These are the stories of Kenora participants in the First World War.
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Corporal Charles James Dougherty was the son of Thomas Arthur and Mary Dougherty of Kenora, Ontario. Thomas was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and his wife Mary (née O’Keefe) was from Lacrosse, Wisconsin. They moved to Canada around 1887, settling in the small town of Rat Portage about four years later. They had five children, three… Read More »
Although a different birth date was used on his attestation papers, Hugh Murray was born on 23 August 1892 in Derrylusk, Parish of Roslea, Monaghan, Ireland. His parents were Patrick and Ellen (Toal) Murray who were farming in Derrylusk at the time of his birth. Other known siblings were Michael, Margaret, and Mary. It appears… Read More »
Private Wilfred Chappell enlisted in Port Arthur, Ontario in November 1915. He served for three years in Canada, Great Britain and France and returned to Canada in October 1918 due to illness. Wilfred was born on 3 September 1876 in Horbury, West Yorkshire, England. His parents, William Chappell and Martha Stones, were both born in… Read More »
The Battle of the Somme was a five-month long offensive that began in July 1916. The Canadian Corps arrived at the Somme in late August and in less than three months they suffered 24,000 casualties. One of the fallen was Private John McKechnie Francis of Kenora, Ontario. John was born on 20 November 1864 in… Read More »
William Rufus Mair was born on 19 December 1879 in the Byron area of Westminster Township in Middlesex, Ontario where his family farmed. He was the first born child of Andrew Mair and Sarah Ann Mackey, his parents marrying on 25 December 1877 in Westminster. Other children born to the family were Norman Sylvester (1881),… Read More »
James Melville was born July 18th, 1889 in Hudely Wood, Middlesex, England to Henry Phillip Cottam (1847-1911) and Bertha Annie (b 1861). He had siblings Harry Guy (b 1882), Phillip Ashley Joy (b 1885), and Algernon Edward (1894). In 1901, the family lived in Hornsey, Middlesex, England, at 4 Glasslyn Road. His father was a… Read More »
Staff Sergeant Cyril Douglas Ackerman was born in London, England and immigrated to Canada with his family in 1907, when he was nine years old. He enlisted at the age of 19 and served with the Canadian Army Service Corps in Winnipeg and Ottawa. Cyril was the son of Ella Lilian Cahill Stuart and George… Read More »
John Joseph Sampson was born on 24 May 1891 in St. Blazey, Cornwall, England. His parents were Phillip Sampson and Mary Grace Cundy. He had four brothers – James, Albert, Harry and Phillip; and six sisters – Beatrice, Bella, Ruth, Annetta, Lilian, and Mary Jane. John was educated in England and came to Canada in… Read More »
When the war started Sergeant Ralph Eustace Stawell was one of the early volunteers, enlisting with the 1st Canadian Contingent in September 1914 and serving overseas for more than four years, most of that time with the Royal Canadian Dragoons. He was wounded twice but he survived the war and returned to Canada in January… Read More »
Corporal Charles Hallam enlisted in Victoria, British Columbia in December 1914. He served in France and Belgium for more than three years and returned to Canada in March 1919. Charles was the son of William Hallam and Cecillia McNabb of Armstrong, British Columbia. Cecillia was born in Ontario to Scottish immigrant parents. William was born… Read More »