Great War Soldiers of Milton, Ontario CANADA

2009-03-04T17:31:00.000-08:00

Tuesday November 11, 2008

We celebrated the 2008 Remembrance Day a bit differently this year. We had offered to video the Milton Legion Parade and Service, which we did and is available on DVD for those that want a copy.

In the process of preparing for Remembrance Day 2008, we also gave some additional thought to Private Lachlan James Kingsbury #663268 who was all alone at the Ebenezer Cemetery (North Milton) and not a beneficiary of the wreaths and service the other Milton Soldiers had experienced for years. We decided to have the Legion prepare and extra wreath, which the Laughton Family placed at his Grave Site on Remembrance Day. Just as we arrived the cold wind and wet snow arrived, just as many of the men may have faced in the trenches of France and Flanders.

We then went back to Evergreen Cemetery in Milton to pay our respects to our Great War Soldiers who rested there: Corporal William Maddocks #30222; Private William James Allan #141847; Private Harold James Dent #511217; Private Alfred James Evans #663090 and Private Edmund Adolphus Cooper #3112559.

As we have noted on the web site, Private Evans is a unique member of the "Soldier's Club" as he died of his wounds in 1925, thus he is not commemorated at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. That is their rules, not ours, it was not his fault he died to late to be added to the list. In the end he is commemorated, for if you now go to the CWGC web site it is the grave site of Private Evans that is shown as the photo for the Evergreen Cemetery! (click to see photo here). If you don't tell, we won't!

Private Evans has a friend on the CWGC web site as we also submitted a photo of Private Kingsbury's grave for the Ebenezer Cemetery (click to see photo here).

Remembrance Day 2008

2008-10-19T05:52:00.000-07:00

The work to complete the history of each of the Milton Soldiers is now complete. As part of the Remembrance Day 2008 project we have now added all of the soldiers that were on the Haltonville Cenotaph, as well as those soldiers that were identified as "local" but were not on either cenotaph. The soldiers on the Victoria Park Cenotaph were in place for Remembrance Day 2007.

Milton Soldiers of the Great War 1914-1919

This blog version of the project is a simplified list of the soldiers and links. Considerable more detail is available on the web site version, including images and additional links.

In preparing the web site version we have done our best to correct the information that was in the book based version released by others in 2006. A complete copy of the corrections is now available upon request.

If you have any questions, comments, concerns or additional information for the web based version - please e-mail us directly or post your notes to the blog.

2007 Remembrance Day Project

2007-10-07T10:44:00.000-07:00

As we quickly approach Remembrance Day 2007 I have been working to add the details of the final fate of all of the Milton Soldiers. The intent is to add to the basic information that was made available from the 2006 Remembrance Day Project by adding the following information:

a summary of what action caused their death
information from the War Diary for the unit on that date
background information on the ongoing battle of that period
any additional information of relevance, such as whether they died of wounds or were transferred to England or Canada before they died

During the Spring and Summer of 2007 I have been helping the Milton Historical Society rebuild their web site (see new MHS Web Site) and in exchange I now have a place to put the detailed summary pages. You will find these new pages here:

Milton Soldiers of the Great War - Index

I started with the soldiers that were buried in Evergreen Cemetery in Milton, as that information was used for the cemetery tours as part of Milton's 150th Anniversary this summer. I am now in the process of going back through the records of the others, hoping to have this all complete by November 11, 2007. By mid October, I am half way through the rest of the soldiers.

During the spring and summer the Milton Soldier's grave stones in Milton were added to the Maple Leaf Legacy Project. To add a new twist to that project, I have also started to add the GPS co-ordinates for the grave markers, which are now linked via Google Earth to their ground level photo and detailed MHS page. Thanks to Steve Douglas at the Maple Leaf Legacy Project for sending me a number of grave site photos from the Milton Lads that are buried in European cemeteries - many of those have now been added to the blog and web site.

The Milton Soldiers Google Earth Page is now being upgraded to include the individual soldier place marks as they are completed, so you can reach any of these files by this direct link. The individual soldier pages are shown as "Replies" at the bottom of the primary page. As well as the soldiers buried in the Milton Evergreen Cemetery, I have started to add those that are commemorated at the Vimy Memorial (France), the Menin Gate Memorial (Belgium) and some of the European cemeteries (i.e. Vis-en-Artois, France). More will be added shortly.

