Nov 16, 1892

Born in West Ham, Essex, England to William and Alice (nee David) Piercy

Sep 15, 1911

Embarked the SS Virginian in Liverpool

Sep 22, 1911

Disembarked in Montreal, Quebec and proceeded to Peterborough, Ontario

Nov 4, 1914

Attested into the 21^st Battalion in Kingston, Ontario

Ø  Number 59800 (temporary number 491)

Ø  Next of kin given as Mrs. AE Piercy, mother, 23 Steel Road, West Ham, Essex, England

Ø  Previous occupation given as Farmer

o   Later noted as Electrical Engineer

Ø  Previous military experience given as 57^th Infantry Regiment, Peterborough, Ontario for 3 years with the rank of Corporal

Ø  Religion given as Church of England

Ø  Posted to “E” Company

o   This was later reorganized into “C” Company

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

Dec 4, 1914

Appointed to the rank of Lance Sergeant

Jan 10, 1915

Admitted to Kingston hospital with inflamed tonsils

Jan 15, 1915

Discharged to duty from hospital

Feb 24, 1915

Appointed to the provisional rank of Sergeant

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

Jul 1, 1915

Confirmed in the rank of Sergeant

Sep 14, 1915

Embarked the St. Seiriol in Folkestone

Sep 15, 1915

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

Mar 20, 1916

Granted 9 days leave

May 10, 1916

While on a work party carrying supplies to the front west of Voormezeele, Belgium, Sergeant Piercy received a shrapnel wound to his left hand that caused severe damage.  He was evacuated to a field ambulance for first aid before being transported to a casualty clearing station

May 12, 1916

Transferred to the No. 1 Canadian General Hospital in Etaples

May 15, 1916

Invalided to England aboard the Hospital Ship Stad Antwerpen

On arrival in England, he was admitted to the St. Luke’s War Hospital in Halifax

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

Jun 2, 1916

Transferred to the Canadian Convalescent Hospital in Bearwood, Wokingham

Jun 22, 1916

Transferred to the Granville Canadian Special Hospital in Ramsgate

On admission he complained of stiffness in his left hand and was unable to close his fingers to make a fist.  He also complained of suffering from headaches and bad dreams at night

Jul 8, 1916

Surgery performed to repair damage to his left hand and ring finger

Sep 12, 1916

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

Sep 13, 1916

Medical Board in Folkestone notes that there is stiffness in his left hand and his ring finger is somewhat disabled.  The board recommended 12 weeks of base duty

Sep 14, 1916

Attached to the Granville Canadian Special Hospital in Ramsgate for duty as an instructor

Sep 17, 1916

Ceased to be attached to the Granville Canadian Special Hospital and attached to the 39^th Reserve Battalion in West Sandling for 12 weeks of Base Duty

Oct 25, 1916

Ceased to be attached and transferred to the 39^th Reserve Battalion for full duty

Jan 4, 1917

Transferred to the newly formed 6^th Reserve Battalion in West Sandling and posted to “A” Company.  Shortly after the battalion’s formation, it moved to Seaford to train reinforcements for the front

Jan 5, 1917

Appointed to the rank of Acting Quartermaster Sergeant “A” Company with pay

Apr 23, 1917

Married to Louisa Kate Carpenter in the Church of St. Peter, Islington, Middlesex.  Her address was given as 7 Athelston Road, Folkestone, Kent

Oct 22, 1917

Reverted to his permanent rank of Sergeant

Jan 4, 1919

Severely reprimanded for overstaying his leave by 2 days and forfeited 2 day’s pay

Jun 14, 1919

Attached to “H” Wing, No. 3 Military Depot, Canadian Concentration Camp, Witley pending return to Canada

Jul 18, 1919

Medical exam in Witley notes

Ø  Suffers from defective vision

Ø  Has partial loss of function of left hand due to shrapnel wound

Ø  Can only see light in left eye and has difficulty reading.  Claims that condition developed in the trenches from the cold

Aug 9, 1919

Transferred to 1^st CDD (Canadian Discharge Depot) in Buxton pending return to Canada

Sep 3, 1919

Embarked the SS Adriatic in Southampton with his wife Louisa

Sep 10, 1919

Disembarked in Halifax, Nova Scotia

Sep 14, 1919

Discharged from the CEF in Halifax, Nova Scotia

Ø  Rank on discharge Sergeant

Ø  War Service Badge Class “A” issued number 191451

Ø  Proposed residence on discharge Peterborough, Ontario

Following his discharge, the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medals were sent to him at the General Post Office, Peterborough, Ontario

In November of 1926, William Piercy joined the Peterborough Police Department and became a detective by 1933.  While serving as a police officer, he continued his military career in the Militia

In 1933 William Piercy was appointed as RSM (Regimental Sergeant Major) of the 4^th Machine Gun Battalion in Peterborough.  In 1936 the 4^th Machine Gun Battalion amalgamated with the Prince of Wales Rangers in Peterborough. 

In 1937 he received the Queen’s Coronation and Jubilee Medals while serving as the RSM of the Prince of Wales Rangers in Peterborough. 

During WW2 he left the police department and joined the SD & G Highlanders and was appointed as RSM

Sep 7, 1955

William Robert Piercy died while a patient of the Ottawa Civic Hospital and was buried in the Little Lake Cemetery, Peterborough, Ontario

William Robert Piercy is remembered on the Peterborough, Ontario
Wall of Honour