Private Louis Lovely
Died after the war of related injuries/illness in WW1
Date of Death:
Service Biography
Louis Lovely was born in Howick, Quebec, and had military experience before his final Canadian Expeditionary Force enlistment. He first enlisted at St. John's, Quebec, in May 1916 as Private 749156 with the 117th Battalion; that service ended after he was struck off strength as illegally absent in July 1916. He enlisted again at Hamilton, Ontario, on 10 July 1917 as Private 2497723. A railroad section foreman in civilian life, he served overseas in England. On 19 October 1917, during an air raid in London, his left hand was badly burned when a bomb exploded. He underwent prolonged hospital and convalescent treatment in London, Uxbridge, Epsom and Liverpool before being invalided to Canada in May 1918. He was medically discharged at Toronto on 9 August 1918 because of partial loss of function of his left hand. Military records later record his death on 24 May 1921.
General Information
Conflict:
WW1
Regimental No.:
2497723
Cause of Death (in war):
Died after the war of related injuries/illness
Branch:
Army
Regiment:
Canadian Railway Troops
Battalion:
1st Canadian Railway Troops
Company:
Date of Birth :
Place of Birth:
Howick, Quebec
Date of Enlistment:
Age at Enlistment:
40 years
Date of Discharge:
Age at Discharge:
41 years 1 month
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
43 years 11 months
Country Born:
Canada
Trade or Calling:
Railroad section foreman
Next of Kin:
Eva Lovely, cousin, Essex Junction, Vermont
Address at Enlistment:
Essex Junction, Vermont
Religion:
Methodist
Place of Enlistment:
Hamilton, Ontario
Was a Prisoner of War:
No
Height:
5 ft 9.5 in / 177 cm
Weight:
155 lbs / 70 kg
Chest:
35.5 in / 90 cm
Expansion:
3.5 in / 9 cm
Marital Status:
Widow(er)
Prior Military Experience:
Yes
Saw Service in:
Great Britain
Place of Discharge:
Toronto, Ontario
Discharge Type:
Medically Unfit
Discharge Notes:
Physically unfit because of partial loss of function of left hand
Battle Died/Wounded:
Length of Service:
395 days in service
Buried at:
Saint James Cemetery, Gatineau, Quebec
Links
Ranks
| Conflict |
Rank |
Regiment |
Branch |
Unit |
Company |
Date From |
Date To |
| WW1 |
Private |
Canadian Railway Troops |
Army |
1st Canadian Railway Troops |
|
|
|
| WW1 |
Private |
Canadian Railway Troops |
Army |
Railway Construction Draft |
|
|
|
| WW1 |
Private |
117th Battalion |
Army |
117th Battalion |
|
|
|
Service Chronology
1877-06-13 — Born (date used in current 2497723 records).
1916-05-24 — First CEF enlistment as Private 749156, 117th Battalion.
1916-07-14 — Recorded absent; later struck off strength as illegally absent effective from this date.
1917-07-10 — Re-enlisted as Private 2497723 for railway/construction service.
1917-08-23 — Arrived in England aboard S.S. Missanabie.
1917-08-24 — Taken on strength at Purfleet.
1917-10-18 — Granted permission to marry.
1917-10-19 — Left hand burned during an air raid when a bomb exploded.
1917-10-22 — Admitted to 2nd London General Hospital, Chelsea, with burns of left hand.
1917-11-14 — Discharged from 2nd London General Hospital and admitted to Canadian Convalescent Hospital, Hillingdon House.
1917-12-11 — Discharged from Hillingdon House and continued convalescent treatment in the Epsom sequence.
1918-01-04 — Recorded at Military Hospital, Woodcote Park.
1918-04-18 — Admitted to No. 5 Canadian General Hospital.
1918-05-25 — Invalided to Canada aboard H.S. Araguaya, sailing from Avonmouth.
1918-06-28 — Admitted to Whitby Military Hospital from Military Orthopaedic Hospital.
1918-07-17 — Discharged from Whitby Military Hospital.
1918-07-25 — Medical Board/discharge processing documented partial loss of function of left hand.
1918-08-09 — Medically discharged as physically unfit because of partial loss of function of left hand.
1921-05-24 — Death recorded in military/medal records.
Notes
Louis Lovely's current 2497723 service records give his birthplace as Howick, Quebec, although his earlier 749156 service card gives Montreal. His second-enlistment records give 13 June 1877; the earlier service record gives 13 June 1878. In July 1917 he was a widower, Methodist and railroad section foreman living at Essex Junction, Vermont. He was 5 feet 9½ inches tall, weighed 155 pounds and had a chest measurement of 35½ inches with 3½ inches expansion, medium complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. Distinguishing marks included vaccination scars, an eagle-and-flag tattoo on the right forearm, a nude-woman tattoo on the left forearm and a patch of leucoderma on the wrist. He was granted permission to marry on 18 October 1917; later assigned-pay records name Mrs. Selina Lovely. He reported prior Spanish-American War service with the 6th Hospital Corps.
[Previous notes - manual reconciliation required]
Husband of Mrs. Louis Lovely, of Chelsea,
Additional Service Notes
Lovely had two documented CEF service episodes. He first enlisted at St. John's, Quebec, on 24 May 1916 as Private 749156 with the 117th Battalion. That first service ended after he was recorded absent from 14 July 1916 and struck off strength as illegally absent. He enlisted again at Hamilton, Ontario, on 10 July 1917 as Private 2497723 for railway/construction service. He arrived in England aboard S.S. Missanabie on 23 August 1917 and was taken on strength at Purfleet on 24 August. On 18 October he was granted permission to marry. On 19 October 1917, during an air raid in London, his left hand was burned when a bomb exploded. He entered 2nd London General Hospital, Chelsea, on 22 October and was discharged from there on 14 November. He then entered Canadian Convalescent Hospital, Hillingdon House, Uxbridge, from 14 November to 11 December 1917, followed by further convalescent treatment at Epsom. By 4 January 1918 he was at the Military Hospital, Woodcote Park, Epsom. On 18 April 1918 he entered No. 5 Canadian General Hospital, Liverpool. He was invalided to Canada aboard H.S. Araguaya, sailing from Avonmouth on 25 May 1918. He continued treatment in Ontario, including Whitby Military Hospital, and was discharged at Toronto on 9 August 1918 as physically unfit because of partial loss of function of the left hand.
Additional Next of Kin Notes
At his July 1917 enlistment Lovely was a widower and named his cousin Eva Lovely of Essex Junction, Vermont, as next of kin. He was granted permission to marry on 18 October 1917. Assigned-pay records later name Mrs. Selina Lovely of Essex Junction, Vermont. A later medals/death card names widow Mrs. E. M. Lovely of Chelsea, Quebec. The service file does not establish whether Mrs. E. M. Lovely was Selina under different initials or a later spouse.
Version: 3 Last modified: 2026-09-20 02:41:24
by: marc
