Kenora Great War Project

 

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The People

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These are the stories of Kenora participants in the First World War.

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Sawkins, Ernest Harold

Ernest Harold Sawkins, more commonly known as Harold,  was born on 18 January 1894 in Walsall, Staffordshire, England. His father William Henry Sawkins was born in St George, London while his mother Amelia Mary Clarke was from Upton, Worcestershire. The couple married during the last quarter of 1882 in the Registration District of King’s Norton,… Read More »

L’Heureux, Oscar George

Sapper Oscar George L’Heureux enlisted in the Royal Flying Corps in December 1918. He served with them for three months, followed by fourteen months of service with the Canadian Expeditionary Force in Canada and Great Britain. He returned home in June 1919. Oscar was the oldest son of Philibert L’Heureux and Delia Lasalle of Winnipeg,… Read More »

Lalonde, P

As reported in the 2 April 1919 edition of the Kenora Miner and News, the towns of Kenora and Keewatin held a large reception at the Tourist Hotel to honour returning veterans. On the list was P. Lalonde. His identity could not be confirmed.  

Hinds, Frederick Ellsworth

Private Frederick Ellsworth Hinds signed up with the Canadian Army Medical Corps in December 1915, at age 21, and served overseas for more than three years. Ellsworth was the son of Frederick Hinds and Isabel Mathieson of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Frederick was born in Brussels, Ontario and Isabel in Toronto. They were married in 1891 in… Read More »

Sparks, William Thomas

Corporal William Thomas Sparks enlisted in December 1914 and served in England, France and Belgium. He was wounded at the Battle of the Somme in 1916 and he spent over a year recovering in hospitals and convalescent centres. William was the son of Thomas George Sparks (Sparkes) and Eliza Mackler of West Ham, London, England…. Read More »

Hansen, Einer

Along with his twin brother Rudolph Eugene, Einer Sixtus Hansen was born on 18 October 1900 in Rat Portage (later renamed Kenora), Ontario. His father Johan Haaken (John) Hansen, a marine engineer, was born in Norway and had immigrated to Canada with his widowed father and some of his siblings in the late 1880’s, first… Read More »

Speight, Horace Haslam

Private Horace Haslam Speight was only 14 years old when the war started. Between 1917 and 1919 he enlisted three times, and he served for almost two years in Canada. Horace was born and raised in Brookville Station, a small community on the outskirts of Saint John, New Brunswick. His father John Speight was born… Read More »

McIsaac, Murdock

Murdock McIsaac was born in Little River, Codroy in Newfoundland. Differing dates of birth were given of 8 May 1887 and 8 May 1888 on attestation, and according to his later naturalization and death records, his date of birth was 3 November 1989. He was the son of Alexander C and Isabella McIsaac who farmed… Read More »

Bernicot, Yves Marie

Yves Marie Bernicot was born on 2 February 1883 in Villaric, Plabennec, Finistère, in northwestern France. His parents were Louis Bernicot who was from Plabennec and Marie Anne Kerbrat who was from Guisseny, also in Finistère. The couple married on 30 January 1864 in Plabennec. Yves’ known siblings were Marie Francoise (1867-1869), Jean (1869), Jean… Read More »

Wright, Robert Hamilton

Private Robert Hamilton Wright enlisted in December 1915, at age 15, and served in France and Belgium for more than a year. He was sent back to Canada in February 1918 due to being a minor. Robert was born on 26 April 1900 in the village of Norman in northwestern Ontario. His parents, William Hamilton… Read More »