Harold John "Jack" Andrews was born in November, 1919. Andrews enlisted with the RCAF in Vancouver, British Columbia in September, 1940. He served overseas as a wireless operator until his return to Canada in 1945. The collection currently consists of his paybook, miscellaneous items, and an extended memoir rewritten from a daily diary he kept from his enlistment to the end of the war.
George Cameron was born in Sarnia, Ontario, in 1893 and enlisted in the artillery there in May 1917. He served in the 7th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery in France and Belgium. The diary covers his experiences in England and at the front from January 1918 to March 1919.
William Steel served with the R.C.A.F. during WWII. This collection consists of more than 20 letters between himself and family members, miscellaneous documents, as well as some photographs. Some of the letters describe his life in Ceylon where he was stationed towards the end of the war.
Lancelot de Sausmarez Duke was born in Ceylon in October, 1896. He was educated in England and Canada and moved to Victoria, British Columbia, where his father was a doctor. Duke initially enlisted with the 88th Battalion, Victoria Fusiliers, in May 1915. Duke then transferred to the Royal Flying Corps with whom he served until the end of the war. He flew with the 84th Squadron and was awarded the D.F.C. The collection currently consists of letters from Duke, photographs, and his diary from 1918.
Owen Walsh was born in Quebec, February 18, 1888. We know very little about him. Prior to his enlistment he listed his residence as Montreal, his occupation as boilermaker, and he had served three years with the 8th Royal Rifles of Quebec and three years with the Queen's Own Hussars. Walsh enlisted in Montreal September 1, 1915. He saw action in France and was killed in action April 20, 1916. The collection consists of one letter of condolence to his wife.
James Henry Holt was born in Manchester, England in October, 1892. Prior to the war he emigrated with his family to Victoria, British Columbia. Holt enlisted in December, 1914 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and served under the name of James Henry. He was the older brother of Harold Holt. Holt served in France with the 25th Battalion until his death in October, 1916. The collection currently consists of a memorial ribbon commemorating his death, and a photograph of his grave.
Edward (Ted) Loney was born in October, 1920 in Vancouver, British Columbia. In 1943 Loney joined the Royal Canadian Artillery and served as an anti-aircraft gunner until he returned to Canada in 1946. The collection consists of more than one hundred letters.
Charles Henry Savage was born in Eastman, Quebec in September, 1892. Savage enlisted at Sherbrooke, Quebec in February, 1915 and served overseas with the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles until his discharge at the end of the war. The collection consists of an extended memoir written after the war and two photographs.
John Alexander McDougall was born in Cheyenne, Wyoming in 1892 and later moved to Calgary, Alberta. He enlisted with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in December, 1915, and served overseas in France. The collection consists of more than twenty letters and several photographs covering the period 1915 to 1918.
Alfred Frank Warn was born in Christchurch, Hampshire, England in November, 1889. Prior to the war Warn emigrated to Canada. He enlisted with the 75th Battalion in August, 1915 at Niagara-on-the-Lake. The collection currently consists of one photograph of Warn.
Charles Wilcox was born in July, 1889 at Stanstead, Quebec. Wilcox enlisted in October, 1914 and served with the 4th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. He served overseas in France and was wounded twice, the second time at Passchendaele late in 1917. Wilcox returned to Canada in 1919. The collection consists of nine letters that he wrote home while overseas. These letters are reproduced here with the kind permission of the Georgeville Historical Society and were originally published in The Georgeville Enterprise (Winter 1996).
Thomas William Johnson was born in April, 1877 and enlisted at Swift Current, Saskatchewan in March, 1916. The collection consists of more than sixty letters that he wrote to his future wife 'Lulu'.
Harold Henry Simpson was born in March, 1897 in Bayview, Prince Edward Island. Simpson enlisted in September, 1915 in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island and served overseas in France, Belgium, and Germany until his return to Canada at the end of the war. The collection consists of more than one hundred forty letters from 1915 to 1919.
Richard Aubrey Bright was born in Vancouver, British Columbia in January, 1910. He attended The University of British Columbia, graduating with a degree in civil engineering and during the war served in England with the Royal Canadian Engineers. The collection consists of more than twenty five letters covering the period from 1940 to 1946 written to his sister Muriel ('Moo') and her husband Charles Dustin ('Dusty').
