Jun 20, 1872

Born in England

Arthur married Ellen Payne in Wellingborough, Northamptonshire, England in April, 1893

Nov 14, 1914

Attested into the 21^st Battalion in Kingston, Ontario

Ø  Number 59993 (temporary number 1120)

Ø  Next of kin given as Ellen Tompkins, wife, 59 York Road, Erdington, England

Ø  Previous occupation given as Bootmaker

Ø  Previous military experience given as North Hampshire Regiment

Ø  Religion given as Church of England

Ø  Posted to the Base Unit

o   Employed in the Transport Section

Arthur Tompkins lied about his age on attesting, stating he was born in 1878, not his actual birth year of 1872

The 21^st Battalion trained in the Kingston, Ontario area through the winter of 1914-15.

Mar 1, 1915

Ceased to be employed in the Transport Section and now employed as Shoemaker Assistant with extra working pay

May 6, 1915

Embarked the RMS Metagama in Montreal, Quebec

May 15, 1915

Disembarked in Devonport, England and the battalion proceeded to the West Sandling Camp, near Hythe, Kent to continue training

Jul 14, 1915

Promoted to rank of Sergeant and appointed Sergeant Shoemaker and posted to Battalion Headquarters Staff

Sep 2, 1915

Posted to “B” Company and employed in the Quartermaster Section

Sep 14, 1915

Embarked the St. Seiriol in Folkestone

Sep 15, 1915

Disembarked in Boulogne, France and the battalion proceeded to St. Omer

Feb 9, 1916

Granted 9 days leave

Feb 21, 1916

Rejoined the battalion resting in La Clytte, Belgium from leave

Jul 28, 1916

Granted 10 days leave

Aug 9, 1916

Rejoined the battalion in the front lines near Voormezeele, Belgium from leave

Jul 28, 1917

Granted 10 days leave

Jan 1, 1918

Entitled to 50¢ per day working pay as Shoemaker

Feb 18, 1918

Granted 14 days leave

Mar 5, 1918

Rejoined the battalion at the front just outside Lens, France

Dec 13, 1918

The 21^st Battalion crossed the Bonn Bridge to enter Germany as part of the Occupying Force and proceeded to Seigburg, Germany

Jan 17, 1919

Granted 14 days leave

Feb 13, 1919

Rejoined the battalion in Ham sur Sambre, Belgium from leave

Feb 27, 1919

Admitted to the No. 6 CFA (Canadian Field Ambulance) with a diagnosis that reads Jaundice.  He was transferred the same day to the No. 53 CCS (Casualty Clearing Station)

Feb 28, 1919

Transferred to the No. 48 Casualty Clearing Station

Mar 4, 1919

Transferred to the No. 53 General Hospital in Camiers, France

Mar 27, 1919

Invalided to England and admitted to the No. 16 Canadian General Hospital in Orpington

Transferred to the Eastern Ontario Regimental Depot for pay purposes while in hospital

Jun 28, 1919

Fitted with dentures after having all his teeth extracted

Sep 11, 1919

Embarked the Hospital Ship Araguaya

Sep 19, 1919

Disembarked in Halifax, Nova Scotia and proceeded to Kingston, Ontario

Sep 21, 1919

Admitted to the Sydenham Street Military Hospital in Kingston with boils on face and tender liver and gall bladder

Sep 22, 1919

Granted leave until October 6, 1919

Sep 29, 1919

His leave was cancelled when he was admitted to the Queen’s University Hospital in Kingston with Jaundice

Dec 23, 1919

Medical exam in Kingston notes

Ø  Suffers from general weakness following Acute Catarrhal Jaundice

Ø  Is poorly nourished and complains that he is unable to chew solid food because of ill fitting dentures

Ø  Has multiple scars and boils over neck, back, arms and legs

Ø  Has lost over 20 lbs and tires easily

Ø  Man is unfit for military service and should be discharged to the care of the SCR (Soldier Civil Re-establishment) Department for continuing care

Dec 31, 1919

Discharged from the CEF in Kingston, Ontario

Ø  Rank on discharge Sergeant

Ø  War Service Badge Class “A” issued number 214968

Ø  War Service Badge Class “B” issued number C65478

Ø  Proposed residence on discharge 59 York Road, Erdington, Birmingham, England

Ø  Discharged into the care of the SCR (Soldier Civil Re-establishment) Department

Following his discharge, the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medals were sent to him at 40 Harrison Road, Erdington, Birmingham, England in 1921.

Jul 20, 1932

Married to Hilda Marion Barker in Winnipeg, Manitoba

No date for his return to Canada from England, nor a resolution of his first marriage has been found.

Oct 15, 1933

Arthur Tompkins was reported as missing.  He had not been seen since October 12^th and personal items of his were found on the Maryland Street Bridge in Winnipeg and it was feared that he had drowned

May 23, 1934

Arthur Tompkins’ body was recovered from the Red River and positively identified.  He was buried in the Brookside Cemetery, Winnipeg, Manitoba.

Interestingly, both the year of birth and year of death are incorrect on the grave marker.

The Department of Vital Statistics in Manitoba record his death as November, 1933 without listing a day

Arthur Tompkins’ death was reported to Veterans Affairs Canada by his widow, Mrs. Hilda Tompkins, Suite 6, Douglas Block, 366 Graham Ave., Winnipeg, Manitoba.  She reported his date of death as “about October or November, 1933”.  This was later changed to read October 15, 1933

The following is a conclusion drawn by Jim Busby, a military historian living in Winnipeg, Manitoba:

“I'm thinking suicide.  First, the Maryland Bridge was a long way from where he lived.  That suggests some kind of planning and not an accident.  There was then and still is a hospital on the north side of the river there, (Misericordia). The banks of the Assiniboine at that location do not encourage easy entry.  If he wanted to just walk into the river, the banks of the Red are a much easier wade in, and also a lot closer to his home.  I think he went over the side of the bridge.  The river is not deep there, but the current is fast.  I'm guessing he hit the bottom and died from the fall.  The current then carried him out to the Red, where his remains were caught up in the swirls where the Red and Assiniboine meet, which took him over to the trees lining the banks along the St B (St. Boniface) side.   He was found by the St B (St. Boniface) police, so he did not drift very far along the Red. There wouldn't have been much left after a winter in the Red.  Also, if he went into the Red, they would have found him a lot further north, possibly even stuck in the St Andrews Dam at Lockport.

The newspaper article did not name his wife.  It seems to me that Ellen probably never did come to Canada.  Arthur, after discharge, went back to the UK.  After that, crickets.  Perhaps they split up, he came back here and remarried.”

I want to thank Jim for his insight in this tragic end to a World War 1 veteran.