Many family historians will find relatives who served in the military, and it would be unusual to find a family that did not lose at least one loved one in conflict.
In remembrance of the following members of my extended family who made the ultimate sacrifice:
ANDREW AITKEN
Age 28 (my 3rd cousin, twice removed)
Sergeant, Flight Engineer, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, 51 Squadron
Killed in action 28 May 1943, Germany
Buried in Reichswald Forest War Cemetery, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
GEORGE AITKEN
Age 18 (my 2nd cousin, 3 times removed)
Sergeant, Royal Air Force
Killed in action 23 Oct 1918, Aulnoye, France
Buried in Leval Communal Cemetery, France
Aberdeen Press and Journal, 2 Nov 1918; Aberdeen Press and Journal, 24 Oct 1919; Leval Communal Cemetery, France
JAMES AITKEN
Age 21 (my 2nd cousin, 3 times removed)
Private, Gordon Highlanders
Died of wounds 12 Aug 1916, France
Buried in Heilly Station Cemetery, Mericourt-L’Abbe, France
VICTOR ROBERT AITKEN
Age 42 (my 2nd cousin, 3 times removed)
Corporal, Gordon Highlanders
Presumed killed in action, at sea, 2–3 Mar 1942
Commemorated on Singapore Memorial, Kranji War Cemetery, Singapore
Three brothers, two killed the same day, the third exactly a year later:
JAMES AITKEN(S)
Age 19 (my 2nd cousin, 3 times removed)
Private, Canadian Infantry (Manitoba Regiment)
Killed in action 23 Apr 1915, Langemark, Belgium
Commemorated on Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium, and family gravestone, Elmwood Cemetery, Winnipeg, Canada
GEORGE AITKEN(S)
Age 22 (my 2nd cousin, 3 times removed)
Private, Canadian Infantry (Manitoba Regiment)
Killed in action 23 Apr 1915, Langemark, Belgium
Commemorated on Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium, and family gravestone, Elmwood Cemetery, Winnipeg, Canada
JOHN AITKEN(S)
Age 29 (my 2nd cousin, 3 times removed)
Private, Canadian Infantry (Manitoba Regiment)
Missing, presumed dead, 6 Apr 1916, St. Eloi, Belgium
Commemorated on Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium, and family gravestone, Elmwood Cemetery, Winnipeg, Canada
James, who was a 19-year-old blacksmith’s helper, and George, a 21-year-old railway conductor, both enlisted in Valcartier, Quebec, on Sept. 23, 1914, in the early days of the war. John, a 31-year-old mechanic, enrolled a month later, on Oct. 24, in Winnipeg. All three were privates.
James and George did not fight long. Both young men died on April 23, 1915, on the second day of the Second Battle of Ypres. The battle tested Canadians’ military mettle, but it came at a cost: 6,000 soldiers over four days in April, including the two Aitkens. Both men were killed in action.
John died just under a year later, on April 6, 1916. He was listed as missing and presumed killed.
None of the three have any known grave, but all are memorialized at the Menin Gate Memorial at Ypres.
Each listed their next of kin as living at 75 Grace St. in Winnipeg, with James and George listing their father, Johnston or John, and James listing his mother, Mrs. J. Aitkens. That is the address that would have received news of their deaths as Winnipeggers began to realize how many men they would lose as the war dragged on.
