Jan 12, 1894

Born in Bournemouth, England to William Boyd and Mary Augusta (nee Crane) Kirkpatrick

Nov 13, 1914

Attested into the 21^st Battalion in Kingston, Ontario

Ø  Number 59554 (temporary number 195)

Ø  Next of kin given as Mrs. William Boyd Kirkpatrick, 79 Belaize Park Gardens, Bayswater, London, England

Ø  Previous occupation given as Labourer

Ø  No previous military experience given

Ø  Religion given as Church of England

Ø  Posted to No. 4 Platoon, “B” Company

o   This was later reorganized into 4 Platoon, “A” Company

o   He was later employed as a Sniper

The 21^st 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 14, 1915

Embarked the St. Seiriol in Folkestone

Sep 15, 1915

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

Nov 17, 1915

Appointed to the rank of Lance Corporal with pay

May 26, 1916

Admitted to the No. 4 CFA (Canadian Field Ambulance) with infected toes on his left foot and transferred to the No. 5 Canadian Field Ambulance the same day

May 29, 1916

Transferred to the 2^nd Division Rest Station to receive treatment and recover from the infection

Jun 5, 1916

Discharged from the rest station and rejoined the 21^st Battalion in billets in Dickebusch, Belgium

Jun 24, 1916

While in the front line trenches near Verbrande Molen, Belgium on the Ypres Salient, William Kirkpatrick received shrapnel wounds to his right arm and was evacuated to a field ambulance for first aid before being transported to a casualty clearing station for assessment

Jun 25, 1916

Transferred to the No. 3 Canadian General Hospital in Boulogne, France with a shrapnel wound to his right elbow

Jun 28, 1916

Invalided to England aboard the Hospital Ship Cambria

On arrival in England, he was admitted to the County of Middlesex War Hospital in Napsbury

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

Jun 30, 1916

Surgery performed to remove the shrapnel from his arm

Aug 2, 1916

Transferred to the Shorncliffe Military Hospital

Aug 28, 1916

Discharged from hospital and transferred to the 1^st CCD (Canadian Command Depot) for 4 weeks of Physical Training at the St Leonard’s Hospital

Nov 10, 1916

Awarded the Good Conduct Badge

Dec 13, 1916

Discharged from St Leonard’s Hospital and transferred to the 1^st CCTB (Canadian Corps Training Battalion) in Hastings with a recommendation for 4 weeks of physical training

Jan 24, 1917

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

Jan 31, 1917

Reverted to the rank of Private at his own request

Mar 6, 1917

Transferred to the 21^st Battalion and arrived at the CBD (Canadian Base Depot) in the Rouelles Camp, Havre, France as part of a draft of 85 Reinforcements from England and Taken On Strength the 21^st Battalion

Apr 2, 1917

After leaving the base depot, he joined the 2^nd Canadian Entrenching Battalion in Hersin, France as part of a draft of 53 reinforcements destined to join the 21^st Battalion

Apr 17, 1917

After leaving the entrenching battalion Private Kirkpatrick rejoined the 21^st Battalion in the support trench near Neuville Saint Vaast

May 19, 1917

Attached to the 4^th Canadian Trench Mortar Battery in Hastings for duty

Aug 15, 1917

During the attack at Hill 70, William Kirkpatrick received shrapnel wounds to his left foot and was evacuated to the No. 4 Canadian Field Ambulance.  He was transferred the same day to the No. 6 CCS (Casualty Clearing Station) for treatment

Aug 16, 1917

Transferred to the 1^st South African General Hospital, Abbeville, France

Aug 20, 1917

Invalided to England aboard the Hospital Ship Grantully Castle

On arrival in England, he was admitted to the Berrington War Hospital in Shrewsbury

Transferred to the EORD (Eastern Ontario Regimental Depot) for pay purposes while in hospital

Sep 7, 1917

Transferred to the Canadian Convalescent Hospital in Woodcote Park, Epsom

Sep 24, 1917

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

Feb 28, 1918

Appointed to the rank of Acting Lance Corporal with pay

Jul 9, 1918

Reverted to the rank of Private as he was Surplus to Establishment

Aug 9, 1918

Transferred to the 21^st Battalion and proceeded to France to join the battalion

Aug 26, 1918

During the advance on the Cojeul River near Achicourt, France, William Kirkpatrick received shrapnel wounds to his left arm and was evacuated to the No. 5 Canadian Field Ambulance for first aid before being transported to a casualty clearing station for further assessment and treatment

Aug 27, 1918

Transferred to the No. 22 General Hospital in Camiers, France

Aug 31, 1918

Invalided to England aboard the Hospital Ship Ville de Liege

On arrival in England, he was admitted to the 2^nd Western General Hospital in Manchester

Transferred to the Eastern Ontario Regimental Depot for pay purposes while in hospital

Sep 10, 1918

Transferred to the Military Convalescent Hospital in Woodcote Park, Epsom

Sep 12, 1918

Transferred to the Manor County of London War Hospital in Epsom

Oct 14, 1918

Transferred to the Military Convalescent Hospital in Woodcote Park, Epsom

Oct 30, 1918

Discharged from hospital and attached to the Segregation Camp, Rhyl

Nov 22, 1918

Attached to the 1^st CCD (Canadian Command Depot)

Dec 2, 1918

Granted 8 days sick leave

Dec 18, 1918

Transferred to the 6^th Reserve Battalion in Seaford

Jan 3, 1919

Transferred to Military District No. 1, Kinmel Park, Rhyl pending return to Canada

Jan 18, 1919

Embarked the SS Aquitania in Liverpool

Jan 25, 1919

Disembarked in Halifax, Nova Scotia and proceeded to Toronto, Ontario and Taken On Strength No. 2 District Depot and posted to the Casualty Company in the Exhibition Camp

Mar 4, 1919

Admitted to the St. Andrews Military Hospital in Toronto with a diagnosis that reads Tonsilitis

Mar 25, 1919

Discharged to duty from hospital

Mar 29, 1919

Discharged from the CEF in Toronto, Ontario

Ø  Rank on discharge Private

Ø  War Service Badge Class “A” issued number 85965

Ø  Proposed residence on discharge Crerar, Ontario

Entitled to the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medals.  The service file indicates that they were not sent to him

Apr 18, 1921

William Kirkpatrick settled on a 10 acre piece of Dominion land at Grimshaw, Alberta where he built a 12 x 20 frame home, a 20 x 30 log barn and other assorted out buildings.

Mar 22, 1927

William Kirkpatrick applied for a Soldier’s Land Grant for the property that he had settled on.

The grant was given final approval in Ottawa, Ontario on December 16, 1927

In January of 1957 he was reported to be living in Tupper Creek, British Columbia working as a trapper

Dec 31, 1971

William Murray Kirkpatrick died at Tupper Lake, British Columbia