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Sep 25, 1890
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Born in Woodstock, Ontario to
James and Anna (nee Merritt) Hay
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Sep 7, 1914
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Commissioned as provisional
Lieutenant in the 31st Grey Regiment, Canadian Militia
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Jun 12, 1915
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Attested into the 37th Battalion CEF
in the Niagara Camp, Niagara Falls, Ontario
Ø Number 409615
Ø Next of kin given as Mr. J.G. Hay, Owen Sound,
Ontario
Ø Previous occupation given as Manufacturing
Ø Previous military experience given as 31st
Grey Regiment
Ø Religion given as Church of England
Ø Posted to “D” Company
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Jun 16, 1915
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Commissioned with the rank of Lieutenant
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Nov 27, 1915
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Embarked the SS Lapland in
Halifax, Nova Scotia
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Dec 4, 1915
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Disembarked in Plymouth,
England
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Feb 3, 1916
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Transferred to the 17th
Reserve Battalion in Bramshott
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Mar 6, 1916
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Transferred to the 21st
Battalion and proceeded to France
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Mar 8, 1916
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Joined the 21st
Battalion in the front line near Voormezeele, Belgium and was posted to “C”
Company
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May 11, 1916
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Struck Off Strength of the 21st
Battalion and transferred to the COC (Canadian Ordnance Corps) in England
Granted 5 days leave
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May 13, 1916
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Attached to the COC (Canadian
Ordnance Corps) in Ashford
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May 16, 1916
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Medical exam in Seaford notes
Ø Says he began
suffering headaches and memory loss in March of this year
Ø Speech is slow and
laboured
Ø It is reported that
he wandered away from his lines while in France and men from other battalions
had to return him to his own lines
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Jul 21, 1916
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Appointed Quartermaster at the
Canadian Arms Inspection and Repair Depot in Greenwich
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Nov 3, 1916
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Admitted to the Daughters of
the Empire Canadian Red Cross Hospital in Hyde Park Place, London for
observation, with a diagnosis that reads Vertigo and Shell Shock
Medical exam notes
Ø Suffers with
headaches and loss of memory
Ø He sits quietly but
his hands continually move
Ø Speaks slowly and
appears generally apathetic
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Nov 4, 1916
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Granted sick leave
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Dec 12, 1916
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Reported to the Canadian Arms
Inspection and Repair Depot in Greenwich
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Dec 15, 1916
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Attached to the Garrison Duty
Depot in Brighton
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Mar 16, 1917
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Attached to the TWS (Trench
Warfare School) for duty on completion of leave
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Mar 22, 1917
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Rejoined the Canadian Garrison
Duty Depot from the Trench Warfare School
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Apr 24, 1917
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Transferred to the EORD
(Eastern Ontario Regimental Depot) and attached to the 6th Reserve
Battalion in Seaford
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May 19, 1917
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Admitted to the 2nd
Eastern General Hospital in Brighton with a diagnosis that reads General
Debility and Boils
Ø Suffers from
headaches and pains in his neck
Ø Sleeps poorly and
is depressed
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Jun 16, 1917
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Discharged from hospital and
reported to the Eastern Ontario Regimental Depot and granted leave to Canada
until August 16, 1917 on being discharged from hospital
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Jun 21, 1917
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Married to Lillian Marion
Finch in Brighton, Sussex
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Jul 10, 1917
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Embarked the SS Olympic in
Liverpool with his wife Lillian
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Jul 21, 1917
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Disembarked in Halifax, Nova
Scotia and proceeded to Owen Sound, Ontario
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Jul 30, 1917
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Medical exam in Camp Borden,
Ontario notes
Ø Suffers from shell
shock caused by high explosive shell in France
Ø Man is very nervous
and sleeps poorly
Ø Is somewhat
disoriented as to time
Ø Speech is halting
Ø Is below weight
Ø General condition
is not good
Ø Board recommends a
3 month extension to his leave
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Aug 16, 1917
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Struck Off Strength of the
Eastern Ontario Regimental Depot on being retained in Canada
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Nov 19, 1917
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Medical exam in Toronto,
Ontario
Ø Suffers from shell
shock
Ø No change from last
exam
Ø Board recommends he
be discharged from military service
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Dec 18, 1917
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Discharged from the CEF
Ø Rank on discharge
Lieutenant
Ø Entitled to War
Service Badge Class “A”
Ø Address on discharge
1198 4th Ave. West, Owen Sound, Ontario
Following his discharge, the
British War Medal and Victory Medals were sent to him at 846, 4th
Ave. West, Owen Sound, Ontario
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Jul 8, 1918
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James Hay had applied for an
Alberta Land Grant prior to WW1 and it was approved. The land was in the NE ¼, of Section 15,
Township 37, Range 9, West of the 4th Meridian. This was near Talbot, Alberta
In 1921 he was a co-founder of
the Owen Sound Transportation Company Ltd., in Owen Sound, Ontario
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Jan 12, 1966
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James Merritt Hay died in Owen
Sound, Ontario and was buried in the Greenwood Cemetery in Owen Sound
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