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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Stewart, Harry Raymond

Harry Raymond Stewart was born on 9 March 1894 in the township of Bristol in Pontiac, Quebec. His father Ephraim Stewart was from Bristol while his mother Emma Way was from nearby Shawville, both families farmers. The couple married on 12 August 1891 in Ottawa, the city about 75 kilometres east of Bristol. The next… Read More »

Lajeunesse, Antoine Armand

Antoine ‘Armand’ Lawrence Lajeunesse born August 10, 1891 was the first of at least 6 children of Antoine Baptiste Lajeunesse and Olive Lacombe.   He was born  in Montebello, Quebec, the town where his parents married   in 1889.   By the census year of 1901 the family had moved to Rat Portage (known later… Read More »

Major, John

Private John Major enlisted in June 1916 and served in France with the 52nd (New Ontario) Battalion. He suffered from health problems for much of his time overseas and he was invalided to Canada in July 1919. John was Ojibway and a member of the Northwest Angle First Nations band in northwestern Ontario. According to… Read More »

Girling, Walter James

Acting Lance Corporal Walter James Girling was married and the father of two young children when he enlisted in May 1916. He became ill in October 1917 at Passchendaele, while serving with the 44th Battalion, and he spent the rest of the war in the UK. Walter was born and raised in Islington, London, England…. Read More »

Byington, Charles Floyd

Charles Floyd Byington was born on 10 May 1896 in Portland, Leeds, Ontario. His parents were Charlotte Byington and George Warren but he was raised by his grandparents Napoleon and Ruth (Dunn) Byington as their son. Napoleon and Ruth’s children, thought as siblings to Floyd, were David (1872), George (1875-1942), Milton (1877), Charlotte (1880-1973), Johanna… Read More »

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 »

Degagne, George

George Degagne was born on 08 June 1893 in Rat Portage (later known as Kenora), Ontario. He was the oldest son of Pierre Degagne  and Florida Charron. Siblings included: Emile (1894-1953), Joseph (1896-1966), Leo (b. 1897), Maria (1899-1899), Albert (1901-1901), Ida (1902-1903), Flora (b. 1904) and Clovis (1906-1915). The 1911 census shows the family  living… Read More »

McKay, Archie Kenneth

Archie Kenneth McKay was born on 27 April 1882 in Upper Clyde in the county of Shelburne in Nova Scotia. His father James Lewis McKay was from Upper Clyde, while his mother Elizabeth Barss Smith was from nearby Brookfield. The couple married in Brookfield on 29 September 1875. Children born to the family were Otis… Read More »

Garner, Charles William

Private Charles William Garner enlisted in Kenora, Ontario on 19 May 1915. His gave his birth date as 31 July 1875 in Flore, Northamptonshire, England and next of kin as Clark Garner of Northampton, Northamptonshire. His relationship to Clark was not stated. Charles said he had served for twelve years in the Northamptonshire Regiment, Royal… Read More »

Jones, Andrew Thomas

Andrew Thomas Jones was born on 18 December 1871 in Birmingham, Warwickshire, England. His parents were Edward Jones and Mary Ann Powell. Siblings included Edward Joseph (b. 1870), Ellen Mary (b. 1874) and Alfred James (b. 1877). Andrew enlisted in the British forces as a young man and took part in several military campaigns throughout… Read More »