William George Coleman

Port Coquitlam Honour roll
Central School honour roll

William George Coleman  No.2 Section Skilled Railway Employee,
No.13 Light Railway Operating Company, C.E.F. 2125396
      William signed his attestation papers on the 21^st of March 1917 at New Westminster, he was working as a wiper and fireman for the CPR.
Born on the 3^rd of December 1899 Boissevain, Manitoba ( He wrote down 1897 originally but got caught ) home was in Coquitlam.
His parents were,  Robert John Coleman (1873-1940)  and  Margaret Cecilia Meakin (1879-1965) they lived at 2215 Central Avenue in Port Coquitlam, the home today is gone replaced by typical budget infill homes.  

At Vancouver in 1932 William married  Edna Cecilia Nelson (1907- 1961 )
No idea how many children came of this union.
Numerous brothers: Wilfred Harold Coleman (1897-1968)
  Herbert Lawrence Coleman ( 1898-1945) and
   Robert Alfred Coleman (1904-1983)
and a sister:   Lily May Coleman (1900 - 1992) married Ernest Cook, they divorced, then she married John Merrick, and she became, Lillian May Merrick
 
Service Record: Inside his records is this statement: “Not to be sent overseas until 19 years of age” after he was caught lying about his age.
Served in France with the railway building units as a telephone operator. 
He sent his hard earned money back home to his father in Port Coquitlam   William was in England from March to June of 1917, then over to France from June to March, then back to England from March to November of 1918, then back to Canada in December, and he was then discharged on the 7^th of February 1919 at Vancouver, B.C.
Primarily employed as a telephone operator,  and very sober according to one of the comments in his file.

William George Coleman died on the 27^th of August 1973 at home in Vancouver, he is buried in the Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Burnaby.

Wilfred Harold Coleman

Central School honour roll

Wilfred Harold Coleman  131^st Battalion, 158^th Battalion. 790559
   Signed his attestation papers on the 7th of February 1916  at New Westminster, B.C. He worked as an electrician Wilfred was born on the 29th of April 1896 at Boissevain, Manitoba. He was living in Port Coquitlam with his wife, Caroline  Martha Elizabeth Baird ( 1898 – 1960 ) they were married in 1916 at New Westminster  he was working as an electrician at this time.

Children of Wilfred and Caroline:

Dorothy Margaret Caroline "McChesney" ( 1916 - 1962         )
      she was married to  Joseph George McChesney
Marshall David Coleman ( 1920 - 1964 ) married to Joyce Estelle Merrick
Possibly more children to be found..

His previous military service was with the 158^th Battalion, 104^th Regiment, for a period of sixteen months. 
     His parents were: Robert John Coleman 1873 – 1940 & Margaret Cecilia Meakin  1879 - 1965
They had numerous children see the other two Coleman entries on this blog, both are brothers of Wilfred.

Service Record:  He was designated as medically unfit on the 19^th of September 1916 at the Vernon Camp.  He was previously for one month in the 158^th Battalion from the 6^th of January 1916 to the 6^th of February 1916, then in the 131^st Battalion from February until September 1916.  He was having troubles with abdominal pain, from a previous appendix operation.     He tried to serve his country.

Wilfred  died on the 14^th of May 1968 at the Royal Columbian Hospital, New Westminster, B.C. at the age of 67.  He had retired in 1960 and was living at 2212 Hawthorne Avenue, Port Coquitlam.

No. 14 Platoon( photo from the 131st Battalion year book, 1916 )

Top Row: G. Brown, Percy Gibb, Hosford Franklin Nagle, Leslie Lemuel Evans Goldsmith, William Gower, S. Brown, John Simon Whittaker, James Alvin Scott, J. Gourlay, F. Jackson, P.J. Leidmeier, Frederick Harvard.
Second Row: Marmaduke George Bateman, Ralph Wellington Atkinson, Herbert William Henry, Harry Gower, J. Walker, John Gleave, James Arthur Hayne, Joseph Ladoux, William Perry Patten, J. Stewart, D. Dougherty,(David or Daniel Dougherty).
Third Row: George Dalziel, J. MacKenzie, Justin Dorr, G. Williams, John Henry Griffiths, William Henry Lawrence, A. Henderson, Ernest Turner, Wilfred Harold Coleman, Walter John Wigmore, Edward Cadenhead, Abe Denson.
Fourth Row: Albert Richard Eden, David Gillies, James Glass, William Herbert Simpson, F. Grant, Ernest Austen, James Joseph Shea, Roy Torrence Hildebrand, Martin Marin Beadle, James Lyall Goldsmith.
Front Row: Corporal Harry Carter, Company Sergeant Major Richard Arthur Henderson, Lieutenant Vyvyan Chard Brimacombe, Lieutenant Keith Campbell MacGowan, Company Quartermaster Sergeant Leslie George Rayner, Sergeant Edward Groves, Corporal Robert Albert Victor Cheale, Bugler Victor Thomas Crispin.

