Guest Posted 19 December , 2004 Share Posted 19 December , 2004 I am learning about Americans who enlisted with the Crown (UK/CAN) to fight prior to the US entry into the Great War. Literature searches I have done come up remarkably lean on this topic. I hope this topic might be of interest to some others out there and if so, I would enjoy some tutoring on this seemingly over looked subject. I am very interested in details concerning specific battalions and numbers of volunteers. In the end I would like to have helped to keep their memory alive by educating others with what I have learned. Thanks for the time and effort. Jim Shea Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadawwi Posted 19 December , 2004 Share Posted 19 December , 2004 HI! I have about 20 pages consisting of dozens of newspaper clippings from 1914-18 regarding Americans joining the Canadian army prior to the American entry. Send me a message with your email and I can email these files to you. Keep in mind that they are in Powerpoint - you can download a viewer online. Marika Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ralph J. Whitehead Posted 19 December , 2004 Share Posted 19 December , 2004 There were a number of books published during and just after the war from Americans who served in the Canadian or British armies. Among the ones I can think of off hand are 'Over the Top' by Guy Empey, wounded near Gommecourt June 1916 I believe, written by a man who served in the British army and 'Over there and Back' by Joseph Smith, a man who served in the 29th Vancouver Regiment and later in the Royal Scots (from book cover) and then ended up in the American Army. I know that there are a number of similar books out there. Ralph Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
182 CEF Posted 19 December , 2004 Share Posted 19 December , 2004 There are a few WW1 Canadian Capbadges that have the title "American Legion" on them. I can't remember the numbers at this time and I have misplaced my CEF Badge books. Dean Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larneman Posted 19 December , 2004 Share Posted 19 December , 2004 Are you also referring to this type of Americian or just second or third generations. Most I have come across have links to the US, either father/mother or wife but were not born in US and served in the Canadian or UK armies Name: GRAY, THOMAS Initials: T Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Rifleman Regiment: Royal Irish Rifles Unit Text: 2nd Bn. Age: 29 Date of Death: 24/11/1916 Service No: 8767 Additional information: Son of Mrs. Ellen Culverwell, of 230, Massachusetts St., Highland Park, Detroit, U.S.A. Born Islandmagee, Ireland. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: C. 6. Cemetery: HYDE PARK CORNER (ROYAL BERKS) CEMETERY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hugh Pattenden Posted 19 December , 2004 Share Posted 19 December , 2004 Name: ROSS, DONALD NEIL CAMPBELL Initials: D N C Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Second Lieutenant Regiment: Royal Field Artillery Unit Text: "D" Bty. 46th Bde. Age: 22 Date of Death: 30/11/1917 Additional information: Son of the Rev. G. A. Johnston Ross, D.D., and Mary Louisa Campbell Ross, of Union Theological Seminary, New York City, U.S.A. Born at Bridge of Allan, Scotland. Volunteered for service while a student at Princeton University, 1916. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: VI. AA. 17. Cemetery: MENDINGHEM MILITARY CEMETERY Born Scotland, but resident USA with (I think) at least one American parent. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick Saunders Posted 19 December , 2004 Share Posted 19 December , 2004 There is a book entitled 'A Flying Fighter' written by Lieutenant E.M. Roberts. He was born and bred in the US. He was working in the Rockies on the B.C. Alberta border when the war was declared and joined the Canadian Army in Calgary. He served at the front, then voluntered for the RFC. He was wounded, sent home and survived to write his story in 1918. It is actually quite a good read. He describes meeting a Canadian VC winner called Kerr who served in the 49th Battalion (Edmonton) and manages to get Kerr to recount how he won his medal. I hope this is of interest Best wishes Nick saunders Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Burns Posted 20 December , 2004 Share Posted 20 December , 2004 Hi, You may want to pick up 'best o' luck by Alexander McClintock a Kentuckyian who served in the CEF. Paul Gutherie, a member here has done extensive research on this gentleman. See my signature below for details on my two Great-uncles on of which volunteered to serve in the CEF. Take care, Neil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Michael Green Halifax Posted 20 December , 2004 Share Posted 20 December , 2004 Hi, I've just read your item with interest, and wondered if you know of the below, definately one to research! Private Joseph Standing Buffalo, 2413310, 78th. Bn. Canadian Infantry (Manitoba Regiment), who died age 20 on 29 September 1918. Son of Julius Standing Buffalo (Chief of the Souix Tribe of Indians), of Fort Qu Appelle, Saskatchewan. Remembered with honour, Bucquoy Road Cemetery, Ficheux, Pas de Calais. (About 9 kilometres from Arras). The entry in the Cemetery register continues..."Joseph Standing Buffalo was the grandson of Chief Sitting Bull of the famous battle of the Little Big Horn, where 'General' George Custer and his men were annilated". Hope you find this of some use in your research. Mick Green. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Canadawwi Posted 21 December , 2004 Share Posted 21 December , 2004 A. Guy Empey was an American who served in the British army. The book is quite entertaining, although there is one very sad chapter regarding a shot at dawn execution. Empey used his experiences to write this book - which was a bestseller for 1917, and later put out several Hollywood films, and related items such as sheet music. While he was in the British army he directed and wrote the screenplay for some concert parties. The logistics involved in putting on a concert party are detailed in his book. I can't recall if he had prior experience with theatre, or whether his experiences with the concert party led to his later career. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jacky Platteeuw Posted 21 December , 2004 Share Posted 21 December , 2004 The Menin Gate has approx. 180 missing soldiers commemorated with a known connection to the United States. I am busy making a list of all nationalities commemorated on the Gate. The American one is far from finished but, at first sight, it will be without any doubt the biggest one. Conclusions cannot be drawn yet but it would be no wild guess to say that most of them enlisted in the Canadian contingent. However it surprised me that, emphasising the partial research, there were quit a few to find in the British Army. I hope to have finished in the summer with the research. Jacky Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PBI Friday Posted 21 December , 2004 Share Posted 21 December , 2004 Hello there, There's a sergeant with the Liverpool Regiment named as L. L. Delmas Gazetted for a MM and bar....... and listed as being from New Orleans U.S.A. (Second Supplement to the London Gazette, Friday 22nd February 1918 p.2410.) An interesting research project for someone!! David. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ken Lees Posted 22 December , 2004 Share Posted 22 December , 2004 Sgt 4271 (later 331604) Lester Louis Delmas served in the 9th Bn. King's Liverpool Regiment, earning the MM with the 1/9th and a Bar with the 2/9th. The Bar was awarded in December 1917. He is listed on Soldiers Died as being born in Toronto, Canada and resident of Liverpool. He was killed in action 28th August 1918 and is buried at HAC Cemetery, Ecoust-St. Mein. I wonder why there is a discrepancy in his place of birth. Regards, Ken Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Posted 22 December , 2004 Share Posted 22 December , 2004 I've found a couple, one a native New Yorker (song in there somewhere) and a Russian who enlisted in New York (?!?). 23466 Pte. George Francis Damrick 1/KOYLI, Born New York, Enlisted Camberwell, KiA 8/10/1918, formerly 23919 1st Res Cav. 58960 Pte. Stephen Emetz 1/KOYLI, Born Russia, Enlisted New York KiA 4/11/1918, formerly 61205 York and Lancsater Regt. I also recall an American officer in the KOYLI but I am not able to put my hands on the details at the moment. How common was it for enlistment to take place actually in the US? I have never come across it before. Andy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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