Victor Hicks was born in Toronto, Ontario in 1889 where he worked as a teamster until he enlisted in Toronto in July, 1915. He served overseas in France and was killed July 13, 1916. The collection consists of one letter written to his mother in 1916.
Title
WWI
These collections contains any material relating to Canada from 1914 to 1918 from either the home front or the battlefront. External links in collection descriptions are either to online attestation papers at Library and Archives Canada or casualty and burial information at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Frederick Charles Higgerty was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba in November 1893. Higgerty enlisted in Winnipeg in December 1915 with the 108th Battalion. While in England Higgerty took a commission in the Imperial Army in August of 1917. He then served with the London Regiment (Post Office Rifles) until he was killed November 30, 1917. Higgerty is commemorated on the Cambrai Memorial. The collection currently consists of a poem, a clipping, and one photograph.
John Patrick Crawford Higgerty was born in Medicine Hat, Alberta in March 1891. Higgerty enlisted with the No. 10 Forestry and Railway Depot in Winnipeg in February 1918. He was discharged in July, 1918 as medically unfit. The collection currently consists of his discharge certificate.
Private Charles “Charlie” William Hill was born in Cobden, Ontario on November 20th, 1895, son of Benjamin and Martha Hill. He enlisted with the 45th Battalion in Brandon, Manitoba on May 6th, 1915.
Shipping for England in March of 1916, he joined 43rd Battalion in France beginning in June of 1916. He was killed in action on October 22nd, 1917, and is buried in Nine Elms British Cemetery, West of Poperinghe, Belgium.
Within the collection are letters and postcards written by Charlie to his family back in Boissevain, Manitoba, mainly addressed to his mother, father, and sisters Maud (“Maudess”), Ethel & Dorothy. He often writes about his experiences as a member of the battalion band, and the collection includes a trench-newspaper style “souvenir paper” The Star-Shell produced by the 43rd Battalion Brass Band in July of 1916 while serving in France (listed under the “Newspaper Articles” heading in Collection Contents below). Also included are various, photos, postcards, and keepsakes from Pte. Hill’s time playing with the Chaplain Service, Canadian Corps.
External links:
Pte. Hill's service record (Reg/Ser# 424913) is available online through Library and Archives Canada.
Burial information is available at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission site.
A memorial page honouring Hill can be visited online at the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.
Edward Robert Hill served with the 58th Battalion. He was killed at Passchendaele in October, 1917. His brother, William Lowrie Hill served with the 49th Battalion until his death at Mount Sorrel in June, 1916. The collection currently consists of one letter and two photographs.
William Lowrie Hill was born in Harrington West, Ontario in December, 1888. Hill enlisted with the 49th Battalion in Edmonton in January, 1915. He served overseas with the 49th until his death at Mount Sorrel in June, 1916. He was the brother of Edward Robert Hill who was killed at Passchandaele in October, 1917. The collection currently consists of two photographs and one 49th Battalion card.
John Gordon Hogarth was born in Stephen, Huron County, Ontario in October, 1895. Hogarth enlisted in Exeter, Ontario in September, 1915. He served overseas with the 34th Battalion and the 5th Canadian Mounted Rifles until his death on October 1, 1916. Hogarth is commemorated on the Vimy Memorial. The collection currently consists of four letters, two photographs, and one card.
Lucien Victor Hogarth was born in April, 1898 in Stephen Township, Ontario. Hogarth enlisted in May, 1916 in Exeter, Ontario with the 161st Huron Battalion. He served overseas in France with the 47th Battalion until he was demobilized and returned to Canada in 1919. The collection currrently consists of four letters, Christmas cards, and numerous photographs
Gunner Milfred Valentine Holdsworth was born April 25, 1888, in Woodstock, Ontario, to parents Nelson and Rose Holdsworth. Prior to his enlistment Holdsworth worked as a bank clerk with the Canadian Bank of Commerce in Toronto, Ontario. He had served briefly with the Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada.
Holdsworth enlisted in Toronto with the 67th (University) Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, on September 5, 1916, proceeding to England aboard the SS Mauretania the following November. In March of 1917 he was sent to France to join the 3rd Canadian Divisional Ammunition Column, with whom he served until the end of the war. Returning to Canada in March of 1919, Holdsworth was demobilized in Toronto on the 30th of that month.
