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

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.

John Bruce

Port Coquitlam Cenotaph

Port Coquitlam cenotaph, plinth, west side

John Bruce, "Jock Bruce"   Private  790597  
Born at Renton, Dunbartonshire, Scotland on the 11^th of July 1889, his attestion paper states that he was a ships riveter.
He played for the local Black & Gold football team. John enlisted on the 11^th of February 1916 with the 131^st battalion, and was Killed In Action, KIA on the 22^nd of August 1917,in France at the age of 28.
Virtual memorial for John Bruce
 His father was David Bruce, of Renton, Dunbartonshire. John also left a sister behind Jean Bruce, who possibly became Mrs. Jean McIntyre.
At his death he was in the Canadian infantry ( Western Ontario Regiment ), 47^th Battalion.  John is memorialized at the Vimy Ridge memorial

 Article from a display at the Port Coquitlam Museum, probably from the Coquitlam Star, newspaper. The article is transcribed in full, below.

 Jock Bruce killed

       It came as a shock to the many friends of Jock Bruce in the city to learn that he had made the supreme sacifice "Somewhere in France." Jock was one of the most noted footballers on the coast, and for two seasons previous to his enlistment was a member of Coquitlam's famous black & gold team. He played on the Mainland team against the Vancouver Island team several times and was recoginized as one of the best centre half-backs in the game in the Province. The same thing that made hime a great footballer no doubt made him a great soldier. Jock never worried over those things, and was always willing to take a chance.
An incident that happened at Vernon in 1916, when the 131st Battalion was in training there, shows his canny Scotch way of overcoming difficulties. He was acting as stretcher-bearer in a sham battle and one of the men, weighing about 200 pounds, had to be carried back of the lines supposed to be wounded. When Jock saw him and noticed his size, he said, "Na, he's na wounded; he's deid," and left him on the field to walk back.

NOTE: the area where John was born is long noted for its capable football players

Rather poor quality scan of the 131^st Battalion, No. 15 Platoon

Top Row  -— W.J. Reeves, H.A. Jennings, T. Dickinson, A.R. Solloway, C. Strand, G. Royle, A.W. Buckett, E. Lake,L. Robbie, F.J. Robertson, J.E. Blais.

Second Row — W.J. Ayling, D. Rodman, J.J. O'Donnell, W. Ross, L. Paul, C.C. Clarke, S. Cleave, A.B. Mouldey, C.H. Smith, M.F. Weeks, R.E. Mundon, John Bruce.

Third Row — R.R. Abbott, L.H. Wadlund, E. Hide, H.A. Aves, J.H. McCormick, J. Reid, G.H. Nicholls, J.C. McInnes, F. Johncock, B.L. Davis, R. Thoreson, C. Nicholls.

Fourth Row — N.A. Craig, G. Johnson, D. McLeod, J. Clarke, J.A. Melton, J. Brown, H.T. Routley, J. Edwards, A. Angelo, A. McIntyre.

Front Row — Lee.-Corpl. T. Mars, Corpl. A.F.H. Moore, Co.S.M. R. Henderson, Lieut. R. O'Hanley. Co.Q.M.S. L.G. Rayner, Sergt. W.T. House, Corpl. L.W. Hookham, Drummer S.C. Ballard.

NOTE: Sadly very little is known about him, he is not memorialized at his birthplace.

Stanley Cooke Ballard

Port Coquitlam Honour Roll

Stanley Cook Ballard, Stanley Cooke Ballard  131^st Battalion   790398      Service File: PDF  Stanley signed his attestation papers on the 14^th of January 1916, at New Westminster, B.C. His brother Norman Spencer Ballard, enlisted at the same time, both were living in Port Coquitlam at that time.   tinsmith. Later after the war a trucker.  Born on the 21^st of February 1895  at Sandhurst, Kent, England.   Active: 104^th Regt.