Excerpted from: Mapping Winnipeg’s First World War Dead, by Patrick Cain & Lara Schroeder, Global News, 8 Nov 2013
WILLIAM REAPER AITKENS
Age 31 (step-grandson of my 1st cousin, 4 times removed)
Gunner, Royal Canadian Artillery
Died 31 Aug 1941, England
Buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery, Woking, Surrey, UK
WILLIAM BRUCE ANDERSON
Age 28 (my 2nd cousin, twice removed)
Second Lieutenant, 5th Gordon Highlanders
Died 7 Apr 1917, France
Buried in Maroeuil British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France
Second Lieutenant William Bruce Anderson; Toronto Telegram, Apr 1917; Toronto Daily Star, 14 Apr 1917
WALTER BALDWIN BALDWINSON
Age 22 (husband of my 2nd cousin, once removed)
Warrant Officer II/Air Gunner, Royal Canadian Air Force
Died 25 Aug 1944, Germany
Buried in Durnbach War Cemetery, Bayern, Germany
Warrant Officer II/Air Gunner Walter Baldwin Baldwinson; letters from RCAF to Walter’s father, 1948; Durnbach War Cemetery, Germany
JAMES BARRON
(husband of my 2nd cousin, 3 times removed)
Private, Seaforth Highlanders
Died of wounds 1 Aug 1917, Belgium
Buried in Brandhoek New Military Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium
Private James Barron; Aberdeen Weekly Journal, 10 Aug 1917
GEORGE PHILIP BOTHWELL
Age 30 (my paternal grandmother’s first husband)
Private, Gordon Highlanders
Killed in action 23 Jul 1918, Rheims, France
Buried in La Neuville-aux-Larris Military Cemetery, Marne, France, and commemorated on family gravestone in St. Peter’s Cemetery, Aberdeen, Scotland
St. Peter’s Cemetery, Aberdeen; Aberdeen Weekly Journal, 16 Aug 1918
GEORGE STANLEY BRECKELS
Age 19 (my 1st cousin, once removed)
Flight Sergeant, Air Gunner, RCAF
Died 19 Sep 1944, Netherlands
Buried in St. Michielsgestel Roman Catholic & Protestant Cemetery, Netherlands
Flight Sergeant George Stanley Breckels; St. Michielsgestel Roman Catholic & Protestant Cemetery, Netherlands; Toronto Daily Star, 19 Sep 1946
JOHN HENRY BRUCE
Age 23 (my 3rd cousin, once removed)
Sergeant, Flight Engineer, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Killed 17 Sep 1944, Hawkinge Airfield, Kent, England
Buried in Jarrow Cemetery, Durham, England
Newcastle Journal, 25 Sep 1944; Jarrow Cemetery, Durham, England
JOSEPH MILLER BRUCE
Age 37 (my 2nd cousin, twice removed)
Private, Gordon Highlanders
Killed 18 Aug 1916, France
Buried in Bronfay Farm Military Cemetery, Bray-Sur-Somme, France
WILLIAM BRUCE
(my 1st cousin, twice removed)
Lance Corporal, 1st Battalion, Gordon Highlanders
Killed 9 Apr 1917, France
Commemorated on Arras Memorial, Pas de Calais, France
SIMON BURNETT
Age 19 (my 3rd cousin, twice removed)
Private, Army Service Corps
Drowned 15 Jun 1915, Pourville, France
Buried in Janval Cemetery, Dieppe, France
WILLIAM JOHN BRUCE BURNETT
Age 19 (step-grandson of my 1st cousin, 3 times removed)
Private, Machine Gun Corps
Died 28 Sep 1918, France
Buried in Sunken Road Cemetery, Boisleux-St. Marc, Pas de Calais, France
GEORGE CHRISTIE
Age 21 (my 2nd cousin, once removed)
Flight-Sergeant, Royal Air Force (Volunteer Reserve)
Killed in action 25 Jul 1941, at sea
Buried in Kiel War Cemetery, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
Aberdeen Evening Express, 28 Jul 1941, 25 Oct 1941, 5 Nov 1941; Kiel War Cemetery, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
WILLIAM ARTHUR DOUGLAS
Age 23 (my 1st cousin, twice removed)
Private, 1st Battalion, The King’s (Liverpool Regiment)
Killed in action 25 Jun 1917, France
Buried in Gorre British and Indian Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France
Inscription on his gravestone: “If love could have saved him he would not have died. Mother”
JOHN JOSEPH DYSON
Age 24 (my 2nd cousin, twice removed)
Private, Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regiment
Killed in action 7 Mar 1915, Belgium
