Oct 23, 1895

Born in Colchester, England to Arthur H. William and Sarah Ann (nee Balls) White

May 25, 1912

Embarked the SS Lake Champlain in Liverpool

Jun 7, 1912

Disembarked in Montreal, Quebec and proceeded to Peterborough, Ontario

Jul 1, 1913

Shown on the payroll of the 57^th Regiment at the summer camp in Kingston, with the rank of Private in “A” Company

Jun 25, 1914

Shown on the payroll of the 57^th Regiment at the summer camp in Petawawa, Ontario with the rank of Private in “A” Company

Jul 12, 1914

Shown on the payroll of the 57^th Regiment at the training camp in Peterborough, with the rank of Private in “A” Company

Nov 4, 1914

Attested into the 21^st Battalion CEF in Kingston, Ontario

Ø  Number 60055 (temporary number 587)

Ø  Next of kin given as Sarah White, mother, 118 Boundary Rd., Peterborough, Ontario

Ø  Previous occupation given as Piler (Machine)

Ø  Previous military experience given as 57^th Regiment, Peterborough Rangers for 2 ½ years

Ø  Religion given as Church of England

Ø  Posted to 9 Platoon, “E” Company

o   This was later reorganized into 9 Platoon, “C” Company

Ø  He was later employed as a Cook in “C” Company

The battalion trained in the Kingston area through the winter with headquarters in the Kingston Armouries

Apr 26, 1915

Oliver’s brother Arthur William White, was killed in action while serving with the 2^nd Battalion CEF on the Ypres Salient in Belgium.  His identifiable remains were never recovered from the battlefield and his name is listed on the walls of the Menin Gate, Ypres, Belgium for those killed during the war in Belgium and have no known grave

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

Sep 14, 1915

Embarked the St. Seiriol in Folkestone

Sep 15, 1915

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

Oct 15, 1915

Granted working pay 50¢ per day as a Cook in “C” Company to replace Private CJ Lighten

Feb 25, 1916

Admitted to the Divisional Rest Station at No. 5 Canadian Field Ambulance with a diagnosis that reads Influenza

Mar 3, 1916

Transferred to the North Midlands Rest Station to continue his recovery

Mar 11, 1916

Discharged to duty and rejoined the 21^st Battalion

Jun 24, 1916

While preparing meals, a 5.9 inch artillery high explosive shell landed directly on the Cook House causing massive damage and killing 3 of the men inside and wounding the remainder.  Private Oliver White received shrapnel wounds and 2^nd degree burns to both arms and was evacuated first to a field ambulance for first aid before being transported to a casualty clearing station for treatment

A firsthand account of the incident by Bill Crerar

Jun 27, 1916

Invalided to England aboard the Hospital Ship Jan Breydel

 
On arrival in England he was admitted to the No. 2 Southern General Hospital in Bristol

Transferred to the CCAC (Canadian Casualty Assembly Centre) for pay purposes while in hospital

Aug 4, 1916

Transferred to the Canadian Convalescent Hospital in Bearwood Park, Wokingham

Aug 24, 1916

Discharged from the convalescent hospital

Sep 7, 1916

Transferred to the 39^th Reserve Battalion in West Sandling

Oct 27, 1916

Sentenced to 5 days Field Punishment No. 2 and forfeited 3 days pay for being absent

Nov 27, 1916

Ceased to draw extra working pay

Dec 9, 1916

Embarked the SS Northland in Liverpool

Dec 18, 1916

Disembarked in Halifax, Nova Scotia and proceeded to Quebec City, Quebec

Dec 24, 1916

Discharged from the CEF in Quebec City

Ø  Rank on discharge Private

Ø  War Service Badge Class “A” issued

Ø  Proposed residence on discharge 118 Boundary Road, Peterborough, Ontario

Following his discharge, the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medals were sent to him at 174 Hunter St., Peterborough, Ontario

Jun 23, 1917

Married to Elizabeth Ellen “Bessie” Warren in Peterborough, Ontario

Sep 16, 1918

Admitted to the Kingston General Hospital under the care of the ISC (Invalided Soldier’s Commission)

Doctor’s notes

Ø  Difficulty in breathing

Ø  Extremely enlarged nose caused by an injury at the front

Ø  Enlarged tonsils

Ø  Deflected Septum, a blockage in the nasal path

Ø  Hypertrophied Turbinates, a nasal obstruction

Ø  Surgery required to clear the nasal passage and to remove tonsils

Sep 21, 1918

Surgery performed to clear the nasal passage

Oct 2, 1918

Surgery performed to remove tonsils

Oct 12, 1918

Discharged from hospital

Jul 1, 1961

Oliver “Ollie” White died at his summer cottage on Mississauga Lake, north of Peterborough, Ontario.  His remains were transported to Windsor, Ontario where he was buried in the Windsor Grove Cemetery.

Sep 26, 1961

The Department of Veterans Affairs authorized the placement of a grave marker to be place on the grave

As a veteran of The Great War, Oliver White’s name appears on the
Peterborough Wall of Honour along with his son