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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Loutett, Walter

The third child in the family, Walter Loutett (also commonly spelled Louttit, Loutitt) was born on 6 February 1888 in St Andrews, Red River Settlement. His parents Thomas Lowe Loutitt and Catherine Corrigal were both descendants of Orkney Island Scotsmen that immigrated to the area to work for the Hudson’s Bay Company and who married… Read More »

Hulmes, William

The Hulmes family was from Manchester, Lancashire in England where parents Thomas and Martha (Pennington) had married on 24 March 1883. Thomas was listed as a coal wharfinger (takes custody of and is responsible for goods delivered to the wharf) in the 1891 census and as a coal dealer in later censuses. Children born to… Read More »

Hives, Harry

Private Harry Hives enlisted in the spring of 1916 and served for three years, with two of those years spent as a German prisoner of war. He survived the war and returned to Canada in April 1919. Harry (Henry) was the son of Hans Edgar Hives and Sarah Harper of Kensington, London, England. Hans and… Read More »

Finlayson, Nichol

Private Nichol Finlayson was sent to France to join the 43rd Battalion in August 1916 and six weeks later he became a prisoner of war. He spent two years in POW camps in France and Germany but he survived and returned to Canada in February 1919. Nichol was the son of Nichol (Sr.) and Elizabeth… Read More »

Jorgenson, Jacob

Private Jacob Jorgenson was the oldest of five brothers who enlisted for service in the First World War. The five boys – Jacob, Martin, John,  Gustave and Thomas – came from a large family in Whitemouth, Manitoba. Martin was killed in France in June 1917 but the other four brothers survived and returned home after… Read More »

Carlson, Charles Arthur

Charles Arthur Carlson was born on 11 September 1892 in Rat Portage (later renamed Kenora) in northwestern Ontario. His father John Carlson, a carpenter, immigrated to Canada from Sweden around 1880 while his mother Mary Chemalska was from Poland or Germany, her arrival listed as 1887 in the 1901 Canada census. Other children born to… Read More »

Brunsel, George

George Nelson Brunsel, son of Angus and Elizabeth Brunsel was born in Manitoba on 17 February 1873. He came to Rat Portage in 1879. He operated the first boat building company in Rat Portage with his brother Neill located on the lakefront between Main and Matheson street. Between 1899 and 1904 the company built many… Read More »

O’Flaherty, Thomas Francis

Thomas Francis O’Flaherty was born on 23 April 1884 in Clogheen, County Cork, Ireland. Their first born child, his parents were Thomas and Anne (née O’Dell) O’Flaherty. Other children born to the family were Lawrence, Margaret Mary (Peggy), Jeremiah, John Joseph, Edward, Jane Mary, Morgan, Annie Kathleen, and Elizabeth (Betty). Parents Thomas and Anne were… Read More »

Baxendale, William James

William James Baxendale was born 07 October 1898 in Rat Portage (Kenora), Ontario.  His parents were James Thomas and Amelia Maria Baxendale. He had two older sisters – Violet and Myrtle.  His father worked as a car inspector/repairer for the CPR. William received his education in Kenora. In November of 1915 he commenced working for… Read More »

Gallagher, Edith Alberta

Nursing Sister Edith Alberta Gallagher enlisted in December 1915 and went overseas the following spring. She served for three years at six different hospitals in England and France. Edith was the daughter of Joshua Adam Gallagher and Margaret Linton of Fallbrook, Lanark County, Ontario. Her father was a farmer and her parents were both born… Read More »