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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McKinnon, John David

John David McKinnon was born on 24 September 1897 in Rat Portage (later renamed Kenora) in northwestern Ontario. His father Angus Hugh McKinnon was from the Lochiel area of Glengarry in Ontario while his mother Catherine Jane McRae was from Roxborough, Ontario. Although he had been living in Rat Portage and working as a general… Read More »

Cain, Alice Louise

Alice Louise Cain was born on 4 December 1886 in Douglas, Isle of Man. Her father Robert Edward Cain was from Douglas while her mother Anna Scadden was from Wirral in Cheshire. The couple married on 23 March 1875 in Liverpool. Over the years Robert’s occupation was given as joiner, builder, and contractor. The family… Read More »

Piddock, Arthur William

Sent to Canada as a British Home Child, Private Arthur William Piddock returned to England to serve overseas during WW1. Sustaining a severe wounding to the spine causing temporary paraplegia, he recovered, returned to Canada, and lived to the age of 96. Arthur William Piddock was born on 22 May 1885 in the Chesterton district… Read More »

Baker, Ernest Roland

Sergeant Ernest Roland Baker enlisted in January 1916 and served in France with the 44th Battalion. He was wounded in June 1917 and spent the rest of the war in Great Britain, returning to Canada in February 1919. Ernest was the son of George Baker and Ann Jane Watts of London, England. Ann was born… Read More »

Fleming, Thomas Alexander

Although he gave a birth date of 4 February 1896 on his attestation papers, and his gravemarker  has a birth year of 1898, a birth registration for Thomas Alexander  Fleming, in Londonderry, Ireland, gives the date as 5 February 1895.  His parents were Thomas and Elizabeth Sarah (Wilkinson) Fleming. His siblings were William John (1889-1975),… Read More »

Lauzon, Emile

Private Emile Lauzon enlisted in January 1916, at age 18, and served in France and Belgium with the 7th Battalion. He returned to Canada in May 1919. Emile was the son of Antoine Lauzon and Flavie Ducharme of Pinewood, Ontario. Antoine and Flavie were married on 1 January 1887 in Marieval, Saskatchewan. Their son Antoine… Read More »

Cameron, Leslie Fergus

Lieutenant Leslie Fergus Cameron enlisted in December 1914 and went overseas with the 43rd Battalion (Cameron Highlanders). He transferred to the Royal Flying Corps in April 1917 and served as a Flight Officer (Observer). Leslie was born on 7 July 1896 in the town of Rat Portage in northwestern Ontario. His birth was registered as… Read More »

McIlwraith, Hastings Shankland

Hastings Shankland McIlwraith was born September 16, 1892 at 25 High Street, Girvan, Ayrshire, Scotland to David & Agnes (Shankland) McIlwraith. (from the official birth register of the Parish of Girvan, County of Ayr, page 57). Setting sail from Glasgow Scotland on the ‘Grampian’, Hastings arrived at Quebec City, Canada   on May 6, 1913…. Read More »

Thomas, George

Private George Thomas was a fisherman living on Lake of the Woods when he was called up for service in May 1918. He spent 14 months in Great Britain and returned home in the fall of 1919. George was born on 15 May 1893, either at Sabaskosing on Lake of the Woods or in the… Read More »