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Dec 3, 1888
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Born in Waterford, Ireland
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Nov 7, 1914
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Attested into the 21st Battalion in Kingston, Ontario
Ø Number 59706 (temporary number 892)
Ø Next of kin given as James McDermott, 5 Francis St., Waterford,
Ireland
Ø Previous occupation given as Labourer
Ø Previous military experience given as 15th Regiment,
Argyll Light Infantry in Belleville and the Dublin Militia in Ireland
Ø Religion given as Roman Catholic
Ø Posted to the Depot Company
The 21st Battalion trained in the Kingston, Ontario
area through the winter of 1914-15.
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Jan 30, 1915
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Sentenced to 5 days Detention for an unrecorded offence
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Feb 26, 1915
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Sentenced to 5 days Detention and fined $3.00 for being drunk
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May 6, 1915
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Embarked the RMS Metagama in Montreal, Quebec
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May 15, 1915
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Disembarked in Devonport, England and the
battalion proceeded to the West Sandling Camp, near Hythe, Kent to continue
training
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Jul 21, 1915
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Forfeited 1 day’s pay and restricted to half pay
for 1 month for being absent
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Aug 14, 1915
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Forfeited 1 day’s pay and restricted to half pay
for 1 month for being absent
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Aug 30, 1915
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Reported to be AWL (Absent Without Leave)
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Sep 5, 1915
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Reported for duty and sentenced to 28 days
Detention and forfeited 7 day’s pay for his absence
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Sep 15, 1915
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Transferred to the 39th Reserve
Battalion while in detention
Note that the 21st Battalion arrived
in France on this date and proceeded to the front while Private McDermott
remained in detention in England
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Sep 18, 1915
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Forfeited an additional 2 day’s pay and sentenced
to 14 days Field Punishment No. 2 for an unrecorded offence while in
detention
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Oct 29, 1915
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Reported to be AWL (Absent Without Leave)
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Nov 4, 1915
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Reported for duty and placed under arrest to
await trial
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Nov 25, 1915
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Tried by District Court Martial in West Sandling
charged with Desertion.
Testimony was given that Private McDermott had
been warned to be prepared to proceed to the front, but when the time came to
leave, he was not present. He was
later arrested in camp and placed in custody to await trial. In his defence, he claimed that he had
never been told he was to go to the front and that he was in camp the entire
time.
His story was found not to be credible and was
found Guilty of Desertion and sentenced to 91 days detention
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Nov 30, 1915
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Transferred to the 21st Battalion
There is no explanation in the file as to why he
was released from detention. My
conclusion is that he was released from detention on agreeing to join his
battalion at the front.
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Dec 1, 1915
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Arrived at the CBD (Canadian Base Depot) in the
Rouelles Camp, Havre, France as part of a draft of 583 reinforcements from
England and TOS (Taken On Strength) the 21st Battalion
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Dec 13, 1915
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After leaving the base depot, Private McDermott
rejoined the 21st Battalion resting in billets in La Clytte,
Belgium and was posted to “D” Company
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Jan 7, 1916
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Attached to the 250th Tunnelling Company Royal
Engineers for duty
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Apr 7, 1916
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After receiving a wound to his right arm, Private
McDermott was admitted to the No. 7 CCS (Casualty Clearing Station) before
being transferred to the No. 3 General Hospital in Boulogne, France
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Apr 10, 1916
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Attached the 2nd Canadian Tunnelling
Company while in Hospital. The 2nd
Canadian Tunnelling Company took over the work of the 250th
Tunnelling Company, Royal Engineers
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Apr 13, 1916
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Transferred to the No. 1 CCD (Canadian
Convalescent Depot) to continue his recovery
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Apr 14, 1916
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After being assessed, he was discharged to the
base details in Boulogne.
