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Aug 15, 1894
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Born in Warminster, England to
Frank and Maria (nee Sparey) Witchell
Reginald was brought to Canada
by the Dr. Barnardo’s Boys Home as a British Home Child in 1903
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Apr 7, 1913
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Volunteered for service with
the 14th Regiment, Princess of Wales’ Own Rifles in Kingston
Ø Number 1648
Ø Posted to “A”
Company
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Jul 19, 1915
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Attested into the CAMC
(Canadian Army Medical Corps)
Ø Number 889
Ø Next of kin given
as Frank Witchell, father, 7 Marsh St., Panford, England
Ø Previous occupation
given as Street Car Motorman
o Later noted as
Farmer
Ø Previous military
experience given as 3 years in the 14th Regiment, Princess of
Wales’ Own Rifles in Kingston
Ø Religion given as
Methodist
Ø Posted to the
Queens University No. 5 Canadian Stationary Hospital Reinforcement Draft
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Jul 21, 1915
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Proceeded to England
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Aug 1, 1915
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Embarked the Hospital Ship
Asturias in Southampton
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Aug 11, 1915
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Disembarked in Alexandria,
Egypt. After a couple of days here,
the unit proceeded to Abbessia, Egypt to take over a hospital there
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Jan 26, 1916
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No. 5 Stationary Hospital was
taken over by the No. 7 Canadian General Hospital in Abbessia
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Feb 4, 1916
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Admitted to the No. 7 Canadian
Stationary Hospital in Abbessia with a diagnosis that reads Scabies
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Feb 11, 1916
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Discharged from hospital and
returned to duty in the No. 7 Canadian Stationary Hospital
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Apr 11, 1916
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The No. 7 General Hospital
embarked the Hospital Ship Delta in Alexandria
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Apr 22, 1916
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Disembarked in Le Havre,
France and stayed overnight
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Apr 24, 1916
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Proceeded to Le Treport where
the new hospital was established
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Aug 2, 1916
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Admitted to the No. 7 Canadian
General Hospital in Le Treport with a diagnosis that reads Gastro Enteritis
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Sep 14, 1916
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Invalided to England
On arrival in England, he was
admitted to the 1st Southern General Hospital in Birmingham and
the diagnosis was changed to read Nephritis
Transferred to the CCAC
(Canadian Casualty Assembly Centre) for pay purposes while in hospital
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Sep 30, 1916
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Transferred to the Canadian
Convalescent Hospital in Bear Wood, Wokingham
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Dec 7, 1916
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Discharged from hospital and
reported to the Canadian Casualty Assembly Centre
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Dec 12, 1916
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Admitted to the Moore Barracks
Hospital in Shorncliffe for treatment of his wounded leg
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Dec 15, 1916
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Reported to the Canadian
Casualty Assembly Centre
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Dec 18, 1916
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Medical Board recommends he be
employed in an inside job for the winter
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Dec 20, 1916
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Attached to the Garrison Duty
Depot in Hastings for light duty
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Dec 27, 1916
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Transferred to the ADMS
(Assistant Director of Medical Services) in Brighton
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Mar 10, 1917
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transferred to the General
Depot in Shorncliffe
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Mar 13, 1917
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Transferred to the CAMCD
(Canadian Army Medical Corps Depot) and attached to the 3rd
Canadian Command Depot in St. Leonards on Sea
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May 3, 1917
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Transferred to the CAMCD
(Canadian Army Medical Corps Depot) in Westenhanger
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May 15, 1917
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Transferred to the ARD
(Alberta Regimental Depot) and attached to the 21st Reserve
Battalion in Seaford
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Jun 17, 1917
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Transferred to the 6th
Reserve Battalion in Seaford
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Aug 21, 1917
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Awarded the Good Conduct Badge
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Aug 27, 1917
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Transferred to the 21st
Battalion
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Aug 28, 1917
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Arrived at the No. 2 CIBD
(Canadian Infantry Base Depot) in Etaples, France and Taken On Strength the
21st Battalion
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Sep 6, 1917
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After leaving the base depot,
Private Witchell joined the 21st Battalion resting in Villers au
Bois, France and was posted to “B” Company
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Aug 29, 1918
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While being relieved from the
front line south of Vis en Artois, France, Private Witchell received a slight
shrapnel wound to his left foot and returned to duty after being treated at
the No. 3 Canadian Field Ambulance
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Sep 10, 1918
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Granted 14 days leave
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Sep 26, 1918
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Rejoined the battalion resting
in billets near Rancourt, France from leave
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Oct 12, 1918
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During the relief from the
front line east of Iwuy, France, Private Witchell received a wound to his left
leg from a machine gun bullet and was evacuated to the No. 9 Canadian Field
Ambulance for first aid before being transported to the No. 22 Casualty
Clearing Station. His leg was
fractured and there was damage to the arteries
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Oct 14, 1918
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Transferred via the No. 20 AT
(Ambulance Train) and admitted to the No. 4 Canadian General Hospital in
Camiers, France
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Oct 16, 1918
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Placed on the dangerously ill
list
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Oct 17, 1918
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Leg amputated above right foot
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Oct 25, 1918
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Due to Gangrene setting in, a
second amputation was made below the knee
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Nov 11, 1918
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Invalided to England aboard
the Hospital Ship Princess Elizabeth
On arrival in England, he was
admitted to the Wharncliffe Hospital in Sheffield
Transferred to the EORD
(Eastern Ontario Regimental Depot) for pay purposes while in hospital
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Apr 4, 1919
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Surgery performed for a 3rd
amputation mid thigh above the knee
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May 10, 1919
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Transferred to the Granville
Canadian Special Hospital in Buxton
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Jun 13, 1919
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Transferred to the No. 5
Canadian General Hospital in Kirkdale
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Jun 30, 1919
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Invalided to Canada aboard the
Hospital Ship Araguaya
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Jul 11, 1919
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Disembarked in Portland,
Maine, USA and proceeded to Kingston, Ontario where he was Taken On Strength
Military District Depot No. 3 and admitted to the Sydenham Military Hospital
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Jul 17, 1919
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Granted leave until July 28,
1919
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Jul 29, 1919
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Granted leave until August 11,
1919
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Sep 26, 1919
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Transferred to District Depot
No. 2 in Toronto, Ontario and admitted to the Dominion Orthopedic Military
Convalescent Hospital
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Dec 2, 1919
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Transferred to the Sydenham
Military Hospital in Kingston
Medical exam makes note of a
number of small shrapnel pieces in the remaining portion of his leg, some in
the soft tissue and some embedded in the bone
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Dec 8, 1919
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Discharged from hospital and transferred
to Military District No. 3 Casualty Company in Kingston
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Dec 9, 1919
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Discharged from the CEF in
Kingston, Ontario
Ø Rank on discharge
Lance Corporal
Ø War Service Badge
Class “A” issued number 21494
Ø War Service Badge
Class “B” issued number C65394
Ø Proposed residence
on discharge 445 Alfred St., Kingston, Ontario
Following his discharge, the
1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medals were sent to him at 1130
Lajoie Ave., Outremont, Quebec
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Sep 21, 1921
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Married to Laura Adele Cruse
in Kingston, Ontario
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Sep 20, 1936
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Laura, his wife, died in
Kingston, Ontario
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Feb 12, 1938
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Married to Marguerite Gertrude
Edith Smith in Montreal, Quebec
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Jan 31, 1975
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Harry Witchell died in
Montreal, Quebec and was buried in the Cimetiére Mont-Royal,
Outremont, Quebec
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