Deseronto Archives

Albert Arthur Johnson, a yardmaster, signed up in Ottawa on this day in 1917. He was born in Deseronto on October 2nd, 1891, the son of Samuel Johnson and Clarissa (née Hadley). When he enlisted, his home address was 262 George Street, Toronto.

Albert joined the No. 1 Section Skilled Railway Employees with the regimental number 2124812. He was five feet eight inches tall, with a dark complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. Johnson’s unit left Halifax on the SS Ausonia in March 1917 and arrived in England on March 15th. It was redesignated as the 12th (Canadian) Light Railway Operating Company, Royal Engineers on March 16th and No. 58 Broad Gauge Railway Operating Company (Canadians) Royal Engineers on April 7th, 1917. It arrived in France on April 19th, 1917, where it worked to transport troops and supplies behind the lines. The unit was disbanded on April 19th, 1919 in Knotty Ash, England.

Johnson’s service record shows that he travelled back to Canada on the RMS Aquitania in May 1919 and was demobilized in Toronto on May 27th. He married Ruby May Greenwood in Port Colborne on February 11th, 1922. He was still working on the railway: as a conductor. A note on his service file records that he died on November 21st, 1972.

On this day in 1917 David Stanley Bernhardt (sometimes written Barnhardt), a machinist, signed up in St. Catharines, Ontario. He was born in Deseronto on January 25th, 1880, the son of Robert James Barnhardt and Catherine (née Maracle), who were both Mohawks. In 1901 the family were still in Deseronto, but they had moved to Midland, Ontario by 1911. Robert died in Midland in 1913. David was living in Port Dalhousie when his daughter, Beatrice Catherine Bernhardt, was born in July 1913. Beatrice’s birth registration states that David married Jennie Gordon in Penetanguishene in 1907.

David joined the 256th Battalion with the regimental number 1099026. He was a quarter of an inch over five feet tall, with a dark complexion, grey eyes and black hair. His service record shows that he arrived in England in April 1917 and was transferred to the 10th Battalion, Canadian Railway Troops, joining them in France in June.

Bernhardt survived the war, travelling back to Canada on the RMS Celtic in March 1919. He was demobilized in Toronto on March 21st.

On this day in 1916 Stafford Claus signed up in Picton. He was born on May 25th, 1902 (he claimed 1898) in Deseronto, the son of Arthur Claus and Margaret (née Maracle), who were both Mohawks. By 1916 Arthur and Margaret were living in Oshawa and Stafford gave his home address as Picton.

Claus joined the 235th Battalion with the regimental number 1027582. He was five feet four and a half inches tall, with a dark complexion, black eyes and black hair. His service record shows that Stafford was examined by a medical board at Belleville on February 16th, 1917. The board determined that he was under age and should not serve until 1920, when he would be 18.

Extract from medical board report in Stafford Claus’s service record, courtesy of Library and Archives Canada.

10 (a) Disease or disability. Under -age

(b) Date of origin. 1902, May 25th

…
11. Present Condition (Most Important). Under age but in excellent health and is a good soldier.

Stafford was discharged from the army on March 10th, 1917. He married Ada Violet Maracle on November 18th, 1925 in Christ Church, Tyendinaga. He served in the Second World War and worked at Metcalfe Foods in Deseornto for many years. He and Ada had nine children. Stafford died on December 2nd, 1971 and was buried in Deseronto Cemetery. When he died, he had 31 grandchildren and 71 great-grandchildren.

James Albert Banister signed up in Belleville on this day in 1916. He was born in Prince Edward County in 1902 (he claimed 1898), the son of Alexander Banister (whose mother was Mohawk) and Mary Louisa (née Smart), a Mohawk. Alexander had left his family in 1913, according to his son. His home address was Shannonville.

Banister joined the 235th Battalion with the regimental number 1027583. He was five feet six and a half inches tall, with a dark complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair. His service record shows that he arrived in England on the SS Megantic on May 14th, 1917.

Banister never served in France: he seems to have spent much of his time overseas in hospital in England with various infections. In November 1917 he was sent back to Canada. This was explained in a second service file, where it appears that his true age had been detected. He was transferred to No. 3 Special Service Company, but went absent without leave in December 1917 and was struck off as a deserter on January 8th, 1918.

