May 15, 1890

Born in London, England

Mar 30, 1905

Embarked the SS Kensington in Liverpool as part of a group of 269 Home Boys in charge of the Barnardo Homes

Apr 11, 1905

Disembarked in Halifax, Nova Scotia.  It is unclear where the party of boys proceeded to from Halifax

Dec 18, 1911

Married to May Hodges in Cobourg, Ontario

Nov 11, 1914

Attested into the 21^st Battalion in Kingston, Ontario

Ø  Number 59345 (temporary number 295)

Ø  Next of kin given as May Hodge French, wife, Henry St., Cobourg, Ontario

Ø  Previous occupation given as Labourer

Ø  No previous military experience given

Ø  Religion given as Church of England

Ø  Posted to “B” Company

o   This was later reorganized into “A” Company

o   He was later posted to the Bombing Section

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

Mar 1, 1915

Admitted to the Kingston General Hospital with a diagnosis that reads Tonsillitis and Epididymitis.  Surgery was performed to relieve the issue with the Epididymitis

Apr 1, 1915

Discharged from the 21^st Battalion as Medically Unfit after being admitted to hospital

May 5, 1915

Discharged from hospital and reinstated into the battalion with no penalty and retains his original temporary number 295 which was replaced with the 59345 number in England

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

Jul 6, 1915

Forfeited 2 days pay for being absent

Sep 14, 1915

Embarked the St. Seiriol in Folkestone

Sep 15, 1915

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

Sep 9, 1916

While in the front lines on the Ypres Salient in Belgium, he became ill with Trench Fever and was evacuated to the No. 3 Canadian Stationary Hospital in France

Sep 16, 1916

Invalided to England aboard the Hospital Ship St Patrick

On arrival in England he was admitted to the Kitchener War Hospital in Brighton with a diagnosis that reads Trench Fever

Transferred to the CCAC (Canadian Casualty Assembly Centre) for pay purposes while in hospital

Oct 13, 1916

Transferred to the Hillingdon House Convalescent Hospital in Uxbridge

Dec 4, 1916

Discharged from hospital and reported to the Canadian Casualty Assembly Centre in Hastings

Dec 6, 1916

Attached to the CCD (Canadian Command Depot) to be employed as a PT Instructor at the St. Leonard’s Hospital

Jan 31, 1917

Transferred to the newly formed 6^th Reserve Battalion in the East Sandling Camp.  Shortly after the formation of the battalion, it was moved to Seaford to train reinforcements for the front

Mar 9, 1917

Appointed to the rank of Acting Lance Corporal

Jun 26, 1917

Appointed to the rank of Acting Corporal with pay

Jan 15, 1918

Admitted to the No. 14 Canadian General Hospital in Eastbourne with recurring problems with his Trench Fever, complaining of pain in his back and legs

Feb 4, 1918

Transferred to the Convalescent Hospital in Woodcote Park with recurring problems from his Trench Fever

Jul 24, 1918

Appointed to the rank of Acting Lance Sergeant with pay

Aug 21, 1918

While watching a baseball game, Lance Sergeant French was hit in the eye by a ball.  His eye was bandaged and he carried on with his regular light duties

Aug 24, 1918

The bandage was removed and problems with vision in left eye were noted.

Aug 27, 1918

Admitted to the No. 14 Canadian General Hospital in Eastbourne with a detached retina in his left eye.  He complained of not being able to see anything above a level plain

Sep 6, 1918

Transferred to the West Cliff Canadian Eye and Ear Hospital for treatment

Nov 4, 1918

Transferred to the Princess Patricia Canadian Red Cross Hospital in the Cooden Camp, Bexhill

Nov 11, 1918

Transferred to the EORD (Eastern Ontario Regimental Depot) and attached to the 1^st Canadian Command Depot

Feb 18, 1919

Admitted to the Canadian Special Hospital in Witley with a diagnosis that reads VDS (Venereal Disease Syphilis).  He claimed to have been exposed January 1, 1919 in Aberdeen, Scotland

Ceased to be attached to the 1^st Canadian Command Depot while in Hospital in Witley

Mar 10, 1919

Discharged from hospital and transferred to the 6^th Reserve Battalion in Seaford

Jun 23, 1919

Embarked the SS Belgic in Liverpool

Jul 1, 1919

Disembarked in Halifax, Nova Scotia and proceeded to Kingston, Ontario

Jul 3, 1919

Discharged from the CEF in Kingston, Ontario

Ø  Rank on discharge Lance Sergeant

Ø  War Service Badge Class “A” issued number 213088

Ø  Proposed residence on discharge Cobourg, Ontario

Jul 14, 1919

Attested into the Canadian Army Medical Corps at the Cobourg Military Hospital

Ø  Number 59345

Ø  Next of kin given as Mrs. May French, wife, Box 737 Cobourg, Ontario

Ø  Previous occupation given as General Labourer

Ø  Previous military experience given as Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Forces

Ø  Religion given as Church of England

Ø  Attested with the rank of Sergeant

Ø  Employed at the Cobourg Military Hospital

Dec 20, 1919

Admitted to the Cobourg Military Hospital for surgery to remove a bone spur from his nose and released a short time later with light duties

Mar 27, 1920

Admitted to the Cobourg Military Hospital with a diagnosis that reads Debility.  Patient complains of feeling weak and loss of appetite and pain in his abdomen.  Bed rest and tonic were ordered

Mar 30, 1920

Discharged from hospital with light duties

Apr 20, 1920

Discharged from the CEF in Cobourg, Ontario

Ø  Rank on discharge Sergeant

Ø  Proposed residence on discharge Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec

Following his discharge, the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medals were sent to him at Ste. Anne de Bellevue, Quebec

Dec 24, 1945

John Joseph French died of cancer while a patient in the Toronto General Hospital and was buried in the Marmora Common Cemetery, Marmora, Ontario

His occupation at the time of his death is listed as a Fireman in a Silver Plant