Francis Harold McLorg was born in Moosomin, Saskatchewan, worked as a barrister and then enlisted for overseas duty in October 1914. He saw duty in France, where he was wounded in 1916. McLorg recovered and continued to serve until the end of the war, by which time he had been promoted to the rank of Captain. The collection consists of eight letters, telegrams, and photographs.

Harold Hartley Littler was born in Liverpool, England in December, 1881. Littler enlisted in Port Alberni, British Columbia and then was later sworn in at Victoria, British Columbia in November, 1915. The collection consists of a short memoir written by Littler in the 1920s which describes his time from enlistment until his return home.

Private Harry Davies was born December 22, 1897, in Hamilton, Ontario, to parents Fannie and William Henry Davies.

He enlisted with the 205th (Tiger) Battalion in Hamilton, Ontario, on March 16, 1916, and proceeded overseas to England on the SS Saxonia in April 1917. Davies was sent to France in August 1917 where he served with the 1st Machine Gun Battalion until wounded in August 1918. After hospitalization in France and England, he was invalided back to Canada on the SS Megantic in June 1919, and then discharged in July 1919.

External links:
Private Harry Davies’ service record (Serv/Reg# 240080) can be viewed/downloaded in pdf format through Library and Archives Canada.

Wilfred Edgar Hawkes was born in England in 1889. Sometime later he immigrated to Canada and enlisted at Vernon, British Columbia, in August 1915. The collection constist of two letters written to his young nephew Jack, in Victoria, British Columbia, in 1916.

William Vincent Gauthier was born in North Rustico, Prince Edward Island in October, 1897 and enlisted in Charlottetown in 1915. Gauthier served oveseas Enland, France, and Belgium until his return to Canada at the end of the war. The collection consists of a memoir written by Gauthier sometime after the war.

Lancelot de Saumarez Duke, DFC, was born in Ceylon in October 1896. He was educated in England and Canada and moved to Victoria, British Columbia, where his father was a doctor. Duke initially enlisted with the 88th Battalion, Victoria Fusiliers, in May 1915. Duke then transferred to the Royal Flying Corps with whom he served until the end of the war. He flew with the 84th Squadron and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. The collection currently consists of letters from Duke, photographs, and his diary from 1918.

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.

Victor McDonald was born on Prince Edward Island in 1895. He enlisted in December 1915 and served overseas during WWI. Due to exposure to gas during the war he spent the rest of his life in hospital in Nova Scotia after his return to Canada. He died in hospital shortly after the war ended. The letters are to his brother Leo, who was at the time studying to be a teacher in Charlottetown. The collection consists of twelve letters written by Victor to Leo, both during his time of service and from the hospital shortly after his return.

Captain Alfred Herbert “Bert” John Andrews, MC, was born in Troy, District of Assiniboia, North-West Territories (present day Qu’Appelle, Saskatchewan), in October 1880. Prior to his enlistment he was living in Winnipeg, Manitoba, where he worked as a barrister.

Andrews enlisted with the 34th Fort Gary Horse at Valcartier, Québec, on September 24, 1914. As part of the First Canadian Contingent, Andrews sailed for England on board the SS Lapland on October 4, 1914. He shipped to France in May 1915, where he joined the 10th Battalion. His first experience in the trenches was near Festubert, France, followed by a brief time at Hill 63, then nine months spent at Messines.

Commissioned as an officer on January 13, 1917, Andrews began serving as Lewis Gun officer in February. The following April, at Vimy, he was in charge of overseeing Lewis Gun positioning, equipment and training. He served as Adjutant beginning on October 28, 1917. While fighting in France with the 10th Battalion, Andrews was twice awarded the Military Cross, first on October 18, 1917, and again (as bar to Military Cross) on February 1, 1919. On the second occasion the London Gazette included the following description with the announcement of his award:

“For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty at Villers-les-Cagnicourt and the Canal du Nord, 2nd to 4th September, 1918. He went into the attack in command of the battalion reserve company, and later was sent forward to command one of the leading companies. He handled his command splendidly, and pushed forward to the battalion final objective at the Buissy Switch, and redistributed his men with exceptional skill. The following day he led his company forward, and, under very heavy fire, established a line along the railroad west of the Canal du Nord, from which they could command all the intervening ground. He did excellent service.”

While serving overseas Andrews married Alice “Allie” Dixon on September 16, 1918. Alice accompanied him on his return to Canada, sailing together from Liverpool on April 23, 1919, abord the SS Metagama. Andrews was demobilized the following month, in May of 1919.

Content notes:
Andrews kept diaries throughout WWI, covering August 1914 to December 1918. Around 1923 or so he used these diaries to create a complete typewritten history of his time in service, beginning with his enlistment and ending with 10th Battalion’s month-long post-Armistice march across Belgium to the Rhine Bridgehead position inside occupied Germany.
The diaries are rich in descriptive and explanatory detail, covering time spent in both non-commissioned and commissioned officer ranks. Significant places/events covered are: 1st Contingent at Valcartier, SS Lapland, Salisbury Plain Camp, Festubert, Hill 63, Messines, Ypres, Blendecques O.T.S., Vimy, Hill 70, Buissy Switch, Passchendaele, Battle of Amiens, and post-Armistice Belgium and Germany.

External links:
Cpt. Andrews’s service record (Serv/Reg# 14502 and 14506) can be viewed/downloaded in pdf format through Library and Archives Canada.
The first awarding of the Military Cross to Andrews was published in The London Gazette on October 18, 1917 (#30340, p. 10712); his Bar to Military Cross was published February 1, 1919 (#31158, p. 1631).

[Editor’s note: Collection reviewed/updated April, 2023. Jpg files of Andrews’ original typewritten document have been added, as well as one additional photo. Diary transcriptions and content descriptions reviewed and amended. Collection Description updated and expanded.]

Ernest George Gardner was born in Nova Scotia, Canada in 1894 and enlisted at Liverpool, Nova Scotia on March 1, 1916. The collection consists of one letter written in 1917.

Wesley Garrod, MM, was born in Ispswich, England, in November 1891, and sometime prior to the war he immigrated to Brownlee, Saskatchewan. Garrod enlisted in Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan, in January 1916. He served overseas as a corporal with the 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles Battalion and was awarded the Military Medal for bravery. Garrod was killed in September 1918. The collection consists of one letter from Garrod to his brother.