Original Post - 10/24/2014 (Lisa's Family Page)
Library and Archives Canada has been working on digitizing the service files of the Soldiers of the First World War. (UPDATE! They are finished, Yippie!) Every so often I check to see if any of our ancestors that served as a Canadian soldier has been added to the FREE online database. Today I discovered that my Great Grandfather, Wentworth Barnes, records have been added.
It was amazing to be able to read the 60 page PDF file that included medical records, dates and places he served as well as some other interesting bits of information.
Wentworth enrolled on February 1st, 1916 in Toronto, Ontario and he joined the 134th Battalion (48th Highlanders). He left Halifax, Nova Scotia on August 8, 1916, on the S.S. Scotian and arrived in England on August 19, 1916. Once he arrived in England he was transferred to the 15th Battalion at Bramshott Camp in Aldershot, Hampshire, England. In October 1917 he went to France.
Aside from having a few cavities filled in 1917, he had one visit to the hospital after he was buried by a shell in Vimy, France on April 13, 1917. The result
of that incident was Compound Myopic Astigmatism and nothing more. Thankfully it was treated with glasses and his injuries were not worse. He returned to his unit on May 5, 1917.
Once the war ended he returned to England on March 24, 1919. From there he returned to Canada for demobilization on the S.S Baltic from Liverpool on March 29, 1919. He was discharged in Ottawa on May 9, 1919, and made his way back to Toronto, Ontario.
A few other interesting facts I found in these documents...
It was amazing to be able to read the 60 page PDF file that included medical records, dates and places he served as well as some other interesting bits of information.
Wentworth enrolled on February 1st, 1916 in Toronto, Ontario and he joined the 134th Battalion (48th Highlanders). He left Halifax, Nova Scotia on August 8, 1916, on the S.S. Scotian and arrived in England on August 19, 1916. Once he arrived in England he was transferred to the 15th Battalion at Bramshott Camp in Aldershot, Hampshire, England. In October 1917 he went to France.
Aside from having a few cavities filled in 1917, he had one visit to the hospital after he was buried by a shell in Vimy, France on April 13, 1917. The result
of that incident was Compound Myopic Astigmatism and nothing more. Thankfully it was treated with glasses and his injuries were not worse. He returned to his unit on May 5, 1917.
Once the war ended he returned to England on March 24, 1919. From there he returned to Canada for demobilization on the S.S Baltic from Liverpool on March 29, 1919. He was discharged in Ottawa on May 9, 1919, and made his way back to Toronto, Ontario.
A few other interesting facts I found in these documents...
- He was 27 years old when he enlisted
- He joined the army with no identifiable markings but came home with a tattoo of a ship on his left forearm and a tattoo of a heart on his right forearm
- He was a driver during the war but was certified by the Toronto Nautical School in 1912 as a Master Tug (boat) seaman. In his youth, he was a sailor.
- He smoked 5 - 6 pipes of tobacco a day
- He drank moderately - "Chiefly Beer"
- His first wife (Carrie Carson) received $20 a month in "Leave pay" while he was overseas. ( $370.37 value in today's currency...not much to live on)
- His place of birth is recorded as St. John, New Brunswick repeatedly, but later corrected as St. John's, Newfoundland ( my research shows he was born in Little Bay, Newfoundland).
- He served in Canada - Feb 1, 1916, to August 8, 1916
- He served in England - August 19, 1916, to October 10, 1916
- He served in France - October 10, 1916, to March 19, 1919
http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/first-world-war-1914-1918-cef/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=25731
I will keep checking for our other ancestors that served in the first world war. Hopefully, over the winter the others will become available to review. Check back for updates.
Image Credit: Library and Archives Canada, Acc. No. 1983-28-826 - Copyright: Expired / Expiré
Field image courtesy of pixabay.com
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