Clifford Allan Myles signature

On this day in 1916, Clifford Allan Myles signed up in Toronto. He was born in South Woodslee, Ontario, on May 23rd, 1895, the son of William Myles and Emma (née Brown). The family had moved to Deseronto by 1916, when William was the proprietor of the Deseronto House Hotel on Main Street (where Deseronto Public Library is today).

Deseronto House Hotel

Myles joined the 92nd Battalion with the regimental number 193455. He had previously served as a corporal in the 46th Regiment. He was described as five feet eight and a half inches tall, with a dark complexion, grey eyes and black hair. His service record shows that he travelled to England on the SS Empress of Britain, arriving on May 29th, 1916. He was transferred to the 42nd Battalion and arrived in France on October 3rd, 1916.

Myles was awarded the Military Medal on March 26th, 1917 and a Bar to this medal on May 26th of the same year, when he was serving as a lance corporal in the 42nd Battalion near Vimy. The citation for the Bar explains the context of this award:

Honours and Awards Citation Cards, Library and Archives Canada (image courtesy of Ancestry.ca)

Honours and Awards Citation Cards, Library and Archives Canada (image courtesy of Ancestry.ca)

BAR TO MILITARY MEDAL

On 1st. April 1917 N.B.Neuville St. Vaast during a successful daylight raid this N.C.O. led his party with marked coolness and skill 100 yards along enemy’s front line bombing enemy dugouts with Stoke’s and No.5. Mills and establishing and maintaining a block to cover withdrawal of another party from enemy’s second line. He was granted a Military Medal for outstanding bravery displayed in a previous and equally successful raid on February 13th. 1917, A.F.W. 3121 1-4-17

The unit’s official war diary describes the February 13th (page 1, page 2, page 3) and April 1st (page 1, page 2, page 3) raids in some detail and mention Myles by name.

During 1917 Myles was treated in England for shell shock and he stayed in England for the rest of the war. He was promoted to corporal in June 1918. Myles left Scotland on the SS Saturnia in May 1919 and was demobilized in Kingston on May 22nd.

Clifford married Bertha May Connors on November 1st, 1922 in Colborne, Ontario, when he was working as an electrician. He died on February 4th, 1969.