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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Presley, John Arthur

Private John Arthur Presley was born in Clarence Creek, Russell County, Ontario. His parents were Joseph Presley, a farmer, and Jane Conn. Joseph and Jane were both Irish and born in the Clarence Creek area. John grew up there and he was one of at least ten children. At some point he moved west and… Read More »

O’Sullivan, Joseph John

Joseph John O’Sullivan was born on 24 August 1887 in Deptford, London, England. His father Thomas William O’Sullivan was from Foots Cray in Kent while his mother Annie Darby was from Kensington in London where the couple married during second quarter of 1877. Thomas first worked as a news agent but then for many years… Read More »

Flett, Norbert Joseph Arthur

Private Norbert Joseph Arthur Flett was born in St. Boniface, Manitoba on 4 February 1888, the son of Charles Flett and Dorothy Laviolete. He was married in Kenora, Ontario on 12 April 1910 to Maggie Blackeye. Maggie was 20 years old, born in Ontario and the daughter of Abraham and Mary Blackeye. Norbert and Maggie… Read More »

Sorel, Peter

According to his attestation papers Peter Sorel (Sorle) was born on 28 July 1882 in Stockholm, Sweden. Signing his attestation papers in North Bay, Ontario on 11 September 1916, Peter had been working as a miner and living in Kenora, Ontario. He gave his father Jonas Matson (Sorle) of Ndland, Sorle via Namos, Norway as… Read More »

Jeffery, Harry

The Germans used massive amounts of artillery in the First World War and more than half of Allied casualties were the result of artillery fire. There were all different kinds and sizes of shells and they were a constant danger during battles and in the trenches as well as behind the front lines. Private Harry… Read More »

Barley, Bertie Tomlinson

Although he gave his place of birth as Worcester on his attestation papers, Bertie Tomlinson Barley was born on 27 January 1882 in Claines, Worcestershire in England, a small community outside of the city. His father John Barley was from New Brighton, Cheshire while his mother Eleanor (Ellen) Pardoe was from Claines. The couple married… Read More »

Lough, Charles Leslie

According to his attestation papers Charles Leslie  Lough was born on  29 March 1899  in Nassau, Quebec. His parents John Robert and Helen (Nellie) (née Storey) Lough, had married on 27 November 1889 in Buckingham, Quebec  although neither were of French Canadian descent. It appears that their first child, George Garfield, born in 1891, died… Read More »

Olson, August Valfrid Oskar

August Valfrid Oskar Olsson was born on 12 October 1895 in Westland, Skön, Västernorrland, Sweden (spelling of name on birth registration; as many Swedish immigrants did, August gave Sundsvall as his birth place as it was the nearest city to his village of birth). His father August Olsson, born in 1866, was from Klintsjon, Nysätra,… Read More »

Shorthose, Francis Harry

Francis Harry (Frank) Shorthose was born on 17 August 1890 in Winshill, Burton  upon Trent, Staffordshire, England. His father was John Henry Shorthose, brewery labourer and maltster, and his mother was Elizabeth Archer. The couple married in Burton upon Trent in 1880. Known children born to the family were John William (1881-1957), Laura Dinah (1883-1972),… Read More »