Mar 12, 1892

Born at Dereham Township, Oxford County, Ontario

Jan 27, 1916

Attested into the 168^th Battalion at Tillsonburg Ontario 

Ø      Number 675384

Ø      Next of kin given as Thomas Curtis (father) of Tillsonburg Ontario

Ø      Previous occupation given as Farmer

Ø      No previous military experience given

Ø      Religion given as Methodist

Oct 21, 1916

Will made out leaving estate to his mother, Mrs Annie Curtis, of Tillsonburg Ontario

Oct 30, 1916

Embarked the SS Lapland at Halifax Nova Scotia

Nov 11, 1916

Disembarked at Liverpool England

Dec 5, 1916

Posted to the 39^th Reserve Battalion at West Sandling Camp

Jan 4, 1917

Posted to the 6^th Reserve Battalion at Seaford

Mar 7, 1917

The Military Will inside the pay book was filled in leaving estate to his mother, Mrs Annie Curtis of Tillsonburg Ontario

Mar 19, 1917

Transferred to the 21^st Battalion

Mar 20, 1917

Arrived at CBD (Canadian Base Depot) at Havre France and TOS (Taken On Strength) the 21^st Battalion

Mar 22, 1917

Left CBD to join unit

Apr 14, 1917

Joined the 21^st Battalion in the field 

There is no explanation for the delay in joining the Battalion.  I assume he was held in the rear area because of the planned attack at Vimy Ridge. 

The Battalion was in billets on this date at Bois Des Alleux, re-equipping and re-organizing after heavy losses at Vimy Ridge.

Jul 14, 1917

Admitted to No 4 CFA (Canadian Field Ambulance) with shrapnel wounds to both feet 

The Battalion was in the front lines in the Laurent Section and Pte Curtis was one of 6 who were wounded by artillery bursts of shrapnel shells 

Transferred same day to No 18 CCS (Casualty Clearing Station)

Jul 16, 1917

Transferred to No 7 Canadian Hospital at Etaples

Jul 24, 1917

Invalided to England aboard the Hospital Ship Pieter de Conink

Posted to the EORD (Eastern Ontario Regimental Depot) while in hospital 

Admitted to Military Hospital at Lewisham and surgery performed to remove several bone fragments and other foreign bodies from both feet. 

He was noted as being very depressed on admission

Sep 28, 1917

Officer Commanding Military Hospital reports him to be “dangerously ill”

Sep 29, 1917

Died of Wounds at 12:35 pm at the Military Hospital at Lewisham after running a high fever for several days, at one point reaching 103.8 deg.  Photos are of both his original grave marker and  that which  is in place today

Brookwood Military Cemetery
Surrey England

Jun 6, 1921

Plaque and Scroll sent to his father, Thomas Curtis, at Tillsonburg Ontario

Aug 12, 1922

Memorial Cross sent to his mother, Mrs Annie Curtis, at Tillsonburg Ontario

Mar 28, 1923

British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to Mrs Annie Curtis, mother, at Tillsonburg Ontario