Kenora Great War Project

 

You can also view an Alphabetical List

The People

soldier_photobar

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

Search by name, or filter the search results using the list of options below.

Sprickling, Ernest

Along with a number of other fellows, the name Ernest Sprickling appeared in the 21 October 1914 edition of the Kenora Miner and News. The article stated that the volunteers had gone to Winnipeg to enlist in the war. Ernest’s identity and service could not be confirmed.  

Clark, Charles Alfred

‘The Peterborough Boys’ was a name given to a group of young men from the Peterborough area of England who made their way to live in Kenora.  Many of them were single, working for the railway and living at the Y.M.C.A. in Kenora. They spent countless hours together in their spare time to socialize and… 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 »

Snaddon, Andrew Johnston

Major Andrew Johnston Snaddon enlisted in the spring of 1915 and served in France with the 4th Battalion. He was killed in October 1916 at the Battle of the Somme. Andrew was born on 19 October 1888 in Clackmannan, Clackmannanshire, Scotland. His parents were Andrew Snaddon and Margaret Sharp. Margaret was born in Clackmannan and… Read More »

Kelley, William Henry

Although he gave his birth year as 1895 on his attestation papers, William Henry Kelley was born on 22 October 1894 in Keewatin, Ontario. His father David Kelley and his mother Catherine Jane Boswell were both from Liverpool, England and had immigrated to Canada in 1887. Along with his parents George and Lucy Kelley and… Read More »

MacArthur, John Angus

John Angus McArthur was born on 5 March 1893 in Rat Portage (later renamed Kenora), Ontario. Although his parents and siblings all used McArthur as the spelling of their surname, John consistently used MacArthur. His father Daniel McArthur was from Newcastle, Nova Scotia while his mother Florence/Flora McDougall was from Antigonish, Nova Scotia. The couple… Read More »

Tweedie, Louis Herwald

Private Louis Herwald Tweedie was born in either Rat Portage or Norman, Ontario on 8 February 1893. He had an older brother Roswell Dawson and two younger sisters, Hazel and Olive, all born in Norman or Rat Portage (now called Kenora). His father, Eusebius Dawson Tweedie, was from Carlton Place, Ontario and his mother, Christina… Read More »

MacKay, Thomas Stewart

Private Thomas Stewart MacKay enlisted in May 1915 and served for almost four years in Canada, England, France and Belgium. He returned to Canada with his unit, the 52nd Battalion, in March 1919. Thomas was the oldest son of Thomas Stewart MacKay and Matilda Henderson of Glasgow, Lanarkshire, Scotland. His parents were married in Glasgow… Read More »

Oliver, Moses

The First World War saw the use of massive amounts of artillery, the first tanks, and chemical warfare such as chlorine and mustard gas. The Germans also developed new models of the flammenwerfer, a terrifying anti-personnel weapon that could throw a flame of burning oil more than 15 meters. Lieutenant Moses Oliver served with the… Read More »

Finlayson, Nichol

Private Nichol Finlayson was sent to France to join the 43rd Battalion in August 1916 and six weeks later he became a prisoner of war. He spent two years in POW camps in France and Germany but he survived and returned to Canada in February 1919. Nichol was the son of Nichol (Sr.) and Elizabeth… Read More »