My grandfather Joseph Henry Down died in the Great War in 1915 at Ypres Belgium. When I started researching my genealogy I didn't realise how many of my family had gone to war. I felt sad that my grandmother had lost her husband to the war. I felt even sadder when I realised her in-laws, my great grandmother and great grandfather had lost 3 of their sons to the war. Here is my list of my family and my husband's family from England who served in World War 1. We appreciate your dedication to your country. We wouldn't be here without you.
CANADA
As a general note for the Down family 4 brothers
served in WW1 and only 1 son survived.
JOSEPH HENRY DOWN 1889 – 1915
Joseph Henry Down was a Sapper in the Army. He was assigned to the Canadian Engineers,
2nd Field Coy and died on April 24, 1915, killed in action by a bullet to the head.
He is commemorated on the Menin Gate (Ypres) Memorial, Belgium. The following information is from the
Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
The Menin Gate Memorial is situated in the Town of Ypres, now Ieper in
the Province of West Flanders, on the road to Menin and Courtrai. It bears the names of 55,000 men who were
lost without trace during the defence of the Ypres Salient in the First World
War.
Carved in stone above the central arch are the words:
TO THE ARMIES OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE WHO STOOD HERE FROM 1914 to 1918 AND
TO THOSE OF THEIR DEAD WHO HAVE NO KNOWN GRAVE.
Over the two staircases leading from the main Hall is the inscription:
HERE ARE RECORDED NAMES OF OFFICERS AND MEN WHO FELL IN YPRES SALIENT
BUT TO WHOM THE FORTUNE OF WAR DENIED THE KNOWN AND HONOURED BURIAL GIVEN TO
THEIR COMRADES IN DEATH.
The dead are remembered to this day in a simple ceremony that takes
place every evening at 8:00pm. All
traffic through the gateway in either direction is halted and two buglers move
to the centre of the Hall and sound the Last Post. Two silver trumpets for use in the ceremony
are a gift to the Ypres Last Post Committee by an officer of the Royal Canadian
Artillery, who served with the 10th Battery, of St. Catharines, Ontario in
Ypres in April 1915.
CHARLES OTTER DOWN 1886 – 1915
Charles Otter Down was attached to the Quartermaster Service of the 12
Cavalry Field Ambulance during the first World War. He died the 17th of June 1915 in
Toronto. He was diagnosed with
tuberculosis and released from active service.
WILLIAM GEORGE DOWN 1888 – 1916
William George Down was a Private in the Army. He was assigned to the Canadian Army Service
Corps, 4th Ammunition Sub. Park Division. He died on October 5, 1916 and is buried in
the Puchevillers British Cemetery, Somme, France. Sadly William was run over by an army vehicle in the lines and died from his injuries.
A newspaper article in the Toronto Star, described him a strapping fellow:
PTE WM DOWN of the Mechanical Transport Division is the third son of Mr.
and Mrs. C. W. Down, 20 Bellefair Avenue to make the supreme sacrifice. He died of wounds. Two brothers, one older and one younger than
himself, were previously killed in action.
The only remaining brother, Pte.
Richard E. Down, is on service at Moore Barracks, England. Pte. William Down, a big, strapping fellow, who
feared neither man nor devil, left Canada last May. He was 28 years of age. Before enlisting he was partner with his
father in the cartage business at the corner of Queen east and Munro streets.
Toronto Star October 14, 1916.
RICHARD EDWARD DOWN 1883 – 1957
Richard Edward Down, service #
34554, enlisted on Sept 23, 1914. He was
assigned to the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps, 2nd Field Ambulance. At the time of his brother Wlliam's death, in
1916, he was stationed at Moore Barracks Hospital, Shorncliffe, Kent, England. He was the only one of the three brothers to
return from the war.
GEORGE EDWARD NEWTON 1897 - 1917
George Edward Newton was a Private in the Canadian Infantry, Manitoba Regiment, 52nd Battalion, service # 234581. He was killed in action October 28, 1917. He is buried at the Menin Gate, Ypres Belgium.
(See the entry for Joseph Henry Down, regarding the monument at Ypres)
ELMER AUSTIN ROWE 1894 - 1918
Elmer Austin Rowe was a Lance Corporal in The Fort Garry Horse, Manitoba, serial # 117519. He was killed in action on March 23, 1918, in the vicinity of Faillouel France. He is buried in the Chauny Communal British Extension Cemetery, north of Chauny, France
ENGLAND
ALBERT HAROLD “JACK” LEGG 1894 – 1970
Albert Harold "Jack" Legg enlisted in the Army on
September 19, 1914 and was demobolised in March 1919, with the rank of
Sergeant. He was attached to the 2nd
division of the 6th Royal Warwickshire Regiment. He fought at the Somme, Ypres and St.
Quentin. He was awarded the British
War Medal, the Victory Medal and the 1914-1915 Star. His decorations included One Gold Wound Strip
and Four Blue Chevrons. The Chevrons
indicates that he was overseas for 4 years.
CHARLES HENRY KENNARD 1889 – 1967
According to the WW1 Attestation form Charles Henry Kennard enlisted in
The Buffs East Kent Regiment on 28 Oct 1915 and was discharged on 09 Oct 1916
due to health: "Irregular astigmatism and deafness not aggravated by
service". His regimental number was
8437. He did not go overseas.
GEORGE ARTHUR KENNARD 1885 - ????
At the time of his marriage, in 1911 George Arthur Kennard was stationed
in Simonstown South Africa. He is listed
as a Gunner in Company 17 and served with the Royal Garrison Artillery, Service
No. 25551. The marriage was recorded at
Alderney, Channel Islands, while the marriage took place in Capetown, South
Africa.