The Service Records of the Milton Soldiers were obtained by John Challinor II who co-authored the book on Milton's Soldiers which was released in the Fall of 2006. I have now digitized all of these are they are available at the MHS Archives. If you are looking for information on a specific Milton Soldier, you can e-mail me at miltonsoldiers@gmail.com and I will upload the file on a case-by-case basis.

List of Milton Soldiers

2006-11-11T23:00:00.000-08:00

Updated March 3, 2009:

The following shows the postings for each Milton Soldier killed in the Great War. The death may have occurred from accident or illness prior to service, or while preparing for battle, during the battle, or as a result of wounds from which the soldier did not survive. The site provides the links to the Library and Archives Canada for the Attestation Papers and to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission for the Casualty Details.

The soldier's name is linked to the page of the Canadian Virtual War Memorial at the Parliament Buildings in Ottawa, Canada. The Regimental Number link takes you to the Attestation Papers and the Cemetery or Memorial Link takes you to the Casualty Details of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. Our newest addition is the photographs of the tombstones, taken as part of our participation in the Maple Leaf Legacy Project.

Although the date remains at November 11, 2006, the information is being updated on a regular basis. The information has now been updated on the web site version to show where their unit was active at the time of the casualty, and and what the War Diaries report for that specific date. Information for some soldiers is limited, as officers do not have Attestation Papers unless they moved up from the enlisted ranks. As well, some Canadians took officer positions with the Imperial Army, thus there records are in the UK National Archives.

The Fall 2006 release of "Milton Remembers - World War I and The Men and Women We Never Knew" provided additional information to track some of the unknown names. Where possible, we have corrected errors that appear in the book. The blog has now been updated to include the 2007 and 2008 research on the Milton Soldiers that were listed on the Victoria Park and Haltonville Cenotaphs, as well as those known to have died but not listed on the Cenotaphs.

The Milton Historical Society has generously allowed us full access to the soldier's service records that were collected by John Challinor for the preparation of "Milton Remembers". All of these records have now been scanned and are available through the link on the web site. Those records have been used to identify the time and place of death of each soldier, which has now been linked to the unit war diary and historical references.

Here are Milton's Soldiers:

Adamson, James Stanley
Private, 16th Battalion 29411
Menin Gate Memorial
Son of William Adamson of Milton
Maple Leaf Legacy Project

Allan, William James
Private 76th Battalion 141847
March 18, 1917
Evergreen Cemetery, Milton Canada
Parents at Milton West ON
Maple Leaf Legacy Project

Archer, Jonathan Watts
Private BEF Lancashire Fusiliers BEF 40516
June 18, 1918
Houchin British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France
Served in 20th Halton Rifles Militia Unit from Milton
Maple Leaf Legacy Project (not listed as served in BEF)

Baguley, Frederick
Private 16th Battalion 718192
April 9, 1917
Vimy Memorial
Family of Milton Ontario
Maple Leaf Legacy Project

Bastedo, Alfred Carbert (photo collection)
Captain 1st Battalion WOR Officer
April 23, 1915
Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium
Born Milton ON
Maple Leaf Legacy Project

Baverstock, Ernest
Private 24th Battalion 142260
October 1, 1916
Contay British Cemetery, Somme, France
Wife Anna was from Milton
Maple Leaf Legacy Project

Beard, Archie Warren
Private 24th Battalion 142261
October 1, 1916
Vimy Memorial, Vimy, France
NOK at Milton ON
Maple Leaf Legacy Project

Belt, James Edwin Dewey
Lieutenant 20th Battalion n/a
June 28, 1916
Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Poperinge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium
Father Rev. Belt, Grace Anglican Church Milton
Maple Leaf Legacy Project

Blair, John Hastings
Corporal P.P.C.L.I. 475775
March 16, 1920
Woodlawn Cemetery, Guelph ON
Born in Campbellville, ON
Maple Leaf Legacy Project

Bonus / Bonas, Melville
Private 4th Battalion CMGC 663543
August 10, 1918
Crouy British Cemetery, Somme, France
Living at Milton. Enlisted at Milton.
Maple Leaf Legacy Project

Carbert, Charles Molyneaux, M.C.
Captain, 20th Battalion & R.F.C.
February 1, 1917
Moorseele Military Cemetery, Belgium
Parents from Campbellville, Ontario
Maple Leaf Legacy Project

Carton, Clarence Charles Archibald (photo collection)
Private 4th CMR 769682
September 16, 1916
Vimy Memorial, Vimy France
Eldest son (only 17) of John J. Carton of Nassagawaya (Milton)
Maple Leaf Legacy Project

