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Jun 29, 1878
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Born in Birmingham, England to
John and Elizabeth (nee Spilsbury) Meers
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Dec 25, 1898
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Married to Harriett Simmons in
Birmingham, England
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Apr 9, 1910
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Embarked the SS Mongolian with
his wife and 3 children in Liverpool
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Apr 22, 1910
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Disembarked in Halifax, Nova
Scotia and proceeded to Ottawa, Ontario and found work at the Ottawa Car Company,
building street cars and gun carriages for the government.
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Nov 6, 1914
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Attested into the 21st
Battalion CEF in Kingston, Ontario
Ø Number 59650 (temporary number 784)
Ø Next
of kin given as Mrs. Harriet Meers, wife, 40 Ellis St., Ottawa, Ontario
Ø Previous occupation
given as Labourer
o Later noted as
Machinist Fitter with the Ottawa Car Company
Ø Previous
military experience given as 6th Battalion Warwickshire Regiment,
England
Ø Religion given as
Church of England
Ø Posted to “G”
Company.
o This was later
reorganized into “D” Company
o Later transferred
to the Depot Company where he was employed as a Cook
On attesting he stated that
his birth year was 1875 instead of his actual birth year of 1878
The battalion trained in the
Kingston area through the winter with headquarters in the Kingston Armouries
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Feb 6, 1915
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Forfeited 3 day’s pay for an
unspecified offence
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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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Aug 15, 1915
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Admitted to the Canadian
Military Hospital at West Sandling with an undisclosed illness and discharged
the same day
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Sep 2, 1915
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Posted to “B” Company
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Sep 14, 1915
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Embarked the St. Seiriol in
Folkestone
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Sep 15, 1915
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Disembarked in Boulogne,
France and the battalion proceeded to St. Omer
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Sep 26, 1915
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While the battalion was
occupying the “C” Trench on the Ypres Salient, Private Meers was buried in
his dugout when it collapsed from the explosion of an enemy artillery
shell. He was dug out by his comrades
but he received a laceration to his leg and some bruising. It is likely he was treated by the Medical
Officer for a period of time behind the lines
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Oct 10, 1915
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Admitted to the No. 6 CFA
(Canadian Field Ambulance) with a diagnosis that reads Nephritis and an
Abdominal Muscle Strain. He was transferred
the same day to No. 3 CCS (Casualty Clearing Station) before being admitted
to the Division Rest Station at Locre, Belgium and the diagnosis was changed
to read Bronchitis
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Oct 14, 1915
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Transferred via the No. 12 AT
(Ambulance Train) and admitted to the St. John Ambulance Brigade Hospital in
Etaples, France
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Oct 18, 1915
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Invalided to England aboard
the Hospital Ship Dieppe
On arrival in England he was
admitted to Military Hospital in Colchester
Transferred to the 39th
Reserve Battalion for pay purposes while in hospital
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Oct 23, 1915
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Transferred to the Canadian Convalescent
Hospital in Monks Horton
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Oct 26, 1915
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Transferred to the Canadian
Convalescent Hospital in Bearwood Park, Wokingham
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Feb 15, 1916
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Transferred to the CCAC
(Canadian Casualty Assembly Centre) for pay purposes while in hospital
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Feb 28, 1916
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Medical Board in Shorncliffe
notes that he looks older than his actual years and he fit for light duties
only
Discharged from hospital
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Mar 2, 1916
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Attached to the 44th
Reserve Battalion in Folkestone for light duties and posted to “D” Company
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Jul 7, 1916
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Admitted to the Bramshott
Military Hospital and transferred the same day to the Military Hospital in
Cambridge where the diagnosis reads Delusional Insanity. On admission he was shaky and rather
excitable. He claimed that the doctors
at Bramshott had tried to poison him and that they wanted the orderlies to
burn him.
Doctors note that his
condition is probably influenced by the recent loss of 2 children in Canada
from rheumatic fever and excessive alcohol use, possibly aggravated by his
service at the front
He hears voices talking to him
at night and has delusions that he has been persecuted and tortured
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Jul 28, 1916
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Medical Board recommends that
he be discharged from the military as Permanently Unfit
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Aug 8, 1916
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Embarked the SS Olympic in
Liverpool
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Aug 17, 1916
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Disembarked in Halifax, Nova
Scotia and proceeded Cobourg, Ontario
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Aug 19, 1916
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Admitted to the Ontario Mental
Home in Cobourg, Ontario and his condition is noted as Mental Confusion
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Dec 10, 1916
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Medical Board at the Ontario
Hospital in Cobourg notes
Ø Patient suffers
from Alcoholic Hallucinosis and Bronchitis
Ø Condition is caused
by stress of the campaign, domestic trouble (loss of 2 children) and use of alcohol
Ø Nervously unstable
with tremors
Ø Persistent cough
from the Bronchitis
Ø Short of breath
Ø Right leg becomes
swollen on ordinary walking due to infection that followed his injury in
France
Ø The Bronchitis is
determined to be permanent
The board recommends he be discharged
from military service with a pension
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Dec 20, 1916
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Discharged from hospital
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Jan 9, 1917
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Discharged from the CEF in Cobourg,
Ontario
Ø Rank on discharge
Private
Ø War Service Badge
Class “A” issued
Ø Proposed residence
on discharge 40 Ellis St., Ottawa, Ontario
Following the end of the war,
the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medals were sent to him at Box
819, Trenton, Ontario
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Aug 19, 1930
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William Meers died at his home
at 74 King St., Portsmouth, Ontario, now part of Kingston. His death was due to Pulmonary Tuberculosis
and it was considered to be a result of his active service. He was buried in the Cataraqui Cemetery,
Kingston
Following his death, a Memorial
Cross was sent to his widow, Mrs. Harriet Meers, 74 King St., Portsmouth,
Ontario
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