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Dec 18, 1896
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Born in Parkhill, Ontario to George and Bertha
(nee Perry) Mathers
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Mar 19, 1917
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Attested into the 254th Battalion CEF
in Napanee, Ontario
Ø Number 1093368
Ø Next of kin given as George
William Mathers, father, Gananoque, Ontario
Ø Previous occupation given as
Railroad Section Foreman
Ø No previous military
experience given
Ø Religion given as Church of
England
The battalion trained in the Belleville, Ontario
area
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May 29, 1917
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Embarked the SS Olympic in Halifax, Nova Scotia
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Jun 9, 1917
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Disembarked in Liverpool, England and the
battalion proceeded to Seaford where it was absorbed into the 6th
Reserve Battalion to continue training
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Jul 2, 1917
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Admitted to the Canadian Military Hospital with a
diagnosis that reads Mumps and placed in the Ravens Croft unit in Seaford
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Jul 21, 1917
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Discharged to duty from hospital
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Sep 2, 1917
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Transferred to the 21st Battalion
Arrived at the No. 2 CIBD (Canadian Infantry Base
Depot) in Etaples, France and Taken On Strength of the 21st
Battalion
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Sep 16, 1917
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After leaving the base depot, he joined the CC
Rein C (Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp) in Villers au Bois, France
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Oct 14, 1917
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After leaving the reinforcement camp, Private
Mathers joined the 21st Battalion in the Suburban Camp in Villers
au Bois, France and was posted to “B” Company
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Mar 1, 1918
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Admitted to the No. 6 CFA (Canadian Field
Ambulance) with a diagnosis that reads Furunculosis (Boils) to his neck and
face
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Mar 4, 1918
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Discharged from the field ambulance and rejoined
the 21st Battalion in the front line on the south-west edge of
Lens, France
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Aug 26, 1918
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During fighting west of the Sensee River,
south-west of Vis en Artois, France, Private Mathers received shrapnel wounds
to his right leg and buttock. He was
evacuated to the No. 10 Canadian Field Ambulance for first aid before being
transported to a casualty clearing station
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Aug 27, 1918
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Transferred to the No. 3 Canadian General
Hospital in Boulogne, France
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Aug 29, 1918
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Invalided to England aboard the Hospital Ship
Cambria
On arrival in England, he was admitted to the
Cambridge Military Hospital in Aldershot
Transferred to the EORD (Eastern Ontario
Regimental Depot) for pay purposes while in hospital
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Nov 14, 1918
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Transferred to the Canadian Convalescent Hospital
in Bearwood, Wokingham
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Dec 20, 1918
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Granted 12 days sick leave
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Jan 7, 1919
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Transferred to the No. 5 Canadian General
Hospital in Kirkdale, Liverpool
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Feb 24, 1919
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Embarked the Hospital Ship Essequibo in Liverpool
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Mar 7, 1919
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Disembarked in Portland, Maine, USA and proceeded
to Kingston, Ontario where he was Taken On Strength of Military District No.
3
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Mar 8, 1919
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Admitted to the Queen’s University Military
Hospital in Kingston for ongoing treatment of his wounds
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Mar 10, 1919
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Granted leave until March 24, 1919
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Apr 30, 1919
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X-Ray shows 5 pieces of shrapnel in his leg and
he claims they do not bother him
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May 8, 1919
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Surgery performed to transplant a tendon in his
right leg
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Aug 2, 1919
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Granted leave until August 18, 1919
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Sep 4, 1919
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Discharged from hospital and reported to the
Casualty Company, Military District No. 3 in Kingston
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Sep 6, 1919
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Discharged from the CEF in Kingston, Ontario
Ø Rank on discharge Private
Ø War Service Badge Class “A”
issued number 214225
Ø War Service Badge Class “B”
issued number 55957
Ø Proposed residence on
discharge St. Mary’s, Ontario
Following his discharge, the British War Medal
and Victory Medals were sent to him at Twining, Alberta
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Apr 10, 1923
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Married to Mary Grace Doyle in Selby, Ontario
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Nov 24, 1972
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Benjamin Francis Mathers died in Three Hills,
Alberta and was buried in the Three Hills Cemetery
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