World War One collections | Page 2

Title

WWI

These collections contains any material relating to Canada from 1914 to 1918 from either the home front or the battlefront. External links in collection descriptions are either to online attestation papers at Library and Archives Canada or casualty and burial information at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

Fraser, Jonathan Alexander

Sergeant Jonathan Alexander Fraser was born in Iderton, Ontario, on October 10, 1895. Prior to enlistment he was living and attending school in Toronto, Ont.

Fraser enlisted in Toronto on March 1, 1917, with the 71st Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. The following September, while still in Canada, he joined the Ammunition Column of the Canadian Siberian Expeditionary Force (C.S.E.F.).

On October 11, 1918, Fraser departed for Siberia aboard the SS Empress of Japan, arriving in Vladivostok on October 26. He served primarily in Vladivostok, but also spent several weeks with headquarters staff deployed to Omsk. Fraser returned to Canada aboard the SS Empress of Russia in May 1919, and was demobilized the following month on June 12.

Content notes:
The photographs were taken during Fraser’s Siberian deployment, but exact dates/locations are unknown.
The March 1919 Nominal Role of Advanced Party Ammunition Column, C.F.A., C.E.F.S. has been posted in the “Letter” section (a technical work-around that ensures service number hyperlink functionality).
The collection’s only letter-type material is a military order written by Lieut. Raymond Hart Massey, best known for his post-war work as a celebrated actor. Massey also appears in the theatrical program (see Artwork category).

External links:
Sgt. Jonathan Alexander Fraser’s service record (Serv/Reg# 342093) can be viewed/downloaded in pdf format through Library and Archives Canada.

Lieut. Raymont Hart Massey’s service record (Serv/Reg# not assigned) can be viewed/downloaded in pdf format through Library and Archives Canada.

Fright, Edward James

Private Edward James Fright was born in Birchington-on-Sea, England on December 12th, 1896, to parents Edward James & Christiana Fright. Both died while Edward was quite young leaving himself and his younger brother Alfred orphaned at the ages of five and two. They were taken in at Dr. Barnardo's Home for Orphans in London, England.

Both Edward and Alfred were sent to Canada as "Home Children" in March of 1910, aboard the ship Dominion. Both were eventually placed into domestic work with a family in South Dorchester, Elgin County, Ontario.

On January 1st, 1916, in Saint Thomas, Ontario, Edward enlisted with the 91st Overseas Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. He arrived in England abord the troop ship S.S. Olympic on July 5th, 1916, and was sent to France in October of that same year.

Pte. Fright was killed in action in an attack at Bellevue Spur at Passchendaele, Belgium, on October 26th, 1917. He is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial in Belgium.

External links:
Pte. Fright's service record (Reg/Ser# 189881) is available online through Library and Archives Canada.
Library and Archives Canada also has immigration information for Fright as part of their database on Home Children.
Burial information is available at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
A memorial page honouring Pte. Fright can be visited online at the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.

The Memorial Honour Roll Plaque to the Home Children of WWI, designed by Dawn Heuston, was sponsored by veteran Len Brown in memory of his mother Miriam Ann Morris who came to Canada as British Home Child. A high resolution jpg of the Plaque can be downloaded from the website of the British Home Child Advocacy and Research Association.

Fuller, Harry Vincent

Harry Vincent Fuller was born in St. Paul, Minnesota in January, 1894. His family later moved to Calgary where he enlisted in May, 1916 with the 137th Battalion. Fulller served overseas in France until his return at the end of the war in 1919. The collection currently consists of several photographs and a portion of a notebook he kept in 1917.