Canadian soldiers

[rogerb]

Would the body of a Canadian casualty from WW1 be repatriated to Canada?  The reason I ask is that I have recently been researching Charles Martin Brown, who was born in England in 1908, but was living in the Oshawa/Ajax region of Ontario before the war.  There is a book called the Historic Sketches of Oshawa which has a roll of WW1 casualties and lists Private Charles Martin Brown (Inf., 141870) as having been killed on 15th Sept 1916.  However, I can't find any matching casualty on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website.

But in the Welland Tribune dated November 10th 2012 there is a list of servicemen from the area.  And there is a description of Charles Martin Brown, which says he was disfigured in the Battle of Paschendale.  It goes on to say that he returned to Oshawa and became the first postman in the area and eventually died in 1947.

I can't decide if "Sketches" has got it wrong, or the CWGC have missed him.  Or was there 2 people with the same name, which there doesn't seem to be, based on earlier censuses.

Any ideas?

Roger

[ShaunJ]

He's not listed in the Virtual War Memorial either http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/collections/virtualmem so I suspect that "Sketches" is wrong.

Have you seen his attestation form   http://tinyurl.com/bryftxk

[ShaunJ]

And see this http://www.gencircles.com/users/westnutt/1/data/1005

[rogerb]

Thanks for the info Shaun.  I hadn't seen the attestation form before.  I notice that he had his mother as next of kin rather than his wife.

I suspect that he was probably wounded in WW1 and thats how he ended up on the casualty list.  Even though the supposed date of death doesn't match the Battle of Passchendale.

As for that family tree, I wouldn't rely on it too much as I've already found a number of mistakes in it.

Thanks anyway

Roger

[valeriec]

In your original post you have Charles Martin Brown born in 1908 so I am assuming that is wrong.

www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/cef/index-e.html

Charles Martin Brown
Reg. # 141870
b. 18/09/1883 Reading, Berkshire, England
NOK Mrs. Bessie Brown, College Hill, South Oshawa. On
occ - labourer
married
enlisted Aug 10, 1915 Niagara
Medical officer was with the 76th Battalion and his regiment number is within the numbers given to the 76th.
You can order his complete military file from the above site under "How to Consult or Order a Military File". the file will contain his movements within battalions, medical information including date of injury, field hospitals, hospitals in Britain, pay allotments, debarkation back in Canada and destination. This is your best reference to find out what happened to him during the war. It will all be in the file. I have ordered 3 files and they are amazing. Most files contain about 25 pages but some have significantly more. You have to buy the entire file but the cost is worth it. The file can be ordered through a secure online site using a credit card.

The 76th embarked for Great Britain 23 April 1916 and provided reinforcements to the Canadian Corps in the field until 6 July 1915 when its personnel were absorbed by the 36th battalion. The 36th was absorbed in January 1917 by 3rd Reserve Battalion.

I checked the War Diaries at LAC (Library and Archives Canada) and none exist for the 76th or the 36th and those that are availabel for the 3rd Reserver Battalion are for 1917 and 1918.

There is an on-line book for the 76th but Charles Martin Brown isn't on the nominal list. There are 2 reasons for this - he didn't sail with the first group to Britain or he had already transferred to another battalion in Canada. The only way to know that will be in his military file.

http://archives.org/details/historicalrecord00bigguoft
Historical Record of the 76th Overseas Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force by Ernest Robert John Biggs

Bodies of servicemen were not repatriated to Canada and many were listed as dead and then missing or vice versa especially in the first years of the war. Many servicemen spent days in field hospitals before returning to hospitals in Great Britain. It is amazing that as many of them recovered as did. My grandfather spent 11 days in field hospitals before returning to Great Britain and then 3 months in hospital before returning to Canada.

Hope this helps in your research.
Val

[valeriec]

http://automatedgenealogy.com
1911 Census of Canada/Ontario/Toronto
has a Charles Martin Brown with wife Bessie, son Thomas A. with immigration of 1905. This could be the Charles Martin Brown in the CEF.

[rogerb]

Valerie - thanks for the info.  Yes - I did mess up the birth date - I was also working on his son at the same time who WAS born in 1908.

I will probably follow up your military leads.

Roger

[valeriec]

link to thread on Brown family

www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,640666.0.html

It isn't necessary to make more than one thread but if you do, please link your other threads so that searchers know what has already been found. Usually one little piece of info leads to the next so it is nice to have it all together.

Good luck with your search.

[vbain]

Charles Martin b.18/09 1833
Accession 1992 -93/166
REG.1992 -93/166
bOX1129