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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Woodgate, Thomas

Thomas Woodgate was born on 8 November 1890 in Chiddingley, Sussex, England. His father William Woodgate was from nearby Hellingly while his mother Phoebe Smith was from Chiddingley. The couple married in October of 1877 in Hellingly where William was working as an agricultural labourer. Thomas had at six older siblings, Mary Ann, David, William,… Read More »

Cottam, James Melville

James Melville was born July 18th, 1889 in Hudely Wood, Middlesex, England to Henry Phillip Cottam (1847-1911) and Bertha Annie (b 1861). He had siblings Harry Guy (b 1882), Phillip Ashley Joy (b 1885), and Algernon Edward (1894). In 1901, the family lived in Hornsey, Middlesex, England, at 4 Glasslyn Road. His father  was a… Read More »

Simister, Edward

Private Edward Simister enlisted in Swift Current, Saskatchewan and served overseas for a year and a half. He suffered from illness for much of that time and he was invalided back to Canada in March 1918. His British war bride joined him four months later. Edward was the oldest son of Richard Simister and his… Read More »

Hartley, Frederick Raymond

Frederick Raymond Hartley signed two sets of attestation papers, the first with the 9th Canadian Mounted Rifles in April of 1915 in North Battleford, Saskatchewan. He gave his date and place of birth as 7 April 1894 in Midland, Ontario and his father John Hartley in Richard, Saskatchewan as next of kin. On 29 October… Read More »

Johnson, John

Sapper John Johnson was married and the father of four young children when he enlisted in April 1916. He served in Canada, Great Britain and France for three years, returning home in March 1919. According to his attestation, John was born in London, England on 29 September 1875. He immigrated to Canada around 1900 and… Read More »

Dodds, Francis Wilfred Ferguson

Sergeant Francis Wilfred Ferguson Dodds enlisted with the 12th Field Ambulance in March 1916 and served overseas for three years. He returned to Canada in June 1919 and was awarded the Military Medal. Wilfred was the oldest son of James Dodds and Margaret Jane Ferguson of Winnipeg, Manitoba. James was born in the Oshawa area… Read More »

Creighton, George Gillespie

Lieutenant George Gillespie Creighton arrived in France in February 1916 and four months later he was seriously injured in an accident. He was invalided to Canada in December and he died in a drowning accident in July 1917. George was the son of William Travers Creighton and Jean Menzies Gillespie of Winnipeg, Manitoba. Jean was… Read More »

Wills, Benjamin

Benjamin was born to Joseph Wills and Beatrice King  on 11 December 1890, in the Cornwall district of England. In the 1901 English census he  was living with his mother and sisters Minnie (4 years older), Lillie (two years younger) and Olive (8 years younger). He was in Canada when he enlisted as an expat,… Read More »

Anderson, Ernest Ragner

Ernest Ragner Anderson was born on 09 April 1897 in Skone, Sweden.   His parents were Nels Anderson and Alfreda Moller.  He had eight siblings: Berger, Einar, Allan, Leonard, Harold, Gertrude, Margaret and Elsie. The family immigrated to Canada in April of 1912 and settled in Swan River, Manitoba. Just before his 21st birthday, on… Read More »

Seller, Frank

Sapper Frank Seller enlisted in February 1916 at age 18 and served overseas for 2-1/2 years, most of that time as a signaller. He returned to Canada in May 1919. Frank was the youngest son of William Henry and Louisa Seller of Winnipeg, Manitoba. William and Louisa (née Morgan) were both born in the county… Read More »