Buried in Tuileries British Cemetery, Ypres, West Flanders, Belgium
FRANCIS WILLIAM GINGELL
Age 25 (husband of my 1st cousin, twice removed)
Private, Canadian Infantry
Killed in action 10 Apr 1917, France
Buried in Barlin Communal Cemetery Extension, Pas de Calais, France
Private John Dyson: Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 22 Mar 1915
Private Francis William Gingell: Barlin Communal Cemetery Extension, Pas de Calais, France; Toronto Star, 3 Apr 1917
LEWIS JOHN HARDIE
Age 26 (my 2nd cousin, 3 times removed)
Private, Gordon Highlanders
Killed in action 13 Nov 1916, Beaumont-Hamel, France
Buried in Y Ravine Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel, France
Private Lewis John Harding; Aberdeen Weekly Journal, 8 Dec 1916; Y Ravine Cemetery, Beaumont-Hamel, France
ANDREW IRVINE
Age 21 (my 3rd cousin, once removed)
Lance Corporal, Royal Scots
Died of wounds 23 Aug 1917, Ypres, Belgium
Buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium
Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium; Buchan Observer, 4 Sep 1917
FREDERICK KEARSLEY
Age 36 (my son-in-law’s 2G-grandfather)
Private, Canadian Infantry, Central Ontario Regiment
Killed in action 1 May 1916, Belgium
Commemorated on Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium, and family gravestone, Heaton Cemetery, Bolton, Lancashire, England
CONNAUGHT KELWAY
Age 31 (husband of my 2nd cousin, once removed)
Flying Officer, Royal Canadian Air Force
Killed in action, 5 Jan 1945, Germany
Buried in Hanover War Cemetery, Hanover, Germany
Times Colonist (Victoria, BC), 18 Jan 1945; Times Colonist, 10 Jan 1946
ALASTAIR BAIRD KENNEDY
Age 36 (my 2nd cousin, twice removed)
Surgeon-Lieutenant, Royal Naval Volunteer Service
Killed in action 15 Nov 1942, Mediterranean Sea off Algeria
Commemorated on Portsmouth Naval Memorial, Portsmouth, Portsmouth Unitary Authority, Hampshire, England
Surgeon-Lieutenant Alastair Baird Kennedy; Gloucester Echo, 20 Nov 1942
WILLIAM JUSTUS KOLLER
Age 35 (husband of my 3rd cousin, twice removed)
Private, Westminster Regiment, RCIC
Killed in action 23 Mar 1945, Holland
Buried in Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Nijmegen, Netherlands
Private William Justus Koller; Vancouver Sun, 22 May 1945; Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, Nujmegen, Netherlands
PETER LIGERTWOOD
Age 29 (my 2nd cousin, twice removed)
Captain, Royal Marines Light Infantry
Killed in action 26 Oct 1917, Belgium
Buried in Poelcapelle British Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium
ALEXANDER MACKIE
Age 25 (my 3rd cousin, twice removed)
Lance Corporal, Highland Light Infantry
Killed in action 1 Oct 1918, France
Buried in Sequehart British Cemetery No. 2, Aisne, France
WILLIAM MACKIE
Age 27 (my 2nd cousin, twice removed)
Corporal, Gordon Highlanders
Killed in action 10 Apr 1918, La Bassée, France
Buried in Lillers Communal Cemetery, Lillers, Pas-de-Calais, France
FRANCIS ALBERT BRUCE MASON
Age 26 (my 3rd cousin, once removed)
Guardsman, 2nd Battalion, Scots Guards
Killed 22 Oct 1943, Italy
Buried in Minturno War Cemetery, Minturno, Lazio, Italy
Poelcappelle British Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium; Aberdeen Press and Journal, 28 Oct 1918; Aberdeen Evening Express, 4 May 1918; Minturno War Cemetery, Minturno, Lazio, Italy
LUKE McGANN
Age 29 (husband of my 3rd cousin, twice removed)
Lance Corporal, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
Killed in action 26 Jun 1918, France
Buried in Duisans British Cemetery, Etru, Pas de Calais, France
JOSEPH McINTOSH
Age 21 (my 1st cousin, 3 times removed)
Private, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles)
Died of wounds 6 Dec 1917, Egypt
Buried in Kantara War Memorial Cemetery, Egypt
JAMES NAYLOR
Age 36 (my 1st cousin, 3 times removed)
