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The People
These are the stories of Kenora participants in the First World War.
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Smith, George
George Smith was born on 9 June 1881 in Haddenham, Buckinghamshire, England. His parents were Alfred, born in Haddenham, and Annie, born in Woodstock, Oxfordshire. Found in the 1881 England census for Haddenham, Alfred was listed as an agricultural labourer. George had an older sister Florrie who was born in 1879 in Haddenham. During the… Read More »
Affleck, Ernest John
Sapper Ernest John Affleck enlisted in June 1918 and served for ten months with the Canadian Railway Troops in Canada, the UK and France. Ernest was the youngest son of Thomas Richard Affleck and Maria Yarroll. Thomas was born on the Isle of Guernsey, in the English Channel, and his wife was from Hastings, East… Read More »
Mellish, Charles Alfred
Private Charles Alfred Mellish enlisted underage when he was just 14 years old and he served in garrison regiments in Canada for ten months. Charles was the son of Alfred Mellish and Rosa Derry of Vancouver, BC. Alfred was born and raised in Galt, Waterloo County, Ontario and he was a tinsmith and metalworker. Rosa… Read More »
Wainewright, Aubrey
When Aubrey Wainewright signed his attestation papers in Brandon, Manitoba on 13 November 1915, he gave his date of birth as 5 April 1883, his place of birth as Athlone, Ireland, and his middle name as Patrick. He also gave his father AW Wainewright of Iken Rectory, Tunstall, Suffolk as next of kin. As confirmed… Read More »
Robert, Joseph
Private Joseph Robert enlisted in Kenora, Ontario in March 1916, at age 49. He served overseas in Great Britain for three months and was discharged for medical reasons in November 1916. Joseph and his twin sister Marie Alexina were born on 19 February 1867 in the parish of St-Philippe, Quebec. Their parents were Gédéon Robert,… Read More »
Corbett, John Robert
Although a birth record was not found, by most accounts John Robert Corbett was born on 28 September 1900 in Rat Portage (later renamed Kenora), Ontario. His parents were Robert Corbett, a blacksmith, and Ellen Pritchard, with the couple marrying on 29 April 1904 in Fort William. John had three older siblings/half siblings, Marie Bernadette… Read More »
Rennie, John Ross
Lance Corporal John Ross Rennie was born in 1889 in New Pitsligo, Aberdeenshire, Scotland. His mother, Mary Rennie, married James Findlay/Finlay the following year and she had at least six children with James: Alexander, Mary, William, Leslie, Jemima and Katherine. Mary and her family immigrated to Canada around 1907 and settled in northwestern Ontario, where… Read More »
Blake, Thomas
Private Thomas Blake enlisted with the 94th Battalion in Kenora, Ontario in March 1916. He served in England for six months before being discharged for medical reasons. Thomas was the son of George and Emma Blake of Hellesdon, Norwich, Norfolk County, England. George and Emma (née Sanham) were married in Norwich in 1869 and they… Read More »
