Mar 22, 1893

Born at Liverpool England

Mar 4, 1916

Attested into the 59^th Battalion at Brockville Ontario 

Ø      Number 455926

Ø      Next of kin given as Mrs George William Latham, mother, of 1439 Boyle St, Baltimore Maryland, USA

Ø      Previous occupation given as Driver

Ø      No previous military experience given

Ø      Religion given as Church of England

Ø      Assigned to the Transport Section

Apr 1, 1916

Embarked the RMS Olympic at Halifax Nova Scotia

Even though the Battalion embarked on April 1^st, the ship did not sail until April 5^th.

Apr 4, 1916

Admitted to the ship’s hospital section while still docked at Halifax, diagnosed with Pneumonia

Apr 13, 1916

Disembarked at Liverpool England and admitted to the Westminster Road Auxiliary Hospital, Liverpool

May 11, 1916

Transferred to Canadian Convalescent Hospital, Wellington House, Uxbridge

May 22, 1916

Discharged to duty and proceeded to Shorncliffe to join the Battalion

May 23, 1916

Granted sick leave until June 6, 1916

Jul 6, 1916

Transferred to the 39^th Reserve Battalion at West Sandling

Aug 27, 1916

Transferred to the 21^st Battalion

Aug 28, 1916

Arrived at the CBD (Canadian Base Depot) at the Rouelles Camp, Havre France and TOS (Taken On Strength) the 21^st Battalion

Sep 12, 1916

Left the CBD and joined the 2^nd Entrenching Battalion at Albert

Sep 16, 1916

Left the 2^nd Entrenching Battalion and joined the 21^st Battalion.  The Battalion was involved in heavy fighting at Courcelette so it is most likely that Pte Latham joined the rear party behind the lines somewhere near Albert.  He would have joined the main body of the Battalion when they were relieved at the front on September 17, when they moved into billets in the Brickfields at Albert.

Oct 15, 1916

Pte Latham was wounded in the right eye and admitted to the No 4 CFA (Canadian Field Ambulance).  He was transferred after receiving first aid to the No 22 CCS (Casualty Clearing Station)

Oct 18, 1916

Transferred to No 7 CCS and Scabies was added to the diagnosis.  While here he also received extensive dental treatment

Dec 7, 1916

Discharged to duty and rejoined the 21^st Battalion 

Shortly after joining the Battalion, he proceeded on the Machine Gun Course

Dec 25, 1916

Rejoined the Battalion from the Machine Gun Course

Feb 15, 1917

While in the front line trench near Thelus, he received a shrapnel wound to his face and was admitted to the No 6 CFA

Feb 19, 1917

Transferred to the No 4 CFA which also housed a CRS (Casualty Rest Station)

Mar 6, 1917

Discharged from No 4 CFA and rejoined the 21^st Battalion

Apr 9, 1917

During the advance on Vimy Ridge, Pte Latham was instantly killed.  His body was buried in a mass grave in what was called Crater CB-1.  This was later renamed the Zivy Crater Cemetery.  Because his remains were placed in the mass grave, the exact location of his body is not known and the names are recorded on panels around the crater.

Zivy Crater Cemetery
Thelus France 

Neither his medals nor a Memorial Cross were issued as his next of kin could not be located.  However, Veterans Affairs Canada was contacted by a family member in 1985, but it is unclear in the file if medals were issued at that time