Christopher Long Dracup


Jun 15, 1879

Born in Hampsthwaite, England to Robert and Christina (nee Long) Dracup

 

Feb 28, 1907

Married to Mary Ellen “Nellie” Dawson under the assumed name of Thomas Williams

 

Jul 12, 1912

Wife Nellie and daughter Maria embarked the SS Empress of Britain in Liverpool

 

 

Jul 19, 1912

Disembarked in Quebec City, Quebec and proceeded to Stirling, Ontario to join her husband, Christopher, who had arrived earlier

 

Nov 11, 1914

Taken On Strength of the 21st Battalion

Ø  Number 171

Ø  Posted to “B” Company

o   This was later reorganized into “A” Company

 

Jan 14, 1915

Discharged from the battalion

 

Mar 22, 1915

Attested into the 21st Battalion in Kingston, Ontario

 

Ø  Number 59274 (temporary number 171)

Ø  Next of kin given as Nellie Dracup, wife, 13, Baldwin St., Belleville, Ontario

Ø  Previous occupation given as Labourer

o   Later noted as Butcher

Ø  No previous military experience given

Ø  Church of England

Ø  Posted to the Depot Company and employed as a Pioneer

On attesting he gave his birth date as May, 1883 instead of his actual date.  He also stated he had been born in Belleville, Ontario, not in England. 

The 21st Battalion trained in the Kingston, Ontario area through the winter of 1914-15.

 

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 to continue training

 

Sep 8, 1915

Reported sick to the Canadian Military Hospital at West Sandling but was discharged the same day

 

Sep 9, 1915

Ceased employment as a Pioneer and rejoined the Depot Company

 

Sep 14, 1915

The 21st Battalion embarked for France, however Private Dracup did not proceed with the battalion

 

Sep 25, 1915

Transferred to the 39th Reserve Battalion at West Sandling

 

Oct 10, 1915

Nellie and daughter Maria returned to England to live in West Derby, Lancashire where she died in 1917

 

Oct 20, 1915

Medical Board at West Sandling notes

Ø  Patient suffers from Chronic Supperative Otitis Media Deafness in left ear

Ø  Has suffered from Measles as a child and has had discharge from his left ear ever since

Ø  Has been receiving treatment at the Moore Barracks Hospital as an out-patient for the past 3 weeks

Ø  He was advised to be admitted to hospital, but he has refused to do so

Ø  Board recommends he be discharged from military service

 

Oct 25, 1915

Medical report shows a perforation of the left ear drum.  The condition is deemed to be treatable

 

Nov 5, 1915

Embarked the SS Metagama in Liverpool

 

 

Nov 14, 1915

Disembarked in Quebec City, Quebec

 

Nov 20, 1915

Discharged from the CEF in Quebec City, Quebec

Ø  Rank on discharge Private

Ø  Discharged as Medically Unfit for further service due to deafness

Ø  Proposed residence on discharge 13 Baldwin St., Belleville, Ontario

Following his discharge, Christopher Dracup entered the USA through New York State and proceeded to Tacoma, Washington.

Following the end of the war, the British War Medal was sent to him at the Merrit Gordon Annex, 520 Richard St., Vancouver, British Columbia

 

Jul 28, 1919

Married to Alice Leah Breckenridge in Tacoma, Washington, USA

 

Oct 1, 1920

Christopher Dracup made application for the War Service Gratuity in Victoria, British Columbia.  On that application, he gave his address as the GWVA (Great War Veterans Association) at 710 Fort St., Victoria, British Columbia.  He listed his next of kin as his wife, Nellie Dracup, address was given as “at present not known, living in England”.  It would appear that he had not known of her death and failed to record that he had married Alice a year earlier.

 

Mar 1, 1934

Christopher Long Dracup was declared a Naturalized Citizen of the USA in Washington State USA District Court

 

Jul 1, 1934

His wife, Alice, died in Tacoma, Washington and was buried in the Mountain View Memorial Park, Lakewood, Washington State, USA

It appears that he moved back to Canada following the death of his wife

 

Feb 5, 1941

Christopher Dracup entered the USA travelling on a Canadian Passport from Vancouver, British Columbia.  He gave his home address as 520 Richards St., Vancouver.  He intended to visit his “step brother” Charles Breckenridge in Tacoma, Washington.  It would appear that this was actually his deceased wife’s brother.

 

Jan 9, 1961

Christopher Dracup died in Vancouver, British Columbia and was buried in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Burnaby, British Columbia

 

 


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