Guest Galway Posted 2 January , 2004 Share Posted 2 January , 2004 Can anybody tell me why my grandpa was in the Canadian Infantry during the great war , when he lived in Scotland all his life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Broznitsky Posted 2 January , 2004 Share Posted 2 January , 2004 Please give us his name, birthdate, and any other details and we will do some lookups for you! There were many men of English, Scottish, Welsh, and Irish origin in the Canadian Expeditionary Force during the Great War. Some of them had just arrived in Canada, while others had been there for many years. Did he make a previously unknown trip to Canada? Maybe we will find out . . . Peter in Vancouver Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Bluestein Posted 2 January , 2004 Share Posted 2 January , 2004 This is probably as a result of your great grandfather having come to Canada at some point just prior to the Great War, and subsequently enlisting there. This was very common. (Example: Major Charles Blair Wilson 42nd Battalion (Royal Highlander Of Canada) was in Canada for only three months, where he joined the CEF on the declaration of war. This Officer lived his entire life in Scotland, but served and died with the CEF.) The 49th Battalion was raised in Edmonton Alberta, and would have largely been made up of men from Canada's western provinces. (The unit served in France from October 9, 1915 until the end of the war). The other possible reason might be, that he may have enlisted in Scotland to a local regiment, and commissioned to the 49th Bn. later in the war? We wont know until we have your g-grandfathers name, rank, and regimental number (if never commissioned). I know if you can supply these, the Pals will be able to find some answers fairly easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Galway Posted 2 January , 2004 Share Posted 2 January , 2004 Private J Gavin,49 Canadian Infantry,432099. He was born on the 12/12/1890. He was born in Hollytown,Lanarkshire,Scotland.Thats about all i no.Would you be able to get any of his army records or anything. From Jamie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mordac Posted 2 January , 2004 Share Posted 2 January , 2004 Hi Jamie: Your Grandfather signed up with the CEF in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada on January 4, 1915. You can check his attestation papers here. To order his service records, check this National Archives of Canada site here. Garth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Galway Posted 2 January , 2004 Share Posted 2 January , 2004 Thats very much. Where would i find his service papers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mordac Posted 2 January , 2004 Share Posted 2 January , 2004 Hi Jamie: Here's some additional information on the 49th: The 49th Battalion was part of the 7th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Division. As mentioned by David, the 49th recruited in Edmonton. They were formed on July 1, 1915 and were disbanded on September 15, 1920. Their block of serial numbers was from 432001 to 434000. From your grandfather's serial number (432099) it appears he was one of the early members of the battalion. The battalion didn't write an official history of their service in the Great War. However, you can view their war diary from October 1915 to February 1919 here. Garth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry Posted 2 January , 2004 Share Posted 2 January , 2004 Galway, The response from David and Garth has shown for you the excellent archival system in place here in Canada. When you contact the National Archives, for about ten-twelve quid you will probably get a large packet of documentation (medical records, pay documents, will, casualty returns, attestation papers,etc.). I only wish that my research for the 1914 BEF individuals in my collection could be as complete! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mordac Posted 2 January , 2004 Share Posted 2 January , 2004 Hi Jamie: You mail your request for his service records to: National Archives of Canada Textual Records Reproduction Services 395 Wellington Street Ottawa, Ontario Canada K1A 0N3 You'll need his name, regimental number and reference. For your grandfather it would be: Name: Gavin, John Regimental Number: 432099 Reference: RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 3453 - 63 For the full details on ordering his records check this site. The record ordering (and cost) process is explained in detail. Good luck. Garth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Galway Posted 2 January , 2004 Share Posted 2 January , 2004 I am trying to find information on my other grandpa but i cant get any thing. His name is G Girdwood his number is 50914 he fought with the Cheshire Regiment i got told by my gran he fought at The Battle of Messines Ridge. He was taken prisoner during this battle then the germans made him work on a farm till the war was over. But i cant get any more information other than i have. I looked up the cheshire Regiment to get more information but i cant get any. If you could give me any information i would be very greatful. Thanks for the information on my grandpa gavin. From Jamie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhill Posted 2 January , 2004 Share Posted 2 January , 2004 The 49th recruited from northern Alberta and the surrounding rural area as well as from Edmonton proper, but your man signed up the first day of recruiting, so he was probably in town at the time. Another clue is that he claimed the trade of "miner". There were anywhere up to a dozen coal mines operating in the Edmonton river valley (that is, the North Saskatchewan River valey!) at this time so he possibly was employed at one of those. Your question points out one of the shortcomings of the early attestation forms. There is no indication of address at the time of enlistment. The form was probably a direct copy of the one in use in the U.K. No one imaginged using it in a community of immigrants with few ties to their current location. The 49th was perpetuated by the Loyal Edmonton Regiment. There is a website, sadly incomplete, which nonetheless gives some useful information about the original recruitment. The address is here: http://www.lermuseum.org/ler/whats_new/index.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhill Posted 2 January , 2004 Share Posted 2 January , 2004 As a follow up, this is what the soon-to-be Pte. Gavin would have seen around town the few days before he signed up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David_Bluestein Posted 2 January , 2004 Share Posted 2 January , 2004 49th Infantry Battalion Recruiting Area: Edmonton Alberta Canada: January 4, 1915-June 4, 1915 Sailed for England with 36 Officers and 996 Other ranks. England: June 13, 1915-October 9, 1915 France: October 9, 1915-February 8, 1919 Served as part of the 7th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Canadian Division Officers Commanding: Lieut. Col. W.A. Griesbach DSO January 4, 1915-February 11, 1917 Lieut. Col. R.H. Palmer DSO February 14, 1917-July 1, 1918 Lieut. Col. C.Y. Weaver DSO July 1, 1918-October 1, 1918 Lieut. Col. R.H. Palmer DSO October 2, 1918-Demob Victoria Cross Awards: Pte. Cecil John Kinross, October 29, 1917 Pte. John C. Kerr, September 16, 1916 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mordac Posted 2 January , 2004 Share Posted 2 January , 2004 There were anywhere up to a dozen coal mines operating in the Edmonton river valley (that is, the North Saskatchewan River valey!) at this time so he possibly was employed at one of those. Hi James: This is an interesting bit of information. Were these open pit or hard rock mines? Are they still in operation? Thanks. Garth Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Galway Posted 2 January , 2004 Share Posted 2 January , 2004 I dont now, ill try and find out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Galway Posted 2 January , 2004 Share Posted 2 January , 2004 I am trying to find information on my other grandpa but i cant get any thing. His name is G Girdwood his number is 50914 he fought with the Cheshire Regiment i got told by my gran he fought at The Battle of Messines Ridge. He was taken prisoner during this battle then the germans made him work on a farm till the war was over. But i cant get any more information other than i have. I looked up the cheshire Regiment to get more information but i cant get any. If you could give me any information i would be very greatful. Thanks for the information on my grandpa gavin. From Jamie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhill Posted 2 January , 2004 Share Posted 2 January , 2004 This is an interesting bit of information. Were these open pit or hard rock mines? Are they still in operation? Thanks. The early mines were "drift" mines dug horizontally into the river bank. By the time of the war most coal came from larger mines with vertical shafts. Most mining ceased by the 1930s, at least inside city limits. I believe the last mine closed about 1950 (I am probably off by a few years either way). Of course, I am definitely not an expert. Several soldiers I have looked at were employed in the mines before the Great War. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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