Deseronto Archives

On this day in 1915, Burton Brant signed up in Sudbury, Ontario. He was born in Tyendinaga on November 26th, 1892 (or 1891), the son of David and Eliza Evelyn Brant, who were Mohawks.

Brant was described as five feet six and a half inches tall, with a dark complexion, dark brown eyes and black hair. He joined the 2nd Canadian Pioneer Battalion with the regimental number 166477. His service record shows that he arrived in England on December 14th, 1915 and embarked for France on March 9th, 1916.

While working near Dikkebus, southwest of Ypres, Brant suffered a compound fracture of the face and nose when he was kicked by a mule. Below is the accident report from the battalion’s commanding officer, Lieutenant Colonel Sanders:

This soldier was a driver in Transport Section in charge of team of mules. While leading them  to water mid-day 27th June [July] 1916 at Micmac Camp one of them jerked headrope out of Brants hand and on his attempting to recover was kicked in the face. Brant was careful man and in no way to blame.

Burton Brant was sent to London to have his injuries treated and was out of action for two months while he recovered. He was transferred to a reserve battalion at first, then rejoined the 2nd Pioneers in February 1917 and was back in France on the 22nd of that month. He left England for Canada in May 1919, with the rank of Lance Corporal.

A note on his service record states “Deceased, 8-6-60”.