Private Alexander Yearsley
Survivor of WW1
Service Biography
Alexander Yearsley was born at Bolton, Lancashire, England, on 25 August 1896. A single Church of England mill hand living at Valleyfield, Quebec, he was drafted under the Military Service Act at Montreal on 3 January 1918 as Private 3080686. He served in England before returning to Canada aboard Aquitania in November 1918 and was discharged on Category A2 demobilization at Montreal on 19 December 1918.
General Information
Conflict:
WW1
Regimental No.:
3080686
Cause of Death (in war):
Survived
Branch:
Army
Regiment:
Canadian Expeditionary Force
Battalion:
23rd Reserve Battalion
Company:
Date of Birth :
Place of Birth:
Bolton, Lancashire, England
Date of Enlistment:
Age at Enlistment:
21 years 4 months
Date of Discharge:
Age at Discharge:
22 years 3 months
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
Country Born:
Canada
Trade or Calling:
Mill hand
Next of Kin:
Mrs. Sarah Alice Yearsley, mother, 18 Gilbert Street, Bolton, Lancashire, England
Address at Enlistment:
1 Whittaker Street, Valleyfield, Quebec
Religion:
Church of England
Place of Enlistment:
Montreal, Quebec
Was a Prisoner of War:
No
Height:
5 ft 6.3 in / 168 cm
Weight:
130 lbs / 59 kg
Chest:
35.0 in / 89 cm
Expansion:
2.0 in / 5 cm
Marital Status:
Single
Prior Military Experience:
No
Saw Service in:
Great Britain
Place of Discharge:
Montreal, Quebec
Discharge Type:
Regular/End of Service
Discharge Notes:
Battle Died/Wounded:
Length of Service:
350 days in service
Buried at:
Links
Ranks
| Conflict |
Rank |
Regiment |
Branch |
Unit |
Company |
Date From |
Date To |
| WW1 |
Private |
Canadian Expeditionary Force |
Army |
23rd Reserve Battalion |
|
|
|
| 23rd Reserve Battalion is legible in the overseas records. Other intermediate handwritten abbreviations are not expanded because the source is insufficiently clear. |
| WW1 |
Private |
Canadian Expeditionary Force |
Army |
District Depot No. 4 |
|
|
|
| Returned from overseas and processed for demobilization. |
| WW1 |
Private |
1st Quebec Regiment |
Army |
1st Depot Battalion |
|
|
|
| Drafted under the Military Service Act; principal Canadian unit. |
Service Chronology
1896-08-25 — Born
1917-10-15 — Examined under the Military Service Act; age 22, height 5 ft 6¼ in, weight 130 lb, chest 33–35 in; classified A
1918-01-03 — Drafted under the Military Service Act and joined 1st Depot Battalion, 1st Quebec Regiment as Private 3080686; Category A2
1918-02-18 — Embarked from Canada for overseas service
1918-03-04 — Arrived in England
1918-11-18 — Dental examination; two fillings recommended
1918-11-22 — Struck off strength in England in connection with return to Canada
1918-11-28 — Arrived at Halifax aboard Aquitania
1918-12-03 — Taken on strength of District Depot No. 4 from overseas
1918-12-18 — Struck off strength of Casualty Company to Discharge Section
1918-12-19 — Discharged on Category A2 demobilization
Notes
At call-up he was a single Church of England mill hand living at 1 Whittaker Street, Valleyfield, Quebec. The recruit form records height 5 ft 6¼ in, chest 35 in fully expanded with 2 in expansion, fair complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. A pre-enlistment Military Service Act medical examination records weight 130 lb and the same chest range, but records dark complexion, grey eyes and black hair; the later recruit and discharge descriptions support fair complexion, blue eyes and brown hair.
Additional Service Notes
Drafted under the Military Service Act at Montreal on 3 January 1918 as Private 3080686 with the 1st Depot Battalion, 1st Quebec Regiment. He embarked from Canada on 18 February 1918 and arrived in England on 4 March. The surviving overseas cards record administrative postings and attachments in England, including the 23rd Reserve Battalion, but some handwritten unit abbreviations are not sufficiently clear to normalize beyond the source wording. He proceeded to Canada for demobilization, arriving at Halifax aboard Aquitania on 28 November. He was discharged on Category A2 demobilization at Montreal on 19 December 1918.
Additional Next of Kin Notes
His mother, Mrs. Sarah Alice Yearsley, of 18 Gilbert Street, Bolton, Lancashire, England, was recorded as next of kin. Family forms state that his father was deceased and his mother was living; assigned-pay records show payments directed to his mother.
Version: 3 Last modified: 2026-08-31 02:05:03
by: marc
