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Dec 19, 1895
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Born in St.
John, New Brunswick
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Aug 4, 1915
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Attested into
the 55th Battalion in Sussex, New Brunswick
Ø Number 445390
Ø Next of kin given as Miss Minnie Buckley, friend, City Line, St. John,
New Brunswick
Ø Previous occupation given as Labourer
Ø No previous military experience given
Ø Assigned to “D” Company
Private
McGinnis proceeded to Valcartier, Quebec to join the battalion for training
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Oct 30, 1915
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Embarked the RMS
Corsican in Montreal, Quebec
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Nov 9, 1915
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Disembarked in
Devonport, England and the battalion proceeded to Bramshott to continue training
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Apr 23, 1916
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Transferred to
the 21st Battalion
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Apr 24, 1916
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Arrived at the
CBD (Canadian Base Depot) in the Rouelles Camp, Havre, France as part of a draft of 853
reinforcements from England, and TOS (Taken On Strength) the 21st Battalion
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May 13, 1916
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Left the CBD to
join the battalion
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May 15, 1916
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Joined the 21st
Battalion in the “B” Camp, near Poperinge, Belgium. The battalion had just come out of the front line
at the St. Eloi Craters.
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Sep 15, 1916
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During the
advance on a German strong point in a sugar refinery at Courcelette, Private McGinnis
received shrapnel wounds to his groin and shoulder and was removed first to the field
ambulance for first aid, then to the Casualty Clearing Station for further treatment.
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Sep 16, 1916
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Transferred to
the Military Hospital in Etaples where x-rays were taken and surgery was performed to
remove the shrapnel
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Sep 19, 1916
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Invalided to
England aboard the Hospital Ship Stad Antwerpen
Posted to the
CCAC (Canadian Casualty Assembly Centre) while in hospital
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Sep 20, 1916
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Admitted to the
No. 1 Northern General Hospital, Newcastle-on-Tyne
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Oct 9, 1916
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Transferred to
the Convalescent Hospital
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Nov 28, 1916
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Transferred to
the King’s Canadian Red Cross Hospital, Bushey Park
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Dec 4, 1916
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Discharged to
the CCAC from hospital
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Dec 9, 1916
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On Command to the CCD
(Canadian Convalescent Depot) at St. Leonard’s Hospital to undergo PT (Physical
Training) and rehabilitation
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Feb 18, 1917
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Re-admitted to
the Canadian Military Hospital in Hastings with a new diagnosis that reads Epilepsy.
On admission
he reported that he had epileptic seizures in January of 1913 and in October of 1915. In each case, he was unconscious for approximately
30 minutes and friends reported that for the period of unconsciousness, he kicked and
twisted about.
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Mar 1, 1917
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Discharged to
duty from hospital
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Mar 10, 1917
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Attached to the
EORD (Eastern Ontario Regimental Depot)
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Mar 15, 1917
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Transferred to
the 6th Reserve Battalion, Seaford
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May 17, 1917
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Transferred to
the 21st Battalion
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May 18, 1917
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Arrived at the
No. 2 CIBD (Canadian Infantry Base Depot) in Etaples, and TOS the 21st
Battalion
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Jun 1, 1917
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Left the CIBD to
join the 2nd Entrenching Battalion
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Jun 4, 1917
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Joined the 2nd
Entrenching Battalion in Hersin
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Jun 12, 1917
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Joined the 21st
Battalion in billets in Coupigny
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Jan 31, 1918
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Granted 14 days
leave
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Feb 15, 1918
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Rejoined the
battalion from leave
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Mar 4, 1918
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While the
battalion was in the front line trenches near Lens, the German Army carried out a large,
desperate, last chance raid along the 2nd Division’s front. During some of the most severe fighting of the
war, Private McGinnis was killed and subsequently buried in the Aix-Noulette Communal
Cemetery in the Pas de Calais region of France.
Following the
war the British War Medal and Victory Medal were sent to his friend, Miss Minnie Buckley,
483 City Line, St. John West, New Brunswick.
The Plaque
(Dead Man’s Penny) and Scroll were sent to his father, James McGinnis, Malden,
Massachusetts, USA
There was no
Memorial Cross issued
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