World War One collections | Canadian Letters

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.

Wakefield, John

Private John "Jack" Wakefield was born in Toronto, Ontario, on June 16, 1896, to parents John and Eliza Wakefield.

He enlisted in Toronto with the 1st Depot Battalion Central Ontario Regiment on May 9, 1918. Shipping for England on board the SS Cassandra in June of 1918, Wakefield served with the 12th Reserve Battalion before proceeding to France to join the 15th Battalion later that October. Following his return to Canada, he was demobilized July 11, 1919.

Content notes:
The collection contains one letter written by Wakefield to his parents in December 1918, and his 15th Battalion Record of Services Card (a link to the complete index of these cards, digitized as part of the 15th Battalion Memorial Project, is included below).

External links:
Pte. Wakefield’s service record (Serv/Reg# 3036963) can be viewed/downloaded in pdf format through Library and Archives Canada.
The 15th Battalion Memorial Project’s Record of Services Card Index.

Walker, William Henry

William Henry Walker was born in Clinton, Ontario, in 1897. He worked as a drug clerk until his enlistment at Clinton on January 20, 1915. Walker served overseas and was killed December 19, 1916, at the age of nineteen. The collection consists of one photograph of Walker.

Walsh, Owen

Owen Walsh was born in Québec, February 18, 1888. We know very little about him. Prior to his enlistment he listed his residence as Montreal, his occupation as boilermaker, and he had served three years with the 8th Royal Rifles of Québec and three years with the Queen's Own Hussars. Walsh enlisted in Montreal September 1, 1915. He saw action in France and was killed in action April 20, 1916. The collection consists of one letter of condolence to his wife.

Walton, Richard David

Pte. Richard David Walton was born in London, England, on December 22, 1896, son of Richard and Louisa Walton. He enlisted with the 33rd Overseas Battalion in Clinton, Ontario, on August 18, 1915.

Shipping for England on board the SS Lapland in March 1916, Walton proceeded to France in June 1916 and was transferred to the 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles on his arrival.

He was killed in action September 15, 1916, and was buried near Albert, France. Subsequent fighting saw his grave lost, and he is now commemorated on the Vimy Memorial.

External links:
Pte. Richard Walton’s service record (Serv/Reg# 401511) can be viewed/downloaded in pdf format through Library and Archives Canada.
Burial information is available at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
A memorial page honouring Richard Walton can be visited online at the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.

Warn, Alfred Frank

Alfred Frank Warn was born in Christchurch, Hampshire, England, in November 1889. Prior to the war Warn immigrated to Canada. He enlisted with the 75th Battalion in August 1915, at Niagara-on-the-Lake. The collection currently consists of one photograph of Warn.

Warren, Edgar Cecil

Edgar Cecil Warren was born in Liverpool, England, in January 1888. Prior to the war he immigrated to Canada and enlisted in September 1914, part of the First Contingent that sailed in October 1914. Warren served with the 1st Divisional Supply Column until January 1917 when he was discharged to take a commission with 1st Battalion, London Regiment (Royal Fusiliers). Edgar Warren was killed May 3, 1917. The collection currently consists of twelve letters and two photographs.

Watson, Ralph Beverly

Sergeant Ralph Beverly Watson (a.k.a. Joseph Ralph Watson), Canadian Army Medical Corps, was the author of the 1918 book Letters of a Canadian Stretcher Bearer. The book's letters, along with more information on Sgt. Watson, can be found in the Special Items Collections section of the website.

Weeks, Ludlow Jackson

Ludlow Jackson Weeks was born in Truro, Nova Scotia, in September 1899. Weeks enlisted with the No. 10 Halifax Siege Battalion in Halifax in May 1917, having previously been rejected for being underage. He served overseas in 1918. The collection currently consists of more than forty letters, as well as postcards and photographs.

Wellman, Albert Edward

Albert Edward Wellman was born in Rawdon Township, Ontario, in July 1895. Wellman enlisted with the 155th Battalion in December 1916 in Marmora, Ontario. He served overseas with the Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry until his discharge at the end of the war. The collection currently consists of six letters and three postcards.

Welsh, Murray

Murray Welsh, DCM, was born in Kincardine, Ontario, in August 1889. Welsh enlisted with the Fort Garry Horse in June, 1915. He served in France and earned the DCM before his death on March 30, 1918. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Vimy Memorial. The collection currently consists of nine letters, photographs, and personal items.

