 Bombardier Cox writes home to his sisters about the journey from Petawawa and the arrival in Witley."The time came at last at 7PM on Sept 8th of us to pull out of old P'wa and a glad moment it was. Our train (special) stopped at Pembroke and I never saw so many girls in that town before, as there were to meet us at the station. We were not allowed to get off the train, but talked to them all through the windows. One that I never saw before gave me a box of eatables about 2 feet long, then we'd pull them up to the windows and kiss them goodbye." Check out the rest of the letter here.
 Bombardier Lorne Corneil MacCallum, regimental #327972; enrolled as a Gunner in 59th Battery, 15th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery and was later transferred to 60th Battery, 14th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery. Bombardier MacCallum survived the war and married Beatrice Helen Phillips in 1922. He passed away in 1984 and is buried in Stratford, ON. Bombardier MacCallum served as Best man at Bombardier Cox's wedding. Check out the other bank Gunners here.
 Sergeant Bolgak, Master Bombardier Figueroa, Master Corporal Tam, Gunner Wong and Gunner Feng travel to Lethbridge to train with 20th Independent Battery, RCA. Details to follow when provided.
Bombardier Cox writes of the deployment of 15th Brigade from Petawawa to Halifax where they board the Mattagama for the convoy to Liverpool. Arrival in Witley sounds like a pleasant surprise. You can find the letter here.     Gunner Albert Basil Wilberforce Tanner, regimental #327953; enrolled as a Gunner in 59th Battery, 15th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery and was later transferred to 61st Battery, 14th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery. Gunner Tanner survived the war married the daughter of Lieut. Colonel Seaborn, Author Of The March Of Medicine and passed away in Mission, BC in 1967. Check out the other bank Gunners here.
 Major Thomas is Officer Commanding. There was an accidental discharge resulting in a wounded sentry. A chicken pox outbreak was followed by mumps. The patients were isolated and were allowed to attend movie night separate from the remainder of the garrison - chicken pox patients on one side of the mess hall, mumps patient the other. Movies this month included My Favourite Blond, The Monroe Doctrine, A Girl Must Live. Check out this page for more information.
 Library & Archives Canada The first letter from Bombardier Cox has been posted. The date 10 July 1916 and he tells of some of the training that they conduct in Petawawa, Ontario.
Spend most of the day out on mounted parades. Maneuvering in the field etc. Everything is down under cover of woods, to avoid being seen by aeroplanes. We go right thru a wood when there is no trace, and crush down trees as big as your two legs and 10 to 20 ft. high. Of course, often get stuck and have to build bridges or man handle the guns out etc. The best fun is to be on the head quarters party. They ride out with him on his reconnaissance and then are detailed for different jobs, such as to gallop back, like a fire engine to bring the Battery up into position etc. Was on the headquarters party 3 times last week. Check out the rest of the letter here. We may have found the second bank Gunner. Driver Edgar Alexander McLennan, regimental #327967, had previous service with 10th Company Field Ambulance before enlisting with the 59th Battery, 15th Brigade Canadian Field Artillery. He attended signalling school and was transferred to 60th Battery, 14th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery. He was killed in action 14 September 1917 while repairing breaks in the lines from the gun line to the observation posts. He is interred at Villers Station Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France. He was 20 years old. There is a discrepancy between the name Edgar Alexander McLennan and Bombardier Cox's recollection as the name being Alexander McDonald McLennan. As well, the newspaper article lists the bank as the "Molson Bank" rather than the Canadian Bank of Commerce. As with all research, more information may be revealed later.    The fate of the first of the Bank of Commerce Gunners has been found.
Gunner John Joseph McEachern, regimental #327975; enrolled as a Gunner in 59th Battery, 15th Brigade Canadian Field Artillery and was later transferred to 60th Battery, 14th Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery. He died due to injuries received in a training accident in England. On 22 March 1917, while getting on a limber, his foot slipped and caught causing a fractured left tibia. He was admitted to Bramshott Military Hospital and on 23 March his condition was good. At 11:00 p.m. that evening, he was found unconscious and died the following morning at 3 a.m. Temperature 105.4, death attributed to an embolism. Gunner McEachern is interred at Witley (Milford) Cemetery, Surrey, United Kingdom.  Eric Halstead has uncovered another former member of the Vancouver Volunteer Reserve, Boorman's Battery who went on to conduct an act of bravery that was recognized by the awarding of the Military medal. Company Quartermaster Sergeant Robert Johnston, MM enlisted with the Vancouver Volunteer Reserve, Boorman's Battery on 10 November 1915. He served overseas with the 3rd Company, 4th Division Train, Canadian Army Service Corps and was awarded the Military Medal for Bravery in the Field for action 7/8 1917. His citation reads:
For resourcefulness, bravery and coolness displayed in the discharge of his duty as N.C.O. i/c Train transport details, on the night of August 7-8th, 1917. In spite of heavy shell-fire which mortally wounded the driver of the rear team and one of his horses and caused other lesser casualties, and although partially buried by falling brick and debris, Sergt Johnstone extricated the driver from beneath the surviving horse, accompanied him and a wounded brakeman to a place of security, removed the injured horse, and then returned to salvage the waggon. On 4 December he was awarded a bar to his Military Medal for actions that we have yet to uncover. Check out the Military Medals page for a full listing of all the medal awards that have been uncovered to date. Lest we forget. |
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