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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Brydon, Robert George Howie

Major Robert George Howie Brydon was working as a civil engineer when he received a commission as a Lieutenant in the 102nd Battalion in May 1916. He died less than a year later at the Battle of Vimy Ridge. Robert was the youngest son of John Kerr Brydon and Mary Charlotte Campton of Kenora, Ontario…. Read More »

Button, Alexander Mason

Alexander Mason Button was born on 24 March 1892 in New Westminster, British Columbia. His father Frederick Button was from the Morris Township in Huron County while his mother Annie Watson Whyte was from the Township of Alice, Renfrew. The couple married 18 June 1899 in Alice, Fred’s occupation given as miner from Sudbury. Their… Read More »

Mathias, Leonard Stewart

Leonard Stewart Mathias was one of the first contingent volunteers from Kenora. His name was among a list of 24 local men published in the Kenora newspaper on Aug. 12, 1914 who had passed medical exams for service after answering an Aug. 9 call for volunteers from the 98th (Rainy River and Kenora) Regiment. Leonard… Read More »

Barker, Francis Oliver

According to his attestation papers Francis Oliver (Frank) Barker was born on 13 January 1887 in Foxboro near Belleville, Ontario. A birth record was not found and his BC death record gives his place of birth as Belleville. His father Frederick (Fred) Joseph Barker was from Shoreditch, London, England and had immigrated to Canada in… Read More »

Kennedy, Jean Victoria

Jean Victoria Kennedy was born on 6 May 1896 in Ottawa, Carleton, Ontario. Her father Robert Alexander Kennedy, a first generation Irish Canadian, was originally from Uxbridge, Ontario (b 8 January 1860) although by the 1871 census the family had moved to Gloucester, Russell near Ottawa to farm. Her mother Victoria Jane (Jennie) Dent was… Read More »

Beatty, Frank William

Frank William Beatty was born 28 April 1892 in Silverbrook, Ontario.  His parents were William John Beatty and Annie Grieves. Siblings included Elizabeth Beatrice and Mary (1891-1909). Frank’s father was a teacher, but in 1892 he went to medical school and by 1896 became a doctor.  Dr. Beatty first practised in Collingwood and then in… Read More »

Hansen, Hans Edward

Private Hans Edward Hansen was one of four brothers from Keewatin, Ontario who served in the First World War. Hans was the oldest son of Nils (Nels) Julius Hansen and his wife Ellen Nilson. Nils and Ellen both immigrated to Canada in the 1880s, Nils from Norway and Ellen from Sweden. They were married in… Read More »

Muggaberg, Walter George

Private Walter George Muggaberg was the son of Julius Muggaberg Jr. and Margaret Ann Park. Julius was likely born in the Northwest Territories or in the Red River Settlement, which became part of Manitoba. His father was from Norway and his mother was Scottish Métis. By 1881 his family had moved to Rat Portage, Ontario…. Read More »

Anderson, Robert Allan

Private Robert Allan ‘Andy’ Anderson enlisted in March 1916 at age 15 and served in the UK for two years, most of that time with the Young Soldiers’ Battalion. Robert was born on 12 October 1900 in Holland, Manitoba. He was the son of Mrs. Jessie Ann Tew (née Miller) and her first husband Adam… Read More »

Hill, Louis John

Louis John Hill was born December 7, 1883 in Strathroy, Bruce County, Ontario (birth registered as John Lewis Hill). His parents were John James Hill and Anna Bella Doman. John James, a cooper (barrel maker) by trade, had been born in Ontario in 1854 to Irish immigrant parents, and Anna Bella was born in Ireland… Read More »