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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Nairn, John White

Although he gave his place of birth as Edinburgh in Scotland, John White Nairn was born on 19 April 1892 in nearby Leith. His father John Nairn was from Johnstone, Renfrewshire while his mother Isabella Stuart was from  Deskford, Banffshire. John and Isabella had married in 1887 in Edinburgh. After the marriage the couple lived… Read More »

McKenna, John Archibald

Although the family lived in Mill Village, Queen’s County, Nova Scotia, John Archibald (Jack) McKenna was born on 1 February 1880 in nearby Charleston. Both of his parents Joseph McKenna and Mary Jane Arthur were from Nova Scotia, marrying in 1869 in Liverpool. Over the years Joseph’s occupation was given as labourer on the censuses,… Read More »

Makin, Edward B.

Edward B. Makin was the youngest son of John Makin and Elizabeth Ann Green.  He was baptized on 01 July 1894 in Christ Church, Chadderton, Lancashire, England. Siblings included Margaret (b. 1882), William (b. 1885), Ruth (b. 1889) and James (b. 1893).  Edward’s father, John, was a bricklayer.  In the 1911 England Census the family… Read More »

Morgan, James George

Throughout the war railroads were essential for evacuating the wounded and moving troops, equipment and supplies, and skilled workers were needed for their construction, maintenance and operation. Sapper James George Morgan, a CPR employee from Kenora, Ontario, enlisted with a railway unit in March 1917 and served in France and Belgium for two years. George… Read More »

Dempster, Thomas

Thomas Dempster was one of four brothers, the sons of John and Catherine Dempster to volunteer for service during the war. John and Catherine brought their family to Canada in 1907 from Glasgow, Scotland where John was a baker. He’d found employment for himself and his older sons at the Lake of the Woods Milling… Read More »

Christison, Milne

Corporal Milne Christison joined the Canadian Army Service Corps in 1916 and served overseas for three years. He returned to Canada in May 1919. Milne was the youngest son of Thomas John Christison and Mary Jane Milne of Pictou County, Nova Scotia. Thomas was a farmer who had emigrated from Scotland and Mary was born… Read More »

Allord, C

Membership card for the Kenora branch of the Great War Veterans’ Association. Identity and service could not be confirmed.  

MacDonald, Roy (Leroy)

Flight Lieutenant Roy MacDonald was working as a jeweller in Kenora, Ontario when he enlisted in the fall of 1914. Over the next four years he served in England, France and Belgium, first with the Canadian Expeditionary Force then as a pilot with the Royal Flying Corps. In 1918 his plane was shot down and… Read More »

Johnson, Carl Victor

Sapper Carl Victor Johnson was one of three brothers who served in the First World War. He was called up in March 1918 and he trained with the Canadian Engineers until his discharge in December 1918. Carl was the oldest son of Sven John Johnson and Josephine Carlson of Kenora, Ontario. Sven and Josephine both… Read More »

Campbell, James Meiklejohn

James Meiklejohn Campbell was born on 29 January 1886 in Dunfermline, Fife in Scotland. His father Henry Campbell was from Busby in Lanarkshire while his mother Margaret Meiklejohn was from Greenock in Renfrewshire. The couple married on 6 June 1873 in Barrhead, Renfrewshire. They gave birth to daughter Janet in 1874 and son Robert in… Read More »