Cartwright, William Frederick
Private PPCLI 663706
August 26, 1918
Vis-en-Artois Cemetery, Harcourt, Pas de Calais, France
Living at Milton. Enlisted at Milton.
Maple Leaf Legacy Project

Cooper, Edmund A
Private 2nd Battalion CGR 3112559
December 14, 1918
Evergreen Cemetery, Milton Canada
Born Milton ON, NOK Milton West ON
Maple Leaf Legacy Project

Croft, William Charles (news clipping)
Private 20th Battalion 140051
September 15, 1916
Vimy Memorial, Vimy, France
Link to Milton under review
Maple Leaf Legacy Project

Crowe, John William
Private 102nd Battalion 3314292
October 2, 1918
Duisans British Cemetery, Etrun, Pas de Calais, France
Born Milton ON
Maple Leaf Legacy Project

Dent, Harold James
Private Fort Garry Horse 511217
April 18, 1918
Evergreen Cemetery, Milton Canada (not on Cenotaph)
Parents originally from Milton.
Maple Leaf Legacy Project

Denyes, Meacham
Private, 102nd Battalion 663541
September 2, 1918
Dury Mill British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France
Son of Malcolm and Mary Denyes of Milton West
Maple Leaf Legacy Project

Dockray, Joseph
Private, 21st Battalion 142534
September 15, 1916
Vimy Memorial, Vimy , France
Husband of Esther Dockray of Milton or Mount Dennis
Maple Leaf Legacy Project

Donnelly, Edward
Private, 20th Battalion 57164
September 18, 1916
Puchevillers British Cemetery, Somme France
Son of John Donnelly of Milton West
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Dunning, Arnold
Private 87th Battalion 775477
August 15, 1918
Vimy Memorial, Vimy, France
Was living in R.R. #3 Georgetown at time of attestation.
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Eden, Albert N
Private 21st Battalion 210301
April 9, 1917
Lichfield Crater, Thelus, Pas de Calais, France
Unknown link to Milton, local Farrier,
local wife from Campden (Niagara Region)
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Edwards, Albert
Private 4th Battalion 11128
May 29, 1915
Caerphilly (Penyrehol) Cemetery, Glamorganshire, United Kingdom
Unknown link to Milton, same memorial service in Milton
as S. T. Williams and served under Captain Bastedo
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Elliot, James Harvey
Private, 9th Machine Gun Coy 663366
October 30, 1917
Menin Gate Memorial
Originally with the 164th Battalion
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Elsley, Harley Clifton
Private, Canadian Army Medical Corps #523897
June 27, 1918
Halifax Memorial
Born in Nassagaweya (Milton)
Maple Leaf Legacy Project

Evans, Alfred James
Private 164th Battalion 663090
June 29, 1925
Son of John Evans of Milton
Evergreen Cemetery Milton Canada
GPS Placemark on Google Earth
(death after CWGC cut-0ff date: died of injuries in Great War)
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Farries, Thomas
Private 4th Battalion 11146
April 23, 1915
Menin Gate Memorial
20th Halton Rifles
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Fay, Charles Henry
Quartermaster Sergeant Canadian Engineers 3446
September 3, 1918
Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension, Pas de Calais, France
Son of Henry and Eva Fay of Hornby (Milton)
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Fay, Richard
Private 47th Battalion 654329
September 2, 1918
Vis-en-Artois Cemetery, Harcourt, Pas de Calais, France
Hornby ON near Milton ON, younger brother of Charles Fay
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Fletcher, Orville Osbourne
Private 38th Battalion 410093
April 21, 1915
Vimy Memorial, France
Born in Campbellville (Milton)1892
Fryer, Joseph John
Private 1st Battalion 3130005
September 27, 1918
Ontario Cemetery, Sains-Les-Marquion
Halton County - Acton & Rockwood
Maple Leaf Legacy Project

