Robert Rollo Paul was born in Lavant, Ontario, in April 1888. Paul enlisted in October 1914, in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan. He served overseas with the 28th Battalion and returned home to Canada at the end of the war. The collection currently consists of a memoir recounting his escape from a Prisoner of War Camp.
South African (Boer) War Collection
Robert Robinson enlisted in Toronto, Ontario, in January 1900 at the age of twenty-five, and served with the Canadian Mounted Rifles during the South African War. The collection consists of three letters written back to Canada from April 1900 to September 1900.
Melville Alexander Bradshaw was born in Toronto, Ontario, in August 1898. While still a student, Bradshaw enlisted in November 1916 in Toronto, Ontario, with the 67th O.S. Depot Battery, C.F.A. The collection currently consists of two photographs and his diary from 1918.
John Melody Dever was born in Montreal, Québec, in June 1897. He enlisted in August 1916 at Kingston, Ontario. Dever served overseas in France until the end of the war, when he returned to Canada. The collection consists of several postcards, photographs, his signalling certificate, and a copy of Arthur Currie's special order for the troops of March 27, 1918.
Roderick Anderson Todd was born in Edinburgh, Scotland, in 1890 and immigrated to Canada prior to the war. He enlisted in Victoria, British Columbia, in February 1914. He served overseas in France and was wounded in 1917. The collection currently consists of fifteen letters written by Todd, most of them while in hospital.
James Wells Ross was born in Toronto, Ontario, in August 1890. At the time of his enlistment in September, 1914, he was a medical student at the University of Toronto. He served overseas during the war, and at the end of the war returned to Canada to practice medicine. The collection consists of several diary enteries and more than eighty letters, the majority of which are an extended dated journal entry that begins in 1914. See also the Gladys Hope Sewell Ross collection in WWI (his wife) and the Colin Sewell Ross collection in WWII (his son).
James Douglas McAdam was born in Beeton, Simcoe, Ontario, in June 1892. McAdam was a teacher at the time of his enlistment in Toronto, Ontario, in January 1917. He served overseas in both the Canadian and Siberian Expeditionary Forces. The collection currently consists of four letters and one photograph.
Gunner Bertram Howard Cox was born in Barbados on December 13, 1894, to parents Charles Henry and Isabel Cox. He immigrated to Canada prior to the war and was working as a bank clerk in Winnipeg, Manitoba, at the time of his enlistment there with the 59th Overseas Battery, 15th Brigade, on March 26, 1916.
He shipped out to England in September 1916, where he was transferred to the 60th Battery, 14th Brigade C.F.A., and was sent over to France in August 1917. He remained with the 60th until the end of the war and was demobilized on June 28, 1919.
The collection consists of nearly forty letters written by Bertram to family and friends between 1916 to 1919. The majority are addressed to: his parents, his two brothers Carl (and wife Mabel) and Murrill (and wife Ella), and his sisters Ina and Leila (and husband Jack).
Also included is a transcription of the 1917 Christmas edition of the trench-newspaper The O’Pip, published “Somewhere in France” by the 58th Battery C.F.A. The paper was enclosed with a letter sent by Bertram to his sister Leila on January 11, 1918. (It has been posted below under the content category of “Newspaper Articles”)
External links:
Gunner Bertram Cox’s service record (Serv/Reg# 327964) can be viewed/downloaded in pdf format through Library and Archives Canada.
Please note: all letter transcriptions, including annotations to the letters, were provided by the donor.
Einar Stefansson Long was born in Iceland in December 1891. He immigrated to Canada prior to the war and was a student in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Long enlisted in February, 1916, in Winnipeg. He served overseas with the 8th Battalion and was killed on August 9, 1918. The collection consists of one photograph of Long and his friend Gudmunder Gudmundson.
John Hill Robertson was born in Wellington, British Columbia, in June 1898. Robertson was recruited in October 1917 and served overseas in England and France until he was demobilized and returned to Canada in 1919. The collection consists of more than thirty letters, as well as postcards, photographs, and his paybook.