Herbert Lawrence Coleman

Not found on any list, but he should be on Port Coquitlam’s honour roll

Herbert Lawrence Coleman No. 5 Company R.C.G.A., C.E.F.  2602051   Born on the 25^th of May 1898 at Winnipeg, Manitoba.   Bert signed his attestation papers on the 21^st of May 1918 at Esquimalt, B.C.  At the time he lived in Port Coquitlam, and was working as a CPR switchman.
The 1911 census places him living with his parents in Vancouver at 736-7^th Avenue; 
Robert John Coleman (1873 - 1940)  was his father born in Ontario; he worked as a contractor and builder.
Mother was Margaret Cecilia Meakin (1879 - 1965)  they were married in 1896 at Morton, Manitoba.

Children of Robert and Margaret Coleman:
 
Wilfred Harold Coleman (1897 - 1968)
William George Coleman (1899 - 1973)
Lily May Coleman (1900 - 1992) married Ernest Cook, they divorced, then she married John Merrick, and she became, Lillian May Merrick
Robert Albert Coleman (1904 - 1983)

Service Record:  discharge certificate:  No.5 Company R.C.G.A. he was a gunner.  Discharged at Esquimalt on the 5^th of December 1918, at the end he was attached to the 11^th artillery depot, Esquimalt . 

In 1923 Herbert married Annie Isabella McLean ( 1899 - 1951 ) at this time he was a CPR yard foreman. Annie’s parents were the children of some of the early area pioneers:
 Donald McLean,( 1856 – 1930 ) and  Annie Munday ( 1863 - 1945 )
Herbert died on the 24th of October 1945 at St. Vincent's Hospital, in Vancouver, at the age of 47. He is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Burnaby, B.C. At the time of his death he was the General yard master, of the CPR yards.  

Samuel Brown

Port Coquitlam

( Sam is not on the official Honour Roll, but he should be )

Samuel Brown, Sam Brown  131^st Battalion  791031  Signed his attestation papers on the 12^th of April 1916, at Vancouver, B.C.  Home was Port Coquitlam, where he was working as a logger.  Born on the 24^th of March 1876 ( NOT the correct year ) near Belfast, Ireland.
Brother: George Brown, of Castle Green, Comber, Ireland.
Service record:  France 16½ months with the 4^th Labour Battalion. 

      He was discharged from service on the 18^th of November 1918 at Victoria, B.C., after 31 months of service.  It appears that his true age was discovered, and he was discharged as unfit because there was a law that retired anyone who was overage.

      In January of 1919 he is back in Port Coquitlam, for a short time.  One of the records states that he was born in 1867, and he was 51 years of age, in 1918.

No. 14 Platoon( photo from the 131^st Battalion yearbook of 1916 )

Top Row: G. Brown, Percy Gibb, Hosford Franklin Nagle, Leslie Lemuel Evans Goldsmith, William Gower, Samuel Brown, John Simon Whittaker, James Alvin Scott, J. Gourlay, F. Jackson, P.J. Leidmeier, Frederick Harvard.
Second Row: Marmaduke George Bateman, Ralph Wellington Atkinson, Herbert William Henry, Harry Gower, J. Walker, John Gleave, James Arthur Hayne, Joseph Ladoux, William Perry Patten, J. Stewart, D. Dougherty,(David or Daniel Dougherty).
Third Row: George Dalziel, J. MacKenzie, Justin Dorr, G. Williams, John Henry Griffiths, William Henry Lawrence, A. Henderson, Ernest Turner, Wilfred Harold Coleman, Walter John Wigmore, Edward Cadenhead, Abe Denson.
Fourth Row: Albert Richard Eden, David Gillies, James Glass, William Herbert Simpson, F. Grant, Ernest Austen, James Joseph Shea, Roy Torrence Hildebrand, Martin Marin Beadle, James Lyall Goldsmith.
Front Row: Corporal Harry Carter, Company Sergeant Major Richard Arthur Henderson, Lieutenant Vyvyan Chard Brimacombe, Lieutenant Keith Campbell MacGowan, Company Quartermaster Sergeant Leslie George Rayner, Sergeant Edward Groves, Corporal Robert Albert Victor Cheale, Bugler Victor Thomas Crispin.

