Ernest MacKay Abbey
Personal History
By the age of 23 when he signed for overseas military service on August 20 1915, Ernest Abbey had already served locally for 4 years in the XIX Regiment. He advanced quickly and held the rank of Sergeant by the time he embarked for England on April 28 1916. (It is interesting to note that Roland Aston, another Port volunteer, was also on that SS Olympic sailing which arrived on May 6.) Abbey was transferred to the 4th CMR at West Sandling on June 6 1916 and 8 days later (14-6-16) he was in France, assigned to the ranks in the field.
When he joined the 4th, they were in a rest area at Steenvoorde after heavy losses on June 2 at the Battle of Mount Sorrel. The Battalion Diary says that with the addition of reserves "and by degrees, the Regiment reformed, trained and drilled back to a fighting force." On June 22 they were visited by General Sir Julian Byng, in what the diary calls the battalion's blackest month. (A week later on the 29th, Roland Aston who had also been transferred to the 4th CMR, joined them in the field. All subsequent events until September 16 would have been experienced by both of these former Port Dalhousie residents. Though tedious in detail the following extract gives a good illustration of the rotation of a battalion; the number of days in the front trenches and the number spent in the rear lines, recovering and training.)
Tactic training, bomb throwing, trench digging and musketry training continued until July 23rd when the 4th was moved forward "in the front line trenches that held such disaster for them in front of Armagh Wood on June 2nd." They were relieved after 5 days and returned to Steenvoorde. They returned to the front on August 16th near the Ypres-Comines canal until the 22nd, then back to Steenvoorde until Sept. 6. The battalion then moved south on an overnight train journey and arrived at the Somme on Sept. 8. The 4th CMR war diary continues the story: "After a day and a half they were moved on and after a circuitous couple of days, arrived by busses at Albert on the 11th, where they moved by platoons to the brick-fields north of the town. Surprisingly they were moved into the front line at Mouquet Farm, Pozieres, the same evening, being bombarded with gas shells as they relieved the 5th Battalion. There for 2 days, the Battalion was relieved by the 5th CMR on the night of the 13/14th. The general attack on Courcelette was launched on the 15th, seeing the new "Tank" make its debut whilst 5 divisions of Calvary waited to seize any opportunities afforded by a breakthrough. The 4th CMR was sent in to help push the advantage at 5 pm as pivot troops for the larger flanking movement. Whilst C Company suffered platoon losses under withering machine gun fire, by 11pm the situation was under control with the 4th CMR in front of the infamous Zollern Redoubt. With 50 German prisoners and two captured machine guns to their credit, to the loss of 34 men and 52 wounded, they were relieved by the Lancashire Fusiliers on the evening of the 16th. ( Sgt. Earnest Abbey would be among the 52 wounded.) They returned to Albert and rested until the 19th, when they were marched to Warloy. On the 20th they were headed back towards the front at Bouzincourt where they spent the following week." (It is also interesting to note that JR Colquhoun, another Port resident, was killed in action in the same battle in which Abbey was wounded. Aston would continue to fight until he too was killed in action on Oct 1 1916.)
Meanwhile Abbey was admitted to a field hospital on Sept 17th, then transferred to #2 Canadian Stationary Hospital at Boulogne sur Mer five days later. He was diagnosed with a chest wound and an X-ray showed a foreign body in his lung.
He lingered in the hospital for another 15 days before dying of wounds on Oct 7 1916.
In tribute of his service he was awarded the Military Medal in the field on Dec 21 1916.
Personal Information
Birth date: Jan 25, 1893
Birthplace: Port Dalhousie, Ont.
Father: W. S. Abbey of Port Dalhousie
Occupation: Electrician
Census of Canada Details: 1901
Military Information
Service Number: 158503
Rank: Pte.
Regiment: 4th Can. Mounted Rifles, 2nd Central Ont. Regiment, 8th Infantry Brigade
Theater of Service: Somme
Date of Death: October 7, 1916
Age: 23
Length of Service: 1 year 6 weeks
Last Battle: Courcelette, Somme
Burial Details: Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Rue de Dringhem, Boulogne, France (Click for Map)
Grave Reference - VIII.D.133
Location: BOULOGNE EASTERN CEMETERY is one of the Town Cemeteries and stands on
high ground on the eastern side of Boulogne, on the road to St. Omer.
OPENING TIMES: This Cemetery is open 7 days a week, all year round.
From 1 October to 15 March: 08.00 - 18.00
From 16 March to 30 September: 08.00 - 19.00
Commemorations: - Military Medal
Commemorated on Page 45 of the First World War Book of Remembrance.
