Gunner John William Earl Wilson
Survivor of WW1
General Information
Conflict:
WW1
Regimental No.:
349503
Cause of Death (in war):
Survived
Branch:
Canadian Expeditionary Force
Regiment:
Royal Canadian Horse Artillery
Battalion:
C Battery
Company:
Date of Birth :
Place of Birth:
Howick, Quebec
Date of Enlistment:
Age at Enlistment:
18 years 7 months
Date of Discharge:
Age at Discharge:
20 years 9 months
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
Country Born:
Canada
Trade or Calling:
Farmer
Next of Kin:
Mrs Margaret Wilson (mother), Howick, Quebec
Address at Enlistment:
Howick, Quebec
Religion:
Presbyterian
Place of Enlistment:
Kingston, Ontario
Was a Prisoner of War:
No
Height:
5 ft 7.0 in / 170 cm
Weight:
131 lbs / 59 kg
Chest:
36.5 in / 93 cm
Expansion:
5.0 in / 13 cm
Marital Status:
Single
Prior Military Experience:
No
Saw Service in:
Europe
Place of Discharge:
Montreal, Quebec
Discharge Type:
Regular/End of Service
Discharge Notes:
Battle Died/Wounded:
Length of Service:
780 days in service
Buried at:
Links
Ranks
| Conflict |
Rank |
Regiment |
Branch |
Unit |
Company |
Date From |
Date To |
| WW1 |
Gunner |
Royal Canadian Horse Artillery |
Canadian Expeditionary Force |
C Battery |
|
|
|
| Final discharge documents explicitly identify Gunner, C Battery R.C.H.A.; used as default final rank/unit. |
| WW1 |
Private |
Royal Canadian Horse Artillery |
Canadian Expeditionary Force |
C Battery |
|
|
|
| Initial enlistment/casualty records use Private; artillery battery explicitly C Battery. |
| WW1 |
Driver |
Royal Canadian Horse Artillery |
Canadian Expeditionary Force |
C Battery |
|
|
|
| Assigned-pay record explicitly gives rank Driver; effective dates not established. |
Service Chronology
1898-04-02 — Born.
1916-11-21 — Attested; joined C Battery, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, as 349503.
1917-04-29 — Arrived in England aboard S.S. Ausonia.
1917-04-30 — Taken on strength.
1917-07-07 — Arrived as reinforcement and attached to 4th Canadian Divisional Ammunition Column.
1917-07-14 — Left for unit.
1917-07-21 — Joined unit; later served in divisional ammunition/trench-mortar duties.
1917-10-05 — Proceeded to 1st Army trench-mortar course.
1917-10-06 — Returned to duty.
1917-11-25 — Trench fever originated after exposure.
1917-11-26 — Admitted through No. 6 Canadian Field Ambulance.
1917-11-27 — Admitted No. 22 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station.
1917-11-30 — Admitted No. 22 General Hospital.
1917-12-12 — Admitted 2/1st Southern General Hospital, Dudley Road.
1917-12-25 — Transferred to Canadian Convalescent Hospital, Woodcote Park.
1918-02-18 — On command to 2nd Canadian Convalescent Depot following convalescence.
1918-04-05 — Ceased attachment to 2nd Canadian Convalescent Depot; returned to Canadian Field Artillery reserve organization.
1918-05-23 — Struck off strength to Composite Reserve Brigade, Canadian Field Artillery.
1918-12-12 — Sailed from Liverpool for Canada.
1918-12-27 — Demobilization/casualty record notes furlough through 6 Jan 1919.
1919-01-10 — Discharged on demobilization under R.O. 1420; final rank Gunner, C Battery R.C.H.A.
1919-01-14 — Medical Board classified him Category B2.
1919-01-18 — Later casualty/administrative record carries S.O.S./discharged Cat. B2 demobilization notation.
Notes
At enlistment Wilson was a single Presbyterian farmer from Howick, Quebec. His mother, Mrs Margaret Wilson of Howick, was next of kin; family papers also identify his father as David William Wilson. Contemporary enlistment medical records give height 5 ft 7 in, weight 131 lb, fully expanded chest 36½ in with 5 in expansion, medium complexion, hazel eyes and brown hair. Later invalid-board measurements differ and are not used for the enlistment fields. His principal wartime illness was trench fever, originating in France on 25 November 1917 after exposure. A January 1919 Medical Board classified him B2, but the signed discharge certificate and proceedings give demobilization—not medical unfitness—as the reason for discharge.
Additional Service Notes
John William Earl Wilson attested at Kingston, Ontario, on 21 November 1916 as 349503 and served with Canadian artillery. He embarked for England in April 1917 aboard S.S. Ausonia, was taken on strength at Shorncliffe, and in July 1917 joined the 4th Canadian Divisional Ammunition Column in France, with subsequent trench-mortar/artillery attachments. In late November 1917 he developed trench fever and passed through No. 6 Canadian Field Ambulance, No. 22 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station, No. 22 General Hospital at Dannes-Camiers, the 2/1st Southern General Hospital at Birmingham, and the Canadian Convalescent Hospital at Woodcote Park, Epsom. He returned to artillery reserve duty in 1918, later served with reserve/composite artillery organizations in England, and sailed from Liverpool for Canada on 12 December 1918. He received demobilization furlough into early January 1919 and was discharged at Montreal on 10 January 1919. Final discharge documents identify him as Gunner, C Battery, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery.
Additional Next of Kin Notes
Mother Mrs Margaret Wilson, Howick, Quebec, was next of kin and received assigned pay. Family particulars identify father David William Wilson and mother Margaret Wilson, both living at Howick; Wilson was unmarried and reported no children.
Version: 2 Last modified: 2026-09-30 14:54:38
by: marc