Frank Tilbury was born in London, Ontario, in 1877 and enlisted in the 135th Battalion on December 13, 1915; he listed his occupation as musician, and noted that he had previous service in the 26th Regiment and the 1st Hussars. The diaries, which run from August 1916 to August 1917, cover his training in England and his service at the front with the 60th and 116th Battalions.
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.
Archibald "Archie" MacKinnon was born in July, 1894. He first enlisted with the 74th Battalion and later served overseas with the 58th Battalion. MacKinnon was seriously wounded in September 1916, and discharged as medically unfit in June 1917. The collection currently consists of twenty letters. See also the collections of his uncle William MacKinnon and his brother Ronald MacKinnon.
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.
Samuel Greenway, from Cedar (Nanaimo) British Colulmbia was born in May, 1889 and enlisted in Vancouver in January, 1918. He served overseas with the 7th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (British Columbia Regiment) until his death in September, 1918. The collection currently consists of fourteen letters, several photographs, telegram, and some official correspondence.
Stewart Hastings Bull was born in Windsor, Ontario in 1916. He was educated at the University of Toronto and enlisted with the Essex Scottish in 1940. Bull was wounded at Caen, France by a mortar a few months after D-Day. He was hospitalized for several months and never returned to the front. Bull finished with the rank of Major. The collection consists of his memoir of the war transcribed from a recording by Bull in September, 2002 at the age of 86, as well as two photographs of Bull from 1941.
Thomas S. Sharland was born in York Township, Toronto, Ontario, in June 1882. Sharland enlisted in Toronto in April 1915 and served overseas until 1919. The collection consists of four letters, postcards and several photographs.
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.
This collection consists of three letters from the North Shore Archives, Tatamagouche, Nova Scotia, dated between December 1916 and November 11, 1918. Used with permission of the North Shore Archives Society.
Garfield Willard Weston was born in Toronto, Ontario, in February 1898. Weston enlisted in February 1917 in Toronto with the Divisional Signallers, Engineering Company. Weston served overseas during the war, and following the war he was a successful businessman, philanthropist, and served as an MP in the British Parliament during WWII. For further information on Weston, see the Weston Family Foundation website. The collection currently consists of one letter and three photographs.
Richard Roe was born in Greenock, Scotland, in August 1895. Sometime prior to the war he moved to Victoria, British Columbia, where he was employed as a carpenter. Roe enlisted in Victoria on March 12, 1915, and served overseas with the 28th Battalion. Roe was killed on October 8, 1915, by the accidental discharge of a rifle from his own troops. The collection consists of one letter of condolence to his parents.
Earl Bolton was born in Ingersoll, Ontario, in 1889 and then later moved to Detroit, Michigan, where he was employed as a grinder. He returned to Canada and enlisted in London, Ontario, in February 1918. Bolton saw service in France beginning in August 1918. He was wounded and died October 9, 1918. The collection currently consists of three letters.
Alexander Ewen was born in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, in 1881 and immigrated to Canada prior to the war, where he lived in the London, Ontario, area. He enlisted in September 1914 and served overseas. The collection consists of eight letters and four photographs.
John Pritchard Sudbury was born in London, England, in 1894. He immigrated to Montreal where he worked for the Montreal Gazette before enlisting in Montreal in July 1915. He was sent to Belgium in February 1916. He served throughout the Front including the Ypres Salient in 1916, the Somme in September 1916, Vimy Ridge in April 1917, and at Passchaendaele in October 1917, where he was wounded. The collection consists of more than sixty letters written to his family, photographs, a poem, a pay book, a Christmas card, and two magazines.
Harold Gregg Keating, MM, was born in Kemptville, Ontario in February, 1892. Keating enlisted with the 72nd in Vernon, British Columbia in June 1915, and served overseas with the 1st Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade. He was awarded the MM. The collection currently consists of numerous photographs and postcards, as well as some miscellaneous items.
