Edward Gardner Craig signature

Edward Gardner Craig, an electrical mechanic, signed up in Kingston on this day in 1916. He was born in Deseronto on April 27th, 1885, the son of Robert John Craig (the Presbyterian minister) and Fanny Gertrude (née Rathbun, sister of Edward Wilkes Rathbun). He married Frances Isabel Butt on December 4th, 1912 in Parry Sound.

Craig joined the Field Ambulance Depot for Military District No. 3 with the regimental number 536053. he had a dark complexion, grey eyes and iron grey hair. His service record shows that he arrived in England on the SS Missanabie on April 7th, 1917. He served with the Canadian Army Medical Corps in England and was admitted to hospital in February 1918 suffering from neurasthenia.

He was invalided home to Canada in October 1918 and was admitted to the Ontario Military Hospital in Cobourg on October 19th with a diagnosis of constitutional neurasthenia. A hospital report in his file dated December 12th, 1918 notes that he was a

7 mo. [month] child (mother had fright) & the youngest child – always delicate. Always hypersensitive and worried over trifles. Had a nervous breakdown about 1911 following overexertion on a hot day…never as well since…was an invalid on enlistment – thought the army life and open air would help him – but they didn’t…health went down while in Eng. Was not in France…always interested in astrology, planetary influences, moroscopes [horoscopes] etc as well as in telepathy, spirit influences etc…These items from civil life probably explain hallucinatory and delusional tendencies noted in Eng.

Craig was discharged as medically unfit for further service on December 26th, 1918. A note on his file reads “Deceased 12-3-1939”.