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Nov 16, 1896
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Born in Belleville, Ontario to
Nolton and Clara (nee Hart) Sanford
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Nov 5, 1914
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Attested into the 21st
Battalion in Kingston, Ontario
Ø Temporary number
224
Ø Next of kin given
as Mrs. Tilly Jones, Glen Ross, Ontario
Ø Previous occupation
given as Farmer
Ø No previous
military experience given
Ø Religion given as
Wesleyan
On attesting he gave his birth
year as 1888, not 1896.
The battalion trained in the
Kingston area
There is no reason given for
his departure from the battalion. A
nominal roll was created in February of 1915 for the Presentation of Colours
program and his name does not appear in that roll
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Feb 24, 1915
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Attested into the 39th
Battalion CEF in Belleville, Ontario
Ø Number 412305
Ø Next of kin given
as Richard Pyear (spelled Pier), Friend, RR #3 Frankford, Ontario
o I believe this to
be his foster parent
Ø Previous occupation
given as Labourer
Ø No previous
military experience given
Ø Religion given as
Methodist
Ø Assigned to “D”
Company
The battalion trained in the
Belleville, Ontario area
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Apr 16, 1915
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Admitted to the Belleville
Hospital with a diagnosis that reads Influenza
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Apr 20, 1915
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Discharged to duty from
hospital
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Jun 17, 1915
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Embarked the SS Missanabie in
Montreal, Quebec on this date, but the ship did not sail until June 24th.
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Jul 4, 1915
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Disembarked in Plymouth,
England and the battalion proceeded to Shorncliffe to continue training.
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Sep 24, 1915
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The battalion moved to the
West Sandling Camp, near Hythe
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Dec 13, 1915
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Transferred to the 21st
Battalion
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Dec 14, 1915
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Arrived at the CBD (Canadian
Base Depot) in the Rouelles Camp, Havre, France as part of a draft of 306
reinforcements from England and TOS (Taken On Strength) the 21st
Battalion.
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Dec 25, 1915
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After leaving the base depot, Private
Sanford joined the 21st Battalion on Christmas Day in billets in
Ridgewood, Belgium
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Sep 15, 1916
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The 21st Battalion
was part of the Somme offensive and given the task of taking a German strong
point in a sugar refinery near Courcelette.
This was the first time that the allies had made an attack with tanks
and the fighting was fierce. Private
Sanford was initially reported as being missing in action, but later was
discovered to have been killed and was buried in a field near the sugar
refinery.
Following the war, the Graves
Registration Commission (forerunner to the Commonwealth War Graves
Commission) was given the task of exhuming the battlefield burials and moving
the remains into proper cemeteries.
Private Sanford’s body could not be located. This was most likely caused by constant
artillery shelling and bombing from aircraft over the remaining 2 years of
the war that continually churned up the ground.
As a result of having no known
grave, he is commemorated on the Canadian National Vimy Memorial, Vimy Ridge,
France.
Following the war, the 1914-15
Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, Plaque (Dead Man’s Penny) and Scroll
were sent to Mrs. Matilda Pyear (spelled Ryear in the file), RMD #3,
Frankford, Ontario.
There was no Memorial Cross issued
as he was not married and was living with a foster family.
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Sidney
Sanford is also honoured on the War Memorial in Frankford, Ontario
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