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May 21, 1896
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Born in Peterborough, Ontario to James and Rose
(nee Whibs) O’Keefe
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Aug 31, 1915
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Attested into the 93rd Battalion CEF
in Peterborough, Ontario
Ø Number 195182
Ø Next of kin given as James
O’Keefe, father, 79 Lansdowne St., Peterborough, Ontario
Ø Previous occupation given as
Apprentice to Contractor
Ø No previous military
experience given
Ø Religion given as Roman
Catholic
Initial training was done in Peterborough,
Ontario
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May 8, 1916
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Appointed to the rank of Lance Corporal
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May 15, 1916
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Attached to London, Ontario for duty
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May 29, 1916
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The battalion boarded a train and proceeded to
Kingston, Ontario to continue training at the Barriefield Camp
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Jul 15, 1916
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Embarked the Empress of Britain in Halifax, Nova
Scotia
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Jul 25, 1916
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Disembarked in Liverpool, England and proceeded
to the Otterpool Camp
Appointed to the rank of Acting Lance Corporal
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Oct 6, 1916
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Transferred to the 39th Reserve
Battalion in West Sandling
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Oct 7, 1916
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Reverted to the rank of Private at his own
request
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Oct 27, 1916
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Transferred to the 21st Battalion
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Oct 28, 1916
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Arrived at the CBD (Canadian Base Depot) in the
Rouelles Camp, Havre, France and Taken On Strength of the 21st
Battalion
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Nov 21, 1916
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After leaving the base depot, he joined the 2nd
Canadian Entrenching Battalion in Hersin, France
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Nov 26, 1916
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After leaving the entrenching battalion, Private
O’Keefe joined the 21st Battalion in Calonne, France and was
posted to “B” Company
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Dec 11, 1916
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Proceeded on the Lewis Machine Gun course
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Dec 17, 1916
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Rejoined the battalion in Calonne from the
machine gun course
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Jan 23, 1917
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Appointed to the rank of Lance Corporal
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Apr 9, 1917
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During the capture of Vimy Ridge, James O’Keefe
was reported to be Missing In Action.
It was late discovered that he had received an accidental bayonet
wound to his left buttock and was evacuated to a field ambulance for first
aid before being transported to a casualty clearing station
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Apr 12, 1917
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Transported to the No. 3 Canadian General
Hospital in Boulogne, France
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Apr 14, 1917
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Invalided to England aboard the Hospital Ship Jan
Breydell
On arrival in England, he was admitted to the Leith
War Hospital, Leith, Scotland
Transferred to the EORD (Eastern Ontario
Regimental Depot) for pay purposes while in hospital
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May 12, 1917
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Transferred to the Princess Patricia’s Canadian
Red Cross Hospital in Ramsgate
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May 23, 1917
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Discharged from hospital care and transferred to
the 6th Reserve Battalion in Seaford
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Jun 2, 1917
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Appointed to the rank of Acting Lance Corporal
with pay
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Sep 2, 1917
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Reverted to the rank of Private in order to
proceed to the front
Transferred to the 21st Battalion and
arrived at the No. 2 CIBD (Canadian Infantry Base Depot) in Havre, 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 CCRC
(Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp) in Villers au Bois, France and remained
attached for duty
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Sep 20, 1917
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Appointed to the rank of Acting Corporal with pay
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Nov 25, 1917
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Reported to be AWL (Absent Without Leave)
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Nov 28, 1917
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Taken into custody to await trial
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Dec 4, 1917
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Tried by Field General Court Martial and charged
with
1.
AWL
from 8:45 pm November 25 until 6:15 pm November 28, 1917
2.
Neglect
to obey Regimental Standing Orders
He was found guilty on both charges and sentenced
to 16 days Field Punishment No. 1 and forfeited total of 20 day’s pay and
reverted to the rank of Private
The guilty verdict of the 2nd charge
was quashed a short time later, but the full sentence remained
On completion of his sentence, Private O’Keefe
rejoined the 21st Battalion
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May 3, 1918
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Promoted to the rank of Corporal
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Aug 28, 1918
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While advancing on the south side of the Arras –
Cambrai Road, south east of Vis en Artois, France, James O’Keefe was wounded
in the right arm and evacuated to the No. 8 CFA (Canadian Field Ambulance)
for first aid before being transported to a casualty clearing station
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Aug 29, 1918
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Transported via the No. 23 AT (Ambulance Train)
and admitted to the No. 12 Stationary Hospital in St. Pol, France
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Aug 30, 1918
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Transferred to the No. 22 General Hospital in
Camiers, France
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Sep 2, 1918
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Invalided to England aboard the hospital Ship
Ville de Liege
On arrival in England, he was admitted to the
Bath War Hospital in Bath
Transferred to the Eastern Ontario Regimental
Depot for pay purposes while in hospital
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Sep 14, 1918
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Transferred to the Canadian Military Convalescent
Hospital in Woodcote Park, Epsom
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Sep 16, 1918
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Transferred to the Horton County of London War
Hospital in Epsom
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Nov 9, 1918
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Transferred to the Canadian Military Convalescent
Hospital in Epsom
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Dec 18, 1918
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Transferred to the Canadian Special Hospital in Witley
and “20” was added to the diagnosis. This
was code for Venereal Disease Gonorrhea
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Jan 10, 1919
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Discharged from hospital care and transferred to
the 6th Reserve Battalion in Witley
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Feb 15, 1919
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Severely reprimanded for being absent from duty
the previous day
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Jun 23, 1919
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Embarked the SS Belgic in Liverpool
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Jul 1, 1919
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Disembarked in Halifax, Nova Scotia and proceeded
to Kingston, Ontario where he was Taken On Strength of Military District No.
3 Casualty Company
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Jul 4, 1919
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Discharged from the CEF in Kingston, Ontario
Ø Rank on discharge Corporal
Ø War Service Badge Class “A”
issued number 213426
Ø Proposed residence on
discharge 79 Lansdowne St., Peterborough, Ontario
Following his discharge, the British War Medal
and Victory Medals were sent to him at 79 Lansdowne St., Peterborough,
Ontario
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James Hubert O’Keefe
is remembered on the
Wall of Honour in Peterborough, Ontario
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