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Jul 2, 1883
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Born in London, Ontario to
Henry and Eleanor (nee Daly) Wills
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Jan 6, 1916
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Officer’s Declaration on enlistment into the 155th
Battalion CEF in Belleville, Ontario
Ø Rank Lieutenant
Ø Next of kin given as Henry Thomas Wills, father,
28 Rue de Provence, Paris, France
Ø Previous occupation given as Cement Mill
Superintendent
Ø Previous military experience given as Provisional
Lieutenant in the 49th Regiment and Lieutenant in the 15th
Regiment, Argyll Light Infantry
Ø Religion given as Church of England
The battalion trained in the
Kingston, Ontario area
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Oct 17, 1916
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Embarked the SS Northland in
Halifax, Nova Scotia with the rank of Captain
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Oct 28, 1916
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Disembarked in Liverpool,
England and the battalion proceeded to Bramshott
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Oct 29, 1916
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Promoted to the rank of
Captain per Battalion Routine Order 623
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Jan 29, 1917
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Transferred to the 156th
Battalion in Aldershot
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Jan 31, 1917
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Transferred to the newly
formed 6th Reserve Battalion in East Sandling
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Mar 5, 1917
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Qualified Second Class
Instructor on the 69th Lewis Gun Class
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May 19, 1917
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Course completed at the 2nd
School of Instruction
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Aug 2, 1917
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Qualified Instructor at the
“A” Wing 9th Course
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Feb 25, 1918
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Transferred to the 21st
Battalion
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Feb 27, 1918
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Reverted to the rank of
Lieutenant in order to proceed to the front
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Feb 28, 1918
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Arrived at the CIBD (Canadian
Infantry Base Depot) in Etaples, France and Taken On Strength of the 21st
Battalion
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Apr 2, 1918
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After leaving the base depot,
Lieutenant Wills joined the 21st Battalion south of Agny, France
and was posted to “A” Company
He later took command of “B”
Company
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Jul 2, 1918
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Proceeded to the 3rd
Army Musketry School at Fort Mahon Plage, France
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Aug 26, 1918
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During the advance south of
the Arras – Cambrai Road near Monchy le Preux, France, Lieutenant Wills
received a wound to his right leg from a shell fragment and was evacuated to
the No. 4 CFA (Canadian Field Ambulance) for first aid before being
transported to the No. 33 CCS (Casualty Clearing Station) in St. Pol, France
where surgery was performed to repair damage to his knee
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Aug 28, 1918
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Transferred to the No. 10
British Red Cross Hospital in Le Treport, France
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Sep 16, 1918
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Invalided to England aboard a
Hospital Ship
On arrival in England, he was
admitted to the 4th London General Hospital, Denmark Hill, London where
additional surgery was performed
Transferred to the EORD
(Eastern Ontario Regimental Depot) for pay purposes while in hospital
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Oct 24, 1918
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Transferred to the Officers
Canadian Convalescent Hospital in Matlock, Bath
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Nov 5, 1918
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Transferred to the Granville
Canadian Special Hospital in Buxton
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Feb 10, 1919
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Granted leave
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Mar 25, 1919
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Returned to the hospital from
leave
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Apr 14, 1919
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Discharged from hospital and
embarked the Hospital Ship Araguaya in Liverpool
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Apr 25, 1919
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Disembarked in Portland,
Maine, USA and proceeded to Kingston, Ontario, where he was Taken On Strength
of District Depot No. 3 and admitted to the Queen’s University Hospital for
treatment of the wound to his knee
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Jun 13, 1920
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Discharged from hospital and the
CEF in Kingston, Ontario
Ø Rank on discharge
Lieutenant
Ø Entitled to War
Service Badge Class “A”
Ø Proposed residence
on discharge Belleville, Ontario
Following his discharge, the
British War Medal and Victory Medals were sent to him at Belleville, Ontario
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Jun 2, 1921
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Married to Gladys Emma
Vermilyea in Belleville, Ontario
Philip Henry Wills was active
with the 21st Battalion Association for many years. In addition, he was active with the Argyll
Light infantry in Belleville and served for a time as their Honorary Colonel
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Dec 27, 1965
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Philip Henry Wills died at
home in Belleville, Ontario and was buried in the Belleville Cemetery
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