Joseph Allan Embury, a billing clerk for the Canadian Pacific Railway, signed up in Peterborough on this day in 1916. He was born in Deseronto on October 2nd, 1900, the son of Thomas Embury and Nora (née Meagher), although he claimed to have been born in 1898.

Embury joined the 74th Battery of the Canadian Field Artillery with the regimental number 344926. He was five feet four and a quarter inches tall, with a dark complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair. His service record shows that he left Canada on April 28th, 1917, aged 16, on the SS Olympic, which arrived in England on May 7th.  On May 16th he was admitted to hospital for a month, suffering from an infection. He served in the Artillery’s reserve brigades in England until December 19th, 1917, when he was sent to France.

The fact that Embury was underage was detected on January 9th, 1918 and he was transferred back to England as a minor. There is a copy of his birth registration on his file, supplied by the Deseronto Registrar on February 2nd, 1918.

In March Joseph was sent home to Canada, where he was discharged from the army on May 14th, 1918 in Kingston, for being underage. He died in Saanich, British Columbia on May 20th, 1961.

On this day in 1916 David Morley Jackson, a clerk, signed up in Swift Current, Saskatchewan. He was born in Deseronto on July 16th, 1898, the son of George Ernest Jackson and Elizabeth (née Jamieson). The family were living in Deseronto in 1901 and had moved to Point Anne by 1911.

David joined the 249th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, with the regimental number 1069227. He was five feet eight and a half inches tall, with a dark complexion, brown eyes and black hair. His service record shows that attained the rank of lance corporal and he was discharged in Halifax on November 27th, 1918 as he was a railway employee (a telegraphist).

Jackson married Mae Marguerite Kerr in Belleville on November 24th, 1922. Family tree information on Ancestry.ca suggests that he died in Oshawa on September 25th, 1969.

Clarence Merritton Giffin, a railway clerk, signed up in Windsor, Ontario on this day in 1916. He was born in Maitland, Ontario, the son of William Ernest Giffin and Margaret Grace (née McMullen) on September 16th, 1898. In 1901 the family were in Belleville and in 1911 they were in Deseronto, where William was working as a druggist. Clarence attended Deseronto High School.

Clarence Giffin joined the 63rd Depot Battery of the Canadian Field Artillery with the regimental number 334088. He was five feet five inches tall, with a fair complexion, blue eyes and black hair. His service record shows that he arrived in England in December 1917 on the SS Megantic and went to France on April 2nd, 1918. In July he reported sick and he spent the rest of the war in various hospitals, suffering from nephritis. He was invalided home to Canada on the hospital ship Essequibo in January 1919 and discharged as medically unfit for service on May 12th, 1919.

In 1921 Giffen was back in Windsor with his parents and sisters, working as a salesman. He moved to the United States and died in Rocky River, Ohio, in 1974.

Frank Waterbury, a carpenter, signed up in Deseronto on this day in 1916. He was born in Deseronto on September 15th, 1890, the son of James Waterbury and Minnie (née Solmes). He gave his next of kin as Bertha Waterbury, his wife.

Frank joined the 235th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force with the regimental number 1027511. He was five feet nine and a half inches tall, with a fair complexion, brown eyes and brown hair. His service record shows that he and Bertha had two children (Elfrida and Francis) when he enlisted. Waterbury arrived in England on June 9th, 1917 on the SS Olympic and was transferred to the 230th Forestry Battalion in Sunningdale, Berkshire. In March 1918 he was again moved, this time to the Canadian Railway Troops Depot in Purfleet. He went to France on March 29th, 1918 and served there until January 1919.

During the war, Frank Waterbury married Elizabeth Davis in Barnet, Hertfordshire, England in 1917. They had a son, Francis, who was born in Windsor in 1918. There is a note on Frank’s file changing his official next of kin from Bertha to Elizabeth and a record of a letter stating that Bertha had not been Frank’s legal wife.

Frank’s new family travelled to Canada on the SS Metagama, arriving on May 2nd, 1919. Frank was demobilised in Quebec on May 4th. In 1921 the Waterburys were living in Thomas Street, Deseronto, with Francis and another son, Edward. A note on his service file records that Frank died on December 13th, 1960. He was buried in Sunderland, Ontario.