Feb 5, 1888

Born in Hull, Quebec to Francois Xavier and Ameline (nee Desjardins) Chartrand.

Nov 9, 1914

Attested into the 21^st Battalion in Kingston, Ontario

Ø      Number 59154 (temporary number 852)

Ø      Next of kin given as Xavier Chartrand, father, Maisonneuve St., Hull, Quebec

Ø      Previous occupation given as Labourer

Ø      No previous military experience given

Ø      Religion given as Roman Catholic

Ø      Assigned to “H” Company

o       This was later reorganized into “D” Company

Jan 17, 1915

Admitted to the Kingston Military Hospital diagnosed with VDG (Venereal Disease Gonorrhea)

Jan 31, 1915

Discharged to duty from hospital.

Apr 7, 1915

Fined $2.00 for being drunk.

May 6, 1915

Embarked the RMS Metagama in Montreal, Quebec

May 15, 1915

Disembarked in Devonport, England and the battalion proceeded to the West Sandling Camp, near Hythe, Kent

Jul 22, 1915

Fined $5.00 for Drunkenness.

Sep 14, 1915

Embarked the St. Seiriol in Folkestone

Sep 15, 1915

Disembarked in Boulogne, France and the battalion proceeded to St. Omer.

Oct 15, 1915

Sentenced to 5 days FP (Field Punishment) #2 for being absent from the 1.45 pm parade.  It is interesting to note that he was 1 of 24 men sentenced for the exact same offence on the same day.  The 1.45 pm parade had been to form up in La Clytte in order to move into the front line trench.

Jan 6, 1916

Sentenced to 28 days FP #1 for being drunk and in the town of La Clytte without a pass.

Jan 28, 1916

Sentenced to 28 days FP #1 for being drunk, refusing to obey an order and for breaking out of the guardroom.  This sentence was to begin at the expiration of the punishment currently being served.

Jul 15, 1916

Admitted to the No. 4 CFA (Canadian Field Ambulance) with a bruised shoulder that resulted from a fall.

Jul 19, 1916

Discharged to duty from the CFA.

Sep 15, 1916

During the battalion’s advance on a sugar refinery at Courcelette, France, the explosion of an artillery shell killed Private Chartrand.  His comrades, buried him in a field near Martinpuich, not far from where he fell.  When the war had ended and an attempt was being made to exhume the battlefield burials and re-bury them in organized cemeteries, his body could not be located.  This was most likely due to the constant shelling that kept up until the war had ended, over 2 years later.  As a result, he is commemorated on the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, Vimy Ridge, 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, Xavier Chartrand, 255 Maisonneuve St., Hull, Quebec.

The Memorial Cross was sent to his mother, Mme. A. Chartrand, at the same address.