Vincent Thomas Joseph Aikens

Vincent Thomas Joseph Aikens

Thank you to Bruce Kettles for providing the service file

Jul 25, 1895	Born at Kingston Ontario
Oct 23, 1914	Volunteered for service with the 14^th Regiment, Princess of Wales’ Own Rifles at Kingston, number 2050
Mar 1, 1915	Attested into the 21^st Battalion at Kingston Ontario Ø Number 59003 (temporary number 1256) Ø Next of kin given as Joseph Aikens, father, of 28 Patrick St, Kingston Ø Previous occupation given as Clerk Ø Previous military experience given as 6 months in the 14^th Regiment, Princess of Wales’ Own Rifles Ø Religion given as Roman Catholic Ø Assigned to “A” Company
May 6, 1915	Embarked the RMS Metagama at Montreal Quebec
May 15, 1915	Disembarked at Devonport England and proceeded to the West Sandling Camp, near Hythe Kent
Aug 30, 1915	Declared to be AWL (Absent Without Leave)
Sep 1, 1915	Reported for duty from being AWL and fined 3 day’s pay for his absence
Sep 14, 1915	Embarked the St Seiriol at Folkestone
Sep 15, 1915	Disembarked at Boulogne France and proceeded to St Omer
Oct 23, 1915	While out on a working party in Poppy Lane, he was wounded by an enemy shrapnel shell in his back and legs and removed to the No 8 CCS (Casualty Clearing Station) where he died of his wounds. Bailleul Communal Cemetery Bailleul France Following the war the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, Plaque (Dead Man’s Penny) and Scroll were sent to his father, Joseph Aikens Esq., at 28 Patrick St, Kingston Ontario No Memorial Cross was issued as his mother had predeceased him

Above is the Memorial Wall at Kingston Ontario located at the Kingston Memorial Centre and below is the plaque in Memorial Hall at Kingston City Hall

2010

For the 7 nights leading up to November 11, 2010, the names of all Canadian soldiers were projected onto the Belgian War Memorial in Ypres. At the same time, the same names were being broadcast via the internet to schools across Belgium and Canada. The image above shows the opening ceremonies at the Belgian War Memorial on November 4, 2010.

Below on the left is the name of Vincent Thomas Aikens being projected on that wall. Below right shows the name being broadcast to the schools. Each name appeared for 25 seconds and each night 9,700 names were shown.