Mm. Marie-Louise Depreaux was an American born woman who lived in Paris with her French husband, Albert Depreaux, during the German Occupation. The collection consists of an ongoing letter written to her two sisters to relate to them the details of her life during that time, written between August, 1940 and September, 1944. The spelling in the original has been retained as closely as possible in the transcription.
Wallace Aubrey Reid was born in Peterborough, Ontario in 1891 and moved to Vermillion, Alberta with his family in 1911. Reid enlisted in Edmonton, Alberta in September, 1915 and served overseas in France. The collection consists of one letter written to his mother in 1916, which was subsequently reprinted in The Peterborough Review in February, 1917, as well as one photograph.
This collection includes letters from area soldiers published in The Speaker, as well as other articles from that paper pertaining to local soldiers and activities in the town. Overall the collection provides an excellent sense of the connection that a small town in Ontario had to World War One through the pages of its local paper. Whenever possible we have linked the names of individuals appearing in the paper with their attestation papers and/or their commemoration through the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
The Canadian Letters and Images Project is indebted to Dion Loach for graciously sharing his research.
William Cunliffe was born in Burnley, Lancashire, England in August, 1891. Prior to the war he emigrated to Canada and enlisted in September, 1915 at Niagara, Ontario with the 109th Battalion. Cunliffe served overseas with the 84th and then with the 75th Battalion until his return to Canada in 1919. The collection currentlly consists of several letters, postcards, a photograph, and miscellaneous personal items.
Ephraim Gregory was born in Doves Holes, Derbyshire, England in 1889. He emigrated to Toronto, Ontario sometime around 1910 to be with his sisters. Gregory enlisted in Toronto in August, 1915 and served overseas until the end of the war. He returned to Canada at the end of the war, but later returned to England where he died in 1978. The collection currently consist of one photograph of Gregory.
Sydney Amyas Winterbottom was born in Calgary, Alberta in June, 1896. He was a student at the time of his enlistment in Vernon, British Columbia in July, 1915. Winterbottom served overseas with the 29th Battalion until his death on November 6, 1917. The collection consists of more than sixty letters written by Winterbottom, as well as several photographs.
This collection currently consists of one letter written in 1943 to Tom Paterson from his father while Tom was serving in Italy.
Terence Sheard was born in Toronto, Ontario in February, 1898. Sheard enlisted at Cobourg, Ontario with the Cobourg Heavy Battery and served overseas in France until his return to Canada and discharge in 1919. The collection consists of two letters and five photographs.
Like other Women's Institutes across Canada, the Stony Plain Women's Institute of Alberta was an important link between the soldiers overseas and the homefront. Through their members they contributed financial aid to organizations such as the Red Cross as well as sending parcels to overseas soldiers. The collection consists of thank-you letters from soldiers, acknowledgement cards for parcels, receipts for the Institute's donations to the Red Cross, and miscellaneous correspondence.
William Paterson was born in Leith, Scotland in April, 1893. Paterson emigrated to Canada prior to the war, and enlisted in Calgary, Alberta in November, 1914. He served overseas as a signaller with the 31st Battalion until he returned to Canada at the end of the war. The collection currently consists of six photographs and one postcard.
Walter Fick was born on the Isle of Man in April, 1884. Sometime prior to the war he emigrated to Canada and worked in Toronto, Ontario as a conductor on the Toronto Street Railway. Fick enlisted in Toronto on May 1, 1916. He served with the 21st Battalion (Eastern Ontario Regiment). Fick died in hospital in England in 1918. The collection consists of one letter to his wife Mona, several Red Cross letters, two telegrams, and three photographs.
Arthur John Cook was born in Chelmsford, England in 1892 and emigrated to Canada prior to the war. Cook enlisted in Edmonton, Alberta in November, 1914. He served overseas until the end of the war. The collection currently consists of his 1918 diary and one photograph.
William Lowry was born in Bannbridge, Ireland in 1893 and emigrated to Prince George, British Columbia sometime prior to World War One. He enlisted in January, 1916, served in France and was wounded late in 1916. He was sent first to England and later back to British Columbia to recover. The collection consists of seventeen letters covering his convalescence both overseas and in Canada.
