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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Hawkins, Irving Scott Ferguson

Irving Scott Ferguson Hawkins was born on 10 April 1895 in Motherwell, Lanarkshire, Scotland. His parents were Benjamin Hawkins and Janet Corrie. Siblings included: William (1892-1914), John (1897-1986), Benjamin (1899-1975) and Gordon Cochrane Jackson (1920-1977). Irving’s father died in 1901. In May of 1912, his older brother, William, immigrated to Canada and settled in Winnipeg…. Read More »

Armour, Robert

Private Robert Armour was married and the father of two young children when he enlisted in Winnipeg in January 1916. He was wounded in the last weeks of the war but he survived and returned home in March 1919. Robert was the oldest son of Thomas and Jane Armour of Keewatin, Ontario. He was born… Read More »

Mair, William Rufus

William Rufus Mair was born on 19 December 1879 in the Byron area of Westminster Township in Middlesex, Ontario where his family farmed. He was the first born child of Andrew Mair and Sarah Ann Mackey, his parents marrying on 25 December 1877 in Westminster. Other children born to the family were Norman Sylvester (1881),… Read More »

Coppard, William

Private William Coppard was one of three brothers who served in the First World War. He was wounded twice but he survived the war and returned to Canada in January 1919. William was born on 9 September 1897 in Rat Portage (later called Kenora) in northwestern Ontario, the youngest son of Henry Coppard and Maria… Read More »

Ramier, Peter

Lance Corporal Peter Ramier enlisted in February 1916 and served for three years in Canada, Great Britain, France and Belgium. He was wounded three times but he survived the war and returned home in March 1919. Peter was the son of John Thomas Ramier and Charlotte Chatterton of Port Daniel, Bonaventure County, Quebec. John and… Read More »

Hastings, Walter Anderson

Captain Walter Anderson Hastings was the son of George Victor Hastings and Margaret Ferguson Anderson of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Margaret was born in North Dumfries Township, Waterloo County, Ontario. George was born in Quebec and he started working in the milling business at an early age. His mother was Mary Ogilvie and George was employed by… Read More »

Woods, James Huston Ross

James Huston Ross  Woods was born on 14  January 1893 in Rat Portage (later renamed Kenora), Ontario. His father Arthur Woods, son of Irish immigrant Russel Woods and Quebec born Eliza Huston, grew up on a farm in the Kildare/Joliette, Quebec region. His mother Harriet Ross, daughter of William and Margaret (née Caswell) Ross was… Read More »

Mellish, Charles Alfred

Private Charles Alfred Mellish enlisted underage when he was just 14 years old and he served in garrison regiments in Canada for ten months. Charles was the son of Alfred Mellish and Rosa Derry of Vancouver, BC. Alfred was born and raised in Galt, Waterloo County, Ontario and he was a tinsmith and metalworker. Rosa… Read More »

Matier, Alexander

Private Alexander Matier was wounded in May 1916, three months after arriving in France with the 52nd Battalion. He was invalided to Canada in June 1917 and he died in Winnipeg three years later. Alexander was the son of Alexander Matier Sr. and his first wife Grace Ann Felt. Alexander Sr. had emigrated from Ireland… Read More »

Hunter, James

James Hunter was born on 5 December 1893 in Dailly, Ayrshire in Scotland. His father James Hunter, coal miner, was from Dailly as was his mother Elizabeth Jones. The couple had married on 2 August 1889 in Dailly. The next year they gave birth to their first child, daughter Rosina, followed by daughter Margaret (Maggie)… Read More »