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Apr 20, 1916
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Proceeded to the CBD (Canadian Base Depot) in the
Rouelles Camp, Havre
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Apr 29, 1916
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After leaving the base depot, Private McDermott
rejoined the 21st Battalion resting in the “B” Camp near La
Clytte, Belgium
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May 1, 1916
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Attached to the No. 1 Tunnelling Company in
Armentieres, France
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May 21, 1916
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Reported to be AWL (Absent Without Leave) when he
did not appear on the 2 pm parade for a work party
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May 23, 1916
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Private McDermott was present for the 7 am parade
and placed under close arrest for being absent
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May 30, 1916
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Private McDermott was tried by Field General
Court Martial held at Reningelst, Belgium under the charge of Absent Without
Leave
Testimony was given by the accused that he had
been visiting with his unit, the 21st Battalion, resting in
billets in nearby La Clytte
After all testimony was given, he was found
Guilty and sentenced to 3 months Imprisonment In Hard Labour
This sentence was later remitted
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Jul 7, 1916
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Ceased to be attached to the Tunnelling Company
and rejoined the 21st Battalion
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Sep 15, 1916
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During the attack on the strongly defended sugar
factory south of Courcelette, France, Private McDermott received a wound to
his thigh and was evacuated to a field ambulance for first aid
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Sep 16, 1916
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Transferred to the No. 49 Casualty Clearing
Station
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Sep 17, 1916
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Transferred via the No. 11 AT (Ambulance Train)
and admitted to the No. 20 General Hospital in Camiers, France
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Sep 24, 1916
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Invalided to England aboard the Hospital Ship
Salta
On arrival in England, he was admitted to the
Fulham Military Hospital, London
Transferred to the CCAC (Canadian Casualty
Assembly Centre) for pay purposes while in hospital
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Oct 12, 1916
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Transferred to the Canadian Convalescent Hospital
in Bromley
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Oct 19, 1916
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Discharged from hospital and reported to the
Canadian Casualty Assembly Centre
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Oct 26, 1916
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Attached to the CCD (Canadian Convalescent Depot)
for 4 weeks of physical training at the St. Leonard’s Hospital
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Dec 21, 1916
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Fined $2.00 for being drunk
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Dec 29, 1916
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Discharged from St. Leonard’s Hospital and
reported to the 1st Canadian Convalescent Depot
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Feb 20, 1917
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Admitted to the Military Hospital in Shorncliffe
with a diagnosis that reads VDG (Venereal Disease Gonorrhea)
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Mar 6, 1917
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Transferred to the Canadian Convalescent Hospital
in Monks Horton
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Mar 10, 1917
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Discharged from hospital and transferred to the
EORD (Eastern Ontario Regimental Depot) and attached to the 3rd
CCD (Canadian Command Depot) for ongoing medical treatment
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Mar 21, 1917
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Discharged from hospital care and transferred to
the 6th Reserve Battalion in Seaford
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May 10, 1917
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Transferred to the 21st Battalion
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May 11, 1917
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Arrived at the Canadian Base Depot in the
Rouelles Camp, Havre, France as part of a draft of 97 reinforcements from
England and TOS (Taken On Strength) the 21st Battalion
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Jun 4, 1917
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After leaving the base depot, he joined the 2nd
Canadian Entrenching Battalion in Hersin, France
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Jun 12, 1917
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After leaving the entrenching battalion, Private
McDermott rejoined the 21st Battalion resting in billets in
Coupigny, France
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Aug 24, 1917
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Sentenced to 14 days Field Punishment No. 1 for
being drunk
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Nov 11, 1917
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While in the front line at Passchendaele,
Belgium, Private McDermott received a shrapnel wound to his left leg and was
evacuated to the No. 9 Canadian Field Ambulance for first aid
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Nov 13, 1917
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Transferred to the No. 3 Australian General
Hospital in Abbeville, France where surgery was performed to repair damage
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Nov 18, 1917
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Invalided to England aboard the Hospital Ship
Grantully Castle
On arrival in England, he was admitted to the 3rd
Western General Hospital in Newport, Manchester
Transferred to the Eastern Ontario Regimental
Depot for pay purposes while in hospital
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Dec 19, 1917
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Transferred to the Canadian Convalescent Hospital
in Bearwood, Wokingham
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Mar 10, 1918
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The 3 month detention sentence handed out June
30, 1916 was remitted effective on this date
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Mar 19, 1918
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Discharged from hospital and attached to the 3rd
Canadian Command Depot in Seaford
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May 23, 1918
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Transferred to the CFCBD (Canadian Forestry Corps
Base Depot) in Sunningdale
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May 29, 1918
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Posted to the 129th Company, 51st
District of the Canadian Forestry Corps in Inverness, Scotland
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Sep 29, 1918
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Placed on restricted pay for 4 months for being
absent
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Dec 16, 1918
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Granted permission to marry.
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Feb 16, 1919
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Married in Inverness, Scotland and next of kin
changed to read Mrs. Mary McDermott, Edmund St., London, England
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Mar 8, 1919
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Granted 14 days leave
Transferred to the CFCBD (Canadian Forestry Corps
Base Depot) in Sunningdale
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Apr 23, 1919
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Reported to be Absent Without Leave
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Jun 30, 1919
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Attached to the CDD (Canadian Discharge Depot) in
Buxton pending return to Canada
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Aug 3, 1919
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Embarked the RMS Metagama in Liverpool
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Aug 12, 1919
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Disembarked in Quebec City, Quebec
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Aug 14, 1919
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Discharged from the CEF in Quebec City, Quebec
Ø Rank on discharge Private
Ø War Service Badge Class “A”
issued number 321399
Ø Proposed residence on
discharge General Post Office, Montreal, Quebec
Following his discharge, the 1914-15 Star,
British War Medal and Victory Medals were sent to him at 251 St. George St.,
Montreal, Quebec
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