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.

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.