Deseronto Archives

On this day in 1918 Stephen Francis Carroll, a shipbuilder, was conscripted in Oshawa under the Military Service Act. His birth was registered in Deseronto as being November 21st, 1887, although he said it was November 22nd, 1888 on his draft form. Carroll was the son of Thomas Carroll and Mary Ellen (née Murphy). The family were still in Deseronto in 1901 but had moved to Tay Township, Simcoe County by the time of the 1911 census, when Thomas and Stephen were both working in a sawmill. Carroll gave his home address as Midland in 1918.

Stephen joined the 2nd Depot Battalion of the 2nd Central Ontario Regiment with the regimental number 3317280. He was described as being five feet seven inches tall, with blue eyes, a dark complexion and medium hair. His service record shows that he arrived in England on April 19th, 1918 on the SS Metagama. He was transferred to the Canadian Machine Gun Depot in Seaford on May 25th, 1918 and went to France on November 2nd, 1918, just nine days before the end of the war. He returned to England on May 9th, 1919 and left Liverpool on the SS Belgic on June 23rd.

Carroll arrived in Halifax on July 1st, 1919 and was demobilized in Toronto on July 3rd. He married Louisa Ella Beam in Pembroke, Ontario on September 8th, 1924.

John Auger was conscripted in Kingston on this day in 1918. He was born in Deseronto on April 13th, 1891, the son of Thomas Auger and Clarissa (née Larex).

Auger joined the 1st Depot Battalion of the Eastern Ontario Regiment with the regimental number 3055715. He was five feet five inches tall, with a dark complexion, blue eyes and dark hair. His service record shows that he arrived in England on March 4th, 1918 on the SS Melita. He joined the 2nd Battalion at the front line on September 6th, 1918. He left England for Canada on the RMS Olympic on April 15th, 1919 and was demobilized in Kingston on April 24th, 1919.

In 1921 he was back living in Main Street, Deseronto, with his brother Louis’s family.

On this day in 1918 William Albert Reynolds, a cigar maker, was conscripted in Vancouver. He was born in Deseronto on August 4th, 1887, the son of Norman Reynolds and Charlotte (née McNamara). By 1901 the family were living in British Columbia, and their address when William Albert was drafted was 1022 Seymour Street, Vancouver.

Reynolds joined the 1st Depot Battalion of the British Columbia Regiment with the regimental number 2020981. He was five feet two and a half inches tall, with a fair complexion, blue-grey eyes and brown hair. His service record shows that he arrived in England on March 11th, 1918 on the SS Metagama. He served in England with the 29th Battalion and returned to Canada in May 1919 and was demobilized on May 24th in Vancouver. He was back in Seymour Street in 1921 with his parents.

Reynolds died on January 13th, 1944.

Harry Douglas Barnhardt, a steel worker, was conscripted in Kingston on this day in 1918. He was born on in Belleville (or Warkworth) on November 21, 1888 (some sources say 1887), the son of Charles Barnhardt and Euphemia Campbell. His parents married in 1891. Euphemia was born in Scotland and Charles was born in Adolphustown, the son of Hiram Barnhardt, a Mohawk, and Bridget (née Williams), who was of Irish ancestry. They were living at 20 Wharf Street, Belleville, when Harry was drafted.

Barnhardt joined the 6th Canadian Reserve Battalion with the regimental number 3055947 His service record shows that he arrived in England on the SS Melita on March 4th, 1918. He spent April in hospital with mumps. In September he was transferred to the 21st Battalion and served with them in France from September 19th.

On this day in 1918 William Henry Thompson, a telegraph operator, was conscripted into the army at Kingston. Thompson was born in Deseronto on November 1st, 1893, the son of Robert Thompson and Mary Ann (née Harvey).

William joined the 1st Depot Battalion of the Eastern Ontario Regiment with the regimental number 3055731. He was five feet seven inches tall, with a dark complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. His service record shows that he left Canada on February 24th on the SS Metagama and served in England until September 1918 when he went to join the Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp in France.

Thompson returned to Canada on the SS Empress of Britain in July 1919 and was demobilized on July 12th in Kingston. He married Aletha Georgina Joyce on June 2nd, 1926 in Deseronto. He gave his occupation as ‘railway clerk’ and Aletha as ‘clerk’. Family tree information on Ancestry suggests that he died in Oshawa on February 4th, 1973.

Frederick Edward Woodall, a toolmaker, was conscripted into the army in Toronto on this day in 1918. He was born in Deseronto on August 12th, 1895, the son of Henry Wellington Woodall and Catherine (née McCann). The family were living at 29 Wade Avenue in Toronto when Frederick was conscripted.

Frederick joined the 1st Depot Battalion of the 1st Central Ontario Regiment with the regimental number 3032260. He was described as five feet five and a half inches tall, with a fair complexion, brown eyes and medium hair. His service record shows that he did not go overseas. On October 9th he was admitted to hospital suffering from influenza, returning to duty a week later. He was discharged in Toronto on December 7th, 1918. Woodall married Margaret Pogue in Toronto on July 19th, 1919.

John Henry Irving, a clerk, was conscripted at Kingston on this day in 1918. He was born in Tamworth on October 30th, 1896 (some sources say 1897), the son of David Irving and Lavinia (née Brown). When he was drafted, Irving was living in Deseronto.

John joined the 1st Depot Battalion of the Eastern Ontario Regiment with the regimental number 3055373. He was five feet three inches tall, with a fair complexion, blue eyes and fair hair. His service record shows that he served in Kingston with No. 3 Battalion, Canadian Garrison Regiment and held the rank of acting sergeant when he was demobilized on December 9th, 1918. He had been suffering from bronchitis and was discharged as being medically unfit for further service.

Irving married Gladys Holmes Becket on November 30th, 1928 in Brockville, at which time he was working as a cashier.

On this day in 1917, James Green, a munition worker, was drafted into the 1st Central Ontario Regiment in Toronto. Green was born in Deseronto on August 4th, 1883 (or 1885, according to the 1891 and 1901 census returns), the son of John Green and Christina (née Maracle), who were both Mohawks. By 1911 the family were living in Midland, Ontario, where the men worked in the sawmill.

When he was conscripted, James was described as five feet three and a half inches tall, with a dark complexion, hazel eyes and dark hair. He had a crushed index finger on his left hand and scars on his right leg and stomach. His regimental number was 3031490. His service record shows that he arrived in England on February 6th, 1918 on the SS Scotian. He went to France with the 75th Battalion on May 11th. On December 4th, 1918 he was awarded the Military Medal.

James left England for Canada on May 31st, 1919, on the SS Mauretania. He was demobilized in Toronto on June 8th. A note on his file states that he died on April 1st, 1954.