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Aug 11, 1895
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Born in L’Amable, Ontario to James and Mary
Elizabeth (nee Ferguson) Kelly
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Dec 24, 1915
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Attested into the 155th Battalion CEF
in Coe Hill, Ontario
Ø Number 636221
Ø Next of kin given as James Carr Kelly, father, L’Amable, Ontario
Ø Previous occupation given as Lumberman
Ø Previous military experience given as 1 year in the 49th
Regiment, Hastings Rifles, Canadian Militia
Ø Religion given as Methodist
The battalion trained in the Kingston, Ontario
area
It would appear that James Kelly could not read
or write as all of the documents in his file requiring his signature are marked with an X
and noted as “his mark” and witnessed by another person
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Jul 6, 1916
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Admitted to the Barriefield Hospital with a
diagnosis that reads Otitis Media, an ear infection
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Jul 11, 1916
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Discharged to duty from hospital
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Oct 17, 1916
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Embarked the SS Northland in Halifax, Nova Scotia
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Oct 28, 1916
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Disembarked in Liverpool, England and the
battalion proceeded to Bramshott
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Dec 5, 1916
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Transferred to the 21st Battalion
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Dec 6, 1916
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Arrived at the CBD (Canadian Base Depot) in the
Rouelles Camp, Havre, France as part of a draft of 147 reinforcements from England and TOS
(Taken On Strength) the 21st Battalion
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Dec 8, 1916
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After leaving the base depot, Private Kelly
joined the 21st Battalion in billets in Bully Grenay, France
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Aug 15, 1917
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The 21st Battalion took part in the
capture of Hill 70, north of Lens, France. The
fighting was very severe and many men of the battalion were involved in hand-to-hand
combat with German soldiers. During the
fighting, Private Kelly was killed and his body was never recovered and identified. His name is listed on the Canadian National Vimy
Memorial, Vimy Ridge, France for those soldiers who died in France and have no known
grave.
Following the war the British War Medal, Victory
Medal, Plaque (Dead Man’s Penny), Scroll and Memorial Cross were sent to his mother,
Mrs. Mary Kelly, Madoc, Ontario
His widowed mother remarried and became known as
Mrs. Mary Birkett, Madoc, Ontario
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James Kelly in
commemorated on the Coe Hill, Ontario War Memorial
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