Deseronto Archives

On this day in 1916 William ‘Willie’ Pinn signed up in Belleville. He was born in Shannonville on August 12th 1895, the son of John Pinn (or Penn) and Christina (née Hill), who were both Mohawks.

Pinn joined the 155th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force with the regimental number 637077. He had previously served in the 49th Regiment for a year. Willie was five feet six inches tall, with a fair complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. His service record shows that he was in hospital between May 15th and May 27th with pneumonia in Belleville. He arrived in England on the SS Northland on October 28th, 1916 and was transferred to the 2nd Battalion, joining them in France on December 9th, 1916.

William was killed on May 3rd, 1917.