Deseronto Archives

Edward Louis Counihan, a teamster, enlisted in Toronto on this day in 1917. He was born in Deseronto on November 15th, 1900, the son of Jeremiah Counihan and Johanah (née Hill). The family were in Deseronto in 1901 and had moved to Toronto by 1911. When Edward enlisted, his mother was living at 34 Jerome Street and his father’s whereabouts were unknown.

Counihan joined the York & Simcoe Foresters (part of the Canadian Forestry Corps) with the regimental number 2499309. He was five feet six inches tall, with a medium complexion, blue eyes and light brown hair. His service record shows that he was transferred to Number 2 Special Service Company on December 10th, 1917. On April 26th, 1918 a Medical Board was convened to discuss his case. He had a goitre and the army had discovered that he was under age and would not be eighteen until November that year. They recommended that he be discharged from the army.

Edward was discharged in Toronto on May 24th, 1918. On the previous day he had been on trial at the City of Toronto Police Court. There are two certified copies of his convictions for car theft on his service file. On May 8th he had stolen a car belonging to E. Hammel and on May 10th he stole a car belonging to T. H. Norman.

He was sentenced to three months’ imprisonment at Toronto Municipal Farm (also known as Langstaff Jail Farm).

Counihan died on October 28th, 1957.