Apr 19, 1894

Born at Lye Worcester England

Oct 20, 1914

Pay card shows that Pte Chance was paid from Oct 20 to Nov 10, 1914 as a member of the 41^st Regiment, Brockville Rifles

Nov 11, 1914

Attested into the 21^st Battalion at Kingston Ontario 

Ø     Number 59151

Ø     Next of kin given as Joseph Chance (father) of Wollescote, near Stourbridge, Worcestershire, England

Ø     Occupation given as “Farmer”

Ø     Religion given as “Church of England”

Ø     No previous service is recorded

Ø     Scars from burns on left forearm noted 

A second set of attestation papers are in the file which are identical except the date on them is Nov 3, 1914.  The other pages in the file consistently show Nov 11 as the attestation date.

May 1, 1915

Pay assignment of $25 per month made to Joseph Chance of 8 Attwood St., Lye, Worcester, England 

Ø     Pay sheet notes that he is in “A” Company

May 6, 1915

Embarked the “Metagama” for England at Montreal Quebec

May 15, 1915

Disembarked at Folkestone England and proceeded to West Sandling Camp

Aug 1, 1915

Transferred to 2^nd Division Headquarters Sub Staff at Shorncliffe as a “Groom”

Sep 28, 1915

Admitted to No 9 Casualty Clearing Station with SW left hand

Oct 6, 1915

TOS Canadian Base Depot from 4^th Infantry Brigade at Rouen

Oct 14, 1915

Left CBD to join unit

Dec 7, 1915

Transferred from 2^nd Division HQ to 21^st Battalion

Dec 8, 1915

TOS 21^st Battalion in the field

May 1, 1916

Pay assignment reduced to $20 per month.

Sep 20, 1916

Promoted to Cpl vice Gordon (Cpl John Gordon, 59379, died of wounds on this date at Amiens)

Sep 28, 1916

Admitted to No 3 Canadian Field Ambulance with SW left hand

Sep 29, 1916

Admitted No 6 General Hospital at Rouen with a gun shot wound in his left hand

Oct 2, 1916

Transferred to No 2 Convalescent Hospital

Oct 4, 1916

Discharged to Base Details at Boulogne

Oct 16, 1916

At duty with 21^st Battalion from hospital

Dec 7, 1916

Sent to Bombing Course in the field

Dec 25, 1916

Returned from Bombing Course and granted 10 days leave

Jan 9, 1917

Rejoined unit from leave

Mar 9, 1917

Appointed A/Sgt with pay

Mar 31, 1917

Admitted to 13^th Field Ambulance (Imperial) with Synovitis (inflammation of the joint) in right knee and reverts to permanent grade of Cpl

Apr 5, 1917

Transferred to No 7 Canadian General Hospital with Synovitis

in right knee moved to No 23 CCS and to A.T. No 18.  (the record is not clear as to which order these moves took place)

Apr 8, 1917

Admitted No 6 Convalescent Depot at Etaples

Apr 10, 1917

On Command Canadian Details Camp

Apr 13, 1917

Admitted to No 39 General Hospital at Havre with Scabies

Apr 14, 1917

Taken on CBD from Etaples “A” then struck of Etaples “A” and sent to 39 General Hospital

Apr 21, 1917

Discharged to reinforcements at Havre

Apr 22, 1917

Taken on CBD from 39 General Hospital

Apr 26, 1917

Admitted No 7 Stationary Hospital at Harfleur with Influenza, later determined to be effects of poison, more precisely Sulfur poisoning. - Taken on CBD

May 4, 1917

Transferred to No 2 General Hospital at Havre from No 7 Canadian Stationary Hospital “A”

May 6, 1917

Transferred to No 39 General Hospital at Havre

Jun 15, 1917

Discharged to Base Depot at Etaples

Jun 30, 1917

At duty 21^st Battalion from hospital

Nov 30, 1917

Granted 14 days leave

Dec 16, 1917

Rejoined Battalion from leave

Jan 1, 1918

Promoted to Sgt

Nov 18, 1918

Granted 14 days leave

Dec 5, 1918

Admitted to 2^nd London General Hospital, St Mark’s College, King’s Road, Chelsea S.W., with influenza

Dec 6, 1918

Posted to EORD while on leave in France and admitted to hospital

Dec 19, 1918

Transferred to Canadian Convalescent Hospital at Bear Wood Wokingham Berkshire with influenza

Dec 24, 1918

On Command to EORD

Dec 27, 1918

Discharged to duty

Jan 14, 1919

Ceases to be attached and TOS 6^th Reserve Battalion Witley

Jan 24, 1919

SOS on transfer to MD No 3, Kimmel Park

Apr 5, 1919

Awarded the Belgian Croix De Guerre – London Gazette #31275

Apr 24, 1919

SOS on transfer from MD 3 Kimmel Park to “C” Wing

May 14, 1919

Ceases to be on Command Rhyl on being discharged in England.

Proposed address on discharge – 8 Attwood St., Lye, Worcester, England

Jun 9, 1919

SOS “C” Wing Kimmel Park on discharge from army at Rhyl

Nov 29, 1920

1914-15 Star sent to 2 Hungary Hill Stourbridge, Worcestershire, England

Apr 15, 1921

Sworn into service in England into the 3^rd NMRE (DF) 

Ø     Number 82 

This service was due to a State of Emergency being called by the British Government over the coal strike in the North of England.  It is unclear as to whether he acted as a guard, or whether he worked in the mine, as my research indicates that some soldiers were employed underground.

Apr 18, 1921

British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to 2 Hungary Hill Stourbridge, Worcestershire, England

Jul 4, 1921

Letter in file from the British Prime Minister’s Office at 10 Downing St, London, thanking him for his service  

“during the recent national emergency”.   

The letter goes on to say 

“The readiness which you and others have shown in coming forward to defend the public was an effectual guarantee for the maintenance of law and order, and for the preservation of the people from threatened privation and misery; it will be remembered with gratitude by all sections of the community.”

Jul 5, 1921

Discharged from the 3^rd NMRE (DF) at Brierley Hill, England

May 15, 1940

Attested into the Canadian Army Provost Corps at Kingston Ontario 

Ø     Number C-444

Jul 14, 1945

Discharged from the Provost Corps at Kingston Ontario