☆☆☆☆☆☆☆

His parents were Samuel Brown, and Margaret Jane Anderson

Children of:

Elizabeth Brown  born:19 June 1866 Holywood, Down, Ireland   ( NE of Belfast )
Agnes Brown       born: 10 Feb. 1864 Comber, County Down, Ireland
Jane Brown          born: 9 Jan. 1869 County Down, Ireland
Samuel Brown     born: 8 Oct. 1871 Castlereagh, County Down
Sarah Brown         born: 10 Nov. 1872 Castlereagh, Down, Ireland (  SSE of Belfast )
Samuel Brown      born: 24 March 1875   Down, Ireland
Hugh Brown          born: 3 Oct. 1880 Unicarville, Ballymaglaff, County Down, Ireland
  
1901 census    house 10  in castle lane, Comber, County Down, Ireland
Finds : Agnes ; Jane, and Sarah  listed as working in a flax mill. And their widowed mother, Margaret Jane Brown, age 57; and Robert Brown 17, working as an apprentice carpenter
  

   Samuel Brown 781031
( not dated, from the Find-a-grave website )

Grave marker in Veterans section of the Fraser Cemetery, New Westminster
( photo from the Find-a-grave website )

The description about Samuel Brown at the Find-a-grave website is correct for the most part, but one main error is the fact that Samuel actually worked as a gardener for the Pacific Mills at Ocean Falls, B.C., from at least 1925 to 1946, in 1947 he was admitted to Essondale, where he spent the last seven years of his life.
Samuel Brown died on the 5^th of August 1954 at Essondale hospital, Coquitlam, B.C., at the age of 88; he had spent 44 years of his life in B.C., and 22 years elsewhere in Canada.   See also the Bowell & Sons obituary card for Sam Brown
Note: on the Find-a-grave site, the researcher states that Sam immigrated in 1887 and worked in the northern wilds of B.C. as a logger, and that he was born in 1865 (which is what the death certificate states, which does not align correctly with the Irish birth certificates in the LDS database.

Also the family appears to have had ties to Comber, in County Down, Ireland, they are mentioned a few times in some of the Comber History website texts. 

Richard Cullen

Coquitlam honour roll

Richard Cullen,  Lieutenant.  121^st Battalion, B.C.R.. Captain.  524743
Signed his attestation papers on the 10^th of December 1915 at New Westminster, B.C. He was born on the 14^th of May 1882 at Margate, Kent, England.   Job:  schoolmaster. Sister: Helen Maurian Cullen, Mrs. P.C. Wood, (b.1868) Tyrone House, Margate, Kent, England.
Father: John Cullen is listed, but his father is really Thomas Cullen and his mother was Anne Bullock, and he had a brother who was also a school master: Alfred Richard Cullen ( 1880 – 1958 )
Previous military service was with the 11^th Irish Fusiliers of Canada.
Served in the 121^st Battalion in France, 16^th reserve battalion; BCR Depot; 2^nd Depot Battalion, B.C.R.; Canadian Machine Gun Depot; C.M.G. Reserve pool; 1^st Battalion, C.H.C.C.

Richard died on the 1^st of January 1967 at the Jesmond Rest Home, 668 Dallas Road, Victoria, B.C.
He  lived in the province for 55 years, with the last 21 years living in the Victoria area. He never married, and his death certificate states his birthday as the 14^th of May 1879, which differs, as usual from his attestation paper date of 1882.  He had retired in 1948, after working as an accountant for thirty years.  He is buried in the Royal Oak burial park, in Saanich, along with some more family members.  A niece: Norah Dorothea Cullen, Norah Dorothea Wagget,  gave the information used on his death certificate 

Richard first shows up in the 1913 New Westminster directory, listed as a teacher at the  Lord Kelvin School, a job he held until going overseas in August of 1916. 
By 1922 he is found back in New Westminster, working as a clerk for the Public works Department and in the 1936 directory for New Westminster he is a clerk working for the B.C. Government. Next he shows up in Victoria Directory in 1948 as a clerk with the B.C. Government, which was the year that he retired.

Lord Kelvin School with students on lawn. - [ca. 1912]
    ( photograph from the New Westminster Archives IHP7989   and 31 more images )

   This building was fairly new in this image, it replaced another one on the site, both have been torn down, but a Lord Kelvin Elementary school still exists at the same address:  1010 Hamilton Street, New Westminster, B.C.