Gowing, Charles Edward
Private 15th Battalion 47862
August 21, 195
Trois Arbres Cemetery, Steenwerck, Nord, France
20th Regiment Halton Rifles
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Graham, William
Private 21st Battalion 142530
April 9, 1917
Nine Elms Military Cemetery, Thelus, Pas de Calais, France
20th Regiment Halton Rifles
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Hadley, Arthur
Private, 1st Battalion 6805
June 2, 1915
Boulogne Eastern Cemetery
Born in Moffat, Ontario
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Hamilton, James
Private 24th Battalion 142280
September 19, 1916
Bolougne Eastern Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France
Son of Sarah Hamilton, wife of Mary Hamilton of Milton Heights
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Hamman, Edward Charles
Private, 5th Infantry Battalion 13749
May 24, 1915Vimy Memorial
Family from Campbellville (Milton)
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Hampson, Harry
Private 54th Battalion 126452
March 13, 1917
Menin Gate Memorial
Unknown Link to Milton
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Harrop, Cedric
Bombardier, 3rd Bde. Canadian Field Artillery 348281
October 28, 1917
Divisional Cemetery, Ypres, West Vlaandern, Belgium
Son of Sam Harrop of Milton.
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Harrison, David Edward
Private 10th Battalion 466781
November 26, 1917
Sucrerie Albain-St. Nazaire Cemetery
Parents from Campbellville ON
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Harrison, Septimus
Private 4th Battalion 11092
June 16, 1915Vimy Memorial
Resided in Moffat ON (Guelph-Milton)
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Hartley, Harold Kenneth
Private 8th Battalion 874758
April 29, 1917
Aubigny Communal Cemetery
Born Milton ON to Alex/Anne Hartley
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Harwood, William Pharo
Trooper Canadian Light Horse 227028
September 19, 1917
Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension, Pas de Calais, France
Son of June who remarried and resided in Milton.
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Hill, George
Private 15th Battalion 46585
September 26, 1916
Vimy Memorial, Vimy, France
Husband of Naomi Hill of Milton
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Hilson, Thomas Frederick
Private 87th Battalion 3314330
September 30, 1918
Vimy Memorial
Born in Milton, Ontario Canada
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Jarvie, John
Private 21st Battalion 142533
September 15, 1916
Vimy Memorial, Vimy, France
Son of Mr. and Mrs. James Jarvie of Milton
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Jordan, Arthur
Private 16th Coy CMGC 164292
October 29, 1917
Menin Gate Memorial
Had lived in Milton at some time
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Kerns, William Kenneth Atkinson
Private 102nd Battalion 663592
March 9, 1919
Bodelwyddan (St. Margaret)Churchyard, Flintshire, United Kingdom
Enlisted at Milton with 164th Battalion, born in Burlington
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Kingsbury, Lachlan James
Private 164th Battalion 663268
September 13, 1916
Ebenezer United Church Cemetery
Parents from Campbellville (Milton)
Maple Leaf Legacy Project (error)
Lancaster, Stanley (Press Clipping)
Private Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry 663102
September 28, 1918
Cantimpre Canadian Cemetery, Sailly, Nord, France
Next of Kin (wife) at Milton.
Enlisted with 164th Battalion, 1 of 5 brothers
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Lees, William Garvy
Private 4th Battalion 11160
April 23, 1915
Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium
Next of Kin at Milton.
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Maddocks, William
Corporal Canadian Field Artillery 302221
January 18, 1920
Evergreen Cemetery, Milton Canada
Husband of Annie Maddocks of Milton, died after discharge
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Mander, Bertie Cecil
Lance Corporal, 4th Battalion 11164
August 19, 1917
Lapugnoy Military Cemetery, France
20th Halton Rifles
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Manley, Frank
Sapper No. 2 Field Company, Canadian Engineers 163877
November 16, 1916
Villers Station Cemetery, Viller-Au-Bois, Pas de Calais, France
Linked to Lily Galbraith of Milton (possibly engaged)
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
March, Joscelyn
Private 20th Battalion 57893
October 10, 1918
Naves Communal Cemetery Extension, Nord, France
Unknown link to Milton
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
McIntyre, Mark Calvin
Driver 5th Brigade Canadian Field Artillery 324009
Crucifix Corner Cemetery France
Parents from Moffat (Milton)
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
McTague, Robert Michael
Private 2nd Battalion 675620
August 5, 1918
Crouy British Cemetery, France
Family from Milton, Sisters in Milton
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Merrett, Roland Alec
Sergeant 43rd Battalion 737046
August 16, 1918
Vimy Memorial, Vimy, France
Son of Joseph and Sarah Merrett, Oak Street, Milton
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Milne, James
Private 73rd Battalion 126440
November 12, 1916
Vimy Memorial
Parents of Moffat (Halton)
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
John Clarke Murray
Private 15th Battalion 47905
