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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Anderson, Emil Andreas

Emil Andreas Andersson was born on 28 December 1891 in Avesta, Kopparberg (also known as Dalarna), Sweden. His father Anders (Andrew) Andersson was from Hedemora, Kopparberg while his mother Anna Karin (Jansdotter) Jansson was from Grytnäs, Kopparberg where the couple married on 9 July 1883. First settling in Hedemora, they gave birth to children Anna… Read More »

MacDonell, Reginald Donald

Reginald Donald MacDonell enlisted with the 94th Battalion on 5 November 1915 in Kenora, Ontario, rank of Private. His date and place of birth was given as 3 November 1871 in Cornwall, Ontario, and his next of kin as Mrs. John MacDonell in Toronto. Single, at the time of his enlistment Reginald was working as… Read More »

Blake, Thomas

Private Thomas Blake enlisted with the 94th Battalion in Kenora, Ontario in March 1916. He served in England for six months before being discharged for medical reasons. Thomas was the son of George and Emma Blake of Hellesdon, Norwich, Norfolk County, England. George and Emma (née Sanham) were married in Norwich in 1869 and they… Read More »

Dodds, Gilbert Charles Gordon

Staff Sergeant Gilbert Charles Gordon Dodds enlisted with the 12th Field Ambulance in March 1916. He left for England in June and served overseas for three years, returning to Canada in June 1919. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal and the Military Medal. Gilbert, also known as Gordon, was the only son of Reverend… Read More »

Campbell, Randolph Arthur

Randolph Arthur Campbell was a watchmaker by trade when he joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force on January 1, 1915. The Campbell family – Frederick Sr., his wife Janet and children Thomas, Mary, Lillian, Duncan, Randolph, Katherine and Frederick Kenneth – had come to what was then Rat Portage in 1893 from Shelborne, Ontario. Frederick, born… Read More »

Kay, Arthur Cameron

Sergeant Arthur Cameron Kay was born on 5 January 1890 in the village of Norman in northwestern Ontario. His mother, Annie Kay, was the daughter of John and Ann Kay of Norman and Arthur was raised by his grandparents. John and Ann were both from Dundee, Scotland. They had at least ten children of their… Read More »

Paul, George Alexander

George Alexander Paul II was born on 6 January 1897 in Rat Portage (later renamed Kenora) in northwestern Ontario according to the 1901 Canada census. His father George Alexander Paul was from Ontario while his mother Isabella McIvor was from Stornoway, Outer Hebrides in Scotland. The couple married on 18 December 1895 in Rat Portage…. Read More »

Conn, John Alvin

Sapper John Alvin Conn was one of five brothers who served in the First World War. He enlisted in March 1917 and served in France with the Canadian Engineers, returning to Canada in March 1919. Alvin was the son of Robert Conn and Mary Ellen Curle of Vernon, British Columbia. Robert and Mary were both… Read More »

Clarke, John

Private John Clarke enlisted in November 1915 and served in France with the 16th (Canadian Scottish) Battalion. He was wounded in August 1918 at the Battle of Amiens and invalided to Canada five months later. According to his attestation John was born on 5 March 1884 in Leeds, Yorkshire, England. He immigrated to Canada around… Read More »

Thompson, George Ross

Sergeant George Ross Thompson, known to his friends and family as Smokey, was an original member of Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry, enlisting with them in August 1914 when they were first organized. After surviving almost four years of war Sergeant Thompson was killed in action on 28 September 1918, 44 days before the Armistice…. Read More »