FATHER: Thomas Ballard 1866 – 1928
MOTHER: Frances Matilda Cooper 1865 – 1945

Married to Mary Chalmers
SON: John Thomas Ballard

Stanley Cooke Ballard, died on the 16^th of December 1982 at the Burnaby General Hospital, Burnaby, B.C. and was buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery, in Burnaby.

The family immigrated from England in 1903 and the 1911 Census finds the family living at Swift Current, Saskatchewan.

SIBLINGS:  Frances Edith Ballard,  Thomas Sidney Ballard , (1890-1962), Percy Samuel Ballard,(1893-1964), Lillian Annie Ballard  "Rowland",(1897-), Norman Spencer Ballard,(1899-1966), Harold Edward Ballard,(1900-1976), Alexander Espenette Ballard,(1906-), Bessie May Ballard "McLeod",(1908-)

No. 15  Platoon

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, J. 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.

Norman Spencer Ballard

Port Coquitlam Honour Roll
( Norman is also mentioned on the June 22 1917 Central School Honour Roll )

Norman Spencer Ballard  131^st Battalion.  Signed his attestation papers, along with his brother Stanley Cooke Ballard on the 14^th of January 1916 at New Westminster, B.C  790397  Service File: PDF     labourer. Born on the 16^th of October 1898 at the, Lomas Farm, Sandhurst, Kent, England.  Active: 104^th Regt.   He saw action in France.

FATHER: Thomas Ballard  1866 - 1928
MOTHER:  Frances Matilda Cooper 1865 – 1945
The family immigrated to Canada from England in 1903, and the 1911 Census captured them at Swift Current, Saskatchewan.

SIBLINGS:
Frances Edith Ballard,  Thomas Sidney Ballard, (1890-1962), Percy Samuel Ballard(1893-1964), Lillian Annie Ballard "Rowland",(1897-), Harold Edward Ballard,(1900-1976), Alexander Espenette Ballard,(1906-), Bessie May Ballard "McLeod",(1908-)

 Norman, married Dorothy Louise Zimmerman in 1937 at Los Angeles, California.

  Dorothy Louise Ballard  and Norman Spencer Ballard

  photo sent by a relative

Norman Spencer Ballard, died in July 1966 Redondo Beach, California.

Bugle Band, 1916

Top Row (left to right):  William Henry Gracey, Lance-Corporal William Sprott Gamon,
       Norman Spencer Ballard, Kenneth Douglas Muir, Clement Fleury, John MacKay Linn, Robert Carl Paige, S. McRorry, Charles Walter Eldon Byard Gilley.
Second Row:  Edward Cadenhead, William Roy Donkersley, Francis Thomas Appleyard, J. Broughton, G.S. Menzies, Lance-Corporal  Manning Armstrong Mortison, Thomas Phillip Malone, William Arthur Fox, Lance-Corporal William Lipp Ross jr.,  F. McKenzie.
Third Row:  R.C. McDonald, Corporal George Grady, C. Money, (Claude Vincent Money?) A.G. Shaw, Harry Raymond Barker, F.G. Wood, C. Stewart, Victor Thomas Crispin, R. Reid, Harold Armitage, H.R. Hunter, Thomas George Braine.
Front Row:  William Kearsley, Drum Major A.S. Leslie, Rolf Ingvald Hendricksen,(Ralph Ingvald Henricksen)

