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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Creed, Philip

Philip Creed was born on 9 May 1890 in Hastings, Sussex, England. His parents were Alfred and Rosa Hannah (maiden name also Creed) who had married in 1889 in Hastings. Alfred was a bootmaker by trade while Rosa was an elementary school teacher. Philip was their first born child, followed by Doris Helen in 1898… Read More »

Gordon, Marshall Vinton

Marshall Vinton Gordon was born on 16 June 1885 in Thessalon, Ontario. He was the son of John Gordon and Mary Willan, the couple marrying in 1880. Marshall had an older sister, Cecilia Mildred (b 1884) and a younger sister Pearl Irene who only lived for a few months in 1887. Sadly Mary passed away… Read More »

Sewell, Horace

Horace (Bud) Sewell was born on 2 September 1894 in Rat Portage (later renamed Kenora), Ontario. Both of his parents John Sewell and Louisa Sarah Parr were from England, immigrating to Canada around 1891 according to later census records. Their first child, daughter Gladys, was born in 1893 in Rat Portage where John was working… Read More »

Green, Gustave

Gustave/Gustaf Green was from  Ostersund, Pellatt Township, near Kenora, Ontario. He was born August 19, 1894 in Tännäs, Sweden to John Green and Gertrude (Olson) Green.  His older brothers were Olaf and Axel. After Gustave brothers Oscar, Magnus and Edward and a sister Mary were born. Gertrude also had a daughter, Kristina Ronsberg, from a… Read More »

Ramsay, Alexander Kelly

Alexander Kelly Ramsay was born on 1 September 1894 in Maybole, Ayrshire in Scotland. His father James Ramsay, a shoemaker, was from Kirkmichael, Ayr, while his mother Margaret Kelly was from Maybole where the couple had married on 14 June 1889. Alex had two older siblings, Joanna (1890) and William (1892) and younger sisters Agnes… Read More »

Hansen, Einer

Along with his twin brother Rudolph Eugene, Einer Sixtus Hansen was born on 18 October 1900 in Rat Portage (later renamed Kenora), Ontario. His father Johan Haaken (John) Hansen, a marine engineer, was born in Norway and had immigrated to Canada with his widowed father and some of his siblings in the late 1880’s, first… Read More »

Cowie, Andrew Grey

Lance Sergeant Andrew Grey Cowie joined the 152nd (Saskatchewan) Battalion in May 1916, at age 22. After six months of training he was drafted to a front line unit and sent to France. He died of wounds in August 1917. Andrew was the son of Andrew Grey Cowie Sr. and Annie Gallagher of Carnduff, Saskatchewan…. Read More »

Holt, Harry

Lance Corporal Harry Holt joined the British army in 1912 and served for eight years, two of them spent as a German prisoner of war. After his discharge in 1920 he immigrated to Canada. Harry was the son of Walter Holt and Eliza Riley of Manchester, Lancashire, England. Walter and Eliza were married in 1890… Read More »

Laurenson, Robert George

According to his attestation papers, Robert George Laurenson was born on 14 June 1899 in Kenora, Ontario although at the time it was known as Rat Portage. His mother was Catherine Laurenson, daughter of Robert and Eliza  (Perrault) Laurenson. Robert and his two older siblings William and Barbara lived with  their mother and grandparents for… Read More »

Murphy, Frank

Private Frank Murphy enlisted in May 1916 and served for three years with the Fort Garry Horse. He became ill with influenza in 1918 but he survived the war and returned to Canada in May 1919. Frank (Francis) Murphy was born on 5 March 1884 in Kilbeggan, County Westmeath, Ireland. He had at least one… Read More »