Andrew Markle signature

ross-markle-signature

On this day in 1914, Andrew Alfred Markle, a locomotive fireman, and Ross (Erastus) Markle, a shingle packer, signed up in Toronto. Andrew stated that he was born on September 25th, 1887 in Deseronto, while Ross was born there on April 5th, 1896. They were both sons of Alfred Markle and Margaret Ann (née Cranson) and this couple and their four children were living in North Fredericksburgh at the time of 1891 census. By 1898 they were living in Main Street, Deseronto. In May of that year the boys’ father died of pneumonia and in the November their mother drowned.

Andrew was adopted by Miles and Emma Lucas and was living with them in Richmond Township at the time of the 1901 census. In the same year, Ross was living with James and Mary Smith (his older sister) in Owen Sound. By 1911 Andrew had also moved to Owen Sound and was lodging there with his older brother, William. William was named on his attestation paper as his next of kin, while Ross named Mary Smith as his. Their brother, Arthur Arrison Markle, had already enlisted in the army.

Andrew and Ross joined the 20th Battalion with the regimental numbers 57455 and 57451 respectively. They both had a dark complexion, brown eyes and black hair. Andrew was five feet three and a quarter inches tall, while Ross was five feet seven and a half inches.

Both men arrived in England on the SS Megantic on May 24th, 1915 and were transferred to France on September 14th. Andrew’s service record shows that he survived the war. He was married twice: first in England, on March 29th, 1919 to Kathleen Marsh. The couple sailed to Canada together on the SS Baltic in August 1919. Their marriage was short-lived, however: Kathleen died in Owen Sound on August 12th, 1920. Markle’s second marriage took place on October 17th, 1922, when he married Priscilla Winnifred Munns in Owen Sound.

Ross Markle was not so fortunate. His service record is available here.