Following up on my previous post on the Second World War soldiers, today’s blog post highlights the men from the First World War that are named on the cenotaph in Reston Memorial Park. It was a more difficult job to identify them with the passage of time and the fact that many of these men had only a brief history with Reston and area and all their family were still overseas. Soldiers entries below with * are fairly sure but with a ? are completed with varying degrees of guesswork. I would appreciate any further information, corrections or guesses my readers may have. These men deserve to be remembered for their sacrifice to Canada and our freedom.
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| 20th Border Horse - Sewell Camp - Reston Boys - Man. |
* Private Thomas James Bond born 1885 in England
Farmer when he enlisted in December 1915 at Virden #1000111
16th Battalion Canadian Infantry
Killed September 2, 1918 age 33
Buried at Dominion Cemetery in France
Next Of Kin - mother Elizabeth Bond in England
* Private Adam Wilson Duff born 1890 in Scotland
Plumber and farmer when he enlisted in Winnipeg in May, 1916 #922515
107th Battalion Canadian Pioneers Infantry
Killed October 25,1917 age 26
Buried at Potijze Chateau Lawn Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium
NOK - parents Adam and Hughina Duff in Portobella, Scotland
? Private Archibald Ferguson Brown Elliott born 1888 in Black Horse, Ontario
Drayman at Loreburn, SK when he enlisted in Moose Jaw in March 1915 #781085
Second Canadian Mounted Rifles
Killed April 10, 1917 age 28
Buried at Bois-Carre British Cemetery, France
NOK - sister Tillie in Walkerton, Ontario
* Private Percy Evans born 1893 in Rhuddlan, Wales
Moulder (made moulds for bricks, ironworks, etc) when enlisted in Winnipeg in December 1915 #829361
52nd battalion
Canadian Infantry
Killed August 21, 1918 age 26
Buried at Boves West Communal Cemetery, France
Parents Edward and Elizabeth Ann Evans in Wales
* Lance Corporal Wilfred John Evans born 1894 in Reston
Law student when enlisted in Saskatoon in April 1915 #A11101
Princess Patricias Light Infantry
Killed September 15, 1916 Age 22
No known grave - name listed on Vimy Memorial
Parents Henry and Marion Evans in Reston
Reston Recorder article announced his death and said he had been on active service for a year. It calls him a young man of exemplary character and high ability - one of the brightest students that ever attended our public school. He had a bright future in law and had been working at that career in Saskatoon prior to enlistment. A letter home to his mother in August of 1915 thanks her for the box of candy and says he is enjoying eating it just then on the grass. He tells her they are billeted in some French houses when not in the trenches. He lets her know not to worry if letters do not come regularly; if he is not in the trench, he is catching up on sleep so not much time to write letters.
* Sapper Alexander Gordon born 1890 in Insch, Scotland
Farmer when enlisted in Winnipeg in June 1916 #922575
3rd Battalion of Canadian Engineers
Killed August 8, 1918 age 28
Buried at Crouy British Cemetery , France
Parents - William and Catherine Gordon in Scotland
* Private Thomas Wilson Guthrie born 1894 in Reston
Farmer when enlisted in Brandon in May 1918 #2130486
At Engineering Training Depot In Quebec on July 29, 1918
Contracted influenza and broncho-pneumonia and hospitalized for 6 days with
backache, headache, sore throat, head cold - This came to be known as Spanish Flu
Died October 24, 1918 age 24
Returned to Reston Cemetery, Manitoba for burial
The Inscription on his stone reads
In loving memory of
Private Thomas Wilson GuthrieNo 2130486-81st overseas draft
1st Depot Batt Manitoba
Dearly Beloved Son of
John &Janie E Guthrie
Born June 14 1892
Died Oct 4 1918
at the military hospital
St Johns Que.
‘Thy will be done ‘ “
Parents John and Jane (Wilson) Guthrie are buried beside him in Reston Cemetery
? Private Reginald Hunt born 1890 in Dublin, Ireland
Salesman/Clerk when enlisted in Virden February 1915 #424944
45th Battalion Canadian Infantry
Killed August 10, 1916 Age 26
No known grave - name listed on Vimy Memorial
NOK - parents Henry and Elizabeth Hunt in Sutton, Ireland
From the Reston Recorder - Word was received by John McMurchy that Reg Hunt had fallen at the front while fighting for King and country. He was a former resident of Reston and well known in the district.
? Thomas Johnston (or perhaps Johnson as that name is listed on an Honour Roll in the newspaper)
* Private Albert George Kelly born 1879 in Calcutta, India
Farmer when enlisted at Camp Sewell 1915 #424983
27th Battalion Canadian Infantry
Killed September 15, 1916 age 42
Buried in Courcelette British Cemetery, France
Son of William Henry and Mary Elizabeth Kelly
NOK brother Frederick Charles Kelly - farmer at Reston, MB
Reston Recorder announced his death in an October 1916 issue and said he had only been at the front a short time before he was killed. He was well known and highly respected in this district.
