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Sep 18, 1878
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Born in Toronto, Ontario to
John Brekenridge and Roxanne Caroline (nee Ballard) Read
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Nov 28, 1911
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Married to May Wilson in
Toronto, Ontario
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Jun 13, 1916
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Attested into the 126th
Battalion CEF at the Niagara Camp, Ontario
Ø Rank on attesting
Lieutenant
Ø Next of kin given
as Mrs. JB Read, mother, Victoria, British Columbia
o This was later
changed to read May Read, wife, 165 Bloor St. E., Toronto, Ontario
Ø Previous occupation
given as Custom Broker
Ø Current address
given as Port Credit, Ontario
Ø Previous military
experience given as 36th Peel Regiment, Canadian Militia
Ø Religion given as
English Church
On attesting he incorrectly
stated he was born in August of 1878
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Jul 31, 1916
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Shown as being discharged from
the 126th Battalion
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Aug 1, 1916
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Medical exam held at Camp
Borden, Ontario declared him fit for service
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Aug 14, 1916
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The 126th Battalion
sailed for England from Halifax, Nova Scotia aboard the SS Empress of
Britain, but Lieutenant Read was not with the battalion
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Aug 23, 1916
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Embarked the SS Olympic in
Halifax, Nova Scotia
It could not be determined
which unit that Lieutenant Read sailed with as it is not marked in his file,
and several units were on board for that sailing
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Aug 30, 1916
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Disembarked in Liverpool,
England and TOS (Taken On Strength) the General Officers List in Shorncliffe
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Oct 26, 1916
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Transferred to the 21st
Battalion
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Oct 27, 1916
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Arrived at the CBD (Canadian
Base Depot) in the Rouelles Camp, Havre, France and TOS (Taken On Strength)
the 21st Battalion
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Oct 31, 1916
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After leaving the base depot,
Lieutenant Read joined the 21st Battalion in reserve at Calonne
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Nov 19, 1916
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Proceeded on Bombing Course
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Nov 26, 1916
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Rejoined the battalion from
course
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Dec 29, 1916
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Admitted to the No. 4 CFA
(Canadian Field Ambulance) with a diagnosis that reads PUO (Pyrexia of
Unknown Origin) (sometimes referred to as Trench Fever)
Transferred the same day,
first to the No. 22 CCS (Casualty Clearing Station) then to the No. 18 CCS
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Jan 18, 1917
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Discharged to duty from
hospital
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Feb 25, 1917
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Proceeded on the Lewis Gun
Course
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Mar 26, 1917
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Arrived at the 2nd
Canadian Entrenching Battalion in Hersin
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Apr 16, 1917
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After leaving the entrenching
battalion, Lieutenant Read rejoined the 21st Battalion resting in
billets in Bois des Alleux
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Apr 21, 1917
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Admitted to the No. 18 CCS
complaining of shortness of breath and palpitations.
Transferred the same day to
the No. 7 Stationary Hospital in Boulogne with a diagnosis that reads
Debility (physical weakness)
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Apr 26, 1917
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Discharged from hospital and
proceeded to the base depot in Havre
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May 3, 1917
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Admitted to the No. 2 General
Hospital in Havre with a diagnosis that reads Debility
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May 13, 1917
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Invalided to England aboard
the Hospital Ship Panama
On arrival in England he was
admitted to the 4th London General Hospital where the diagnosis is
changed to read DAH (Disordered Activity of the Heart)
Posted to the EORD (Eastern
Ontario Regimental Depot) for pay purposes while in hospital
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Jul 23, 1917
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Doctors recommend that he be
transferred to a convalescent home in the country. This was never carried out
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Aug 2, 1917
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Medical Board held at Berners
St., London notes
Ø Diagnosis changed
to read Asthma – Cardiac
Ø Has a systolic
murmur of the heart
Ø Is short of breath
and cannot walk any distance
Ø Recommends that he
be invalided to Canada as permanently unfit
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Aug 8, 1917
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Discharged from hospital and
granted sick leave until September 14
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Sep 14, 1917
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Embarked the Hospital Ship
Araguaya in Liverpool
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Sep 25, 1917
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Disembarked in Quebec City,
Quebec and proceeded to Toronto, Ontario
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Apr 18, 1918
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TOS “D” unit, MHCC (Military
Hospitals Commission of Canada) for outpatient treatment
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Jun 11, 1918
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Discharged from the CEF in
Toronto, Ontario as being Medically Unfit, with the rank of Lieutenant.
For several months he was
employed as the Chief Inspector for the Ontario branch of the Soldier’s Aid Commission
before resigning the position due to illness
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Jan 28, 1919
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Walter Douglas Read died as a
result of Heart Failure while a patient in the Private Pavilion of the
Toronto General Hospital. His death
was attributed to his active service.
His remains were cremated and placed in a vault in the Mount Pleasant
Cemetery, Toronto, Ontario
Following his death, the
British War Medal, Victory Medal, Plaque (Dead Man’s Penny), Scroll and Memorial
Cross were sent to his widow, Mrs. May Read, c/o H.L. Read, Oakville, Ontario
A second Memorial Cross was
sent to his mother, Mrs. Roxanna Read, c/o Mrs. R.P. Francis, 37 The Crescent,
Montclair, New Jersey, USA
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