Deseronto Archives

On this day in 1917 Clarence Mickel Pasmore, a journalist, signed his officer’s declaration paper as a lieutenant in the 216th Battalion in Toronto. He was born in Conestego, Ontario, on February 11th, 1889, the son of William Pasmore and Laura (née Hendry). By 1901, when Clarence was 12, the family were living in Deseronto, where William was working as a doctor, his daughter Annie as a nurse and his son Robert as a druggist. Clarence attended the Deseronto High School. In 1911 he was working in Regina, Saskatchewan, as a journalist. When he enlisted he was living at 514 Pape Avenue, Toronto with his parents.

His service record shows that he sailed from Halifax in May 1917 and was transferred to the 123rd Battalion in France on November 24th. On January 3rd, 1918 he was slightly wounded but remained at duty. In May 1918 he was admitted to hospital, suffering from shell shock. He was sent back to Canada on the SS Scandinavian. While on board, he contracted influenza.

A report in the Toronto World of January 11th, 1918, gives us a glimpse into Pasmore’s early war experiences:

Lieut. C. M. Pasmore Is Now Attached to Royal Grenadiers’ Unit

News has been received by Mrs. L. O. Pasmore, 514 Pape avenue, that her son, Lieut. C. M. Pasmore, has been wounded in action. Lieut. Pasmore himself cabled his mother that he had been hit, but was remaining on duty. He received his wounds while serving with the 123rd Battalion (Royal Grenadiers), Lt.-Col. W. B. Kingsmill commanding. Prior to the outbreak of the war Lieut. Pasmore was employed as a newspaperman in Toronto. After he qualified for his commission he was ppointed to the 216th (Bantams) Battalion and being over six feet in height he boasted that he was the “tallest Bantam in captivity.” On the day the Bantams left Toronto to proceed overseas it was found that the quota of officeers was greater than the strength of the battalion permitted, and Lieut. Pasmore was therefore dropped, but he was determined to get overseas and he reverted to the rank of sergeant and proceeded eastward with the unit. Before reaching the port of embarkation, however, the strength of the battalion was augmented by drafts of Bantams from eastern towns, and Lieut. Pasmmore was reinstated in his rank.

On his arrival in England he took several courses in order to render himself more proficient, and crossed to France on the 24th of November and was attached to the Royal Grenadiers battalion.

Pasmore was demobilized in January 1919 and married Estelle Maud Gordon in Deseronto on January 29th, 1921. At the time of the 1921 census the couple were living at 54 Fairview Boulevard in Toronto. Maud died in 1939 and Clarence in 1949. They are buried in Rockwood, Ontario.