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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Scherk, Richard Lawrence

Richard Lawrence Scherk was born on 24 September 1896 in Victoria Harbour, Tay Township, Simcoe, Ontario. His father Christopher Scherk was from Whitechurch, Ontario while his mother Margaret Timmons was from Tecumseth, Ontario, the couple marrying on 5 October 1887 in the village of Stayner. At the time of the marriage both were living in… Read More »

Elmer, Rudolph

Rudolph Elmer was born on 29 June 1884 in Tiel, Gelderland, Netherlands. He arrived in the Kenora District around 1908 and worked as a labourer in the employ of Mr. A. Fricker. On 20 November 1915 he enlisted with the 94th Battalion in Kenora. He had one year of service with the #8 Engineers in… Read More »

Chaloner, Robert Edward

Robert Chaloner (or Bert as he was known) was born on November 21, 1895 in Lauder Manitoba. His parents, John Henry Chaloner and Mary Gertrude( Heatley) Chaloner, arrived in Lauder in 1891 with three children: Louise, who was born in Quebec City in 1882; Adelaide, born in Rat Portage, Ontario in 1884; and Charles, born… Read More »

Everard, George William

George William Everard was born Sat. 22 Sept .1894, Bromborough, Cheshire, England.  His father George William Everard was born on Fri. 21 July 1871, Stoneton, Cheshire, England. His mother Mary Ellen Dawber was born in 1868, Liverpool, Wigan, England. They were married summer of 1890, Liverpool, Wigon, England. George’s  Christening date was on Sun. 9… Read More »

Scotland, Alexander Munro

Alexander Munro (Sandy) Scotland was among the first Kenora volunteers recruited through the 98th Regiment for service overseas, going with a group of 45 men to Valcartier, Quebec on Aug. 23, 1914. Born in Dundee Scotland, he came from a large family. The 1891 Scottish census listed the family as James McDuff Scotland (age 39),… Read More »

Lingwood, John

Soldier, actor, carpenter, town constable, radio repairman, cattle rancher, sewer inspector and those were just a some of the many jobs John Lingwood held over his lifetime. But it was his time as a soldier that most influenced his life. John Lingwood was born March 2, 1883 in Bareilly, India, the first child of British… Read More »

Merkley, Willis Samuel

Private Willis Samuel Merkley was called up for service in January 1918 and sent to France seven months later. He was killed in action in September 1918 near Cambrai. Willis was born on 7 June 1892 in Chesterville village, Dundas County, Ontario. His parents, Salathiel Merkley and Laura Kittle, were both of German ancestry and… Read More »

Gascoigne, Percival

Sapper Percival Gascoigne enlisted in May 1915, at age 19, and served in Canada and the UK for three years. He suffered from ill health for much of that time and he was invalided back to Canada in March 1918. Percival was the youngest son of Herbert Gascoigne and Elizabeth Neale of Kemble, Gloucestershire, England…. Read More »

Seth, William

Walter and William Seth enlisted together in Kenora, Ontario on 28 September 1916. They said they were born in Cutler, Ontario, a community on the North Channel of Lake Huron. For next of kin they named Mr. Iram Sawba of Cutler, although he was not a relative. Walter gave his birth date as 22 March… Read More »

LeBleu, Samuel Jules

Gunner Samuel Jules LeBleu was the son of Jean (John) LeBleu and Marie Louise LaSalle. Jean and Louise were both born in Quebec, Jean in Gentilly and Louise in Yamaska. They were married in 1873 in Silver Islet in the district of Thunder Bay, Ontario. Silver Islet was a small community on Lake Superior across… Read More »