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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Pollock, Rollo Livingston

Rollo Livingston Pollock was born on 12 December 1885 in Palmerston, Ontario. His father John Livingston Pollock was from Scotland while his mother Sarah Jane (Jennie) Elliot was from England, both immigrating to Canada in their youth. The couple married on 21 April 1885 in nearby Listowel, John’s occupation given as flax mill manager at… Read More »

Mills, Walter John

From England to South Africa, back to England, then to Canada, and eventually back to England, such was the life of Walter John Mills. Although his birth date was given as 13 January 1871 in Meopham, Kent, England on his Canadian attestation papers, Walter John Mills was born in nearby Ridley during the first quarter… Read More »

Waterman, Allen McRae

Allen McRae Waterman was born on 3 April 1900 in Toronto, Ontario. His father William Guy Waterman, a printer/pressman, was from the Pancreas area of London, England. He had immigrated to Canada as a child with his parents, the family settling in Toronto. Allen’s mother Elizabeth Reid Hastie was from the Sullivan Township, Grey, Ontario…. Read More »

Biers, William James

Private William James Biers was called up in January 1918 and sent overseas seven months later. He served in Great Britain for a year, returning to Canada in August 1919. Willilam James, usually known as James, was the son of William Biers and Maria Hughes of Dunfermline, Saskatchewan. William and Maria were both born in… Read More »

Murray, Arthur Joseph

According to his recruitment papers, Arthur Joseph (Archie) Murray was born on 17 May 1896 in Kenora, Ontario (called Rat Portage at the time). He was the son of Alexander Morin and Leah Ross, the family surname eventually changed to Murray. Arthur had three older siblings, Joseph Theodore, Alexander Leonard (Leo) and Annie Rose. It… Read More »

McMaster, Charles Wellington

Charles was one of those recruits who faked his birth date when he enlisted for the Canadian army but unlike most recruits who fibbed about their ages, he took three years off his life instead of adding them on. He was 37 at the time. The army’s age limits were 18 years to 45 years… 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 »

Watson, Francis (Frank) Edwards

Trooper Francis (Frank) Edwards Watson enlisted in a cavalry unit in May 1916 and served in Canada and Great Britain for two years. He was discharged for medical reasons in May 1918. Frank was the oldest son of George Thompson Watson and Eleanor Lavinia Thompson of Winnipeg, Manitoba. George was born in New Brunswick and… Read More »

Frost, Moses

Private Moses Frost was born on 30 June 1886 in North Bay, Ontario. His parents, Moses Frost Sr. and Mary Denault, were both from the Fort Coulonge area in Quebec. Moses had five older brothers and sisters: Mary (born ca1874 in Manitoba), Joseph, David Edward and Maria (Marian) (all born in Quebec), and Samuel (born… Read More »

McDonald, Walter John

According to his baptism record, Walter John (Jack) McDonald was born on 19 November 1896 in Rat Portage (later renamed Kenora), Ontario. His father Duncan Alexander McDonald was from Ontario while his mother Mary Elizabeth Kerr was from Scotland, the couple marrying on 21 October 1886 in East Selkirk, Manitoba. By the time of the… Read More »