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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Young, James

Private James Young enlisted with the 141st (Bull Moose) Battalion in August 1916 and served for 18 months in Canada and England. He was invalided home in February 1918. James was the son of John Young and Ellen Thompson (or Thomas) of Lac Seul, Ontario. He was born in Lac Seul in October 1890 and… Read More »

Thompson, William Richmond

Private William Richmond Thompson was one of three brothers from Saskatchewan who served in the First World War. William and his younger brother Clifford survived the war but their oldest brother Robert died in September 1916 at the Somme. William was born on 6 May 1883 in Keewatin, Ontario. His parents were William Richmond Thompson… Read More »

Walsh, Maurice Andrew

The Somme Offensive was a series of battles that lasted from July to November 1916 and resulted in enormous casualties for both the Allied and German armies. The Canadian Corps moved to the Somme area in late August and their first major engagement began in mid-September. Private Maurice Andrew Walsh was one of 24,000 casualties… Read More »

Brynelson, Nels Austin

Sergeant Nels Austin Brynelson was the son of Nels and Augusta Brynelson of Starbuck, Manitoba. His parents were both born in Norway and immigrated to Canada in the mid-1880s. They settled in northwestern Ontario where Nels (Sr) became a section foreman for the Canadian Pacific Railway. He worked at several railroad stations just east of… Read More »

Alterton, Arthur Thomas

Arthur Thomas Alterton was born 06 December 1883 in March, Cambridgeshire, England.   His parents were Charles and Eliza Jane Alterton. Siblings included John (born 1877) and Alice (born 1879). In May of 1904 Arthur immigrated to Canada settling first in Manitoba.   The following year he moved to Kenora, Ontario and got work on… Read More »

Young, John Good

Sergeant John Good Young was working as a stenographer when he enlisted in Edmonton in January 1916. He served overseas for almost three years, some of that time as a clerk, and he returned to Canada in July 1919. John was the son of William Thomas Young and Fannie Mabel (May) Simmons of Edmonton, Alberta…. Read More »

Sleightholm, Cecil Talmage

Cecil Talmage (Bud) Sleightholm was born on 9 July 1897 in Rat Portage (later renamed Kenora) in northwestern Ontario. His parents Matthew Sleightholm and Agnes Victoria Matthew were both widower/widows when they married on 30 April 1893 in Horning’s Mill in the Township of Melancthon, Dufferin, Ontario. At the time of the marriage Matthew was… Read More »

Young, Lawrence

Throughout most of the war regulations required soldiers to be at least 19 years old before they served in front line units but thousands of young Canadians enlisted underage and many of them were killed in action or died of wounds. Private Lawrence Young enlisted just before he turned 17 and he died a year… Read More »

Gray, Colin Campbell

Sapper Colin Campbell Gray enlisted in March 1917 and served with the Canadian Railway Troops in the UK, France and Belgium. He returned to Canada in May 1919. Colin was born in Glasgow, Scotland on 4 June 1887. His parents were Captain John Gray, a mariner, and Mary Campbell. Six of his brothers and sisters… Read More »

Baker, Leonard James

Leonard James Baker was born on 15 December 1894 in Horsham, Sussex, England.  His parents were Frederick James Baker (a builder’s carpenter joiner) and Fanny Patching.  Siblings included Ernest Frederick (born 1893), Albert Arthur (born 1896), Bessie Fanny (born 1899), William John (born 1904) and Eva Minnie (born 1906).  Leonard was educated in England and… Read More »