Vimy Ridge - 2010 - End of an Era

[Lillith]

My father in law, Alfred William Thorne 1889-1967 actuially fought at Vimy Ridge. He arrived in Canada from England in 1912 and returned to England after the War. I would love to visit the Vimy Ridge Memorial but cannot afford it. Any chance that the Canadian governernment would pay? Only joking!

According to his attestation papers he was also in the Dufferin Rifles and the Winnipeg Grenadiers. Any information on these gratefully received.

[valeriec]

Do you have his full military file or only his attestation papers? His military file can be ordered from
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/cef/index-e.html
Alfred William Thorne
Regimental #148266
joined 7 August 1915, MD10 78th Battalion
Use the Search section and enter the info on Alfred William Thorne. You will see a section on How to Consult a File or Order a Complete Military file. The pages cost 40 cents each, normally around 25-40 pages per file plus shipping and handling. It normally takes 30 days to receive the file. There is a lot of info in the military files including pay documents, unit and casualty lists. It will also show if he transferred to a different battalion at any time during the war.

Another site that has lots of information is the Matrix Project at
http://cefresearch.com/matrix/index.htm
Using his regimental number I was able to determine that he belonged to the
4th Division
12th Infantry Brigade
78th Battalion, Winnipeg Grenadiers

You can look at the War Diaries for the 78th at either the Collections Canada site or at
http://www.cefresearch.com/matrix/WarDiaries/transcribed/bn078/bn078y1916-1919.pdf

[Lillith]

I was sent all his paperwork from Canada sometime ago, all his pay details, how many bad teeth he had, everything they had. There are so many unanswered questions about him like did he go to Canada under a cloud,why did he return to England after the war and why was he not even mentioned in his father's will. The other brothers were left properties and land and they sat the war out at home. So many questions!