Oct 13, 1895
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Born at Golden British Columbia
His Attestation Papers claim his birth
year as 1896, and the 1911 Census states his birth year as 1894. I have taken the birth
year from the information supplied in his own book, The Stump Ranch.
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Oct 20, 1914
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Shown on payroll of the 15th
Regiment, Argyll Light Infantry at Belleville Ontario
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Nov 7, 1914
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Attested into the 21st
Battalion at Kingston Ontario
Ø
Number
59802 (temporary number 912)
Ø
Next
of kin given as Thomas F Pirie (father) of RR #3 Ingersoll Ontario
Ø
Previous
occupation given as Student
Ø
Previous
military experience given as 15th Regiment,
Argyll Light Infantry at Belleville Ontario
Ø
Religion
given as Wesleyan
Ø
Assigned
to “H” Company
o
Later
reorganized into “D” Company
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Nov 10, 1914
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TOS 21st
Battalion and placed on payroll of 21st Battalion
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Jan 23, 1915
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Admitted to Kingston Hospital with
Measles
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Feb 4, 1915
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Discharged to duty from hospital
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May 6, 1915
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Embarked the RMS Metagama at Montreal
Quebec
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May 15, 1915
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Disembarked at Devonport England and
proceeded to West Sandling Camp, near Hythe Kent
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Sep 14, 1915
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Embarked the St Seiriol at Folkstone
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Sep 15, 1915
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Disembarked at Boulogne France and
proceeded to St Omer
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Nov 11, 1915
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Appointed to rank of Lance Corporal
with pay to replace L/Cpl Cochrane who was killed
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May 10, 1916
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Admitted to No 7 General Hospital at
St Omer with Measles
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May 30, 1916
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Transferred to No 14 Stationary
Hospital at Wimereux
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Jun 6, 1916
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Invalided to England aboard the
Hospital Ship Cambria
Posted to CCAC (Canadian Casualty
Assembly Centre) while in hospital
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Jun 7, 1916
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Admitted to Northern General Hospital
at Sheffield
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Jul 7, 1916
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Transferred to King’s
Canadian Red Cross Hospital at Bushey Park, Hampton
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Jul 9, 1916
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Transferred to the Military
Convalescent Hospital at Woodcote Park, Epsom
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Jul 14, 1916
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Discharged from hospital and posted to
the 39th Reserve Battalion at West Sandling Camp
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Sep 10, 1916
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Posted to the 21st
Battalion
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Sep 11, 1916
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Arrived at CBD (Canadian Base Depot)
at Havre France and TOS the 21st Battalion
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Sep 15, 1916
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Promoted to rank of Cpl to replace Cpl
Thomas Gauthier who was killed on this date
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Oct 1, 1916
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Left for the 2nd
Entrenching Battalion
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Oct 4, 1916
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Joined the 2nd
Entrenching Battalion in the field
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Oct 5, 1916
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Left to join unit
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Oct 6, 1916
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Joined the 21st
Battalion in the field
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Oct 19, 1916
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Appointed to rank of Lance Sgt to
replace Sgt PG Wallace
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Nov 3, 1916
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Appointed to rank of Acting Sgt with
pay
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Dec 10, 1916
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At duty from Gas Course
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May 9, 1917
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Promoted to rank of Sgt
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May 24, 1917
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Appointed to rank of Acting CSM with
pay
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Jun 18, 1917
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Reverts to rank of A/Sgt with pay
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Aug 15, 1917
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Admitted to No 6 CFA (Canadian Field
Ambulance) then transferred to No 23, CCS (Casualty Clearing Station)
with a shrapnel wound to hip
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From
his own book, The Stump Ranch, is a description of the event
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Aug 17, 1917
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Transferred to No 6 British Red Cross
Hospital at Etaples
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Aug 30, 1917
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Invalided to England aboard the
Hospital Ship Stad Antwerpen
Posted to the EORD (Eastern Ontario
Regimental Depot) while in hospital
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Aug 31, 1917
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Admitted to Norfold War Hospital at
Thorpe Norwich
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Nov 2, 1917
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Awarded the Military Medal per the
London Gazette #30364
This was awarded for his actions at
the battle for Hill 70 on August 15th
Citation reads
For conspicuous courage and strong
determination. His Officer a casualty and himself wounded he
led his platoon against the enemy, forcing them to retire. He
again was wounded seriously but refused to leave the line until ordered
by an Officer. After nearly two years service in the
trenches, this NCO has at all times been a splendid example to his
men. He has been recommended on two previous occasions.
