Deseronto Archives

On this day in 1918 Martin James McKenney, a grocery clerk, was conscripted at Niagara-on-the-Lake. He was born in Deseronto on March 17th, 1892, the son of James McKenney and Elizabeth (née Caudin). By 1901 the family had moved to Sturgeon Falls, Ontario, which was where McKenney was living when he was drafted. His service record shows that he arrived in England on the SS Carnarvonshire on August 15th, 1918. He served with the 8th Reserve Battalion in England until his return to Canada in May 1919 on the SS Cassandra.

McKenney was demobilized on May 14th, 1919 in Toronto. In 1921 he was back working as a clerk in Sturgeon Falls, living with his mother and younger brother.

Donald John Gault, a bank clerk, was conscripted into the Canadian Expeditionary Force at Camp Barriefield in Kingston on this day in 1918. He was born in Deseronto on November 2nd, 1898, the son of Thomas Dell Gault and Mary Emma (née Solmes).

Gault joined the 1st Depot Battalion of the Eastern Ontario Regiment with the regimental number 3060708. He was five feet ten and a half inches tall, with a fair complexion, blue eyes and fair hair. His service record notes that he was transferred to the 75th Battery of the Canadian Field Artillery in Petawawa on August 1st, 1918 and subsequently to the 2nd Canadian Artillery Tank Battalion on September 30th. He arrived in England on October 18th, 1918 on HMTS Victoria. He left England just over a month later, on November 22nd, arriving back in Canada on November 29th, 1918. He was demobilized in Kingston on December 31st.

In 1921 Donald was back with his mother and three younger brothers in Prince Street, Deseronto, working as a lumberman. He was still in Deseronto in 1936, married to Alice Cameron. On July 9th of that year their infant son David Cameron Gault died.

Gault also served in the Second World War, enlisting in Toronto on May 16th, 1941 and serving overseas between November 1941 and November 1945. He lived in Deseronto for the rest of his life. He died on February 9th, 1979 and was buried in Deseronto Cemetery.

On this day in 1918 William Robinson Allen, a liveryman, was conscripted at Camp Barriefield in Kingston. He was born on November 15th, 1886 in Ameliasburgh, Prince Edward County, the son of Samuel Allen and Phoebe (née Allison). By 1901 the family had moved to Deseronto and William attended the High School there.

Allen joined the 1st Depot Battalion of the Eastern Ontario Regiment with the regimental number 3060480. He was five feet five and a half inches tall, with a dark complexion, brown eyes and brown hair. His service record shows that he left Canada on the SS Tunisian on July 6th, arriving in England on July 22nd.

In England, Allen served with the 6th Reserve Battalion and the Central Ontario Reinforcement Depot. On August 3rd he was examined by a medical board for a problem with his feet:

Disability: overseas
CONTRACTED FEET
PRESENT CONDITION
Has not been in France. Had Articular Rheumatism as a child and feet have been contracted since & always been lame.
Complt [Complaint] – Crippled feet
Exam – No organic disease detected. Looks older than age given. Feet contracted, boots also turned up at toes showing shape of feet. Should not have been enlisted for overseas service.

Allen was struck off the strength of his unit on November 22nd and arrived back in Halifax on the RMS Aquitania on November 28th. He was demobilized in Kingston on December 26th, 1918.

Stillman Gurnsey Kimmerly, a farmer, signed up in Regina, Saskatchewan on this day in 1918. Stillman was born in Deseronto (or Mill Point, as it was known then) on October 13th, 1878, the son of Benson Kimmerly and Almira Finkle. By 1891 the family were living in the Assiniboia East district of Saskatchewan.

Kimmerly’s younger brother, Walter Wilford Kimmerly, had been called up on May 21st, 1918. He was eighteen years younger than Stillman. Stillman joined his brother’s unit: the 1st Depot Battalion Saskatchewan Regiment with the regimental number 277009. He was described as being five feet eleven inches tall, with a light complexion, blue eyes and light hair. Stillman’s service record reveals that he arrived in England on August 15th, 1918. He and his brother both served in the 15th Canadian Reserve Battalion until June 1919, when they returned to Canada. Stillman contracted influenza in October 1918 and spent a month in hospital. Both men were demobilized on June 26th, 1919 in Regina.

After the war, both Stillman and Walter were granted 160 acres of land in adjacent parts of Township 49 in Saskatchewan under the Soldier Settlement Act. Stillman died in 1935 and was buried in Edmonton Cemetery. Walter died in 1961 and was buried in Beechmount Cemetery, Edmonton.