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Oct 21, 1886
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Born in Kingston,
Ontario to Samuel Edwin and Rebecca (nee Bonny) Thomas
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Jul 3, 1894
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His mother,
Rebecca, died in Kingston, Ontario
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Sep 16, 1895
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His father was
remarried to Mary Jane Compton, in Kingston, Ontario
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Nov 16, 1914
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Attested into the
21st Battalion CEF in Kingston, Ontario
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Number 59966
(temporary number 1045)
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Next of kin given
as Mrs. Mary Thomas, mother, 19 Frontenac St., Kingston, Ontario
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Previous
occupation given as Traveller
o
Later noted as
Commercial Traveller
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Previous military
experience given as 4 years in the Canadian Signalling Corps.
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Religion given as
Church of England
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Assigned to
“F” Company
o
This was later
reorganized into “C” Company
o
Employed in the
Signals Section
On attesting, he stated he had been born in 1885, not his actual birth
year of 1886
The battalion trained in the Kingston area through the winter with
headquarters in the Kingston Armouries
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May 6, 1915
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Embarked the RMS
Metagama in Montreal, Quebec
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May 15, 1915
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Disembarked in
Devonport, England and the battalion proceeded to the West Sandling
Camp, near Hythe, Kent to continue training
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Sep 14, 1915
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Embarked the St.
Seiriol in Folkestone
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Sep 15, 1915
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Disembarked in
Boulogne, France and the battalion proceeded to St. Omer
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Nov 27, 1915
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Appointed to the
rank of Lance Corporal with pay to replace 59362 L/Cpl CS Manners
who had been reduced in rank
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Dec 31, 1915
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While the
battalion was occupying the N & O front line trenches near
Voormezeele, Belgium in the Ypres Salient, Lance Corporal Edwin George
Thomas was shot and killed by a sniper while repairing the
communication system between the lines and the battalion headquarters. He was later buried in the
Ridgewood Cemetery, Dickebusch, Belgium
Following the war,
the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal, Plaque (Dead
Man’s Penny) and Scroll were sent to his father, Mr. S.E.
Thomas, 19 Frontenac St., Kingston, Ontario
There was no
Memorial Cross issued
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Toronto Star, January 12, 1916
Edwin George Thomas is honoured on the Memorial Wall
in Kingston, Ontario
He is also honoured on a memorial plaque in
Kingston’s City Hall
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