AFW 3121 28-8-17
Compare the citation to his own
account above as he seems to have downplayed his actions in the book
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Nov 17, 1917
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Transferred to CCD (Canadian
Convalescent Depot) at Woodcote Park, Epsom
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Jan 21, 1918
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TOS 6th Reserve
Battalion at Seaford
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Mar 28, 1918
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Posted to the 21st
Battalion
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Mar 29, 1918
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Arrived at No 2 CIBD (Canadian
Infantry Base Depot) at Havre and TOS 21st
Battalion
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Apr 3, 1918
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Arrived at CC Rein C (Canadian Corps
Reinforcement Centre)
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Apr 10, 1918
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Left to join unit
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Apr 12, 1918
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Joined the 21st
Battalion in the field
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Aug 27, 1918
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Posted to the EORD
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Aug 29, 1918
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Placed On Command to 1st
Reserve Battalion pending Commission
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Sep 8, 1918
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Placed On Command to OTC (Officer
Training Course) at Bexhill
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Nov 22, 1918
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Posted to 6th
Reserve Battalion on being Commissioned as a Temporary Lieutenant
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Dec 22, 1918
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Posted to the 21st
Battalion
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Dec 23, 1918
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Arrived at No 2 CIBD at Havre France
and TOS 21st Battalion
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Jan 14, 1919
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Joined the 21st
Battalion in the field and posted to “A” Company as
Lieutenant
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Apr 3, 1919
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Embarked the SS Western Australia at
Havre
Disembarked at Southampton and
proceeded to the Witley Camp and TOS “P” Wing
pending return to Canada
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Jun 14, 1919
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Embarked the SS Aquitania at
Southampton
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Jun 19, 1919
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Disembarked at Halifax Nova Scotia and
proceeded by train to Montreal Quebec
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Jun 25, 1919
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Discharged from the CEF at Montreal
Quebec
Ø
Rank
on discharge – Lieutenant
Ø
Proposed
residence on discharge – RR #3 Ingersoll Ontario
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Jul 30, 1921
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1914-15 Star, British War Medal and
Victory Medal sent to Columbian College, New Westminster British
Columbia
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During 1928 he joined the New
Westminster Regiment, a Militia unit, at Chilliwack British Columbia
and rose to position of Commanding Officer of “D”
Company by 1933.
Between 1929 and 1939 he attended the
following courses at Esquimalt British Columbia
Lieutenant to Captain
Captain to Major
Staff Course
Machine Gun
Equestrian
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Sep 1, 1939
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The New Westminster Regiment was
mobilized and Major Pirie, in Command of “D”
Company, was instructed to put his Company on “a war
footing”.
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Sep 2, 1939
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TOS Westminster Regiment on
mobilization with rank of Major and placed in Command of
“D” Company
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May 27, 1941
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The Regiment proceeded by train to
Camp Borden in Ontario for training.
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Jan 6, 1942
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The Regiment proceeded by train to
Halifax Nova Scotia and on January 8th, embarked
the troopship Bergensfjord.
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Jan 18, 1942
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Disembarked at Gourock Scotland and
proceeded by train to Bordon England
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Apr 26, 1942
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Proceeded to the Witley Camp to be in
Command of the Reinforcement Company of the Westminster Regiment. After a short illness, was
transferred to the CORU (Canadian Ordinance Reinforcement Unit) as a
Company Commander.
He was eventually to become the 3rd
Division’s Education Officer based north west of Brighton
England.
After a short period in Yorkshire
prior to the Normandy landing, he was posted to London as the
Educational Officer for Canadian Hospitals in the United Kingdom. Returning to Canada at
war’s end in 1945 and was discharged from the Canadian Forces
at Vancouver British Columbia in December 1945.
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Jan 2, 1983
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Deceased at Sardis British Columbia
Royal Canadian Legion Cemetery
Chilliwack BC
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