Jul 12, 1891

Born in Belleville, Ontario Oliver and Mary Jane Bolyea

Feb 26, 1916

Attested into the 59^th Battalion in Brockville, Ontario 

Ø      Number 455900

Ø      Next of kin given as Mary Jane Bolyea, mother, 102 Pinnacle St., Belleville, Ontario

o       This was later changed to read Mr. D. Bolyea, father, 203 Pinnacle St., Belleville

Ø      Previous occupation given as Labourer

Ø      Previous military experience given as 3 years in the 15^th Regiment, Canadian Militia

Ø      Religion given as Roman Catholic

Ø      Assigned to the Base Company

The battalion trained in the Kingston area. 

On enlistment, he stated that he was the sole supporter of his mother as his father was an invalid.

Apr 1, 1916

Embarked the SS Olympic in Halifax, Nova Scotia

Apr 11, 1916

Disembarked in Liverpool, England and the battalion proceeded to Shorncliffe for further training

Apr 23, 1916

Admitted to the Bordon Military Hospital, Aldershot with a diagnosis that reads Conjunctivitis (Pink Eye)

May 13, 1916

Discharged to duty from hospital

May 19, 1916

Sentenced in a civil court to two months detention in hard labour for an indecent assault

Jul 6, 1916

Released from jail and posted to the 39^th Reserve Battalion at West Sandling

Aug 17, 1916

Transferred to the 21^st Battalion

Aug 18, 1916

Arrived at the CBD (Canadian Base Depot) in the Rouelles Camp, Havre, France as part of a draft of 138 reinforcements from England and TOS the 21^st Battalion

Sep 27, 1916

Classified “C” and Invalided to England

There is no indication that he ever left the depot in Havre, as the entry for his medical classification was attributed to the Commanding Officer of the Rouelles Camp

Posted to the CCAC  (Canadian Casualty Assembly Centre) while in hospital

Oct 2, 1916

A hospital report states that his hearing problem is a combination of middle ear and nerve deafness which existed prior to his enlistment, even though he insisted that he had no hearing problems when he volunteered.  The report recommends that he is fit for base duty only

Nov 22, 1916

Admitted to the West Cliff Eye and Ear Hospital, Shoreham for a hearing assessment and discharged the same day

Dec 5, 1916

Attached to the YMCA at West Sandling for duty and posted to the 36^th Reserve Battalion for pay purposes

Dec 8, 1916

Attached to the 35^th Battalion for pay purposes, but remained with the YMCA

Jan 18, 1917

Ceased to be attached and reported to the CCAC Hastings for duty

Jan 20, 1917

On Command to the Garrison Duty Depot at Shorncliffe for duty

Jan 26, 1917

Transferred to the 24^th Battalion

Mar 10, 1917

Posted to the EORD but remained at the Garrison Duty Depot for duty

Apr 3, 1917

TOS the BCRD (British Columbia Regimental Depot)

Apr 10, 1917

Transferred to the EORD (Eastern Ontario Regimental Depot) and detailed to the Depot Company for duty at Seaford

May 2, 1917

Transferred to the CFCBD (Canadian Forestry Corps Base Depot), Sunningdale

May 18, 1917

Posted to the #37 Company CFC (Canadian Forestry Corps) in France

Aug 8, 1917

Sentenced to 10 days Field Punishment #1 for Drunkenness

Oct 8, 1917

Admitted to the Sialkot RAMC (Royal Army Medical Corps) Field Ambulance then transferred the same day to the No. 5 CCS (Casualty Clearing Station) with a diagnosis that reads Otitis Media of middle ear

Oct 14, 1917

Transferred via No. 4 AT (Ambulance Train) to hospital

Oct 15, 1917

Admitted to the No. 10 General Hospital, Rouen

Oct 19, 1917

Invalided to England

Posted to the CFCBD while in hospital

On arrival in England he was admitted to the Bath War Hospital

Nov 29, 1917

Discharged from hospital and transferred to the Military Convalescent Hospital, Epsom

Jan 25, 1918

Discharged to non-combat duty

Mar 7, 1918

Posted to the 134^th Company, of the 54^th District, CFC

May 24, 1918

Granted permission to marry

Jun 20, 1918

Taken on married strength of the 134^th Company, of the 54^th District, CFC

Jun 27, 1918

The next of kin was changed to read Irene Bolyea, wife, 52 Charles St., Tonypandy, South Wales

Aug 8, 1918

Admitted to the No. 11 Canadian General Hospital with a diagnosis that reads Scabies.

Aug 18, 1918

Transferred to the Westcliffe Eye and Ear Hospital with hearing problems and discharge coming from his ears

Aug 29, 1918

Posted to the CFCBD, Sunningdale

Sep 13, 1918

A hospital report states that he cannot hear any voice in his right ear, and partial deafness in left ear.  The report also indicates that the problem existed prior to his enlistment in the CEF, even though he insisted that he had no hearing problems when he volunteered

Sep 14, 1918

Discharged to duty from hospital

Oct 3, 1918

Posted to the 130^th Company, 55^th District CFC, Stirling

Jan 4, 1919

Arthur Bolyea’s wife, Irene, embarked the RMS Metagama in Liverpool

Jan 16, 1919

Irene disembarked in Saint John, New Brunswick and proceeded to Belleville, Ontario to live with Arthur’s mother, Mary Jane Bolyea

Jan 23, 1919

Posted to the CFCBD, Sunningdale

Mar 7, 1919

Medical Board notes that he suffers from defective vision in both eyes in addition to his defective hearing and is recommended for discharge from the CEF

Mar 19, 1919

Posted to MD #3, Kinmel Park, Rhyl, pending return to Canada

Mar 25, 1919

Embarked the HMT Scotian in Liverpool

Apr 4, 1919

Disembarked in St. John, New Brunswick and proceeded to Kingston, Ontario

Apr 7, 1919

Discharged from the CEF in Kingston

Ø      Rank on discharge Private

Ø      War Service Badge Class “A” issued number 246000

Ø      Proposed residence on discharge Belleville, Ontario

Following the war the British War Medal (below) and Victory Medals were sent to him at 293 Pinnacle St., Belleville, Ontario

The Victory Medal is missing.  If you know of it's location, please contact the webmaster

Dec 28, 1928

Arthur Bolyea’s wife, Irene, died in St. Michael’s Hospital in Toronto of Hepatitis and General Septicemia.  The home address for Arthur is noted as 143 Ontario St., Toronto.

The Communiqué (the 21^st Battalion Association post war newsletter) reports that Arthur Bolyea died in Belleville in April of 1966.