* Private Rupert Ellswood McCready born 1897 in Landsdowne, Ontario
Farmer when enlisted in Regina in December 1917 #256301
1st Battalion Canadian Machine Gun Corps
Killed October 1, 1918 age 21
Buried in Canada Cemetery Tilloy-lez-Cambrai, France
NOK - father Anthony Steven MacCready at Kitchener, Ontario
* Private Albert Edward Matthews born 1883 at Lambton, Ontario
Carpenter when enlisted in Victoria, BC in November 1914 #77012
16th
Battalion Canadian Infantry
Killed May 18, 1915 - age 35
No known grave - name on Vimy Memorial
NOK mother Mary (Bright) Matthews from Enderby, BC formerly lived in Hillview district
Reston Recorder published a letter home to his brother John in May of 1915. He ends his letter with "I can't give you any definite news or descriptions of places so have very little in the way of news so I will ring off for this time and write again soon." It was his final letter home.
? David McCormick
* Sergeant John Albert Napier born 1891 in Reston, MB
Farmer when enlisted in Yorkton, SK in January 1915 #106450
First Canadian Mounted Rifles
Killed September 15, 1916 age 24
Buried at Pozieres British Cemetery, France
Parents John and Abigail (Schultz) Napier
In late April of 1917, it was announced in the Reston Recorder that Corporal Napier had been officially listed as dead. He had disappeared during a raid the year before and hopes were that he was being held as a prisoner of war.
? Private Arnold Oliver William Newbury born 1886 in Wotton, Bedfordshire, England
Cement worker when enlisted in Strathroy, Ontario in September 1915 #123196
Princess Patricia Canadian Light Infantry
Killed October 31, 1917 age 31
Buried at Nine Elms British Cemetery, Belgium
Mother Julia Newbury from Kempston, Bedfordshire, England
* Private John Hamilton Ready born 1889 in Reston
Farmer at Broomhill when enlisted in Melita in March 1916 #291371
44th
Battalion Canadian Infantry
Killed October 21, 1918 age 29
Buried at Denain Communal Cemetery, France
Mourned by wife Grace (nee Shippam) of Reston
Parents John and Bella (Boyce) Ready of Reston
* Private James Alfred Reid born 1884 in Watson’s Corners, Lanark, Ontario
Farmer when he enlisted in Brandon in January of 1918 #2128966
43rd Battalion Canadian Infantry
Killed August 16, 1918 Age 33
No known grave - name on the Vimy Memorial
NOK - brother Daniel Currie Reid in Reston
? Gordon Smith
* Lieutenant Charles Milton Stewart born 1888 in Lanark, Ontario
Farmer when he enlisted in Saskatoon December 1914 #106570
First Canadian
Mounted Rifles
Killed April 9, 1917 age 29
Buried in Thelus Military Cemetery, France
Parents Charles J and Catherine (Bulloch) Stewart of Vancouver
His death was announced in the Reston Recorder naming him one of the first to offer his services for his country. He was described as a gallant soldier and had served the militia for many years as an officer in the 20th Border Horse.
His photo was published in the Reston Recorder in April 1919 as he was a nephew of Robert Bulloch of Reston. (The only one in the war years papers that I found. Pictures in the war years papers were few and far between which likely indicates the expense and difficulty for this to be done.)
? Private John Strath born 1873 in Berryleys, Dufftown, Banffshire, Scotland
Rancher living at Radium Hot Springs when he enlisted at Athalmer, B.C. in 1916 #687599
47th Battalion Canadian Infantry
Killed May 13, 1917 age 43
Buried at Lapugnoy Military Cemetery, France
NOK parents Helen and William Strath of Berryleys, Dufftown, Scotland (2nd of 14 children)
Remembered on the cenotaph at his hometown in Scotland - left for Canada in June 1906
John's brother Robert serving with the UK Seaforth Highlanders was sadly killed two days later
* Lance Corporal George Stephen Whittaker born 1883 in St John, NB
Law student, stenographer and telegraph operator when he enlisted in Reston
in May 1916 #234925
52nd Battalion Canadian Infantry
Killed October 24,1918 age 34
Buried in Raismes Communal Cemetery, France
NOK- Mary E Whittaker Vegreville, AB
Reston Recorder article May 1916 to announce the social evening that was held to present George with a handsome wrist watch on behalf of the children and officials of Sunday School for his work as their Secretary-Treasurer. He was described as a splendid, public spirited citizen. George was leaving the community to serve his country shortly.
* Private Andrew Whytock born 1876 in Moorfatt, Scotland
Labourer when enlisted in Cranbrook, BC January 1916 #703909
102nd
Battalion Canadian Infantry
Killed October 20,1916 age 40
No known grave - name on Vimy Memorial
NOK - orphan sons Alexander (Sandy) and Robert D (Bert) Whytock who were living in
Reston with Jim and Helen Forman as guardians. Andrew was a widower.
*Private Frederick Leo Wonnacott (written on cenotaph as "Wynacott")
Farmer when enlisted in Calgary in February. 1915 #434995
10th Battalion
Canadian Infantry
Killed February 5, 1916 age 23
No known grave - name on Menin Gate at Ypres, Belgium
Parents Silas and
Adelaide Wonnacott in Hunter River, PEI
Death announced in Reston Recorder March 1916 - Fred was better known in this district as "Spuds"
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