Photos: - Cemetery Photos
- Cenotaph
Articles: - Toronto Star Article - November 15, 1916
By the age of 23 when he signed for overseas military service on August 20 1915, Ernest Abbey had already served locally for 4 years in the XIX Regiment. He advanced quickly and held the rank of Sergeant by the time he embarked for England on April 28 1916. (It is interesting to note that Roland Aston, another Port volunteer, was also on that SS Olympic sailing which arrived on May 6.) Abbey was transferred to the 4th CMR at West Sandling on June 6 1916 and 8 days later (14-6-16) he was in France, assigned to the ranks in the field.
When he joined the 4th, they were in a rest area at Steenvoorde after heavy losses on June 2 at the Battle of Mount Sorrel. The Battalion Diary says that with the addition of reserves "and by degrees, the Regiment reformed, trained and drilled back to a fighting force." On June 22 they were visited by General Sir Julian Byng, in what the diary calls the battalion's blackest month. (A week later on the 29th, Roland Aston who had also been transferred to the 4th CMR, joined them in the field. All subsequent events until September 16 would have been experienced by both of these former Port Dalhousie residents. Though tedious in detail the following extract gives a good illustration of the rotation of a battalion; the number of days in the front trenches and the number spent in the rear lines, recovering and training.)
Tactic training, bomb throwing, trench digging and musketry training continued until July 23rd when the 4th was moved forward "in the front line trenches that held such disaster for them in front of Armagh Wood on June 2nd." They were relieved after 5 days and returned to Steenvoorde. They returned to the front on August 16th near the Ypres-Comines canal until the 22nd, then back to Steenvoorde until Sept. 6. The battalion then moved south on an overnight train journey and arrived at the Somme on Sept. 8. The 4th CMR war diary continues the story: "After a day and a half they were moved on and after a circuitous couple of days, arrived by busses at Albert on the 11th, where they moved by platoons to the brick-fields north of the town. Surprisingly they were moved into the front line at Mouquet Farm, Pozieres, the same evening, being bombarded with gas shells as they relieved the 5th Battalion. There for 2 days, the Battalion was relieved by the 5th CMR on the night of the 13/14th. The general attack on Courcelette was launched on the 15th, seeing the new "Tank" make its debut whilst 5 divisions of Calvary waited to seize any opportunities afforded by a breakthrough. The 4th CMR was sent in to help push the advantage at 5 pm as pivot troops for the larger flanking movement. Whilst C Company suffered platoon losses under withering machine gun fire, by 11pm the situation was under control with the 4th CMR in front of the infamous Zollern Redoubt. With 50 German prisoners and two captured machine guns to their credit, to the loss of 34 men and 52 wounded, they were relieved by the Lancashire Fusiliers on the evening of the 16th. ( Sgt. Earnest Abbey would be among the 52 wounded.) They returned to Albert and rested until the 19th, when they were marched to Warloy. On the 20th they were headed back towards the front at Bouzincourt where they spent the following week." (It is also interesting to note that JR Colquhoun, another Port resident, was killed in action in the same battle in which Abbey was wounded. Aston would continue to fight until he too was killed in action on Oct 1 1916.)
Meanwhile Abbey was admitted to a field hospital on Sept 17th, then transferred to #2 Canadian Stationary Hospital at Boulogne sur Mer five days later. He was diagnosed with a chest wound and an X-ray showed a foreign body in his lung.
He lingered in the hospital for another 15 days before dying of wounds on Oct 7 1916.
In tribute of his service he was awarded the Military Medal in the field on Dec 21 1916.
Personal Information
Birth date: Jan 25, 1893
Birthplace: Port Dalhousie, Ont.
Father: W. S. Abbey of Port Dalhousie
Occupation: Electrician
Census of Canada Details: 1901
Military Information
Service Number: 158503
Rank: Pte.
Regiment: 4th Can. Mounted Rifles, 2nd Central Ont. Regiment, 8th Infantry Brigade
Theater of Service: Somme
Date of Death: October 7, 1916
Age: 23
Length of Service: 1 year 6 weeks
Last Battle: Courcelette, Somme
Burial Details: Boulogne Eastern Cemetery, Rue de Dringhem, Boulogne, France (Click for Map)
Grave Reference - VIII.D.133
Location: BOULOGNE EASTERN CEMETERY is one of the Town Cemeteries and stands on
high ground on the eastern side of Boulogne, on the road to St. Omer.
OPENING TIMES: This Cemetery is open 7 days a week, all year round.
From 1 October to 15 March: 08.00 - 18.00
From 16 March to 30 September: 08.00 - 19.00
Commemorations: - Military Medal
Commemorated on Page 45 of the First World War Book of Remembrance.
Photos: - Cemetery Photos
- Cenotaph
Articles: - Toronto Star Article - November 15, 1916