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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Simmons, Archibald Erastus

Archibald Erastus (Archie) Simmons was born on 20 July 1894 in Wingham, Ontario. According to their marriage record his father Archibald Erastus Simmons was from London, Ontario while his mother Rachel Ellen Rankin was from Listowel, Ontario, elsewhere given as Gowanstown. The couple were living in St Thomas, Ontario when they married there on 10… Read More »

Gibben, Paul Burman

Paul Burman Gibben was born on 22 July 1898 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. His father William Gibben was from Barnaby Moor while his mother Sarah Eleanor Burman was from Middlesborough, both in Yorkshire, England. The couple married during the last quarter of 1890 in the registration district of Middlesborough. At the time of the 1891 England… Read More »

Chinn, Edward John

Edward John Chinn was born on 21 March 1886 in Cheddar, Somerset in England, birth registered during the second quarter of 1886 in the District of Axbridge. Other sources such as censuses, his obituary, and his service record give varying years of birth, from 1883 to 1888. His father John Chinn, a butcher, was from… Read More »

Bruel, Adrien

Private Adrien Bruel was born around 1877 in Colombiès, Aveyron, France. France had universal conscription at the time and Adrien would have served for three years in the Active Army before being transferred to the Territorial Army and the reserves. His wife Amantie was also born in Colombiès and she was about four years younger… Read More »

Shirvell, Thomas William John

The second born child, Thomas William John Shirvell was born during the first quarter of 1889 in Christchurch, Hampshire, England. His parents Thomas Edward and Mary Jane (née Scott) Shirvell had married in Christchurch during the last quarter of 1886. As baker, confectioner, and pastry cook, Thomas’s parents operated  a bakery from their home. Other… Read More »

McPherson, James Leonard

Gunner James Leonard McPherson was called up in March 1918 and served with the Canadian Field Artillery for nine months in Canada. James was the son of John McPherson and Margaret Carnegie of Keewatin, Ontario. John, a carpenter and millwright, was from London, England. He had at least four children with his first wife, Margaret… Read More »

Fleming, Thomas Alexander

Although he gave a birth date of 4 February 1896 on his attestation papers, and his gravemarker  has a birth year of 1898, a birth registration for Thomas Alexander  Fleming, in Londonderry, Ireland, gives the date as 5 February 1895.  His parents were Thomas and Elizabeth Sarah (Wilkinson) Fleming. His siblings were William John (1889-1975),… Read More »

Regan, Richard

Private Richard Regan enlisted in November 1915 and served in France with the 8th Battalion (90th Winnipeg Rifles). He was killed in action in August 1917 at the Battle of Hill 70. According to his attestation paper and service file, Richard was born on 28 May 1888 in Kenora, Ontario. However, no other record of… Read More »

Knight, John William

According to his attestation papers, John William Knight was born on 8 July 1883 in Little Bay, Newfoundland. He was the son of John and Mary Ann Knight, both born in Newfoundland. He had a younger brother James who was born in 1884 in Newfoundland. By the time of the 1901 census the family was… Read More »

Hughes, John Llewellyn

Gunner John Llewellyn Hughes, usually known as Jack, was born on 12 January 1890 in Winnipeg, Manitoba. His father, Hugh Hughes, was born in Liverpool, England and his mother, Sarah Thompson, was from Wales. They had three other children: Hugh Gladstone, Winnifred Jane and Frederick. Not long after Jack was born his parents moved to… Read More »