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Aug 13, 1873
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Born in Birmingham, England
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Jul 26, 1915
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Attested into the 76th
Battalion CEF in Hamilton, Ontario
Ø Number 141526
Ø Next of kin given
as Mrs. Emily Elizabeth Roper, wife, 70 Wentworth St., Hamilton, Ontario
Ø Previous occupation
given as Jeweler
Ø No previous
military experience given
Ø Religion given as
Church of England
Ø Assigned to “B”
Company
The battalion trained in Camp
Niagara, Ontario
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Sep 30, 1915
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The battalion’s first draft
boarded a train for Toronto to make a connection for travel to Montreal
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Oct 1, 1915
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Embarked the SS Scandinavian
in Montreal, Quebec as part of the battalion’s 1st Draft
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Oct 10, 1915
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Disembarked in Portsmouth,
England and proceeded to West Sandling where the draft was absorbed into the
39th Reserve Battalion to continue training
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Jan 24, 1916
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Forfeited 3 days pay and
sentenced to 6 days Field Punishment No. 2 for being absent
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Jun 16, 1916
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Medical exam at West Sandling makes
note of Chronic Rheumatism, and states that he is unable to carry on full
duty
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Jan 4, 1917
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Transferred to the newly
formed 6th Reserve Battalion in West Sandling. Shortly after the formation of the
battalion it was moved to Seaford to train reinforcements for the front
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Apr 21, 1917
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Transferred to the 21st
Battalion
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Apr 22, 1917
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Arrived at the CBD (Canadian
Base Depot) in the Rouelles Camp, Havre, France as part of a draft of 3,000
reinforcements from England and TOS (Taken On Strength) the 21st
Battalion
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May 17, 1917
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Forfeited 28 days pay for
Ø Drinking in an Estaminet during working hours
(about 3 pm
Ø Hesitating to obey an order
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May 24, 1917
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After leaving the base depot,
Private Roper joined the 21st Battalion in the support trenches
near Vimy Ridge
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Aug 15, 1917
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The 21st Battalion,
as part of the 2nd Division’s 4th Brigade, attacked the
German held Hill 70 that dominated the battlefield around Lens, France. The fighting was fierce, and often hand to
hand with the men facing the enemy one on one. During this attack, Private Roper went
missing in action. His identifiable
remains were never recovered from the battlefield and as such, his name is
listed on the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, Vimy Ridge, France for those
killed during the war that have no known Grave.
Following the war, the British
War Medal, Victory Medal, Plaque (Dead Man’s Penny), Scroll and Memorial
Cross were sent to his widow, Mrs. N. Andrews (she had remarried), 369
Avondale Ave., Hamilton, Ontario
A Memorial Cross was sent to
his mother Mrs. John Roper, c/o Mr. Ernest Lloyd, Nutchels Road, Nutchels,
Birmingham, England
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William
Roper is also honoured on the War Memorial in Chesterfield,
near Bright, Ontario
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