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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Johnson, John

Sapper John Johnson was married and the father of four young children when he enlisted in April 1916. He served in Canada, Great Britain and France for three years, returning home in March 1919. According to his attestation, John was born in London, England on 29 September 1875. He immigrated to Canada around 1900 and… Read More »

Finlayson, George Walter Stewart

Private George Walter Stewart Finlayson enlisted in January 1916 and served overseas for three years. He was wounded in February 1917 but he survived the war and returned to Canada in May 1919. George was the son of Nichol and Elizabeth Finlayson of Kenora, Ontario. His grandfather Hector Finlayson had been one of the early… Read More »

Back, John Henry

Private John Henry Back was the only son of James Back and Lena Anderson. His parents were married in Rat Portage, Ontario in 1898 and he was born there on 15 May 1899. His father was from Devonshire, England and his mother was born in Sweden. Sadly, Lena died of blood poisoning in July 1900,… Read More »

Millings, John Richardson

John “Jack” Richardson Millings was born on 27 October 1902 in Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. His name was registered as Jack Richardson and he was born in the Horton Union Workhouse. His mother, Lily Richardson, was single and her usual residence was 99 Clayton Street in Bradford. She worked as a worsted spinner. At some… Read More »

Portier, Clement

Clement Portier was born on 29 August 1899 in Lagorce, Ardeche, France. As a young lad he immigrated to Canada from France via New York with his parents Victor and Marie Justine (née Leydier) Portier and siblings Celina (1895-1948) and Victor (1897-1979) in August of 1902. The family settled in Norman, Ontario, a small community… Read More »

Murray, Hugh

Although a different birth date was used on his attestation papers, Hugh Murray was born on 23 August 1892 in Derrylusk, Parish of Roslea, Monaghan, Ireland. His parents were Patrick and Ellen (Toal) Murray who were farming in Derrylusk at the time of his birth. Other known siblings were Michael, Margaret, and Mary. It appears… Read More »

Land, Moses

According to his attestation papers, Moses Land was born on 15 April 1896 in White Dog, Ontario. Presently called Wabaseemong, White Dog is/was an Ojibwa  reserve located 120 km northwest of Kenora, Ontario. His parents were Andrew and Nancy Land. The 1891 Canada census found the family listed in  the district of Algoma, Keewatin North…. Read More »

Creighton, George Francis

Although he gave his year of birth as 1885 on his recruitment papers, George Francis Creighton was likely born on 2 July 1883 in Rat Portage (later renamed Kenora), Ontario. A birth record was not found but census documents as well as his obituary and grave marker support that birth year. His father George Creighton,… Read More »

Stokes, Charles

Private Charles Stokes of Kenora, Ontario enlisted in March 1916 and served overseas with the Canadian Forestry Corps for three years. Charles was born in November 1881 in Dawlish, a coastal town in the county of Devon in southwest England. His parents, William Elias Stokes and Emma Morrish, were both born in Devon. They were… Read More »

Klabunde, Gustave Frederick Carl

Gustave Frederick Carl Klabunde was born on 6 April 1886 in Pembroke, Ontario. His parents Carl Wilhelm (Charles William) and Emilie (née Shultz) Klabunde were from Wusterbarth, Germany, and along with their one year old daughter Anna had arrived in New York on the 30th of March aboard the  Eider, just days before Gustave’s birth…. Read More »