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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Butt, Edwin Frederick

Private Edwin Frederick Butt was called up in February 1918, at age 20. He served in France and Belgium for six months with the 52nd (New Ontario) Battalion. Edwin was the son of William Butt and Eleanor Kate Pearce of Kenora, Ontario. He was born in Rat Portage (later called Kenora) on 6 July 1897… Read More »

Parfitt, William Joseph

William Joseph Parfitt was born on 29 March 1886 in St. George’s, London, England. His parents were Fred Parfitt and Elizabeth Woodhouse. Siblings included: Frederick John (b. 1882), Catherine Emma (1884-1972; married Edwin Thomas Barnard), Agnes Elizabeth (1887-1935; married Albert Deverell), Minnie Jessie (1890-1980; married Alfred Balchin), and David George (1891-1916). In 1901 at age… Read More »

Gloyn, Bertram

Sapper Bertram Arthur Gloyn enlisted in July 1916 and served in France with the 107th Pioneer Battalion. He returned to Canada in December 1918. Bertram was the youngest of five sons of Robert Elson Gloyn and Emma Jane Nancollis of Wandsworth, London, England. Robert and Emma were both born in Stoke Damerel, Devonport, which is… Read More »

Bjornson, Sigmundur

According to his attestation papers Sigmundur Bjornson was born on 5 June 1889 in Ladfjord, Iceland. (His marriage record listed Hnitborg, Gokururhlid, Iceland as his place of birth while a Keewatin history book gave his date of birth as 1 June 1888.) His parents Bjorn Hannesson and Steinunn Eyriksdottir married in Kirkjubaer I Hroarstunga, Nordur-Mulasysla… Read More »

Loudon, William Dykes

William Dykes Loudon was born on 13 January 1896 in Lesmahagow, Lanarkshire in Scotland. His father John Loudon, a cheese merchant, was from Strathaven in Lanarkshire. In 1869 he had married his first wife, Grace Peat and together in Strathaven gave birth to children Mary Goole (1869-1945), Gavin (1871-1878), Maggie Dykes (1873), Grace Peat (1875-1903),… Read More »

Cox, Edwin Walter

Ted was the youngest of the 6 children of James Henry Cox and Emma Jane Cox (formerly Smith). His siblings were Willie James (1872-1917), Alice Louise (1874-1962), Frederick Henry (1876-1959), James Arthur (1878-1936), and Florence Ada (1881-1929). On the census taken in England during 1911 he was shown as a 24 year old fireman with… Read More »

Menear, Samuel

Private Samuel Menear was over 50 years old and a father of nine when he enlisted in Kenora, Ontario in May 1915. He served for a year in Canada and England and was discharged as medically unfit due to an injury he suffered while training. Samuel was the son of John Menear (Meneer/Manneer) and Margaret… Read More »

Hornby, John Harrison

Private John Harrison Hornby served with the 52nd Battalion for two years, from May 1915 to May 1917. After developing tuberculosis he was invalided to Canada for treatment and discharged as medically unfit in June 1918. John was the youngest son of George Stephenson Hornby and Sarah Harrison Goodall. George and Sarah were both born… Read More »

Buote, Joseph Artemus

By most accounts Joseph Artemus Buote was born on 5 February 1886 in the Rustico area in Prince Edward Island. His French Canadian parents were Joseph Buote and Madeline Perry, both from PEI. Artemus had two older siblings, Maria Cecelia (1883) and Leona (1885), and young siblings Joseph Arthur (1888) Emmanuel (1890), Leo Francis (1894),… Read More »

Billedeau, Hormidas

Born on 2 February 1896 in Keewatin, Ontario and baptized in Kenora, Joseph Hormidas Bilodeau was the first born son of Hormidas Bilodeau/Billedeau (b Beauharnois St Clement, Quebec) and Sarah Pelletier/Pelchie (b Aroostook Junction, Victoria, New Brunswick) who had married 5 November 1893 in Keewatin. The Billedeaus, spelling of surname used most of the time, were… Read More »