Ernest Austen

Port Coquitlam Honour Roll

    Ernest Austen  131^st Battalion  "D" Co.   Attestation paper signed on the 2^nd of February 1916 at New Westminster, B.C.  790527 Service File: PDF.  linotype operator. Born on the 5^th of August 1880  Tonbridge, Kent, England.    active: 104^th Regiment . Living at Port Coquitlam. [  I suspect that he was involved with Coquitlam Star, newspaper concern ]
WIFE: Annie Austen
Ernest spent 9 months in Canada in the 131^st Battalion, and then was sent to England for three months where he was assigned to the 47^th battalion, and from there to France.
Discharged at Vancouver 31^st of March 1919, with slight hearing loss, from a concussion.
FATHER: Quelas Austen
MOTHER: Annie Cooper
Ernest Austen 5 August 1874 – 7 January 1952  buried at Mountain View Cemetery, Vancouver, B.C.
In 1913  Ernest, married Annie Seaker  ( 1884 – 1972 )
His wife's maiden name frequently is miss-spelt: Seeker, Secour.
     Her parents were: Robert Seaker, and Harriet Brown
The family lived for many years at  2546  East 45th Ave., Vancouver. Ernest appears to have spent most of his career as a  lino typist, compositor, retiring in 1944.

No. 14 Platoon

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.

Source: 131st Battalion album, 1916   New Westminster Public Library  ( low quality scan )
But I have elaborated on the names list

Ralph Wellington Atkinson

Port Coquitlam Honour Roll

Ralph Wellington Atkinson  131^st Battalion  790491 Service File: PDF   carpenter.  Born on the 23^rd of October 1875 Whitchurch Township, York County,Ontario. Home: Port Coquitlam, at enlistment. WIFE: Margaret “Maggie” Ann Morley,( 1877 – 1949 ) 
Second WIFE: Minnie Brillinger ( 1883 – 1964 )
Ralph signed his attestation papers on the 8^th of February 1916 at New Westminster, B.C.
FATHER: Richard Atkinson ( 1846 – 1926 )
MOTHER: Catherine Steckley ( 1851 – 1906 )
Ralph W. Atkinson, died January 2^nd,1954, and is buried at the Heise Hill cemetery, Gormley, York, Ontario.
CHILDREN: Ethel May Atkinson (25 March 1901 - ), Charles Ambrose Atkinson ( 1903 - 1904 ), Lambert (Luke) Everett Atkinson ( 1905 -  1987 ), Dorothy Pearl "Burton" ( 1908 - 1998 ), Samuel Atkinson  ( January 1912 - March 1912 )
Siblings:  Samuel Atkinson 1872 - 1955
Selena Ethel Atkinson 1876 - 1954
David Ambrose Atkinson 1879 - 1900
Edith May "Galbraith"  Atkinson 1884 - 1974
Flossie Arvilla Pearl Atkinson ( 1894 - 1969 )

