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.

Markes, Albert Edmund

Albert Edmund Markes was born on 23 December 1888 in the registration district of Holborn in London, England. His father Albert Ernest Markes, from the Bloomsbury area of London, was a marine watercolour artist as was his grandfather Richmond Markes. His mother Annie Louisa English was from the Islington area of London, with the couple… Read More »

Esselmont, John Wesley

Private John Wesley Esselmont enlisted in Vancouver in September 1915, at age 20. He was wounded at the Battle of Passchendaele in November 1917 and spent the remainder of the war in Great Britain. John was born on 30 May 1895 in Fort William, Ontario. His father, James Esselmont, had immigrated to Canada from the… Read More »

Duncan, William McKechnie

William McKechnie Duncan was born on 19 December 1897 in West Carron, Larbert, Stirlingshire in Scotland. His father David Duncan, an iron moulder, was from Falkirk while his mother Annie McKechnie was from Edinburgh where the couple married on 10 July 1877. Their first child, daughter Mary, was born in Edinburgh but by the time… Read More »

Stibbard, Bert Cyril

Bertie Cyril Stibbard was born on 23 January 1885 in Sandon, Essex in England. His father Henry James Farnham Stibbard, a wheelwright, publican, and carpenter, was from Sandon while his mother Sarah Margaret Taverner was from nearby Hatfield Peverel where the couple had married in 1878. With the exception of a couple of years spent… Read More »

Scherk, Richard Lawrence

Richard Lawrence Scherk was born on 24 September 1896 in Victoria Harbour, Tay Township, Simcoe, Ontario. His father Christopher Scherk was from Whitechurch, Ontario while his mother Margaret Timmons was from Tecumseth, Ontario, the couple marrying on 5 October 1887 in the village of Stayner. At the time of the marriage both were living in… Read More »

Morris, John William

Gunner John William Morris was a married teacher with his first baby on the way when he enlisted in April 1916. He served in Great Britain, France and Belgium for two and a half years, returning to Canada in January 1919. John was the oldest son of John William Morris (Sr.) and Sabina Thickett of… Read More »

McDiarmid, Findlay Howard

Private Findlay Howard McDiarmid enlisted in October 1915 and served in France and Belgium with a field ambulance unit. He was killed by an artillery shell in November 1917 during the Battle of Passchendaele. Howard was the oldest son of James McDiarmid and Ida McNabb of Kamloops, British Columbia. James was a carpenter originally from… 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 »

Patterson, Fred W

Fred W Patterson joined the Kenora Branch of the Canadian Legion in December of 1927. His regimental number was given as 2928, rank as Private, and unit served with as 6th Kings Liverpool Regiment. The card stated that he enlisted on 8 November 1914 and was discharged from service on 28 February 1919 in Birmingham…. Read More »

McLean, Reuben

On 6 June 1895 Reuben McLean was born at home on Beaton’s Island on the Winnipeg River in the Municipality of Keewatin, Ontario. He was the son of Donald (known as ‘Dan’) and Catherine  McLean.  His siblings were Henrietta, Agnes, Hugh, Catherine and William (known as ‘Bill’).  Another daughter was Margaret who had died previously… Read More »