Sep 8, 1889

Born at Lindsay Ontario

Nov 7, 1914

Attested into the 21^st Battalion at Kingston Ontario 

Ø      Number 59293 (temporary number 830)

Ø      Next of kin given as Elmer Edmunds (brother) of the Bank of Ottawa, Ottawa Ontario

Ø      Previous occupation given as Clerk at the Royal Mint

Ø      Previous military experience given as 3 years with the 43^rd DCOR (Duke of Cornwall’s Own Rifles)

Ø      Religion given as Wesleyan

Ø      Assigned to “H” Company

o       This was later reorganized into “D” Company

Nov 10, 1914

Appointed to provisional rank of Sgt

May 6, 1915

Embarked the RMS Metagama at Montreal Quebec

May 15, 1915

Disembarked at Devonport England and proceeded to West Sandling Camp, near Hythe Kent

Jul 1, 1915

Confirmed in rank of Sgt

Sep 14, 1915

Embarked the St Seiriol at Folkestone

Sep 15, 1915

Disembarked at Boulogne France and proceeded to St Omer

Nov 6, 1915

Proceeded to the Trench Warfare School

Feb 21, 1916

Granted 9 days leave

Mar 27, 1916

Granted a Commission as a Temporary Lieutenant.  This announcement appeared in the London Gazette #29646 on June 27, 1916

Apr 10, 1916

Admitted to No 3 Canadian General Hospital at Boulogne with shrapnel wounds to left arm and left leg

Apr 17, 1916

Invalided to England aboard the Hospital Ship Cambria

Admitted to County of London War Hospital, Epsom and posted to CCAC (Canadian Casualty Assembly Centre) while in hospital

May 1, 1916

X-rays show pieces of shrapnel embedded in left elbow and upper arm

Jun 3, 1916

Awarded the Military Medal per London Gazette Number 29608

The citation reads

For exceptional prescience of mind in extreme danger.  On the night of 30th October 1915, when using a "West" spring gun the machine failed to throw the grenade which fell in the trench where were several men.  Sgt Edmunds at once seized the grenade and threw it forward.  It exploded without harming anyone as a result of his prompt action.

AFW 3121.

Jun 15, 1916

Transferred to the Helena Hospital at Shorncliffe

Jun 26, 1916

Transferred to the Granville Special Hospital at Ramsgate

Jul 28, 1916

Discharged from hospital and granted leave to Canada until September 28, 1916

Aug 9, 1916

Embarked the RMS Olympic at Liverpool

Aug 17, 1916

Disembarked at Halifax Nova Scotia 

Address while in Canada – 305 King St, Kingston Ontario

Sep 29, 1916

Medical Board at Shorncliffe England classifies him as being unfit for General Service for 1 month, but fit for Home Service only

Sep 30, 1916

Attached to the 39^th Reserve Battalion

Nov 6, 1916

Medical Board declares him to be fit for General Service 

TOS (Taken On Strength) the Casualty and Training Battalion, CCAC

Jan 4, 1917

Attached to the 6^th Reserve Battalion at Seaford

Mar 7, 1917

TOS 6^th Reserve Battalion and appointed to position of Adjutant EORD (Eastern Ontario Regimental Depot) at Seaford

Jul 21, 1917

Admitted to Kitchener Military Hospital at Brighton diagnosis reads Colitis and suffering from Diarrhea and abdominal pain

Aug 10, 1917

Appeared before Medical Board at 13 Berners St, London 

Discharged from hospital and granted 1 month sick leave

Sep 12, 1917

Reported for duty from leave

Oct 18, 1917

SOS (Struck Off Strength) the OMFC (Overseas Military Force of Canada) on returning to Canada 

Embarked the SS Missanabie at Liverpool

Oct 28, 1917

Disembarked at Quebec City, Quebec and proceeded to Ottawa Ontario

Oct 29, 1917

There is no Discharge Certificate in the file, however pay records indicate that he was SOS the CEF on this date 

There is also a note that he is “Receiving Military and Civil Pay”

Nov 15, 1917

Medical Board at Ottawa states  

Ø      General condition good. 

Ø      Heart and lungs normal. 

Ø      Appetite good. 

Ø      Bowels regular.

Ø      No impairment

Ø      Weight 145 lbs

May 22, 1918

Medical Board at Ottawa notes 

Ø      Suffering from Pulmonary Tuberculosis

Ø      Has persistent cough with pain in chest

Ø      Complains of night sweats

Ø      Is completely disabled at present and expected to remain so for minimum of 6 months

Ø      Recommends that he be admitted to a Sanatorium

Ø      Weight 120 lbs

Apr 28, 1919

Note in file states “Not yet struck off strength”

May 20, 1919

Note in pay record states that the Post Discharge pay and the War Service Gratuity “are not payable at present”

Jul 7, 1919

Final War Service Gratuity payment made

May 10, 1921

British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to him at 74 Stanley Ave, Ottawa Ontario

Tthere is some confusion as to when he was discharged from the army, as there is no Discharge Certificate, just a couple of notes in the pay records which don’t clearly show a discharge date.

Shown below is his uniform on display at the Fort York Museum, Toronto, Ontario