Notes for Ralph Wellington Atkinson ( found online, transcribed here.. )
       Ralph served in the Army in WW1. It looks, from the cap badge in his picture as if he served with the 29^th Battalion. They were also known as the Westies. His attestation papers and a copy of the cap badge are in the photo scrap book.He had served with the 104^th Regt militia but joined up in New Westminster on the 8 Jan 1916. His service number was 790491
We ordered his service record which is summarized as follows:
In any event, he was attested in New Westminster BC on the 8th of February 1916. He shows his date of birth as 23 Oct 1875 and that he was born at Bethesda Ontario. He was living in Port Coquitlam at the time and Maggie’s address as next of kin was Port Coquitlam. He shows his occupation as a carpenter and that he had been a member of the 104th Regiment as a member of the militia.
He was 40 years old when he signed up. That is really old for a soldier to sign up. He was 5’ 83/4” tall. He had no abnormalities except a scar on his left leg. He showed his religion as Methodist.
He joined the 131st Battalion on the 8 Feb 1916. His regimental number was 790491. He completed a form called Particulars of Family of an officer or man enlisted in the CEF. There are some details on it, particularly that Maggie would have a Richmond Hill address while he was overseas. He lists three children at that time, Ethel May 15, Lambert 10 and Dorothy 8.
He arrived in England on the SS Coronia from Halifax on the 11 Nov 1916. He is trained at Shorncliffe, and then posted overseas to the 29^th Battalion in France on the 14 Feb 1917. It is perhaps worthwhile noting that at this time new battalions coming from Canada, were broken up and the men used to re-supply the existing battalions. The 29^th Battalion was also known as the Vancouver Battalion as most of its original men were from that area. It was a Battalion that was in the 2nd Contingent that went over and Uncle Ralph appears to have joined it in France. The cap badge in the photo of he, Maggie and the children is of the 131^st Battalion.
On the 10^th of April 1917, he enters hospital for an accidental cut on his right thigh. He is discharged the 11^th of May 1917.
On the 13 June 1917, he is hospitalized with appendicitis and is transported to Bologne France for an appendectomy. He is discharged back to the 29^th Battalion on the 18 July 1917.
12^th Jan 1918 he is granted 14 days leave.
The 8^th of Feb 1918 he received a Good Conduct Badge (This is an inverted fabric chevron worn on the lower sleeve that indicates a good soldier) Returns to the 29th the 3^rd of May 1918.
The 11^th of August 1918, during the Pursuit to Mons, he receives a gun shot wound to his right forearm. He is treated and evacuated to England. He is treated at the Princess Elizabeth Hospital in Seaforth England. He is discharged to the 3^rd CCD ? on Light Duty in Shorncliffe in Nov 1918. By that time the war is over and he is sent home on the 7 Dec 1918. He arrives in Montreal on the SS Olympic and is discharged at Toronto on the 6 Jan 1919.
Famous battles he was in were Passchendaele, Amiens and Arras.
He is not mentioned in the 29^th Battalion’s War Diary.
After the war, there seems to be pay records that he received, at least for a short time, some pension.
There are also records indicating that a portion of his pay was sent to Maggie in Canada by the War Office.
He came back to Ontario and worked as a carpenter. He became a contractor and builder in Richmond Hill. Louise told us that he had a little terrier dog and that he used to put a mint on his nose and tell him not to eat it until he told him to. The dog would faithfully let the candy sit there until Ralph said OK.
He died 2 Jan 1954 sitting in Cliff Gordon's car on the main street of Stouffville. Apparently suffered a heart attack.

--- 30 ---

If the following newspaper article is correct the story of his death above is incorrect.

Stouffville Tribune, Stouffville, Ontario 7 January 1954, page one

David Oadis Allport

Port Coquitlam Honour Roll

David Oadis Allport    Corporal in the 131^st Battalion.  791052       born on the 8^th of September 1873 in Odessa, Ontario. farmer.  widow. SON: Elmo (Elms) Oscar Allport, Drafted 3352380   (23 July 1896 Jolliette, Quebec – ) David was active in the104th Regiment, and signed his attestation papers on the 16^th of May 1916 in New Westminster, B.C.

WIFE: Elizabeth Jane Bell, ( 1875 – 1914  Port Coquitlam; complications from a  placenta praevia )  He remarried in Ontario in 1921 to, Emma May Burrows.
DAUGHTER: Beryl G.  Davisson, neé Beryl G. Allport ( 4^th May 1898- )
Allport Family in the 1881 Census: Ontario, Lanark South, Elmsley North.
DAUGHTER: Carmen Allport
    
FATHER: Darius Allport 1842-1929
MOM: Marjory Honour Fuller 1850-1924 ( had 12 children )
Brother: Harry Warren Allport, (22 July 1885 – 1962 Smith Falls, Ontario) he homesteaded in  the NW sec 17 Twp 41 R23 W3, not far from his brother. Harry was drafted 305615Brother?:  Royal Garfield Allport ( 1893 - 1969 )



Excerpt from Battleford Sheet, (Saskatchewan)
Red square is David Oadis Allport’s crown grant and NE Section 24 Twp 41 Range23 W3 ( also:  SW Section 36 Twp 40 Range23 W3; . NOT on the above map, it would be directly below )
Blue square is Harry Warren Allport’s crown grant  NW section 17 Twp 41 Range23 W3

Another map of the land grants, taken from a geological map

The nearest town is Unity, Saskatchewan.

NOTE:  So unknown when David died, and also if he actually saw active service in Europe.