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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Renger, Carl

Private Carl Renger enlisted in September 1916 at age 18 and served overseas for two years. He was wounded in France in the last months of the war but he survived and returned to Canada in April 1919. Carl was the only son of Augusta Rabes and her first husband Emil Renger. Carl was born… Read More »

Conn, John Alvin

Sapper John Alvin Conn was one of five brothers who served in the First World War. He enlisted in March 1917 and served in France with the Canadian Engineers, returning to Canada in March 1919. Alvin was the son of Robert Conn and Mary Ellen Curle of Vernon, British Columbia. Robert and Mary were both… Read More »

Argue, James Roy

Private James Roy Argue enlisted early in the war and arrived in France in May 1915. He was missing in action and presumed killed at the Battle of the Somme. James was the oldest son of John Harvey Argue and Barbara Ann Fee of Cranbrook, British Columbia. John was originally from Ashton, Ontario and Barbara… Read More »

MacKay, James Stuart

Private James Stuart MacKay served in France, Belgium and Germany for two and a half years, most of that time with the 43rd Battalion and the 1st Canadian Divisional Train. He earned a Military Medal for his actions at the Vimy front in April 1917. James was born on 1 January 1896 in Glasgow, Lanarkshire,… Read More »

Spaight, W

The name of W Spaight appeared in the 4 March 1916 edition of the Kenora Miner and News for enlisting with the 2nd Field Company, Canadian Engineers. His identity and service could not be confirmed.  

Nairn, Robert George Grant

Robert George Grant Nairn was born on 27 April 1894 in Rat Portage (later renamed Kenora), Ontario. His father Robert Nairn was from Netherhill, Dunlop, Ayrshire in Scotland and had immigrated to Canada as a theology student to attend the Presbyterian College (Pine Hill) in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Upon graduation he worked as a student… Read More »

Kennedy, Norman Walter

Norman Walter Kennedy was born on 10 October 1900, his birth registered in the RM of Rosedale in Manitoba. His later obituary gave his place of birth as Eden, a small community just north of Neepawa. His parents were John Walter Kennedy and Mildred Maria Henderson, both from the Kawartha Lakes area in Ontario, Walter… Read More »

Green, Alfred James

Lance Corporal Alfred James Green was the youngest son of James Calder Green and Margaret McLeod of North Vancouver, British Columbia. His parents both immigrated to Canada from Scotland, James as a child in the early 1860s and Margaret in 1884. They were married in Rat Portage, Ontario in September 1886. They settled in Rat… Read More »

Hamel, George

George James Hamel was most likely born on 28 February 1883 in Lorette, Manitoba. His birth was registered in St. Boniface (now part of Winnipeg) as Georges Julien Roger. His parents were Amede Hamel and Odile Lamy. Odile was born in Quebec but different census records give Amede’s birth place as Quebec, Ontario and the… Read More »

Sheppard, Peter

According to his attestation papers, Peter Sheppard was born on 22 June 1886 in Glasgow, Scotland. A birth record was not found and given his gray hair he was likely older than stated. When he attested with the 190th Battalion on 21 July 1916 in Winnipeg, Peter had been living in Kenora, Ontario and working… Read More »