David Bracegirdle Jones was born in Wales in 1896 and emigrated to Canada prior to World War One. Jones enlisted with the 6th Bn. 1st Canadian Contingent in September 1914 and served overseas with it until he transferred to the Royal Flying Corp. He served as a Second Lieutenant with the 84th Sqdn. of the R.F.C. until his death in 1918. The collection consists of one letter and one photograph.
Levi Dendoff was born in Nanaimo, British Columbia in October, 1898. Dendoff enlisted in Nanaimo with the 102nd Battalion in February, 1916 and served overseas until his return to Nanaimo at the end of the war. The collection currently consists of more than a dozen postcards, some photographs, and images of a trench art souvenier.
James Howard Bennett was born in Spencerville, Ontario in 1894, enlisted in February, 1916, and served overseas in France. The collection consists of more than three dozen letters covering the period 1916 to 1918.
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.
Charles Robert Gray was born in Kent, England in March, 1891. Sometime prior to the war he emigrated to Canada and settled in Toronto, Ontario. Charles enlisted in Toronto in April, 1915. After training in Canada and England he was sent to France. Charles was killed on June 3, 1916. Walter Henry Gray was the younger brother of Charles. He was born in Kent, England in June, 1895. Sometime prior to the war he emigrated with his family and settled in Toronto, Ontario. Walter enlisted in Toronto, Ontario in April, 1915, the same day as his older brother. He served overseas with his brother and was seriously wounded in the same attack in June, 1916 that killed his brother. He was discharged in December, 1916 and returned to Canada. The collection consists of twenty five letters as well as several photographs. The original collection was donated by the Gray family to The Ontario Archives in Toronto.
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.
Joseph Barnes was born in Nottinghamshire, England in February, 1892. Barnes emmigrated to Canada prior to war and enlisted in Toronto, Ontario on November 11, 1914. He served overseas with the 19th Battalion until his discharge in February, 1919. Barnes was wounded in 1917, and was also awarded the Military Medal. The collection currently consists of his paybook, photographs and postcards, letters, and other miscellaneous items connected to his service.
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.
John Jackson Beck was born in Sheffield, England in June, 1882. Prior to the war Beck worked as an architect in England, Toronto, and New York before serving with the 32nd Siege Battery. Beck was a prolific writer, writing several hundered letters betweeen 1915 and his demobilization in April, 1919.
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.
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.
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.
John Vernon Davey was born in April, 1918. Davey enlisted with the R.C.A.F. in July, 1940 and was sent overseas in 1941. While flying with the 112th R.A.F. Squadron he was reported missing over North Africa in May, 1942. The collection currently consists of more than forty letters, as well as telegrams, and one photograph.
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.
Charles John Bunbury was born in Burhampore, East Indies in November, 1871. At the time of his enlistment in July, 1916 with the 143rd O/S Batt. he was the Chief of Police in Kamloops, British Columbia. The collection currrently consists of an undated book of poems entitled "Disarmament and Other Poems" likely written during the war and published after his death.
George Hedley Kempling was born June 1, 1884 in Toronto, Ontario and enlisted in Toronto, Ontario in August, 1915. He survived the war and returned to Canada in 1919. The collection consists of his diary entries from July 12, 1916 to October 7, 1916.
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.
Arthur Louis Sedgwick was born in November 1920, the son of Thomas and Jane Sedgwick of Toronto, Ontario. Sedgwick was a pilot with the 419 Squadron during the war. On the night of November 18, 1943 he was flying a Halifax on a return mission from Mannheim when the plane went into a dive. Sedgwick remained at the controls while the rest of the crew evacuated safely, but was unable to escape himself before the plane crashed. He was twenty three years of age at the time of his death. The collection currently consists of more than twenty letters, as well as photographs and miscellaneous documents.
William George Calder was born in Truro, Nova Scotia in 1898 and later lived in Ashcroft, British Columbia prior to the war. He enlisted in Vancouver, British Columbia in May, 1916, served overseas, and returned to Canada in 1919. The collection consists of more than forty letters, extensive images, both photographs and postcards, as well as diaries and numerous miscellaneous items.
James Simeon Bicknell was born in Birmingham, England in August, 1888. Bicknell emigrated to Canada sometime before the war, residing in Calgary. He enlisted in December, 1914 in Calgary, Alberta and served overseas with the 50th Battalion. The collection currently consist of his paybook, a notebook, and his discharge certificate.
This collection consists of three letters from the North Shore Archives, Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia, dated between December 1916 and November 11, 1918.
Robert Hainsworth was born in England in June, 1885. Prior to the war he emigrated to western Canada, where he enlisted in Red Deer, Alberta in January, 1915. The collection consists on one letter written by Hainsworth in 1916, and one photograph.
George Steele was born in England in April, 1889 and emigrated with his brothers to Canada sometime in 1911 or 1912. He enlisted in September, 1914. His brother Terrence Steele was born in Pickworth, England in October, 1894, and emigrated with his two brothers to Canada sometime in 1911 or 1912. He enlisted in Kingston, Ontario in November, 1914. The collection consists of three photographs.
Ronald MacKinnon was born on 27 August 1893 and enlisted in Toronto on September 10, 1915, serving first with the 81st Battalion. The unit went overseas in April 1916, but was broken up to reinforce other battalions, with Ronald being transferred to the Royal Canadian Regiment. He reached France in June, and shortly thereafter was wounded in the fighting at Sanctuary Wood, near Ypres. In November 1916, he was passed fit for duty and was posted to the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry. Private Ronald MacKinnon was killed in action at Vimy Ridge on April 9 -10, 1917. The collection currently consists of thirty nine letters and two photographs. See also the collections of his uncle William and his brother Archibald MacKinnon.
