Monday, December 20, 2010

Private Arthur Millard - 27726

According to his attestation papers dated September 22, 1914 at Valcartier, Quebec, Arthur George Millard was born on November 29, 1893 in Aldershot, England.  He listed Mary Jane Millard, New Toronto, Ontario as his next of kin.  He was a fitter and had no previous military experience.  He was 20 years old and stood 5 feet 7 inches tall.  He had brown eyes, dark hair and a dark complexion.  He had two scars on his left arm and neck and a large circular scar over each shin.  He was a member of the Church of England.  

He was a member of the 15th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (Central Ontario Regiment), when he was killed on April 24, 1915.  The CEF burial register records that he was previously reported missing but now reported as being killed in action.  His remains were never found and he is listed on Menin Memorial Gate in Ypres, Belgium.  His brother William also enlisted on the same day and was killed five days later on April 29, 1915.

According to an article from the Toronto Telegram on September 14, 1917 he was the son of W. H. C. Millard, Clerk of the Town of New Toronto.  The War Graves Register lists the family home as 122 Eighth Street, New Toronto.   

 Toronto Daily Star - September 2, 1916

 article courtesy of the Canadian Virtual War Memorial

Interestingly Arthur's birth year is recorded as 1894 in the 1911 Census so he was actually one year younger than he stated on his attestation papers.  His father William H emigrated to Canada from England in 1907 and the rest of the family followed in 1908.  Checking Canadian Passenger Lists I was able to find that William Sr traveled on the "Vancouver" arriving in Halifax, Nova Scotia on April 30, 1907 from Liverpool.  The family traveled on the "Tunisian" arriving in Halifax, Nova Scotia from Liverpool on April 10, 1908. 

1 comment:

  1. Very interesting stuff on the the Millards. I have been doing a lot of work on Peterborough Soldiers and it is interesting to see the lines that were told to recruiting Sergeants.
    One boy, age 16, enlisted three times under different names. Eventually he was sent overseas and killed in action in September 1918.

    http://ptbowwi.blogspot.ca/

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