Private Alfred Martin
Survivor of WW1
Service Biography
Alfred Martin was born at Valleyfield, Quebec, on 23 May 1901. A Roman Catholic weaver, he enlisted at Brockville, Ontario, on 17 March 1917 as Private 1013489. He initially served with the 230th Forestry Battalion and went overseas in May 1917. After reaching England he joined the Canadian Forestry Corps Base Depot at Sunningdale and then served with 41 Company in France. He returned to Canada early in 1918. His records show that he had enlisted while underage, and he was discharged at Montreal on 27 May 1918. His mother, Mrs. Elize Martin of Valleyfield, was his next of kin and the beneficiary of his service will.
General Information
Conflict:
WW1
Regimental No.:
1013489
Cause of Death (in war):
Survived
Branch:
Army
Regiment:
Canadian Forestry Corps
Battalion:
41 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps
Company:
Date of Birth :
Place of Birth:
Valleyfield, Quebec
Date of Enlistment:
Age at Enlistment:
15 years 9 months
Date of Discharge:
Age at Discharge:
17 years
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
Country Born:
Canada
Trade or Calling:
Weaver
Next of Kin:
Mrs. Elize Martin, mother, Valleyfield, Quebec
Address at Enlistment:
Valleyfield, Quebec
Religion:
Roman Catholic
Place of Enlistment:
Brockville, Ontario
Was a Prisoner of War:
No
Height:
5 ft 3.0 in / 160 cm
Weight:
130 lbs / 59 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:
Discharged as underage.
Battle Died/Wounded:
Length of Service:
436 days in service
Buried at:
Links
Ranks
| Conflict |
Rank |
Regiment |
Branch |
Unit |
Company |
Date From |
Date To |
| WW1 |
Private |
Canadian Forestry Corps |
Army |
41 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps |
|
|
|
| Representative operational unit in France; default row. |
| WW1 |
Private |
Canadian Forestry Corps |
Army |
Canadian Discharge Depot |
|
|
|
| Admitted at Havre pending embarkation to Canada; report dated 12 Jan, effective 11 Jan. |
| WW1 |
Private |
Canadian Forestry Corps |
Army |
Canadian Forestry Corps Base Depot |
|
|
|
| Taken on strength of C.B.D. after leaving 41 Company/Base Étaples; administrative transfer accounting continues through 17 Dec. |
| WW1 |
Private |
Canadian Forestry Corps |
Army |
Canadian Forestry Corps Base Depot |
|
|
|
| Sunningdale holding/posting depot. |
| WW1 |
Private |
Canadian Expeditionary Force |
Army |
230th Forestry Battalion |
|
|
|
| Initial unit. |
Service Chronology
1901-05-23 — Born; later discharge records establish this as true DOB, while enlistment papers claimed 1898.
1917-03-17 — Enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force as Private 1013489; service reckons from this date.
1917-03-19 — Signed will leaving real and personal estate to his mother, Mrs. Elize Martin.
1917-05-03 — Embarked for overseas service.
1917-05-14 — Disembarked at Liverpool and was taken on strength of the Canadian Forestry Corps Base Depot at Sunningdale.
1917-06-10 — Effective date of being struck off strength of the Canadian Forestry Corps Base Depot on posting to 41 Company, France; casualty report dated 12 June.
1917-06-11 — Disembarked in France.
1917-07-02 — Absent from work from about 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 a.m.
1917-07-07 — Sentenced to 6 days Field Punishment No. 2 for the 2 July absence from work.
1917-08-08 — Absent from duty between about 7:30 a.m. and noon.
1917-08-10 — Sentenced to 10 days Field Punishment No. 2 for conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline arising from the 8 August absence; casualty report recorded 11 August.
1917-12-07 — Sentenced to 14 days Field Punishment No. 2 for drunkenness/out-of-bounds conduct prejudicial to good order and military discipline; casualty report recorded 13 December.
1917-12-11 — Left for Base Étaples.
1917-12-12 — Taken on strength from unit; the parenthetical source wording remains unclear.
1917-12-17 — Struck off strength from 41 Company, Canadian Forestry Corps.
1918-01-12 — Taken on strength of the Canadian Discharge Depot at Havre.
1918-01-31 — Embarked for Canada from Liverpool.
1918-02-13 — Later administrative casualty notation recorded in the Canadian Discharge Depot/return-to-Canada sequence.
1918-02-16 — Taken on strength of Casualty Unit, Military District No. 4.
1918-04-18 — Taken on strength of District Depot No. 4.
1918-05-27 — Discharged from the Canadian Expeditionary Force as underage under K.R.&O. 377(6), C.M. 1917.
1918-05-27 — Admitted for treatment of gonorrhea.
1918-06-21 — Transferred/admitted to Barrack Hospital for continued treatment of gonorrhea.
1918-06-29 — Discharged from Barrack Hospital to duty after treatment.
Notes
At enlistment Martin gave his birth date as 23 May 1898, but the leaving-service medical examination records 23 May 1901 and the discharge proceedings give his age as 17; the latter evidence explains his discharge as underage. He was a single Roman Catholic weaver from Valleyfield. Enlistment measurements were 5 ft 3 in, 130 lb, chest 35 in with 3 in expansion, medium complexion, blue eyes and dark brown hair.
Additional Service Notes
Private Alfred Martin enlisted at Brockville, Ontario, on 17 March 1917 and initially served with the 230th Forestry Battalion. He embarked from Halifax on 3 May 1917, reached Liverpool on 14 May, joined the Canadian Forestry Corps Base Depot at Sunningdale, and was posted to 41 Company in France, where he arrived in June 1917. His service file records several field-punishment disciplinary entries during 1917. He entered the Canadian Discharge Depot at Havre in January 1918, embarked for Canada from Liverpool on 31 January, and was later taken on strength in Military District No. 4. He was discharged at Montreal on 27 May 1918 as underage.
Additional Next of Kin Notes
Mother and next of kin: Mrs. Elize Martin, Valleyfield, Quebec. His will dated 19 March 1917 left his real and personal estate to his mother.
Version: 3 Last modified: 2026-08-31 02:05:03
by: marc
