WW1 CEF Soldier Letters Found Under Porch

CEF Attestation Paper
Leslie George Currell

24 year old CEF soldier Leslie George Currell wrote to his sister Gertrude just before Christmas 1917. He was a soldier on the front lines in France at the time. The letter was found under the front porch of the Currell home with other letters and a money order from Leslie during the same time period.

Larry McLean, owner of the home on 76 Bertmount Ave. where the family lived, wants to return the letters to descendants.  Read the full story including the letters at The Last Post: Leslieville Man Finds WW1 Letters Under Porch

I did some research online and found the burial of Leslie (1893-1954) on FindaGrave. The memorial to him includes a photo of him in his CEF Uniform and details about his son George and daughter Marguerite.

Marguerite was born in 1936 and died in 2004 while George was born in 1938. His grave is not found so it is possible he is still living. Leslie George is buried in Resthaven Cemetery in Scarborough.

Leslie George's brother William Lawrence Currell is also buried in Resthaven.

Leslie is found as George in the 1901, 1911 and 1921 census on Ancestry.com . In 1901 and 1911 the family is in Goderich which is where Leslie was born. 1921 records the family at 80 Bertmount Avenue in Toronto.

The family appears to consist of father George Leslie Currell born ca 1860 in Ontario, mother Margaret (nee McBride as per her marriage registration in 1884) and children Letitia Gertrude (Gertrude) born ca 1884, Elisabeth A. born ca 1889, George Leslie (our CEF soldier) born 1893, Mary M. born ca 1895, and William Lawrence born ca 1902.

The newspaper article mentions another letter to mother Margaret signed "Blanche" and sent from Saltford Ontario which was found under the porch. A search online revealed a Family Tree submitted to Ancestry.com with a photo of the Currell family in Saltfort, including mother Blanche Currell. I have no doubt this is the author of the letter.  Blanche was married to Edward Currell who was soldier Leslie Currell's uncle.

I am sure that contacting the submitters on Ancestry and on FindAGrave would yield descendants who would be interested in the letters.