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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Ackerman, Cyril Douglas

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 »

Wickstrom, Isaac Albert

Isak Albert Wikström was born on 9 August 1888 in Bälinge, NederluleГҐ in Norrbotten, Sweden. Bälinge is in northern Sweden close to the Finland border. His parents Nils Petter Wikström and Maria Langström were both from the area, marrying on 19 October 1873 in Bälinge. In the various Swedish records Nils’ occupation was given as… Read More »

Gagnon, Charles Joseph

Charles Joseph Gagnon, the  oldest of six sons of Joseph Gagnon and Victoria Madore, was born in Keewatin, Ontario on 19 November 1892. He was raised in Keewatin. The 1911 Canada census shows Charles  living with his family on 10th Street in Keewatin. He was sewing bags for Lake of the Woods Milling Company. Charles… Read More »

Pearson, Samuel

Samuel Pearson’s name appeared in the 24 June 1916 edition of the Kenora Miner and News for enlisting with the 221st Battalion. His identity and service could not be confirmed.  

Cowie, Andrew Grey

Lance Sergeant Andrew Grey Cowie joined the 152nd (Saskatchewan) Battalion in May 1916, at age 22. After six months of training he was drafted to a front line unit and sent to France. He died of wounds in August 1917. Andrew was the son of Andrew Grey Cowie Sr. and Annie Gallagher of Carnduff, Saskatchewan…. Read More »

Spradbrow, George Ralph

George Ralph Spradbrow began his flying career in the Royal Flying Corps in WW1 and moved progressively through bush flying and general aviation to become one of the first pilots of corporate flying in Canada. George was born on 20 November 1896 in Toronto, Ontario.  His parents were Charles Spradbrow and Elizabeth Locke. Siblings included:… Read More »

Kemp, Peter Gillespie Muir

Peter Gillespie Muir Kemp was born on 15 April 1898 in Ballymacarrett, Belfast in northern Ireland. His father John Kemp, a ship rivetter, was from Port Glasgow in Scotland while his mother Sarah Havelin was from Glasgow, the couple marrying on 15 June 1888 in Port Glasgow. Children born to the couple in the Port… Read More »

Lavery, John

Joseph Pierre Jean Baptiste (John) Lavery was born on 7 January 1893 in the RM of St Francois Xavier in Manitoba. His parents Joseph Arsene Lavery and Marie Demerise St Armand were both from Quebec, marrying on 16 July 1888 in St Aubert, L’Islet. Arsene had previously been married to Beatrice Pelletier who died in… Read More »

Stratton, Stanley Carter

Stanley Carter Stratton was born on 6 November 1890 in Gardner, Massachusetts. His parents were George Kendall Stratton and Fannie Goodridge. He had two brothers and one sister: Fred Leighton (b. 1886), Harriet Goodridge (b. 1889) and Raymond Kendall (b. 1895, d. 1903). Stanley grew up in Bradford, New Hampshire and attended Simons Free High… Read More »

Maki, Alexander

Alexander Maki was living in Kenora, Ontario when he enlisted on 17 July 1916. According to his attestation paper he was single, born on 25 February 1880 in Wasa, Finland and he had served with the Finnish armed forces for three and a half years before immigrating to Canada. He was employed as a railroad… Read More »