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These are the stories of Kenora participants in the First World War.
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When the First World War started aircraft technology was still quite new and airplanes were used mainly for observation. Major advancements were made over the next four years and both sides developed fighters and bombers. Flight Lieutenant George Raymond Carmichael served as a pilot with the Royal Flying Corps for over two years and he… Read More »
Sapper Charles William Skinner enlisted with the Royal Engineers in December 1914 in London, England. He served for over four years with signal companies and a field company, getting discharged in February 1919. Charles was born in July 1896 in St. George in the East, London, England. His father, Charles Henry Skinner, was from Gillingham,… Read More »
John Marchant and sons Wilfred (back) and Albert. Wilfred (also called Milfred) Marchant was born on 28 July 1898 in Rat Portage (Kenora), Ontario. His parents were John and Alice Marchant. Siblings included: Alfred (1897-1961), Jack (b. 1899), Alice (1901-1961), Arthur (b. 1902) and Gordon (b. 1904). Wilfred was educated in Kenora and entered services… Read More »
Ted was the youngest of the 6 children of James Henry Cox and Emma Jane Cox (formerly Smith). His siblings were Willie James (1872-1917), Alice Louise (1874-1962), Frederick Henry (1876-1959), James Arthur (1878-1936), and Florence Ada (1881-1929). On the census taken in England during 1911 he was shown as a 24 year old fireman with… Read More »
Frederick Kenneth Campbell was one of the early volunteers for Canada’s war effort. He joined the 34th Fort Garry Horse, a cavalry unit, on Aug. 27, 1914, in Winnipeg as part of Canada’s First Contingent of 30,000 men being raised for the war effort. The 34th, which numbered about 250 officers and men, was merged… Read More »
Private Bertram Richard Savage enlisted underage in August 1916 and served with the 43rd Battalion in France and Belgium. He suffered gas poisoning but survived the war and returned home in May 1919. Bertram was the youngest son of Patrick Richard Savage and Mary Adeline Casey of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Patrick and Mary were both born… Read More »
Robert Spence was born on 3 November 1893 in Rat Portage (later renamed Kenora) in northwestern Ontario. His parents Robert Spence and Elizabeth Park Johnston were both from the Orkneys in Scotland, marrying on 21 June 1888 in Burray, South Ronaldshay. At the time Robert, a widower, was working as a fisherman. Later that year… Read More »
Private Edward Simister enlisted in Swift Current, Saskatchewan and served overseas for a year and a half. He suffered from illness for much of that time and he was invalided back to Canada in March 1918. His British war bride joined him four months later. Edward was the oldest son of Richard Simister and his… Read More »
Lance Corporal Gordon Edwin Fraser enlisted with the 29th Battalion in November 1914, three months after the war started. He was seriously wounded at the Vimy front in 1917 and invalided back to Canada later that same year. Gordon was the oldest son of Andrew Fraser and Frances Elizabeth Fennell of Vancouver, British Columbia. Frances… Read More »
Cyril Delamere Boyce was born on 21 May 1894 in Rat Portage (later renamed Kenora), Ontario. His father Arthur Cyril Boyce was born in Wakefield, Yorkshire, England and after graduating from Osgoode Hall in Toronto, practiced law in Port Arthur, Ontario before moving to Rat Portage. He married Victoria May Louisa Machin on 14 October… Read More »
