Alfred Roland "Misty" Mist



May 24, 1900

Born in Stoney Stratford, England to Harold and Kate Mist

At a very young age he was placed in the Stony Stratford orphanage on the death of his parents. He also spent some time at the Ramsgate orphanage.

 

Feb 10, 1904

Boarded out to Mrs. Mayo at 71 Anson Road, Wolverton Bucks, England. Mrs. Mayo eventually became his foster mother.  Mrs. Mayo later gave him up and he was taken in by the Fegan’s Boys Home

 

Apr 7, 1911

Embarked the SS Empress of Britain in the care of the Fegan’s Boys Home with 94 other boys

 

 

Apr 14, 1911

Disembarked in Saint John, New Brunswick and proceeded to Toronto, Ontario

 

This photo was taken at the Fegan’s Home in Toronto of the boys in April 1911
but unfortunately there are no names associated with the photo.  It
it is assumed that Alfred Mist is there with the group

  

 

Apr 21, 1911

One month before his 11th birthday, he was put to work on a farm to pay for his passage from England and employed at the Woodleigh Farm near Ida Ont.  He was boarded with the L.H. Winslow family in Ida, and stayed there until 1916 when he joined the army. It should be noted that he paid off his debt to the Fegan’s Boys home before doing so.

 

Feb 7, 1916

Attested into 136th Battalion at Millbrook ON

Ø  Number 805311

Ø  Next of Kin given as Mrs. Mayo, (foster mother) 43 Aylesbury Road, Wolverton England

Ø  occupation given as Farmer

Ø  No previous military experience given

Ø  Religion given as Church of England

Ø  Posted to “D” Company

The battalion trained in the Kingston, Ontario area

Alfred lied about his age as he was only 15 years old

 

Sep 15, 1916

Forfeited 3 day’s pay for being absent

 

Sep 25, 1916

Embarked SS Corsican at Halifax for England

 

 

Oct 6, 1916

Disembarked in Liverpool, England and proceeded to the West Sandling Camp where the battalion was absorbed into the 39th Reserve Battalion to continue training

 

Dec 7, 1916

Transferred to the 64th Battalion in Shoreham

 

Dec 29, 1916

Transferred to the 34th Battalion in West Sandling

 

Apr 16, 1917

Transferred to the CFC (Canadian Forestry Corps) District No. 1 in Edinburgh, Scotland

 

Apr 27, 1917

Transferred to the 7th Company Canadian Forestry Corps in Inverness, Scotland.  This was later renamed the 107th Company

 

Nov 30, 1917

Transferred to the 6th Reserve Battalion in Seaford

 

Feb 7, 1918

Awarded the Good Conduct Badge

 

Mar 28, 1918

Transferred to the 21st Battalion

 

Mar 29, 1918

Arrived at the No. 2 CIBD (Canadian Infantry Base Depot) in Etaples, France and Taken On Strength the 21st Battalion

 

Apr 3, 1918

After leaving the base depot, he joined the CC Rein C (Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp) in Calonne Ricouart, France as part of a draft of 98 reinforcements destined to join the 21st Battalion

 

Apr 17, 1918

After leaving the reinforcement camp as part of a draft of 6 reinforcements, Private Mist joined the 21st Battalion resting in Wailly, France and was posted to “D” Company

Note that he was still a month away from his 18th birthday

 

Nov 11, 1918

On the morning of November 11, when the Armistice came into effect, the 21st Battalion had advanced to the town of Noirchain, Belgium.  This was approximately 5 km from Mons, where the war for the allies had begun in 1914

 

Dec 13, 1918

The 21st Battalion crossed the Bonn Bridge to enter Germany as part of the Occupying Force and proceeded to Seigburg

 

 

Jan 23, 1919

Granted 14 days leave to England

 

Feb 15, 1919

Alfred Mist rejoined the battalion in Ham Sur Sambre, Belgium from leave

 

Apr 3, 1919

Embarked the Western Australia in Havre, France

 

On arrival in England, he was posted to “P” Wing in Witley pending return to Canada

 

May 14, 1919

Embarked the SS Caronia in Liverpool

 

 

May 22, 1919

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

 

May 24, 1919

Discharged from the CEF in Kingston, Ontario

Ø  Rank on discharge Private

Ø  War Service Badge Class “A” issued number 277356

Ø  Proposed residence on discharge c/o L Winslow, Ida, Ontario

Alfred Mist was entitled to the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.  However, those medals were never issued to him.  Following his death in 1976, his family requested, and received his medal entitlement from Veterans Affairs Canada.  The family did however have his WW2 medals as shown below.

 

Jul 28, 1920

Married to Kathleen “Kitty” Hall in Toronto, Ontario.  His occupation at the time was listed as Driver and his residence was 18 Alexander Street, Toronto.  His bride, Kitty, was also a Home Child from England

During the interval between the 2 Great Wars, Misty found employment at Weston’s Bakery in Toronto delivering bread door to door with his trusty horse and buggy. 

At the outbreak of hostilities in Europe in 1939, he wanted to serve again.  In June of 1940, he attested into the Non Active Permanent Militia in Toronto and was posted to the 2nd Battalion, Royal Regiment.  He was deemed too old to see combat, but because of his WW1 service, he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant and employed as a Drill Instructor

 

Dec 9, 1940

Attested into the Canadian Active Service Force #2 District Depot in Toronto.  A short time later he embarked for England and was posted to the 1st Battalion of the Royal Regiment in Aldershot to be employed as a small arms instructor. 

 

Aug 19, 1942

Sergeant Mist is reported to have embarked with the Royal Regiment thinking it was another training exercise.  However, once out in the English Channel, it was revealed that they were on a mission to conduct a raid on Dieppe, France.  An officer of the regiment instructed Sergeant Mist to remain on board the ship and not go ashore under threat of arrest.  He complied and did not go ashore.  Most of the men of the Royal Regiment were either killed, wounded or taken prisoner in the failed raid.

 

Jun 7, 1943

Transferred to the No. 9 POWE (Prisoner Of War Escort) Unit

 

 

Jun 18, 1943

Embarked for Canada in charge of German prisoners and escorted them to the POW Camp in Winnipeg, Manitoba.  He returned to duty with the No. 2 District Depot in Toronto to be employed as a Drill Instructor at the Exhibition Camp

 

Nov 19, 1945

Discharged from active service in Toronto and settled with his family on Cedric Avenue, Toronto

On being discharged, Misty returned to work with Weston’s Bakery in Toronto, first back in his old job of delivering bread with a horse and buggy, then later promoted to the Ontario Order Desk

 

Alfie, or as his family called him Misty, was active with the 21st Battalion
Association and attended many of the reunions.  A special one for him
was the 50th Anniversary of the formation of the battalion held in
Kingston in 1964.  His promise to the association was to bring a ceremonial
cake for the occasion.  The photo below was taken with that cake in the home of Alf Tugwood in Kingston.  His wife Kathleen attended with him for the occasion
and there is a photo of her in front of the Kingston Armouries.  She is in the
background centre dressed in blue.  I’m sure Misty is close by, but not
identifiable in the photo

 

 


   

Feb 1, 1976

After a lengthy stay in a nursing home, Alfred Roland Mist died in Toronto Ontario and was buried in the Prospect Cemetery, Toronto

 

 

 

 


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