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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Cornell, Frederick Charles

Staff Sergeant Frederick Charles Cornell enlisted twice, the first time in January 1915 at age 17. He served in England for a year and he was invalided back to Canada in 1917 due to illness. Frederick was the only son of Joseph and Elizabeth Cornell of Brandon, Manitoba. He and his twin sister Helen Elizabeth… Read More »

McLennan, John Alexander

John Alexander McLennan was among many skilled who recruited during the First World War, not to fight in the trenches, but for their peacetime skills needed in the war effort. McLennan was born in West Lorne, Elgin County, Ontario Oct. 9, 1884 to Kenneth McLennan and Catherine McRae. As a young man he’d joined the… Read More »

McKenzie, Donald

Donald MacKenzie was born on 13 November 1893 in Upper Bayble, Stornoway, County of Ross, Scotland. His father Alexander MacKenzie and mother Flora MacRae had married 22 January 1884 in Stornoway, Alexander’s occupation listed as fisherman. By the 1901 Scotland census household members were parents Alexander and Flora, and children Angus (16), Isabella (14), Roderick… Read More »

Brownlee, Melville Edmison

Melville Edmison Brownlee was born on 17 August 1892 in Rat Portage (later renamed Kenora), Ontario. His parents were Charles and Bridget (née Shea) Brownlee who were first found on the 1891 Canada census for Algoma, Keewatin South with both listed as having been born in Ontario. Charles was working as a barber. The couple… Read More »

Delargy, Archibald (Archie)

Although he gave his year of birth as 1888 on his attestation papers, Archibald (Archie) Delargy was born on 29 July 1885 in Edinburgh, Scotland. His birth record as found on the scotlandspeople website, as well as some Scotland census documents, show the surname as De Largy. Archie’s father Archibald was from Airdrie in Lanarkshire,… Read More »

Robson, Samuel

Major Samuel Robson joined the British army and served in South Africa before immigrating to Canada in 1911. When the First World War started he enlisted in the Canadian Field Artillery and served for four years, attaining the rank of major and earning the Distinguished Service Order. Samuel was born on 30 April 1876 in… Read More »

Lambley, Leonard Herbert

Found on the passenger list for the Athenia, 17 year old Leonard Herbert Lambley arrived in Canada on 20 August 1906. Occupation given as farm labourer, according  to the record he had been sent to Canada by his father.  He was next found in Tacoma,  Washington signing a Declaration of Intention on 25 November 1910… Read More »

Morrisette, Elmo Murray

Sapper Elmo Murray Morrisette enlisted in January 1917, at age 16, and served in France with the Canadian Engineers. He was wounded at the Battle of Amiens and invalided to Canada six months later for further medical treatment. Elmo Murray, usually known as Murray, was the son of William Morrisette and Maude Bell Shipton of… Read More »

Wilson, John Samuel (1884-1964)

John Samuel Wilson was born on 11 May 1884 in his parent’s home at No 6 Rosslyn Terrace in Joppa, Portobello, Scotland. Today both Joppa and Portobello are suburbs of Edinburgh. John’s parents Robert Knox Wilson, commission agent, and Isabella Chisholm Amos had married on 26 April 1881 in Edinburgh. John had an older sister… Read More »

Lacombe, Lucien

Lucien (known as Luke) was the 1st born child of Adelard A. Lacombe and Leonie Thomas.   Born  in Montebello, Quebec, when he  was still  an infant the family moved to Norman, Ontario.    His siblings were all born in  Norman and Kenora, Ontario.   The children were, oldest to youngest:   Lucien/Luke, Emile, Arcidas/Phil,… Read More »