West, Alfred Henry

Alfred Henry West was born in Muskoka District, Ontario, in May 1889. West enlisted with his brother Charles on January 18, 1916 in Victoria, British Columbia, with the 103rd Battalion. He served overseas with the 54th Battalion. West was wounded in July 1917 and was discharged as medically unfit in 1918. The collection currently consists of five letters.

West, Charles Edgar

Charles Edgar West was born in Muskoka District, Ontario, in July 1891. West enlisted with his brother Alfred on January 18, 1916, in Victoria, British Columbia, with the 103rd Battalion. He served overseas with the 54th Battalion until he was demobilized and returned to Canada in 1919. The collection currently consists of three letters.

Weston, W. Garfield

Garfield Willard Weston was born in Toronto, Ontario, in February 1898. Weston enlisted in February 1917 in Toronto with the Divisional Signallers, Engineering Company. Weston served overseas during the war, and following the war he was a successful businessman, philanthropist, and served as an MP in the British Parliament during WWII. For further information on Weston, see the Weston Family Foundation website. The collection currently consists of one letter and three photographs.

Westwood, Arthur

Arthur Westwood was born in Toronto, Ontario, in November 1896. Westwood enlisted with the 75th Bn. CEF in Toronto, Ontario, in August 1915. The collection currently consists of one letter, his discharge papers, and a Christmas Day 1917 menu.

White, Alexander

Private Alexander White was born in Glasgow, Scotland, on January 10, 1886. Prior to immigrating to Canada he served eighteen months with the British Army in the 4th Scottish Rifles.

White enlisted at Valcartier Camp, Québec, in September of 1914 and sailed to England as part of the First Contingent of the Canadian Expeditionary Force in October of that year aboard the SS Lapland. From England he proceeded to France with the 5th Battalion and from there to Ypres, Belgium. White was part of the Second Battle of Ypres during the first gas attack of the war. As a result of a head wound and the effects of gas, White was sent to hospital in England. He returned to Canada in October, 1915, and was demobilized as medically unfit for further service due to his injuries.

The collection consists of the diary White kept from February to May of 1915. Of particular note is his detailed account as a participant in the Second Battle of Ypres, written during the battle between April 22-25.

External links:
Pte. Alexander White’s service record (Serv/Reg# 13693) can be viewed/downloaded in pdf format through Library and Archives Canada.

[Editor’s note: The dates in the above description have been taken from White’s military service record and in some cases may conflict with those found in his diary.]

White, Herbert Hill

Herbert "Bert" Hill White was born July 30, 1880, in Grey County, Ontario. Sometime after his father's death in 1895 Bert moved to Cincinnati, Ohio, where his brother and mother then resided. He returned to Canada in 1916 and enlisted in October 1916 as part of the Canadian Railway Battalion. White served overseas as a member of the Canadian Railway Battalion until his return to Canada in 1919. This collection consists of his diary from 1916 to 1919, and one photograph. He died in Ottawa in 1943.

Whyte, James Claude

James Claude Whyte was born in Galletta, Ontario, in November 1891. Prior to the war Whyte served with the 99th Manitoba Rangers Band. He enlisted in Brandon, Manitoba, in March 1916 with the 181st and served overseas with the band. The collection consists of his diary of 1917 and early 1918.

Wilcox, Charles

Charles Wilcox was born in July 1889 at Stanstead, Québec. Wilcox enlisted in October 1914 and served with the 4th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. He served overseas in France and was wounded twice, the second time at Passchendaele late in 1917. Wilcox returned to Canada in 1919. The collection consists of nine letters that he wrote home while overseas. These letters are reproduced here with the kind permission of the Georgeville Historical Society and were originally published in the Georgeville Enterprise (Winter 1996).

Wilkinson, Frederick Edward

Frederick Edward Wilkinson was born in St. Albans, Hants, England, in March 1890. Prior to the war Wilkinson immigrated to Canada where he worked as a teacher in Regina, Saskatchewan. Wilkinson enlisted in March 1916 in Regina and served overseas with the Canadian Medical Corps. The collection currently consists of two letters written to one of his former pupils, Lois Purdy, and one Christmas card.

Williams, Francis Charles

Francis Charles Williams was born in Shrewsbury, England, in April 1893. Williams enlisted at Rimouski in October 1914. The collection consists of his paybook, as well as numerous postcards and photographs.