James Albert Paul signature

On this day in 1916, James Albert Paul, a barber, signed up in Toronto. He was born in Deseronto on April 4th, 1889, the son of Robert John Paul and Sarah Alma (née Wrightmyer). He married Sarah Esther Thompson on December 7th, 1910 in Toronto and the couple had a son in 1911 and a daughter in 1914. They were living at 63 Eaton Avenue when James enlisted.

Paul joined the 180th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force with the regimental number 862086. He was five feet five inches tall, with a fair complexion, blue eyes and fair hair. His service record shows that he left Canada in November 14th, 1916 on the SS Olympic. In April 1917 he joined the 123rd Battalion in France. He was admitted to hospital in November 1917, suffering from bronchitis and, in January 1918, nephritis. In April 1918 he was taken on the strength of the 2nd Canadian Infantry Works Battalion

He left England on May 3rd, 1919 on the HMT Royal George and was demobilized in Toronto on May 16th. He died on May 20th, 1945, suffering from chronic bronchitis and emphysema. He had been working as a machinist for the Canadian National Railway.