Oct 12, 1879

Born in London, England

Mar 25, 1897

Embarked the SS Labrador in London as part of a group of 102 boys in the care of the Barnardo’s Boys Home

Apr 3, 1897

Disembarked in Halifax, Nova Scotia and proceeded to the Dr. Barnardo’s Boys Home in Toronto, Ontario

Apr 11, 1904

Married to Sarah J. Murray in Toronto, Ontario

Dec 2, 1914

Attested into the 21^st Battalion in Kingston, Ontario

Ø  Number 59829 (temporary number 1137)

Ø  Next of kin given as Mrs. Sarah Penfold, Deseronto, Ontario

Ø  Previous occupation given as Labourer

Ø  No previous military experience given

Ø  Religion given as Church of England

Ø  Posted to “E” Company

o   This was later reorganized into “C” Company

The copies of the attestation papers that are held by Library and Archives Canada are hand written copies of the original.  There were errors made in the copy process, 1 being the fact that his name was copied as Renfold, not Penfold.  Another error is that his birth year was written as 1899, not the proper year of 1879.

The 21^st Battalion trained in the Kingston, Ontario area through the winter of 1914-15.

May 6, 1915

Embarked the RMS Metagama in Montreal, Quebec

May 15, 1915

Disembarked in Devonport, England and the battalion proceeded to the West Sandling Camp, near Hythe, Kent to continue training

Sep 14, 1915

Embarked the St. Seiriol in Folkestone

Sep 15, 1915

Disembarked in Boulogne, France and the battalion proceeded to St. Omer

Dec 22, 1915

While being relieved from the front line trench near Voormezeele, Belgium, Private Penfold received a bullet wound to his left leg that fractured his tibia below the knee.  He was evacuated a field ambulance for first aid before being transferred to the No. 8 CCS (Casualty Clearing Station) where surgery was performed to repair bone damage to his leg

Dec 25, 1915

Transferred to the No. 1 Canadian General Hospital in Etaples, France where surgery was performed to repair damage to bone and tissue

After gangrene set into the wound, doctors amputated his left leg below the knee

Dec 30, 1915

Reported to be seriously ill

Jan 11, 1916

Removed from the seriously ill list

Jan 14, 1916

Invalided to England

On arrival in England, he was admitted to the Bevan Military Hospital in Sandgate

Transferred to the 39^th Reserve Battalion for pay purposes while in hospital

Jan 28, 1916

Surgery performed to prepare for artificial leg by an additional amputation above the knee

Feb 15, 1916

Transferred to the CCAC (Canadian Casualty Assembly Center) for pay purposes while in hospital

Jun 2, 1916

Transferred to the Granville Canadian Special Hospital in Ramsgate

Jun 14, 1916

Transferred to the King’s Canadian Red Cross Hospital in Bushy Park, Hampton Hill to be fitted with an artificial leg

Jul 29, 1916

Transferred to the Granville Canadian Special Hospital in Ramsgate

Aug 22, 1916

Discharged from hospital and reported to the Canadian Casualty Assembly Center in Folkestone

Aug 26, 1916

Attached to the CDD (Canadian Discharge Depot) in Bath pending return to Canada

Aug 28, 1916

Pension Board in Bath notes

Ø  Board recommends that he not be discharged from service until he is in receipt of a 60% pension ($288 per year)

Ø  Board also recommends a pension of $6.00 per month for each of his 4 children

Sep 15, 1916

Embarked the SS Missanabie in Liverpool

Sep 23, 1916

Disembarked in Quebec City, Quebec

Sep 26, 1916

Medical Board at Quebec City notes that his disability is ¾ and permanent.

Oct 1, 1916

Admitted to the Elmhurst Convalescent Home in Kingston, Ontario as an Out Patient

Feb 9, 1917

Transferred to the Spadina Military Hospital in Toronto, Ontario

Feb 14, 1917

Discharged from hospital and transferred to Military District No. 3 in Kingston, Ontario

Mar 16, 1917

Medical Board in Kingston notes

Ø  Man’s physical condition is fair, but is rather nervous

Ø  Amputation scar is well healed

Ø  Wears an artificial leg and walks well with it

Jun 30, 1917

Discharged from the CEF in Kingston, Ontario

Ø  Rank on discharge Private

Ø  Entitled to War Service Badge Class “A” and “B”

Ø  Proposed residence on discharge c/o Inland Revenue Office, Kingston, Ontario

Following the end of the war, the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medals were sent to him at 12 Market St., Kingston, Ontario

Jan 22, 1950

William Penfold died while a patient of the Hotel Dieu Hospital, Kingston, Ontario