Robert, Charles, and George Rooke were born in England and moved with their parents William and Hannah Rooke to Saskatchewan to homestead. Robert Percy Rooke, age twenty-two, enlisted in Winnipeg, Manitoba on February 9, 1900 with the Lord Strathcona's Horse. His brother Charles Winn, age twenty-four, also enlisted on January 9, 1900 with the Lord Stathcona's Horse. Both served in South Africa and returned to Canada early in 1901. They both re-enlisted with the Canadian Mounted Rifles, along with their brother George Cyril, age twenty, who enlisted in December, 1901, and served in South Africa until the end of the war. The original letters have been donated by the family to the National Archives in Ottawa. The collection consists of more than 40 letters written by the brothers to their family back in Canada.
William James McNabb was born in Desboro, Ontario in March 1891. He enlisted in December 1915 in Owen Sound, Ontario with the 147th Grey Battalion. McNabb served overseas in France and Belgium until his death in October, 1918. The collection currently consists of one letter, obituaries, a field service card, and his circumstances of death report.
Arthur George Teer was born in Toronto, Ontario in September, 1893. He enlisted in Toronto in June, 1915 and served overseas in Belgium and France until the end of the war. The collection currently consists of 20 letters.
Amos William (Will) Mayse was born in Lincolnshire, England in March, 1880. Mayse served in South Africa with the York and Lancaster Regiment Imperial Forces, where he was twice wounded and discharged with the rank of corporal. He later emigrated to Canada and was a Baptist clergyman in Manitoba before he enlisted in January, 1916 in Emerson, Manitoba. Mayse served overseas in France and Belgium until the end of the war. Mayse later settled in Nanaimo, British Columbia where he continued his work as a clergyman. The collection consists of more than two hundred letters, as well as other personal items.
Clarence Reginald Gass was born in Bayfield, Nova Scotia in April, 1894. He enlisted in Halifax in November, 1915 and served overseas until the end of the war. The collection consists of more than forty letters, as well as photographs, telegrams and miscellaneous items related to the 85th Canadian Infantry Battalion (Nova Scotia Highlanders) with whom he served.
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Bertam Howard Cox was born in the Barbadoes in 1894. He emigrated to Canada and prior to the war and worked as a bank clerk in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Cox enlisted in Winnipeg in March, 1916. The collection consists of nearly forty letters from 1916 to 1919.
Douglas George Buckley was born in Guysborough, Nova Scotia in January, 1891. Buckley in Toronto, Ontario in November, 1914 and served oveseas with the 19th Battalion until his discharge on medical grounds in October, 1917. The collection currently consists of forty letters, postcards, and miscellaneous personal items.
James John Parker was born in Belfast, Ireland in January, 1894. He emigrated to Canada, and enlisted with the 92nd Battalion in August, 1915 in Toronto, Ontario. The collection currently consists of images of his paybook, two photographs, and his certification as an Air Raid Warden during the Second World War.
Thomas Marion was born in Toronto in 1894. He was a student in Montreal at the time of his enlistment in November, 1916. Marion was a member of the Irish Canadian Rangers and served overseas where he was wounded. The collection consists of one letter from hospital describing his wounding. The actual date of the letter is unclear. Although it is dated 1915 would be likely 1917 or possibly 1918, given that he did not enlist until 1916.
Daniel Serrick was born in Jollimore, Nova Scotia in September, 1920. In 1938 Serrick went to England and joined the Manchester Regiment, serving with 'B' Company until his evacuation from Dunkirk in June, 1940. He then transferred to the British Commandos and then to the 1st Canadian Parachute Battalion in July, 1942. From there Serrick volunteered for the joint American and Canadian The First Special Service Force and was killed in the Italian campaign on May 29, 1944. Daniel Serrick is buried in the Beach Head War Cemetery, Anzio, Italy. The collection consists of one letter to his sister as well as several photographs.