Albert John Simpkins was born in Walthamstow, London, England in November, 1878. He was a mineral water manufacturer. Prior to the war he had travelled and worked in Canada, living for some time in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Simpkins was back in England during the war, and enlisted at Seaford Sussex in May, 1918. He served overseas with the 8th Battalion, and was killed in action on September 29, 1918, age 39. The collection currently consists of numerous letters, photographs, postcards, and digital images of his personal effects returned to the family after his death.
Elwood Silverman Greenleese was born in Thurso, Quebec in 1899 and enlisted in Montreal in September, 1916. Greenleese died in 1922. The collection consists of four letters and one photo.
Thomas Frederick Jackson was born in London, England in November, 1876. At the time of his enlistment in Vancouver, British Columbia in September, 1915 Jackson was living in Vancouver and was married. Jackson served overseas with the 47th Battalion and was killed April 13, 1917. The collection consists of one letter and one photograph, as well as a thank you letter from Buckingham Palace.
Karl Vincent Butler was born May 6, 1912, son of Horace and Violetta Butler of Sydney, Nova Scotia. Butler served as a Lance Corporal with the West Nova Scotia Regiment, R.C.I.C. and was part of the invasion of Italy in 1943. He was killed August 2, 1943 in Italy, age 31. The collection consists of more than seventy letters, some photographs, postcards, and other miscellaneous items.
Geoffrey William Francis Turpin was born in Montreal in 1916. In 1939 he joined the Victoria Rifles of Canada and in 1940 transferred to the Royal Montreal Regiment. He was sent to France in July, 1944 and returned to Canada in January, 1945. He died in Toronto in 1996. The collection consists of more than forty letters and more than forty photographs representing his time in service.
James Bond Bell was born in Drew, Ontario in 1921 and joined the RCAF in 1940. He participated in more than twenty raids before he was killed over France on the night of April 18th -19th, 1944. The collection includes forty letters either from James or official correspondence relating to his death. See also the correspondence of his brothers Elmer David Bell and William Robert Bell.
William Stanley Lane was born in June, 1891. Lane was a law student at his time of enlistment in November, 1914 with the 29th Battalion. He served in France as signaller and was killed on April 6, 1916 in the Battle of St. Eloi. Three of his brothers also served - James Eldon Lane, Robert Wallace Lane, and Walter Ross Lane. The collection currently consists of seven photographs, four newspaper articles, and several miscellaneous items.
David McLean was born in Aberdeen, Scotland in 1880. He emigrated to Canada sometime prior to the war and enlisted in Toronto, Ontario on January 16, 1916. McLean served overseas in France with the 48th Highlanders and was killed April 20, 1917, leaving behind a wife and infant son. David McLean appears to have been a prolific letter writer for according to his 1916 Vest Pocket Reference Annual where he noted each letter, he sent over 150 letters and other forms of notes from August 31, 1916 alone. It is also noted that from November 17, 1916 onwards he received 55 letters and packages. The collection consists of more than fifty letters and one photograph.
Reginald John Paul was born on December 14, 1895 in Burin, Newfoundland. He enlisted on December 21, 1914 and served with the Royal Newfoundland Regiment. Paul served both at Gallipoli and on the Somme and was killed on the first day of the Somme, July 1, 1916. The collection consists of two letters from the chaplain to his family, and one photograph.
Dr. Charles James McNeil Willoughby was born in Cookstown, Ontario in 1894. Willoughby joined the Royal Medical Corp in 1916 after graduating from the University of Toronto medical school. He was posted first to Mesopotamia, and then later served in England, France and Belgium. After the war he returned to Canada where he practiced medicine in Kamloops, British Columbia. Willoughby died in 1995. The collection consists of nearly two hundred letters as well as photographs.
Arthur James Hay was born in Toronto, Ontario in 1895 and enlisted July 22, 1915. Hay served oveseas in France with the 38th Bn. In 1917 he was wounded by a gas attack, and returned to Canada in July, 1918 as a result of his injuries. Arthur James Hay died in 1963. The collection consists of a photograph of Hay and a copy of his pension identification certificate.
