Joseph Charles Le Ruez

Oct 20, 1889

Born in Guernsey, Channel Islands, England

 

Mar 6, 1916

Attested into the 168th Battalion CEF in Tavistock, Ontario

Ø  Number 675719

Ø  Next of kin given as Mrs. Joseph Le Ruez, wife, Tavistock, Ontario

Ø  Previous occupation given as Farmer

Ø  Previous military experience given as 3 years in the Royal Guernsey Militia, England

Ø  Religion given as Church of England

 

The battalion initially trained in Camp Francis, near London, Ontario before moving to Camp Borden to continue training

 

Oct 1, 1916

Shown on the payroll with the rank of Corporal

 

Oct 30, 1916

Embarked the SS Lapland in Halifax, Nova Scotia

 

 

Nov 10, 1916

Reduced to the rank of Lance Corporal

 

Nov 11, 1916

Disembarked in Liverpool, England and the battalion proceeded to the West Sandling Camp, near Hythe, to continue training

 
Rank changed to read Acting Lance Corporal

 

Dec 5, 1916

Transferred to the 39th Reserve Battalion in West Sandling to continue his training

 

Jan 4, 1917

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

 

Dec 6, 1917

Reverted to the rank of Private at his own request in order to proceed to a fighting battalion in France

 
Transferred to the 21st Battalion

 

Dec 7, 1917

Arrived at the No. 2 CIBD (Canadian Infantry Base Depot) in Etaples, France as part of a draft of 21 reinforcements from England and TOS (Taken On Strength) the 21st Battalion

 

Dec 11, 1917

After leaving the base depot, Private Le Ruez joined the CC Rein C (Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp) in Calonne Ricouart

 

Dec 14, 1917

After leaving the reinforcement camp he joined the 21st Battalion in the front lines west of Neuville St. Vaast and was assigned to “B” Company

 

Feb 20, 1918

While the battalion was in billets in the Alberta Camp in Carency, France Private Le Ruez was sent out on a work party and received a slight wound.  He was admitted to the nearby No. 7 Field Ambulance for treatment

 

Feb 25, 1918

Discharged to duty from the field ambulance and rejoined the battalion

 

Mar 17, 1918

Appointed to the rank of Acting Lance Corporal with pay to replace L/Cpl Ament 675617 who had been wounded and invalided to England

 

May 6, 1918

Appointed to the rank of Acting Corporal with pay to replace A/Cpl Gill 210371 who had been admitted to hospital

 

Jul 24, 1918

Promoted to the rank of Corporal to replace Cpl Gill who had been invalided to England

 

Aug 28, 1918

During the 21st Battalion’s advance on the Sensee River, south east of Vis-en-Artois, Cpl Le Ruez received wounds to both his legs and right arm.  He was given first aid at the nearby field ambulance then transported to the casualty clearing station for further treatment

 

Aug 31, 1918

Transferred to the 2nd Canadian Stationary Hospital in Abbeville, France with a shrapnel wound to his right leg that caused a compound fracture.  His right arm and left leg were severely infected and septic

 

Sep 2, 1918

Invalided to England aboard the Hospital Ship St. David

 

 

On arrival in England he was admitted to the Whipps Cross War Hospital, Leytonstone

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

 

Sep 6, 1918

Corporal Le Ruez’s right leg was amputated above the knee in an effort to reduce infection

 

Sep 13, 1918

Corporal Joseph Le Ruez died at 4.30 pm while in the Whipps Cross War Hospital, Leytonstone and was buried in the nearby Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey, England

 

 

Following the war the British War Medal, Victory Medal, Plaque (Dead Man’s Penny), Scroll and Memorial Cross were sent to his widow, Mrs. F. Smith, 23 Hawthorne Ave., Hamilton, Ontario (she had remarried)

A second Memorial Cross was sent to his mother, Mrs. J. Le Ruez, Waterdown, Ontario

 

Dec 6, 1919

His widow, Florence, remarried in Hamilton, Ontario to Samuel John Smith


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