Private Bert Whittal
Survivor of WW1
Date of Death:
Service Biography
Bert Whittal was born at Ormstown, Quebec, on 18 May 1893. A farmer, he enlisted at Winnipeg on 16 January 1917 as Private 524264 in the Canadian Army Medical Corps. He sailed from Halifax on 28 March 1917, arrived in England in April, and entered France in May. He served with the 11th Canadian Field Ambulance from the end of May 1917. In March 1918 he was treated for influenza by No. 12 Canadian Field Ambulance and returned to duty. He proceeded to England for demobilization in May 1919 and was discharged at Montreal on 17 June 1919. Postwar records place him in Killarney, Manitoba; a Department of Veterans Affairs notice for service number 524264 records his death there on 11 May 1968.
General Information
Conflict:
WW1
Regimental No.:
524264
Cause of Death (in war):
Survived
Branch:
Army
Regiment:
Canadian Army Medical Corps
Battalion:
11th Canadian Field Ambulance
Company:
Date of Birth :
Place of Birth:
Ormstown, Quebec
Date of Enlistment:
Age at Enlistment:
23 years 7 months
Date of Discharge:
Age at Discharge:
26 years
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
74 years 11 months
Country Born:
Canada
Trade or Calling:
Farmer
Next of Kin:
Hanna Whittal (grandmother), 332 Mellin Street, Point St. Charles, Montreal, Quebec
Address at Enlistment:
512 Bannatyne Avenue, Winnipeg, Manitoba
Religion:
Church of England
Place of Enlistment:
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Was a Prisoner of War:
No
Height:
5 ft 8.0 in / 173 cm
Weight:
155 lbs / 70 kg
Chest:
35.0 in / 89 cm
Expansion:
3.0 in / 8 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:
882 days in service
Buried at:
Links
Ranks
| Conflict |
Rank |
Regiment |
Branch |
Unit |
Company |
Date From |
Date To |
| WW1 |
Private |
Canadian Army Medical Corps |
Army |
11th Canadian Field Ambulance |
|
|
|
| Representative operational unit selected as default because rank remained Private. Casualty form event dates show posting to 11th Canadian Field Ambulance on 29 May 1917 and taken on strength on 30 May 1917; later demobilization postings do not replace it. |
| WW1 |
Private |
Canadian Army Medical Corps |
Army |
Training Depot No. 10 |
|
|
|
| Initial Canadian training/depot service. |
Service Chronology
1893-05-18 — Born.
1917-01-16 — Enlisted as Private 524264 in the Canadian Army Medical Corps; medically examined and found fit.
1917-03-28 — Embarked for overseas service.
1917-04-07 — Disembarked at Liverpool and taken on strength on arrival from Canada.
1917-05-16 — Struck off strength on proceeding overseas.
1917-05-17 — Disembarked in France.
1917-05-29 — Struck off strength / posted from the CAMC base organization to the 11th Canadian Field Ambulance.
1917-05-30 — Taken on strength of the 11th Canadian Field Ambulance as a reinforcement from the CAMC base organization.
1917-06-27 to 1917-06-28 — Absent from quarters without permission from about 9 p.m. on 27 June until about 8 a.m. on 28 June.
1917-06-29 — Sentenced to 10 days Field Punishment No. 1 for the unauthorized absence of 27-28 June and forfeited one day's pay.
1918-01-08 — Proceeded on 14 days leave to the United Kingdom.
1918-01-23 — Rejoined unit from leave.
1918-03-24 — Admitted with influenza and transferred/admitted to No. 12 Canadian Field Ambulance.
1918-03-27 — Casualty form records a further administrative treatment/transfer entry involving No. 12 Canadian Field Ambulance; the abbreviated wording is not fully secure.
1918-03-28 — Discharged to duty after influenza treatment.
1918-03-28 — Rejoined the 11th Canadian Field Ambulance from No. 12 Canadian Field Ambulance.
1918-12-17 — Granted 14 days leave from the 11th Canadian Field Ambulance.
1919-01-11 — Rejoined unit from leave.
1919-05-09 — Proceeded to England as part of demobilization/return-to-Canada movement.
1919-06-07 — Struck off strength on proceeding to Canada for discharge.
1919-06-13 — Disembarked in Canada during return for discharge.
1919-06 (date ambiguous) — Taken on strength of District Depot No. 4 Dispersal Station 'P' at Montreal during demobilization processing.
1919-06-17 — Struck off strength from District Depot No. 4 demobilization processing and discharged following demobilization; leaving-service medical examination found no disability.
1948-01-06 — Postwar service card records latest address as Box 30, Killarney.
1968-05-11 — Department of Veterans Affairs notice records death at Killarney General Hospital under the source name Lawrence B. Whittal, service number 524264.
Notes
Born 18 May 1893. At enlistment he was recorded as 23 years 8 months old, a farmer, 5 ft 8 in tall, 155 lb, with a 35 in chest expanding to 38 in. The attestation medical description records a dark complexion, brownish-grey eyes and dark brown hair; no distinctive marks were recorded. He was considered fit for the Canadian Overseas Expeditionary Force. At the leaving-service examination he was 5 ft 8 in and about 170 lb, with grey eyes, good nutrition and general health, no identification marks or disability, and a history of influenza dated 21 March 1918.
Additional Service Notes
Born at Ormstown, Quebec, on 18 May 1893, Bert Whittal enlisted at Winnipeg on 16 January 1917 as Private 524264 in the Canadian Army Medical Corps. He embarked at Halifax on 28 March 1917, disembarked at Liverpool on 7 April, and was taken on strength at Westenhanger. He proceeded overseas on 16 May, disembarked at Havre on 17 May, and after passage through the Canadian Army Medical Corps base organization was posted to the 11th Canadian Field Ambulance, being taken on strength there on 30 May 1917. He served in France with the 11th Canadian Field Ambulance, including leaves in 1918-1919, and was sentenced on 29 June 1917 to 10 days Field Punishment No. 1 for an overnight absence without permission. He was treated for influenza by No. 12 Canadian Field Ambulance from 24 to 28 March 1918 and then rejoined his unit. He proceeded to England for demobilization on 9 May 1919, returned to Canada in June, and was discharged at Montreal on 17 June 1919 following demobilization.
Additional Next of Kin Notes
Grandmother Hanna Whittal was recorded as next of kin. Multiple forms place her in Montreal, including Point St. Charles; the handwritten street address is not fully consistent or legible across the file.
Version: 3 Last modified: 2026-09-30 14:54:38
by: marc
