock enlisted in April 1916 and served overseas with the 78th Battalion (Winnipeg Grenadiers). He was wounded at the Battle of Passchendaele but he survived the war and returned to Canada in January 1919. Arthur was the son of Edward and Mary Awcock of Horsted Keynes, Sussex, England. He was born on… Read More »
Mark Sauerbrei was born on 25 April 1896 in Las Palmas, Canary Islands, Spain. His father John Sauerbrei was born in Bavaria, Germany (according to the 1901 England census record) and from an early age was involved in the hotel management business, starting his career in Belgium. Over the course of his life he managed… Read More »
Gustave/Gustaf Green was from Ostersund, Pellatt Township, near Kenora, Ontario. He was born August 19, 1894 in Tännäs, Sweden to John Green and Gertrude (Olson) Green. His older brothers were Olaf and Axel. After Gustave brothers Oscar, Magnus and Edward and a sister Mary were born. Gertrude also had a daughter, Kristina Ronsberg, from a… Read More »
Victor William Bunn was born on 24 May 1890 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. His parents were John Robert Bunn and Vashti Elizabeth Gunne. Siblings included Charles (born 1886), Thomas (born 1892), Marguerite (born 1893) and John (born 1895). Victor’s father, John, had just rejoined the Hudson Bay Company and was serving as a clerk… Read More »
The name Frank Rajas appeared in two editions of the Kenora Miner and News, 30 December 1914 and 20 January 1915. The articles were about recent volunteers for the third contingent. Frank’s identity and service could not be confirmed.
The Somme Offensive was a series of battles that lasted from July to November 1916 and resulted in enormous casualties for both the Allied and German armies. The Canadian Corps moved to the Somme area in late August and their first major engagement began in mid-September. Private Maurice Andrew Walsh was one of 24,000 casualties… Read More »
Jean Victoria Kennedy was born on 6 May 1896 in Ottawa, Carleton, Ontario. Her father Robert Alexander Kennedy, a first generation Irish Canadian, was originally from Uxbridge, Ontario (b 8 January 1860) although by the 1871 census the family had moved to Gloucester, Russell near Ottawa to farm. Her mother Victoria Jane (Jennie) Dent was… Read More »
After the war the towns of Kenora and Keewatin held a reception at the Tourist Hotel in recognition of all who served during the war. As published in the 2 April 1919 edition of the Kenora Miner and News, a D House appeared on the list of returning veterans. His identity and service could not… Read More »
Corporal Hector Donald Currie enlisted with the 52nd Battalion in May 1915. He was seriously wounded at the Vimy front in November 1916 and invalided to Canada the following spring. After his recovery he enlisted a second time, serving in Canada for another seven months. Hector was the son of Donald Hector Currie and Annie… Read More »
Over 60,000 Canadian soldiers died in the First World War and almost one third of them have no known grave. One of the missing is Private Robert Henry Jones who died in June 1916 at the Battle of Mount Sorrel. Robert was the second oldest son of Jacob Harry Jones and Mary Francis Lockhart. Jacob… Read More »