Captain William Stewart McLaren
Survivor of WW1
Date of Death:
Service Biography
William Stewart McLaren was born at Ormstown, Quebec, on 6 June 1876 and became a dentist. He had served previously as a Lieutenant in the 6th Hussars before joining the Canadian Army Dental Corps during the First World War. Appointed Lieutenant in December 1915, he was promoted Captain on 1 April 1916. He went overseas in October 1916 and served in England and France as a dental officer. After returning to Canada in June 1919, he remained in service until he was struck off strength on general demobilization on 27 March 1920. He died on 15 September 1959.
General Information
Conflict:
WW1
Regimental No.:
NA
Cause of Death (in war):
Survived
Branch:
Army
Regiment:
Canadian Army Dental Corps
Battalion:
Canadian Army Dental Corps
Company:
Date of Birth :
Place of Birth:
Ormstown, Quebec
Date of Enlistment:
Age at Enlistment:
39 years 6 months
Date of Discharge:
Age at Discharge:
43 years 9 months
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
83 years 3 months
Country Born:
Canada
Trade or Calling:
Dentist
Next of Kin:
Dr. Peter McLaren (father), Ormstown, Quebec
Address at Enlistment:
304 Grosvenor Avenue, Westmount, Quebec
Religion:
Presbyterian
Place of Enlistment:
Montreal, Quebec
Was a Prisoner of War:
No
Height:
5 ft 7.0 in / 170 cm
Weight:
170 lbs / 77 kg
Chest:
37.0 in / 94 cm
Expansion:
3.0 in / 8 cm
Marital Status:
Married
Prior Military Experience:
Yes
Saw Service in:
Europe
Place of Discharge:
Discharge Type:
Regular/End of Service
Discharge Notes:
Battle Died/Wounded:
Length of Service:
1556 days in service
Buried at:
Links
Ranks
| Conflict |
Rank |
Regiment |
Branch |
Unit |
Company |
Date From |
Date To |
| WW1 |
Captain |
Canadian Army Dental Corps |
Army |
Canadian Army Dental Corps |
|
|
|
| Final substantive rank; CADC is representative rather than later concentration/demobilization postings. |
| WW1 |
Lieutenant |
Canadian Army Dental Corps |
Army |
Canadian Army Dental Corps |
|
|
|
| Commissioned officer appointment. |
Service Chronology
1876-06-06 — Born at Ormstown, Quebec.
1915-12-23 — Appointed Lieutenant in the Canadian Army Dental Corps, Canadian Expeditionary Force.
1915-12-26 — Medical History Sheet records enlistment at Montreal; examined 26 January 1916.
1916-04-01 — Promoted Captain, Canadian Army Dental Corps.
1916-10-04 — Embarked from Halifax for overseas service aboard S.S. Grampian.
1916-10-13 — Disembarked in England.
1916-10-14 — Detailed for duty with 3rd Canadian Infantry Brigade at West Sandling.
1916-10-17 — Attached to 12th Battalion for duty.
1916-10-27 — Ceased to be attached to 12th Battalion.
1916-12-28 — Granted three weeks' sick leave; bronchitis developed during service in England in December 1916.
1917-04-21 — Admitted to Military Hospital, Shorncliffe with acute bronchitis.
1917-05-07 — Discharged from Military Hospital, Shorncliffe; Medical Board initially found him unfit for any service for two weeks and subsequently fit for general service.
1918-01-03 — Taken on strength of Canadian Army Dental Corps General on arrival in France as reinforcement.
1918-01-04 — Struck off strength of Canadian Army Dental Corps, Shorncliffe Area, on proceeding overseas with the Canadian Army Dental Corps for duty.
1918-01-19 — Temporarily attached for duty in France; the receiving formation abbreviation remains insufficiently legible for safe expansion.
1918-08-24 — Granted fourteen days' leave to the United Kingdom.
1918-09-07 — Rejoined from leave.
1919-02-15 — Ceased to be attached for duty to Headquarters, 1st Canadian Division, C.E.F., on proceeding to another formation; final formation abbreviation is not safely expandable from the surviving handwriting.
1919-03-23 — Taken on strength of the Canadian Army Dental Corps from a Canadian depot/posting.
1919-05-13 — Posted to Canadian Army Dental Corps, London area.
1919-05-18 — Taken on strength from General Depot.
1919-05-22 — Transferred to 2nd Wing, Canadian Concentration Camp.
1919-06-14 — Sailed for Canada; struck off strength of the Overseas Military Forces of Canada on embarkation for Canada.
1919-06-24 — Struck off strength of Canadian Army Dental Corps, Overseas Military Forces of Canada, on transfer to the Canadian Expeditionary Force in Canada.
1920-03-22 — Medical Board at Montreal reviewed chronic bronchitis and slight emphysema of the left lung; recommended home service (Canada only) and domiciliary treatment.
1920-03-27 — Struck off strength of the Canadian Expeditionary Force by reason of general demobilization.
1959-09-15 — Death recorded on post-service card.
Notes
Served as a dental surgeon/officer in the Canadian Army Dental Corps; no service number is shown in the officer file.
Additional Service Notes
Dentist and dental surgeon William Stewart McLaren, born at Ormstown, Quebec, served as an officer of the Canadian Army Dental Corps. He had prior militia service as a Lieutenant in the 6th Hussars. Appointed Lieutenant in December 1915, he was promoted Captain on 1 April 1916. He proceeded overseas in October 1916, served in England and France, and the medical history records service in France from 4 January 1918 to 14 February 1919. He was treated for bronchitis at Shorncliffe in 1917 and later medical review described chronic bronchitis with slight emphysema of the left lung. He returned to Canada in June 1919 and remained on strength until general demobilization on 27 March 1920.
Additional Next of Kin Notes
At appointment his next of kin was his father, Dr. Peter McLaren of Ormstown, Quebec. Pay and later medical records identify his wife as Mrs. W. S. McLaren / Peta Alice W. McLaren, associated with 304 Grosvenor Avenue, Westmount, Quebec.
Version: 3 Last modified: 2026-09-01 02:05:03
by: marc
