Sep 1, 1894

Born in Edinburgh, Scotland to John and Anne (nee Harper) Wotherspoon

Apr 10, 1913

Embarked the SS Cassandra in Glasgow

Apr 22, 1913

Disembarked in Saint John, New Brunswick and proceeded to Toronto, Ontario

Nov. 6, 1914

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

Ø  Number 60101 (temporary number 363)

Ø  Next of kin given as Mrs. Anne Wotherspoon (mother) at 5 Eyre Cres., Edinburgh, Scotland.

Ø  Previous occupation given as Farmer

o   Later noted as Bookkeeping

Ø  No previous military experience given

Ø  Religion given as Presbyterian

Ø  Posted to ‘C’ Company

o   This was later reorganized into “B” Company

o   Later posted to the Bombing Section

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

Nov 24, 1914

Admitted to Queen St. Military Hospital, Kingston, for injury to knee

Nov 28, 1914

Discharged from hospital

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

Jan 18, 1916

Appointed to the rank of Lance Corporal to replace 59394 L/Cpl Grieve who had been invalided to England

Apr 1, 1916

While the battalion was occupying the N & O front line trenches near Voormezeele, Belgium, the enemy launched an artillery barrage and Lance Corporal Wotherspoon received shrapnel wounds to his left arm and back.  He was evacuated to the No. Northampton Field Ambulance for first aid

Apr 3, 1916

Transferred to the No. 8 CCS (Casualty Clearing Station) for treatment.  He was then transferred to the No. 3 General Hospital, Boulogne

Apr 20, 1916

Transferred to No. 1 Convalescent Depot in Boulogne

Apr 22, 1916

Discharged to Base Details in Boulogne

Apr 28, 1916

Transferred to No. 3 Canadian Base Depot in the Rouelles Camp, Havre

May 6, 1916

After leaving the base depot he rejoined the 21^st Battalion resting in the “B” Camp near La Clytte, Belgium

Sep 13, 1916

Admitted to the No. 4 Canadian Field Ambulance for weak arches and boils and transferred to the Division Rest Station at Wailing, France

Sep 14, 1916

Transferred to the No. 10 Canadian Field Ambulance

Sept 15, 1916

Transferred via the No. 14 AT (Ambulance Train) and admitted to the No. 44 Casualty Clearing Station

Oct 2, 1916

Transferred to the No. 3 General Hospital in Le Treport

Nov 2, 1916

Discharged to duty at the Canadian Base Depot in Havre

Nov 6, 1916

Awarded Good Conduct badge in the field

Dec 10, 1916

After leaving the base depot, Louis Wotherspoon joined the 2^nd Entrenching Battalion in Hersin, France

Apr 16, 1917

After leaving the entrenching battalion he rejoined the 21^st Battalion in the support trench near La Targette, France

Jul 6, 1917

Granted 10 days leave

Jul 19, 1917

Returned from leave

Nov 29, 1917

Attached 4^th Field Company Canadian Engineers for duty

Dec 11, 1917

Rejoined unit from Attachment

Dec. 24, 1917

Reverts to the rank of Private at own request

Jan 8, 1918

Private Wotherspoon was injured accidentally and admitted to the No.5 Canadian Field Ambulance with a compound fracture of the right tibia and fibula after falling on icy ground near Auchy-au-bois, France. He stated that he was going into his billet when he slipped on the ice and fell. This later caused some shortening of the leg and limitation of movement.  He was transferred the same day to the No. 58 Casualty Clearing Station

A first hand account related years later disclosed that he actually broke his leg when he got drunk with comrades and fell down stairs at a nearby estaminet

Jan 10, 1918

Transferred vai the No. 37 Ambulance Train and admitted to the No. 13 Harvard U.S.A.  General Hospital in Boulogne

Jan 12, 1918

Invalided to England aboard the Hospital Ship St. David

On arrival in England was admitted to the Beaufort War Hospital in Bristol

Transferred to the E.O.R.D. (Eastern Ontario Regimental Depot) for pay purposes while in hospital

Jun 18, 1918

Transferred to the Canadian Convalescent Hospital, Bear Wood Park, England

Jul 19, 1918

Discharged to 3^rd Canadian Command Depot Seaford, England.

Aug 9, 1918

Ceases to be on command to 3^rd Canadian Command Depot and on command to CDD (Canadian Discharge Depot) Buxton pending return to Canada

Sep 22, 1918

Embarked the SS Llanstephan Castle in London

Oct 8, 1918

Disembarked in Montreal, Quebec and proceeded to Kingston, Ontario where he was posted to Casualty Company No. 3 District Depot

Oct 9, 1918

Granted leave with subsistence

Oct. 22, 1918

Returns from leave

Oct 31, 1918

AWL (Absent Without Leave) for 3 days and forfeited 3 days pay for his absence

Nov 4, 1918

Medical Board in Kingston notes

Ø  Suffered a fractured right leg in France

Ø  Complains of weakness in leg and walks with a cane

Ø  Right leg is 1 inch shorter than left due to fracture

Ø  Suffers pain and swelling in leg when he walks

Ø  There is limited flexing of right leg

Ø  Condition is deemed permanent and board recommends discharge from service as medically unfit

Nov 13, 1918

Discharged from the C.E.F. at Kingston, Ontario

Ø  Rank on discharge Private

Ø  Entitled to War Service Badge Class “A”

Ø  Proposed residence on discharge Brighton, Ontario

Following his discharge, the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medals were sent to him at Brighton, Ontario

Apr 4, 1919

Married Elsie Mae Vosbourgh in Brighton, Ontario. Louis was a student when they married.

Mar 25, 1970

Died at home in Cornwall, Ontario of Whooping Cough and is buried at Woodlawn Cemetery in Cornwall.  He and Elsie had 5 children together and Louis predeceased Elsie.