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.

Harrison, Edmund William

Edmund William Harrison was born on 2 September 1883 in Souris, Manitoba, birth registered in the RM of Glenwood. His father James Morrell Harrison was from Ontario while his mother Annie Phillips was born in Scotland. James was a Methodist minister and like many Methodist ministers of the day was sent west in the early… Read More »

Gordon, Charles

Charles Brown Gordon was born to Alexander & Mary (McLeod) Gordon on June 29, 1889 in Maybole, Scotland, the 12th   of 14 children. With automation coming to Maybole resulting in job losses, several of the Gordon clan set sail for Canada coming directly Keewatin, Ontario in 1906 – including Charlie. Charlie was a teamster… Read More »

Nolin, Joseph

Private Joseph Nolin enlisted on 26 July 1918 in Port Arthur, Ontario. According to his attestation he was born on 6 May 1882 in Lévis, Quebec and next of kin was his father Frank Nolin in Lévis. Joseph was single, living in the Kenora area and working as a lumberman when he enlisted. He joined… Read More »

Horan, James Ambrose

James Ambrose Horan was born on 27 December 1880 in Seaforth, Huron, Ontario. His father John Horan was born in Ontario, with his father, James’ grandfather, born in Ireland. James’ mother Mary Ann McFadden was born in Ontario with her parents also from Ireland. James was the second born, having an older brother John Joseph,… Read More »

Kelly, William Albert

William Albert Kelly was born on 3 July 1898 in Rat Portage (later renamed Kenora) in northwestern Ontario. His father James Kelly was the son of Irish immigrants that had settled in the village of Brussels, Huron, Ontario. His mother Martha Mathieson was born in Admaston, a small community near Renfrew, Ontario. Martha was the… Read More »

Towns, Sirastin

Lance Corporal Sirastin Towns signed up with a railway unit in January 1917. He served overseas for two years and returned to Canada in January 1919 due to illness. Sirastin was the oldest son of Calvin Towns and Mary Ann Bandy of Kenora, Ontario. Calvin and Mary Ann were married in 1883 in the town… Read More »

Godkin, Wilbur Anthony

  Background: Wilbur Godkin was not born in Kenora, never grew up in Kenora, and never died in Kenora; however, he had an important role in the short time that he lived there, before World War II. Wilbur, commonly known as Webb, became President of the Royal Canadian Legion, Kenora Branch #12, for 1941-42. It… Read More »

Edwards, William

According to his attestation papers, William Edwards was born on 29 May 1897 at Eagle River, Ontario and his father was Frank Edwards. There is an Ontario birth record for a William Edwards of Algoma that lists 13 May 1898 as his birth date. Parents on this record are Frank Edwards and Bella Perriot. The… Read More »

Tidman, John Emanuel

Private John Emanuel Tidman enlisted in Kenora, Ontario in November 1915. He served overseas for two years with the Canadian Forestry Corps and returned to Canada in February 1919. John was the son of Johan Henrik Tidman (Tideman/Tiderman) and Sigrid Kajsa Elfström. His attestation has his birthplace recorded as Stockholm, Sweden but in Swedish records… Read More »