William Henry Mantell



Sep 26, 1876

Born in St. Pancras, England to David and Caroline Ann (nee Barr) Mantell

 

Jul 3, 1894

Volunteered with the Royal West Kent Regiment in Maidstone, England

Ø  Number 4210

Ø  Assigned to the Medical Section

 
There is no indication as to when he was discharged from the service

 

Feb 14, 1903

Married to Bertha Wood in Kent, England

 

Nov 4, 1914

Attested into the 21st Battalion CEF in Kingston, Ontario

Ø  Number 59634 (temporary number 492)

Ø  Next of kin given as Bertha Mantell, wife, 535 Chamberlain St., Peterborough, Ontario

Ø  Previous occupation given as Machinist with Canadian General Electric Company

Ø  Previous military experience given as 2 Royal West Kent Regiment for 8 years

Ø  Religion given as Church of England

Ø  Assigned to “E” Company

o   This was later reorganized into “C” Company

 
William Mantell attested with the rank of Corporal

 
It was later noted that he served in South Africa in the Boer War and caught Typhoid Fever there in 1901

 
The battalion trained in the Kingston area through the winter with headquarters in the Kingston Armouries

 

Dec 4, 1914

Promoted to the provisional rank of Sergeant

 

Mar 3, 1915

From the Peterborough Examiner

 

May 1, 1915

Admitted to the Queen Street Military Hospital with pains in feet and shoulders

 

May 6, 1915

 

 
Upon hearing that the battalion was departing Kingston, Sergeant Mantell and 2 other hospital patients employed a taxi to take them to the train station to depart with the battalion.

 
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

 

May 17, 1915

Admitted to the Moore Barracks Hospital in Shorncliffe with a diagnosis that reads Rheumatism.  Complains of pain in both feet, shoulders and hands and has states that he had been suffering since May 1st this year

 

May 29, 1915

Transferred to the Monks Horton Convalescent Hospital in Kent

 

Jul 1, 1915

Confirmed in the rank of Sergeant

 

Jul 20, 1915

Discharged from the convalescent hospital to the battalion with light duties

 

Sep 1, 1915

Transferred to the 39th Reserve Battalion in the Sandling Camp

 

Jun 6, 1916

Reverted to the rank of Private and transferred to the 21st Battalion

 

Jun 7, 1916

Arrived at the CBD (Canadian Base Depot) in the Rouelles Camp, Havre, France as part of a draft of 48 reinforcements from England and TOS (Taken On Strength) the 21st Battalion

 

Jun 10, 1916

After leaving the base depot, Private Mantell rejoined the 21st Battalion in billets in Dickebusch, Belgium

 

Jul 31, 1916

Promoted to the rank of Sergeant to replace Sgt More 59673 who had been granted a commission

 

Sep 6, 1918

Admitted to the No. 10 CFA (Canadian Field Ambulance) with a diagnosis that reads Suspected Dysentery.  He was transferred the same day to the No. 13 CFA

 

Sep 7, 1918

Transferred to the No. 23 CCS (Casualty Clearing Station) for treatment but because of the severity of the problem, he was transferred to the No. 12 Stationary Hospital in St. Pol

 

Sep 10, 1918

Transferred to the No. 14 Stationary Hospital in Boulogne

 

Sep 15, 1918

Invalided to England aboard the Hospital Ship St Denis

 

 
On arrival in England he was admitted to the 1st Southern General Hospital, Birmingham

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

 

Oct 4, 1918

Transferred to the Enteric Depot, Croydon

 

Nov 25, 1918

Transferred to the Military Convalescent Hospital in Epsom

 

Dec 4, 1918

Discharged to duty and transferred to the 6th Reserve Battalion in Seaford

 

Dec 27, 1918

Attached to the MD #3 Wing, Kinmel Park pending return to Canada

 

Jan 11, 1919

Embarked the SS Olympic in Southampton

 

  

Jan 17, 1919

Disembarked in Halifax, Nova Scotia and proceeded to Kingston, Ontario

 

Jan 20, 1919

TOS the Casualty Company, Military District Depot #3, Kingston

 

Jan 21, 1919

Granted leave with subsistence until February 3, 1919

 

Feb 11, 1919

Discharged from the CEF in Kingston, Ontario

 Ø  Rank on discharge Sergeant

Ø  War Service Badge Class “A” issued

Ø  Proposed residence on discharge Peterborough, Ontario

 
Following his discharge the British War Medal and Victory Medals were sent to him at 8 Monaghan Road, Peterborough

 

Sep 27, 1950

William Mantell died in Peterborough, Ontario and was buried in the Little Lake Cemetery there

 

His death was determined to be a result of his wartime service, but because both his wife and mother had predeceased him, no Memorial Cross was issued

 

 

William Mantell’s service is recognized on the Wall of Honour in
Peterborough, Ontario

 


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