NOTE:  It is interesting how confusing these records can be sometimes, an example is below:  A death record for a Richard Cullen who was a sergeant in the 32^nd Battalion, Royal Fusiliers. and he died on the 17^th of June 1917 in Belgium. the service number given 53021  is for a Stanley B. Rourke
But there are two,  Richard Cullen’s listed in the C.E.F. files, and both made it through the war and lived normal lives. But we have this mysterious other Richard Cullen.
     Threw me off for a while, thinking that the dead Richard Cullen was the person that I was interested in, until I was able to go through the actual service files, which of course continue to have notes past the date of death of the mysterious Richard Cullen.

William Chrystall

Port Coquitlam honour roll
Essondale hospital honour roll

William Chrystall, 131^st Battalion  790388   William signed his attestation papers on the 13^th of January 1916 at New Westminster, B.C. He was working at Colony Farm as a groom at this time. His previous military service was with the 104^th Regiment.
Service Record: Sapper. 47^th battalion.  Shrapnel in left leg on the 16^th of March 1917, then lost his right eye  on the 6^th of May 1917, during the fighting at Vimy Ridge. The eye was replaced with an artificial eye, and after three months recuperation he continued to serve his country, first in the Railway,11^th Engineer Depot, then in the Forestry Depot, here in Canada.
William was born on the 12^th of September 1887 at Hatton, Aberdeenshire, Scotland   and he died on the 5^th of January 1975 at the Langley Memorial Hospital, Murrayville, B.C., he is buried in the Langley Lawn Cemetery, Langley, B.C. At the time of his death he was  living at 23198 Old Yale Road, Langley, and practicing general farming. Five other family members are also buried at this cemetery

Father: George Chrystall   Mother: Elizabeth Smith 
Brother: James Smith Chrystall,(1884 - 1970)
Sister: Francis Chrystall
William Chrystall in 1923 was married to  Annie Jane Andrews (1901 - 1975) they were living in Agassiz, B.C. at the time.
    Sons: Robert Andrew Chrystall, (1926 - 1999);
               Kenneth "Ken" G. Chrystall,(1938- )
    Daughters: Elsie Chrystall (1932 - 2010); Grace Chrystall,
                      Jean Chrystall, Betty Chrystall
        His war injuries did not slow him down, since he competed in November 1923 in the first plowing contest held in the Chilliwack area in 25 years and he won, gaining 55 points out of 60, and becoming a champion plowman.   In 1926  the newspapers mention that he was working at the Agassiz experimental farm,  and a son (Robert Andrew Chrystall) was born on the 18th of February; and the same paper in 1927 mentions that the family is moving to Murrayville, in Surrey, and that William is leaving the Agassiz experimental farm.

Transport Section( photo from the 131st Battalion year book of 1916 )

Top Row: H. Bates, G.T. Robertson, Peter McKechnie, J. McLean, William Thomas Cook, William Chrystall
Middle Row: Ernest Swarbrick, George Shuttleworth, J. Robertson, James Lobban, William Donkersley, G. Thomas, C. Fenton

Front Row: H. MacDonald, Alexander Baldie, Corporal Gerald Langridge Stock, Sergeant Duncan Montgomery, Lieutenant Bertram James Vine, Sergeant Charles Clare Bell, Corporal E. Sturton, J. McMillan

William Cross

Port Coquitlam honour roll

William Cross  lance corporal.   C.C.B. Section  No.1 Field Ambulance C.E.F., 4^th Canadian C.C.S.    524743    William signed his attestation papers on the 8^th of March 1916 at Victoria, B.C. At the time he was living at 502-2^nd Street, New Westminster, B.C. Job: hospital work. He was born on the 9^th of September 1887 at Rockwell Green, Wellington, Somerset, England.

Father: Thomas Cross, senior; Lower Foxmoor, Rockwell Green, Wellington, Somerset.  Mother: possibly Florence Cross?   William had previous military service with the 18^th Field Ambulance, for 2½ months.
He served in France with the 4th Canadian Casaulty Clearing Station (C.C.S)

He was married in England on the 29^th of July 1916 to
Ida Louise Hawkings, Ida Louise Cross (1889 - 1972)
They had at least one child a daughter Mrs. ?.M. McCallum

William Cross died on the 26^th of May 1976 at the  Lions Gate Hospital, in North Vancouver.  His home at that time was at 441 Kelly St., in New Westminster. He was retired after being a chief orderly at the mental hospital in New Westminster.