June 3, 1916
Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres Belgium
Sister lived in Milton, Ontario
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Paterson, Duncan
Corporal 4th Battalion 11157
August 17, 1917
Mazingarbe Communal Cemetery Extension, Pas de Calais, France
Son of John Paterson of Milton
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Pollock, William John
Private Princess Patricias Canadian Light Infantry 475994
June 4, 1916
Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium
Son of Hannah Cargill (formerly Pollock)
and late William Pollock, Milton West
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Potter, Warrie Joseph Charles
Private 19th Battalion 757873
August 15, 1917
Vimy Memorial, France
Parents of Trafalgar Township, Ontario
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Reading, Allen
Private 87th Battalion 145504
March 27, 1918
Sucrerie Cemetery, France
Unknown Link to Milton
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Roberts, William George
Private, 21st Battalion 663522
September 1, 1918
Mont Huon Cemetery, France
Resident of Campbellville, Ontario
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Robertson, Charles Eric (photograph)
Captain / Commanding
11th Squadron, Royal Airforce
July 12, 1917
Vis-en-Artois Cemetery, Harcourt, Pas de Calais, France
Married to nurse Mary Zimmerman, formerly of Milton
Maple Leaf Legacy Project - not yet registered
Robertson, James Ernest (UofT Honour Roll)
Lieutenant 27th Battalion
March 9, 1916
Loker Churchyard, Heuvelland, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium
Son of Duncan and Helen Robertson of Milton
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Robinson, Howard Challen
Private 38th Battalion 648785
September 2, 1918
Dury Mill British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France
Son of George and Margaret Robinson of Milton (Omagh)
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Sinclair, Hugh Cameron (photos)
Private 24th Battalion 142298
September 17, 1916
Vimy Memorial, Vimy, France
Employed in Milton and played sports in Milton
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Slack, William
Lance Corporal 4th Battalion 10988
April 23, 1915
Served with 20th Halton Rifles
Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Stevens, Edward James Worringham
Private 20th Battalion 57726
August 28, 1918
Vis-en-Artois Cemetery, Harcourt, Pas de Calais, France
Son of Henry and Rachel Stevens of Milton
Husband of Harriet Smith of Milton
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Tremblett, William Henry
Private 21st Battalion 405451
April 9, 1917
Vimy Memorial
Married Resident of Milton Heights
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Tuck, Elmer Lawrence
Private 54th Battalion 663497
August 8, 1918
Beaucort British Cemetery, Somme, France
Son of Mr. And Mrs. Jacob Tuck of Milton
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Turrell, Russell Brandon
Private 164th Battalion 663124
January 28, 1918
Bramshott (St. Mary)Churchyard, Hampshire, United Kingdom
Son of John and Kathleen Turrell of Milton
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Tuxford, Victor Edward
Private 4th Battalion 11152
October 9, 1916
Adanac Military Cemetery, Miraumont, Somme, France
Unknown link to Milton
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Tuxworth, Albert Arthur (headstone photo)
Trooper Royal Canadian Dragoons 959
August 8, 1918
Crouy British Cemetery, Crouy-sur-Somme, France
Worked in Milton area,served under Bastedo
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Walsh, Frederick M.M.
Gunner Canadian Field Artillery, 12th Brigade 348333
October 27, 1916
Bapaume Post Military Cemetery, Albert, Somme, France
Husband of Cora Hartley of Milton
Additional Information (Men of Stockport)
Maple Leaf Legacy Project
Williams, Sydney Thomas
Private 4th Battalion 11188
June 16, 1915
Brown's Road Military Cemetery, Festubert, Somme, France
Son of Thomas Williams of Milton
Maple Leaf Legacy Project

Remembrance Day 2006 Project

2006-11-06T07:28:00.000-08:00

To commemorate Remembrance Day 2006 in Milton, Ontario CANADA a blog has been created to allow all those interested to learn more about the soldiers of Milton who served and lost their lives in the Great War (1914 - 1919).

This site will contain the list of all soldiers (and others) who are listed on the Milton Cenotaph, or are interned in Milton's Evergreen Cemetery.

From the links on this blog, you will be able to access the Attestation Papers of the soldiers, as well as the Memorial Certificates published by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. As we progress, we will link the soldiers names to the Canadian Virtual War Memorial, the Canadian Great War Project, and finally to the units in which they served as detailed on the CEF Matrix.

If you have additional information on any of the soldiers on the list, we would be pleased to add the details to each soldiers profiles.

For additional details on the Canadian Expeditionary Force in the Great War, please visit the CEF Matrix Web or the counterpart CEF Matrix Blog. Here you will find details on the structure of the CEF during the Great War and the Army Corps and Troops that made up the CEF ranks. In addition, the Matrix provides you with a number of Matrix Utilities to support your continued research.