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July 17, 2013

Case # 17: Harold Western CEF WW1 Dog Tags Found in France

Harold Western CEF WW1 Dog Tags Found in France
Michel, who lives in France, wrote to Olive Tree Genealogy about a WW1 soldier's dog tag he found at Eecke. It is near the France-Belgium border.
With the Number 402989 seen on the ID tag, Michel found the attestation papers for Harold Western. He was in 10th Bn. of the CEF (Canadian Expeditionary Force).





From his attestation papers online on Ancestry.com and Library and Archives Canada, we know that Harold was born 12 June 1893 in Yorkshire England. He was living in Guelph, Wellington County Ontario with his father William Western.

Harold enlisted in March 1915 in Guelph.

Michel would like our help in finding out what happened to Harold and did he have descendants or other family.

Can you help find Harold? Of our previous 16 cases of Lost and Found Soldier's dog tags in both USA and Canada we have solved 12 and all dog tags have gone home to family!

Please take a peek at our four cases that  are still open and hopeful of being solved with soldiers' dog tags sent home.


8 comments:

  1. Do you know if anyone has requested a copy of his WW1 CEF service file yet from LAC? If not, I'm more than willing to do so since I live only a short distance away. It might have addition information concerning his family.

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  2. That's a good idea Ken. It hasn't been done yet!

    I think I found an obit for his son and if so, Harold did marry a woman named Dorothea.

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  3. Lorine, I think it is so heartwarming to see projects such as these that you have taken on. It is, really, a way of helping to reunite people with their personal heritage. Priceless.

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  4. Jacqi - I love how you put it "...helping to reunite people with their personal heritage"

    You expressed it perfectly

    Lorine

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  5. Bruce Gordon7:06 PM

    Lorine,

    I don't think he was originally with the 10th Battalion as their Nominal Roll does not show him and they were raised in Quebec in 1914 and were one of the first Battalions sent over. They had terrific losses during the fighting at St. Julien (first Gas attacks) and were heavily reinforced. 10th Bn. War Diaries might be of some use.

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  6. Found 402989 Cp. H. Western returning to Canada after the war.

    Passenger manifest SAXONIA, arrived Halifax from Southampton 24 August 1919.

    Next of kin-mother
    Place of Residence-Guelph
    Present Unit-10th Bn.
    Original Unit-10th Bn.

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  7. Great find Ken. I think he married a woman named Dorothea as I found them on the Ontario Voter's Lists, still living in Guelph.

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  8. Anonymous2:42 PM

    I used to work with an older gentleman named Harold Western at the University of Guelph. Harold has been deceased for more than 10 years. I have asked a colleague of mine if he has knowledge of any family.

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