Content notes:
Of the two collection letters, one was written by Holdsworth to his sister on Christmas Eve of 1918. The other is from the Canadian Bank of Commerce’s book Letters from the Front: Being a Record of the Part Played by Officers of the Bank in the Great War, 1914-1919.
External link:
Gnr. Milfred Holdsworth’s service record (Serv/Reg# 338006) can be viewed/downloaded in pdf format through Library and Archives Canada [please note that the L&AC record spells Holdsworth’s first name as “Milford” (January 2024)].
Ira Layton Holmes was born on Prince Edward Island in July, 1893. Holmes enlisted in Regina, Saskatchewan in January, 1915 and served overseas. The collection currently consists of two letters, a short diary from 1916, photographs, and miscellaneous items.
James Stuart Holmes was born in Spencerville, Ontario in November, 1897. Holmes enlisted in March of 1916, and went overseas with the 156th Battalion. The collection currently consists of three letters written by Holmes.
Harold Holt was born in Manchester, England, in May 1897. Prior to the war he immigrated to Victoria, British Columbia. Holt enlisted in September 1915 in Victoria and served overseas until his discharge. He was the brother of James Henry Holt, who served as James Henry. The collection currently consists of four photographs and some miscellaneous personal items.
James Henry Holt was born in Manchester, England, in October 1892. Prior to the war he immigrated with his family to Victoria, British Columbia. Holt enlisted in December 1914 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and served under the name of James Henry. He was the older brother of Harold Holt. Holt served in France with the 25th Battalion until his death in October 1916. The collection currently consists of a memorial ribbon commemorating his death, and a photograph of his grave.
Major James Parker Hooper, MC, was born in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, on February 21, 1888. Prior to WWI Hooper worked as an accountant, as well as serving for fifteen years in the Canadian Militia with the 82nd Regiment (Abegweit Light Infantry) and 4th Regiment Canadian Garrison Artillery.
He enlisted with the 98th Canadian Siege Battery (C.S.B.) in Charlottetown, P.E.I., on September 23, 1915. Shipping for England on the S.S. Lapland in late November of 1915, Hooper proceeded to France with the 98th C.S.B. in May of 1916. He was awarded the Military Cross (MC) on January 1, 1917. Following his return to Canada Hooper was demobilized May 18, 1919.
The Hooper Collection shares with the Gunner Walter James Lantz Collection the memorial album created by Hooper for Lantz’s parents following the death of their son on July 12, 1916. When the Lantz collection was originally posted, the author of the memorial album was unknown, as Hooper had signed only with his initials “J.P.H.” Recent research has identified “J.P.H.” as James Parker Hooper and the Hooper collection has been added in recognition of his role in the creation of this remarkable album chronicling the 98th C.S.B. soldiers working in the observation posts at the front-line trenches in and around the Somme/Mametz region of France. The photographs were taken by Hooper and Lantz in the days and weeks immediately preceding Lantz’s death in July of 1916.
The photo album can also be viewed on Gunner Walter James Lantz’s WWI Collection page, along with information on other identified members of the 98th C.S.B. who appear in the album’s photographs.
External links:
Major Hooper’s service record (Serv/Reg# not assigned*) can be viewed/downloaded in pdf format through Library and Archives Canada.
Hooper’s Military Cross award was published in The London Gazette on January 1, 1917 (#29886, p. 45).
*[WWI officers were not routinely assigned Service/Regimental #s]
Private Cyril Ernest Hopper was born in Artemesia Township, Ontario, on September 26, 1893, to parents William Cottel and Ellen (née Shute) Hopper. Prior to his enlistment in WWI, he worked on the family farm outside of Eugenia Falls, Ont.
Hopper enlisted with the 147th (Grey) Battalion in Owen Sound, Ont., on January 6, 1916. Shipping for England onboard the S.S. Olympic in November of 1916, he trained as a machine gunner before proceeding to France the following May to join the 5th Canadian Machine Gun Company (which became part of the 2nd Battalion, Canadian Machine Gun Corps on March 21, 1918). He he fought in the Battle for Hill 70 in August of 1917, and the following year in the Battle of Amiens in August of 1918.
Following the Armistice in November of 1918, Hopper spent his final months in Belgium, Germany, and France, before returning to England and finally home to Canada. He was demobilized on May 25, 1919.
Content notes:
The diary in the collection was kept by Hopper for recording dates and places during his years in service. The photos mainly depict camp life with fellow soldiers; many of the postcards are German in origin. Also included is Hopper’s calligraphic Honourable Discharge certificate from the C.M.G.C.