NOTE:   a useful resource about the medical units which includes links to the daily diaries.  Nice :)

Ernest John Crawford

Port Coquitlam honour roll

Ernest John Crawford  War Service Class "A" badge; 48^th Battalion(3^rd Pioneer); 7^th Infantry Battalion    431186   Ernest signed his attestation papers on the 23^rd of June 1915 at Victoria, B.C.  Job: locomotive fireman. He was born on the 25th( 28th) of March 1889(1890) at Waterford, Ireland. Mother: Jane Morrison.  Brother: Hugh Morris Crawford, Mount Merrion Blackrock County, Dublin. 
  Ernest married  at Vancouver in 1930 to Helmi Nygard (1907- 1967 ) They had at least one child: John William Crawford.
Ernest’s time in the army appeared to have been lively


So after having shrapnel damage his right hand and ear; then a little later shrapnel shoulder; later again shrapnel left wrist. He served three years and wanted more.

X-ray of his left wrist, Ouch! found in his service file.

Ernest John Crawford lived on past the war until the 18th of January 1953, when he died at St. Vincent's Hospital, at Vancouver, B.C.

Richard Talbot Clegg

Richard Talbot Clegg  138^th Battalion   811217 / 826644   Signed his attestation papers on the 8th of December 1915 at Edmonton, Alberta.  Job: Messenger.
    Born on the 22^nd of January 1899 at Blackburn, England.  Home was Edmonton at the time of his signing the papers.
       Mother: Alice Talbot ( 1870 – 1951 )  Father: Henry Clegg
Wife: Doris Enid Searle ( 1903 – 1989 )
Son: Robert Clegg
Daughter: S. Margorie Clegg “Taylor”
His service record states that at 100-110lbs and 5’2” tall he was considered to weak and small for the task.  He and his wife were postmasters at Bilby, Alberta from 1939 – 1952, Richard was also active in the second world war according to the post office records.
Richard died on the 15^th of October 1980 at Victoria, B.C. He was divorced at the time of his death, and his remains were cremated.

Sidney Brock Cleave

Port Coquitlam honour roll

Sidney Brock Cleave  131^st Battalion. 791095   Signed his attestation papers on the 25^th of April 1916 at Vancouver, B.C. Job: bushman, logger. Living in Port Coquitlam. Sidney was born on the 27^th of January 1872, actually 1869  at Cheriton Fitzpaine, Devonshire, England.  Active military service: 3 years with the Devon Yeomanry.  Married to Anna “Annie” Sophia Wismer,(1886 – 1953 )  Sidney served in France for one year, then he was classed as unfit, because of being overage, then sent to England in 1917 then served with the 1^st Canadian labour battalion. He immigrated to Canada in the early 1900’s. 
Sons: Stanley Brock Cleave,(1927 - 1999)
John L. Cleave,
Lloyd James Cleave,(1922 - 1951)
Daughter: Blanche Maria Cleave; Blanche Maria Plummer,(1912 - 1992)
 Sidney Brock Cleave died in the Royal Columbian hospital, New Westminster, B.C. on the 24^th of January 1950, he is buried in the Maple ridge cemetery.  He lived along Mitchell Road in Maple Ridge, making a living at mixed farming.

 

 No. 15 Platoon

( Photo from 131st Battalion 1916 )

Top Row: William John Reeves, Henry Ashley Jennings, Thomas Dickinson, Alfred Ralph Solloway, Charlie Strand, George Royle, Albert William Buckett, Edward Lake, Isaac Simpson Robbie, Francis James Robertson, Joseph Eugene Blais.

Second Row: William John Theodore Ayling, Duncan Rodman, James John O'Donnell, William Ross, L. Paul, Clarence Cecil Clarke, Sidney Cleave, Alfred Bert Mouldey, Cecil Henry Smith, Major Forest Weeks, Robert Edward Mundon, John Bruce.

Third Row: Roland Roy Abbott, L.H. Wadlund, Ernest Hide, Harry Arthur Aves, John Henry McCormick, J. Reid, G.H. Nicholls, John Charles McInnes, Frank Johncock, B.L. Davis, R. Thoreson, C. Nicholls.
Fourth Row: N.A. Craig, G. Johnson, D. McLeod, J. Clarke, J.A. Melton, J. Brown, Harold Thomas Routley, J. Edwards, Alphonse Joseph Angelo, A. McIntyre.

Front Row: Lance-Corporal Thomas Mars, Corporal Andrew Fletcher Hill Moore, Company Sergeant Major Richard Arthur Henderson, Lieutenant Ronald O'Hanley, Company Quartermaster Sergeant L.G. Rayner, Sergeant William Thomas House, Corporal Leonard William Hookham, Drummer Stanley Cooke Ballard.