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Nov 27, 1888
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Born in St. Mary’s, Ontario
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Nov 5, 1914
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Attested into the 21st
Battalion in Kingston, Ontario
Ø Number 59272
(temporary number 169)
Ø Next of kin given
as Wilbert Down, brother, Frome, Ontario
Ø Previous occupation
given as Button Maker
Ø No previous
military experience given
Ø Religion given as
Wesleyan
Ø Posted to “B”
Company
o This was later
reorganized into “A” Company
The battalion carried out
training in the Kingston area over the winter of 1914-15
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May 6, 1915
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Embarked the RMS Metagama in
Montreal, Quebec
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May 15, 1915
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Disembarked in Devonport,
England and the battalion proceeded to the West Sandling Camp near Hythe,
Kent to continue training
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Sep 14, 1915
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Embarked the St. Seiriol in
Folkestone
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Sep 15, 1915
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Disembarked in Boulogne,
France and the battalion proceeded to St. Omer
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Apr 22, 1916
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Admitted to the No. 6 CFA
(Canadian Field Ambulance) with a diagnosis that reads Hernia. He was transferred to the No. 10 CCS (Casualty
Clearing Station) before being boarded on the No. 15 AT (Ambulance Train)
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Apr 23, 1916
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Transferred to the No. 1
Convalescent Depot in Boulogne
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Apr 25, 1916
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Transferred to the No. 25
General Hospital in Havre, France where surgery was performed to repair the Hernia
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Jun 20, 1916
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Transferred to the No. 1 Convalescent
Depot
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Jun 27, 1916
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Discharged to the base details
in Boulogne
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Jul 5, 1916
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Transferred to the Canadian
Base Depot in the Rouelles Camp, Havre
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Jul 6, 1916
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Transferred to the No. 3 Canadian
General Base Depot
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Jul 27, 1916
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Forfeits all pay for 14 days
for being AWL (Absent Without Leave) and Drunkenness
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Aug 8, 1916
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After leaving the base depot
he joined the 2nd Canadian Entrenching Battalion in the Halifax
Camp near Brandhoek, Belgium
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Aug 11, 1916
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After leaving the entrenching
battalion, Private Down rejoined the 21st Battalion in the N &
O trenches near Voormezeele, Belgium
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Nov 6, 1916
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Attached to the No. 1 Forestry
Company, Royal Engineers for duty
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Oct 26, 1917
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Rejoined the battalion from
duty with the Forestry Company
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Nov 12, 1917
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While occupying the front line
at Passchendaele, Belgium, Private Down suffered shrapnel wounds to his chest,
arms, legs and feet, including a fractured Fibula. He was evacuated to the No. 9 Canadian
Field Ambulance for first aid before being transferred to the No. 4 General
Hospital in Camiers, France
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Nov 20, 1917
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Surgery performed to remove
shrapnel and bone fragments
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Nov 23, 1917
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Invalided to England aboard
the Hospital Ship Stad Antwerpen
On arrival in England he was admitted
to the County of Middlesex War Hospital in St. Albans
Transferred to the EORD (Eastern
Ontario Regimental Depot) for pay purposes while in hospital
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Jan 28, 1918
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Transferred to the No. 15
Canadian General Duchess of Connaught Canadian Red Cross Hospital in Taplow
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Mar 6, 1918
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Transferred to the Canadian
Convalescent Hospital in Bearwood Park.
Noted as walking with a decided limp and is painful to walk. Medical Board notes that he has about 50%
movement in his right ankle
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Jun 5, 1918
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Transferred to the No. 5 Canadian
General Hospital in Kirkdale, Liverpool.
Right ankle noted as swollen and painful
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Jun 26, 1918
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Embarked the Hospital Ship
Araguaya in Liverpool
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Jul 7, 1918
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Disembarked on Halifax, Nova
Scotia and proceeded to London, Ontario
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Jul 12, 1918
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Taken On Strength of the
Hospital Section of the London Military Convalescent Hospital
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Jul 13, 1918
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Granted leave until July 27,
1918
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Jul 18, 1918
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Authorized to wear 4 Blue
Chevrons
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Jul 27, 1918
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Admitted to the Military Convalescent
Hospital in Guelph, Ontario with a diagnosis that reads Hernia and problems
from shrapnel wound to right foot
There were adherent scars from
the Hernia surgery that were causing pain and restricting movement, in
addition to stiffness in right ankle
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Aug 14, 1918
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Transferred to the London
Military Hospital
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Aug 30, 1918
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Medical Board in London notes
Ø Suffered shrapnel
wounds in 1917
Ø Scars from wounds
on left hand, right ankle and leg
Ø Suffers pain when
walking at the site of his previous Hernia surgery
Ø Right ankle is
painful when walking
Ø Right ankle flexion
about 70%
Ø Suffers from Chronic
Bronchitis
Ø Patient cannot do
heavy work
Ø Condition is
considered permanent
Ø Discharge from military
service is recommended
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Sep 5, 1918
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Discharged from hospital and
posted to the Casualty Company, Military District #1, London
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Sep 12, 1918
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Discharged from the CEF in
London, Ontario
Ø Rank on discharge Private
Ø War Service Badge
Class “A” issued
Ø War Service Badge
Class “B” issued
Ø Proposed residence
on discharge RR #4, Iona Station, Ontario
Following the end of the war,
the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medals were sent to him at RR
#4, Iona Station, Ontario
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Dec 16, 1962
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Wesley Down died while a
patient in the Deer Lodge Hospital, Winnipeg, Manitoba and was buried in the
Brookside Cemetery there.
Thank you to Jim Busby for the headstone photograph and the
newspaper clippings.
Pictured below are his British War Medal and Victory
Medal. The 1914-15 Star is missing, if you
know of it’s location, please contact the webmaster
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