Kenora Great War Project

 

You can also view an Alphabetical List

The People

soldier_photobar

These are the stories of Kenora participants in the First World War.

Search by name, or filter the search results using the list of options below.

Coppard, George

Private George Coppard and his brothers William and Richard all served in the First World War. George and William survived the war but Richard died of wounds in May 1918. George was born on 9 November 1895 in Rat Portage (later called Kenora) in northwestern Ontario, the son of Henry Coppard and Maria McPherson. Henry,… Read More »

Craig, Gordon Maxwell

Gordon Maxwell Craig was born on 17 August 1897 in Ottawa, Ontario. His parents were William John Craig and Charlotte Jane Cowan. Siblings included William George (b. 1894), Mildred (b. 1902), Elnora (b. 1905) and Shirley (b. 1912). Shortly after Gordon’s birth the Craig family moved to Keewatin, Ontario where his father became the town… 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 »

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 »

Cauley, T

Etched on the Keewatin Cenotaph in Beatty Park in Keewatin, Ontario is T Cauley as one of the fallen in WW1 and from the area. His identity could not be confirmed nor was his name or variation of the name found on the Canadian Virtual War Memorial or in WW1 service records.  

Byers, Henry Joseph (Harry)

Although he gave his date of birth as 12 April 1896 on his attestation papers, Henry Joseph (Harry) Byers was born in 1898 in Sault Sainte Marie, Ontario. A birth record was not found but elsewhere in his records the year was 1898 and was also given in census records and his obituary. His mother… Read More »

Grendys, Walter

Sergeant Walter Grendys was born in Poland on 31 December 1896. According to his Canadian Legion membership application he enlisted in the cavalry in Rzeszow in 1914 and served with them until 1921. When the First World War started Poland was not an independent state but was partitioned between three empires. Thousands of Polish men… Read More »

Knipe, William James

Farrier Sergeant William James Knipe enlisted with the Canadian Engineers and served for three years in England, France and Belgium. He returned to Canada in August 1919 with a war bride. William was the only son of James and Elizabeth Knipe of Liverpool, Lancashire, England. James worked as a carpenter and shipwright and he married… Read More »

Foord, Arthur James

Arthur James Foord was born on 16 February 1894 in Hastings, Sussex, England.  His parents were William and Alice Matilda Foord.  Siblings included Winnifred Daisy (b. 1892), William Albert (b. 1897), George Alfred (b. 1902), Alice Ivy (b. 1901) and Eleanor. Arthur attended school in Hastings until the age of 14 when he joined the… Read More »

McReynolds, Courtland Campbell

Courtland Campbell McReynolds was born on 23 May 1889 in Balaclava, Grey County in Ontario. His parents William Decker McReynolds, a fisherman on the Great Lakes, and Eliza Catherine Campbell were both from the area, marrying on 10 July 1888 in Balaclava. Children born to the couple were Courtland, Louis Guy (1892), Georgina Elba (Joy)… Read More »