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Private William John Manser

Survivor of WW1

Biography General Links Ranks Awards Chronology Print

Service Biography

William John Manser was born in London, England, on 5 August 1882. A married farmer living at R.R. No. 1, Hemmingford, Quebec, he enlisted at Montreal on 5 February 1916 as Private 841498 with the 148th Overseas Battalion. In England he transferred to the 20th Reserve Battalion and then to the Canadian Engineers Training Depot. In June 1917 he joined the 5th Army Troops Company, Canadian Engineers, and served with it in France. His 1918 service included repeated treatment for myalgia and diarrhoea and a fourteen-day leave in the United Kingdom. Returning from France in January 1919, he passed through the 2nd and 1st Canadian Engineers Reserve Battalions and the Canadian Concentration Camp at Kinmel Park before embarking for Canada aboard H.M.T. Celtic on 10 March 1919. He was discharged on demobilization in 1919.

General Information

Conflict:
WW1
Regimental No.:
841498
Cause of Death (in war):
Survived
Branch:
Army
Regiment:
Canadian Engineers
Battalion:
5th Army Troops Company
Company:
Date of Birth :
Place of Birth:
London, England
Date of Enlistment:
Age at Enlistment:
33 years 6 months
Date of Discharge:
Age at Discharge:
36 years 7 months
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
Country Born:
England
Trade or Calling:
Farmer
Next of Kin:
Mrs. Nellie Manser (wife), R.R. No. 1, Hemmingford, Quebec
Address at Enlistment:
R.R. No. 1, Hemmingford, Quebec
Religion:
Methodist
Place of Enlistment:
Montreal, Quebec
Was a Prisoner of War:
No
Height:
5 ft 11.0 in / 180 cm
Weight:
Chest:
36.0 in / 91 cm
Expansion:
3.0 in / 8 cm
Marital Status:
Married
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:
1139 days in service
Buried at:
Library and Archives Canada Service Record
Canadian Great War Project

Ranks

Conflict Rank Regiment Branch Unit Company Date From Date To
WW1 Private Canadian Engineers Army 5th Army Troops Company
Service forms use 5th A.T.C.; official LAC unit record expands this as 5th Army Troops Company, Canadian Engineers. Records continue to style Manser as Private.
WW1 Private Canadian Engineers Army 1st Canadian Engineers Reserve Battalion
1st C.E.R.B.; Seaford.
WW1 Private Canadian Engineers Army 2nd Canadian Engineers Reserve Battalion
2nd C.E.R.B.; Seaford.
WW1 Private Canadian Engineers Army Canadian Engineers Training Depot
C.E.T.D.; Crowborough.
WW1 Private Canadian Expeditionary Force Army 20th Reserve Battalion
WW1 Private Canadian Expeditionary Force Army 148th Overseas Battalion

Awards

Conflict Award Action Date of Award Date of Citation Source
WW1 Good Conduct Badge Awarded one Good Conduct Badge
Awarded one Good Conduct Badge

Service Chronology

1882-08-05 — Born in London, England.
1916-02-05 — Enlisted at Montreal, Quebec as Private 841498, 148th Overseas Battalion, C.E.F.; farmer; married; Methodist.
1916-09-26 — 148th Battalion recorded as having sailed for overseas service.
1916-10-06 — Arrived in England aboard S.S. Laconia.
1917-01-08 — Struck off strength of 148th Battalion to 20th Reserve Battalion at Witley; taken on strength of 20th Reserve Battalion at Shoreham.
1917-04-18 — Transferred from 20th Reserve Battalion to Canadian Engineers Training Depot (C.E.T.D.) at Crowborough.
1917-06-29 — Struck off strength of C.E.T.D. to 5th Army Troops Company, Canadian Engineers, for France.
1917-06-30 — Landed in France with 5th Army Troops Company, Canadian Engineers.
1917-12-20 — Granted leave in France.
1918-02-05 — Awarded one Good Conduct Badge.
1918-07-04 — Admitted to 45th Field Ambulance with myalgia.
1918-07-15 — Returned to unit following treatment.
1918-08 — Recurrent myalgia led to further field-ambulance/divisional medical admissions, including 2/2 Wessex Field Ambulance.
1918-08-22 — Admitted to No. 14 General Hospital, Wimereux, with diarrhoea and myalgia.
1918-09-13 to 1918-09-16 — Further hospital/rest-camp treatment in the Boulogne–St. Martins area for myalgia and diarrhoea.
1918-09-28 — Granted 14 days' leave in the United Kingdom.
1919-01-13 — Taken on strength of 2nd Canadian Engineers Reserve Battalion at Seaford on return from France.
1919-01-28 — Struck off strength of 2nd Canadian Engineers Reserve Battalion to 1st Canadian Engineers Reserve Battalion at Seaford.
1919-01-29 — Taken on strength of 1st Canadian Engineers Reserve Battalion from 2nd C.E.R.B. at Seaford.
1919-02-13 — Taken on strength of Canadian Concentration Camp, Kinmel Park, for return to Canada.
1919-03-10 — Embarked at Liverpool aboard H.M.T. Celtic for Canada.
1919-03-20 — Signed C.E.F. Discharge Certificate records discharge at Montreal, Quebec on demobilization.
1919-04-01 — Separate Proceedings on Discharge form records discharge at Montreal on demobilization.

Notes

Manser was born in London, England on 5 August 1882. At enlistment he was a married farmer living at R.R. No. 1, Hemmingford, Quebec. His wife, Mrs. Nellie Manser, was his next of kin at the same address. He was Methodist and stated that he had no previous military or naval service. His enlistment description records height 5 ft 11 in, chest 36 in with 3 in expansion, fair complexion, hazel eyes and brown/greyish hair. Identifying marks included tattoos on the right forearm, scars on both shins, and the middle toe of the left foot absent. Family particulars dated 4 August 1916 record two sons: Harold William, age 2 years 10 months, and George Frederick, age 1 year.

Additional Service Notes

Private 841498 William John Manser enlisted at Montreal on 5 February 1916 with the 148th Overseas Battalion, C.E.F. After arrival in England he was transferred to the 20th Reserve Battalion on 8 January 1917. On 18 April 1917 he transferred to the Canadian Engineers Training Depot at Crowborough. He was struck off strength of the C.E.T.D. on 29 June 1917 to the 5th Army Troops Company, Canadian Engineers, and landed in France with that unit effective 30 June 1917. He remained with the 5th Army Troops Company through his 1918 medical admissions and leave. On returning from France in January 1919 he was taken on strength of the 2nd Canadian Engineers Reserve Battalion at Seaford, then transferred to the 1st Canadian Engineers Reserve Battalion at the end of January. In February he proceeded to the Canadian Concentration Camp at Kinmel Park pending return to Canada and embarked from Liverpool aboard H.M.T. Celtic on 10 March 1919. He was discharged on demobilization; the signed C.E.F. discharge certificate is dated 20 March 1919.

Additional Next of Kin Notes

Wife Mrs. Nellie Manser was next of kin, residing at R.R. No. 1, Hemmingford, Quebec. Family particulars dated 4 August 1916 record two sons: Harold William, age 2 years 10 months, and George Frederick, age 1 year.

Version: 3 Last modified: 2026-09-30 14:54:38 by: marc