James Malcolm Wright signature

James Malcolm Wright signed up in Kingston on this day in 1916. He was born in Elzevir on September 24th, 1885, the son of John Wright and Sarah Ann (née Juby). By 1901 the family were living in Deseronto and James was a labourer in the Rathbun Company’s sash and door factory in Mill Street. He married Lily May McConnell in Belleville on November 22nd 1909, two weeks after his father had died. His mother died in 1911.

RATHCO-06-28 Rathbun Company’s sash and door factory in Deseronto

Wright had previously served in the 155th Battalion. On this day he joined the 207th Battalion with the regimental number 636838. He was five feet four inches tall, with a medium complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. His service record shows that he left Halifax in May 1917 on the SS Olympic. He arrived in France in January 1918 and served there until September, when he was admitted to hospital, suffering from myalgia in his legs. He was sent home to Canada on the SS Empress of Britain on March 23rd, 1919 and was demobilized in Kingston on April 1st, 1919.

James was living in Adolphustown with Lily May and their three sons in 1921. He died in Toronto on August 28th, 1966.