Private, Canadian Infantry, Manitoba Regiment
Killed in action 22 Sep 1916, Europe
Commemorated on Vimy Memorial, Pas de Calais, France
GEORGE ALEXANDER SINCLAIR
Age 19 (my 2nd cousin, once removed)
Private, Gordon Highlanders
Killed in action 24 Jun 1940, France
Buried in Forges-les-Eaux Communal Cemetery, Seine-Maritime, France
GEORGE HARDIE SLESSOR
Age 44 (my 2nd cousin, 3 times removed)
Lance Sergeant, Canadian Infantry
Killed in action 18 Oct 1916, Cambrai, France
Buried in Port-de-Paris Cemetery, Cambrai, France
GEORGE WATT SMITH
Age 23 (my 3rd cousin, 3 times removed)
Private, Canadian Infantry
Killed in action 8 Jun 1917, La Cullotte, France
Buried in La Chaudiere British Cemetery, Vimy, France
REGINALD THOMAS STOCK
Age 23 (brother-in-law of my great-aunt)
Private, Essex Regiment
Died 19 Sep 1918, Israel
Buried in Ramleh War Cemetery, Israel and Palestine
ARTHUR WILLIAM STODDART
Age 30 (my 3rd cousin, 3 times removed)
Private, Canadian Infantry
Killed in action 8 Sep 1916, France
Buried in Pozieres British Cemetery, Pozieres, Somme, France
GEORGE ANDREW WILLIAM STRACHAN
Age 29 (my 3rd cousin, once removed)
Private, German Army
Died of wounds, 17 Apr 1944, Ukraine
ROBERT JOHANN STRACHAN
Age 24 (my 2nd cousin, twice removed)
Germany Army
Killed 1918
ROBERT LINDSAY STRACHAN
Age 24 (my 1st cousin, twice removed)
Private, Canadian Infantry
Killed in action 20 Sep 1918, France
Buried in Duisans British Cemetery, Etrun, Pas de Calais, France
WILLIAM FRANCIS STRACHAN
Age 47 (my 1st cousin, twice removed)
Corporal, Royal Canadian Dragoons, WW1
Died of illness due to service 11 Oct 1941
Buried in Royal Oak Burial Park, Saanich, British Columbia, Canada
WILLIAM MOODY STRACHAN
Age 27 (my great-uncle, my maternal grandfather’s twin)
Private, Canadian Infantry
Died of wounds 7 Sep 1918, France
Buried in Mont Huon Military Cemetery, Le Treport, Seine-Maritime, France
A surprising development as I was preparing this blogpost was the discovery that my great-uncle’s full set of military medals was recently sold at auction. Who offered them for sale is a mystery as is the identity of the buyer, most likely a collector. Although the medals are no longer in the family, I feel fortunate, nevertheless, to now have high-quality photos of them.
Clockwise from top left: Private William Moody Strachan; Toronto Star, 16 Sep 1918; Mont Huon Military Cemetery, Le Treport, France; military medals of William Moody Strachan
Another three brothers lost in World War 1, two just a week apart:
ALEXANDER JOHN THOMSON
Age 19 (my 2nd cousin, 3 times removed)
Private, Black Watch, Royal Highlanders, 8th Battalion
Killed in action 19 Jul 1918, Belgium
Commemorated on Ploegsteert Memorial, Ploegsteert, Mouscron, Hainaut, Belgium
ALLAN THOMSON
Age 23 (my 2nd cousin, 3 times removed)
Sergeant, Gordon Highlanders, 5th Battalion
Killed in action 28 Jul 1918, France
Buried in Buzancy Military Cemetery, Buzancy, Aisne, Picardie, France
JAMES THOMSON
Age 19 (my 2nd cousin, 3 times removed)
Private, Gordon Highlanders, 5th Battalion
Killed in action 26 Mar 1916, France
Buried in Maroeuil British Cemetery, Pas de Calais, France
Their story: Brothers Who Served in the Great War: The Thomson Family
Clockwise from top left: Lance-Sergeant Allan Thomson; Aberdeen Weekly Journal, 16 Aug 1918; Private James Thomson; service medal of James Thomson; Buzancy Military Cemetery, Buzancy, France; Aberdeen Weekly Journal, 1 Feb 1918
OTTO TREUFELDT
Age 45 (my husband’s 2nd cousin, twice removed)
Major, Estonian Artillery
Died in prison camp, 23 Nov 1943, Norilsk, Siberia
WILLIAM WALLACE
Age 30 (my 2nd cousin, 3 times removed)
Gunner, Royal Field Artillery
Killed in action 3 Aug 1917, France
Buried in Artillery Wood Cemetery, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium
This was so interesting. Thank you.