Note on year of birth: while given as 1894 in his military service record, other government records have it as 1893 (e.g. see census records, 1901).
External link:
Pte. Ernest Hopper’s service record (Serv/Reg# 838524) can be viewed/downloaded in pdf format through Library and Archives Canada.
Private Charles Edward Hornibrook was born in Sundridge, Ontario, on July 5th, 1885. He enlisted in Hamilton on February 2nd, 1918, with the 1st Depot Battalion, 2nd Central Ontario Regiment.
Shipping for England on board the S.S. Melita in March of 1918, he was transferred to the Canadian Corps Cyclists Battalion and sent over to France that September. Following the end of the war he was demobilized on April 23rd, 1919.
External links:
Pte. Charles Edward Hornibrook’s service record (Reg/Ser# 3106794) is available online through Library and Archives Canada.
The Collection for Pte. Charles Hornibrook was created from the donation of the Gladys Hornibrook materials. Charles was Gladys’ uncle, the brother of her father Thomas Henry Hornibrook. Living in the small village of Sundridge near North Bay, Ontario, Gladys was only thirteen years old when World War One began. The majority of her correspondence was with her enlisted uncles Joseph, Charles, and step-uncle Harold Hamilton, but she also saved other letters, photos, and keepsakes from the war years which can be viewed together on the main Gladys Hornibrook Collection page.
Gladys Hornibrook (m. Basso) was born in 1901, the eldest of eight siblings of parents Thomas Henry & Martha Jane Hornibrook, in the village of Sundridge on the shores of Lake Bernard, Ontario. Gladys was just thirteen years old when World War One began. Collected here are the letters, postcards, and other keepsakes that she received and saved from family and friends throughout the war.
The collection is mainly composed of the letters and other items that Gladys, an avid correspondent, received throughout the war from the soldiers listed below. Collection materials can be viewed both separately by following the links to each individual sub-collection, or all together here through the Collection Content listings for Gladys given below.
The soldiers that are part of this collection are:
- Her uncle Private Charles Edward Hornibrook, Ser# 3103794
- Her uncle Private. Joseph Edgar Hornibrook, Ser# 607661
- Her step-uncle Private William Harold Hamilton, Ser# 657521
- Friend Company Quartermaster Sergeant James Minorgan, Ser# 657846
- Friend Lance Corporal Richard Gardinar Munroe, Ser# 657440
- Pen pal Private Robert Gilmore Beatty, Ser# 237458
Private Joseph (Joe) Edgar Hornibrook was born in Strong Township near Sundridge, Ontario, on July 17th, 1890. He enlisted there with the 162nd Overseas Battalion on February 2nd, 1916.
Shipping for England on board the S.S. Caronia in November of 1916, he was called-up for France in December with the 2nd Pioneer Battalion. Hornibrook was killed in action near Noulette Wood on August 13th, 1917, and is buried in Aix-Noulette Communal Cemetery Extension, Pas de Calais, France.
External links:
Pte. Hornibrook’s service record (Reg/Ser# 657846) is available online through Library and Archives Canada.
Burial information is available at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
A memorial page honouring him can be visited online at the Canadian Virtual War Memorial.
The Collection for Pte. Joseph Hornibrook was created from the donation of the Gladys Hornibrook materials. Joseph was Gladys’ uncle, the brother of her father Thomas Henry Hornibrook. Living in the small village of Sundridge near North Bay, Ontario, Gladys was only thirteen years old when World War One began. The majority of her correspondence was with her enlisted uncles Joseph, Charles, and step-uncle Harold Hamilton, but she also saved other letters, photos, and keepsakes from the war years which can be viewed together on the main Gladys Hornibrook Collection page.
William John Howe left Valcartier with the 1st Contingent in September 1914, arriving in England in October. He was killed in action on 24 April 1915, during the Second Battle of Ypres, while serving with the 3rd Battalion. Private Howe’s body was never found; he is commemorated on the Menin Gate in Ypres, Belgium. The collection consists of four letters he wrote to his wife in Toronto, including one written just two days before his death.
John ("Jack") Hudgins, DMC, was born in Aylesford, Nova Scotia, in November 1889 and enlisted in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in November 1915. Hudgins served overseas with the 85th Battalion until he was demobilized and returned to Canada in 1919. He was the brother of Major Hudgins. The collection currently consists of more than sixty letters from his time in the service.
