Introduction
These are the words of Herb,....explaining the background and details of this project:
"World War I was a cataclysm far more devastating than any recorded natural disaster. Millions lost their lives in what now seems senseless slaughter. Technological advances had superseded a man's ability to defend himself. Machine guns suddenly had the firepower of 60 to 100 rifles. Soldiers on both sides were ordered to charge into the barrage. Their hearts were brave, but there was no armour to protect them. These men from neighbourhoods across the world could never have foreseen the living hell to which they were assigned, nor anticipated the horrors before their eyes. World War I has left a rift valley in history which cannot be overlooked, ignored or forgotten.
Twenty men from the village of Port Dalhousie, Ontario died between 1916 and 1918 in the effort to win and end the war. If I had lived a century ago, they would have been my friends, neighbours and some, my drinking buddies. Their names are honoured on the Port Dalhousie Cenotaph. This memory project is dedicated to them.
As my curiosity about these names turned to research, early findings were just random statistics. It is often said that statistics are dry and impersonal. But then looking at dates, ages and occupations, as well as reviewing their Attestation Papers and seeing their signatures in their own hand, pictures of these men started to transform into a larger canvas of life in a small Ontario town a century ago.
100 years ago all of the men mentioned here were alive. And their lives were divided in two. First, they were citizens of Canada, loyal to the British monarchy, mostly working men, employed by local industry and commerce. Second, they were soldiers, men of their time who rose to the occasion and answered the national call of duty. Had these citizens not become soldiers, they would have faded into the ancestral past. Very little would be known about them. Fewer still would ask. But the Great War of 1914 intervened and they became symbols of the price of freedom."
The primary focus of this research is to create profiles of the men who died in service from 1916 to 1918. This information is compiled under CENOTAPH NAMES. Within this section there are many links to maps, battalion diaries, photographs etc in an attempt to add detail to the picture of each individual.
Some already have enough documentation to tell a story about the individual's experience. Some are still rather blank. These vignettes will be expanded as more facts are found and added to their record. Any historical references to life in the town up to 1918 or mention of any of the 20 names in newspaper articles, almanacs, family records during this period would be of value. Hopefully, as this project develops, it will create a cross-section of life in a typical small town a century ago, and will also generate a profile, a collective experience of life for those who served in the Great War, for those who lives were divided in two. Any references to any of these names would be most welcome. The CONTACT page is included for this purpose.
Thanks to the contribution of Richard Firth of the Mayholme Foundation, we have a complete list of all those who enlisted from the town. A great deal can be extrapolated from this information; for example, the range of occupations, the average age of the men, the numerical trend of enlistments from month to month and year to year, and the national origins of the men. This can be found under the heading of ALL ENLISTMENTS.
Under the PORT DALHOUSIE heading, there are maps showing the layout of the town wedged between Lake Ontario and the Welland Canal and photos of the town and canal from the time period.
THE CENOTAPH section has a brief history of the monument (contributed by Bill Stevens), a program from the unveiling ceremony and photos showing the names of the fallen.
The following sites are where the vast majority of the information has been gathered. Included are the names of the organizations, as well as a link, should you want to do some investigating yourself:
PUBLICATIONS SOURCED
- CANADIAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE 1914-1918 Nicholson, Col. Gerald WL
- SHOESTRING SOLDIERS 1st Canadian Division at War 1914-1915 Iarocci, Andrew, University of Toronto
- "Port Dalhousie Cenotaph," February 2006, Bill Stevens
RELEVANT SUMMARIES
These are the birthplaces of the 20 men whose names are on the cenotaph
Port Dalhousie 6
St Catharines 2
Toronto 1
Edinburgh 6
Glasgow 1
Hastings Eng. 1
Shetland Is. 1
Birmingham 1
The Summaries below, provide a bit of a picture as to the what and who the small town of Port Dalhousie lost as a result of these men heading off to war, and never returning. One might have thought that all would be young in age,....but the average age shows something different. As well, besides some fairly young men,....there were also some older men who likely would have been established in the community. So, Port lost a lot of it's youth, who would be just starting off in careers, as well as men who were likely an integral part of a very vibrant community. The question of course is, what was life like after these men were gone,.....and how did the community cope without them?
Age Range: 20 to 37
Average Age: 25
The list and range of occupations listed below, shows that although the town of Port Dalhousie was a well established lake port community on the Welland Canal,....it was also a vibrant industrial town as well,....and one not solely reliant on shipping and agriculture!
Occupations:
CONTRIBUTORS
• Herb Davies
• Pat Brand
• Rowan Davies
• Bill Stevens
• Valerie Colquhoun
• Richard Firth
• Al Lloyd - Webmaster, 21st Battalion. ca
"World War I was a cataclysm far more devastating than any recorded natural disaster. Millions lost their lives in what now seems senseless slaughter. Technological advances had superseded a man's ability to defend himself. Machine guns suddenly had the firepower of 60 to 100 rifles. Soldiers on both sides were ordered to charge into the barrage. Their hearts were brave, but there was no armour to protect them. These men from neighbourhoods across the world could never have foreseen the living hell to which they were assigned, nor anticipated the horrors before their eyes. World War I has left a rift valley in history which cannot be overlooked, ignored or forgotten.
Twenty men from the village of Port Dalhousie, Ontario died between 1916 and 1918 in the effort to win and end the war. If I had lived a century ago, they would have been my friends, neighbours and some, my drinking buddies. Their names are honoured on the Port Dalhousie Cenotaph. This memory project is dedicated to them.
As my curiosity about these names turned to research, early findings were just random statistics. It is often said that statistics are dry and impersonal. But then looking at dates, ages and occupations, as well as reviewing their Attestation Papers and seeing their signatures in their own hand, pictures of these men started to transform into a larger canvas of life in a small Ontario town a century ago.
100 years ago all of the men mentioned here were alive. And their lives were divided in two. First, they were citizens of Canada, loyal to the British monarchy, mostly working men, employed by local industry and commerce. Second, they were soldiers, men of their time who rose to the occasion and answered the national call of duty. Had these citizens not become soldiers, they would have faded into the ancestral past. Very little would be known about them. Fewer still would ask. But the Great War of 1914 intervened and they became symbols of the price of freedom."
The primary focus of this research is to create profiles of the men who died in service from 1916 to 1918. This information is compiled under CENOTAPH NAMES. Within this section there are many links to maps, battalion diaries, photographs etc in an attempt to add detail to the picture of each individual.
Some already have enough documentation to tell a story about the individual's experience. Some are still rather blank. These vignettes will be expanded as more facts are found and added to their record. Any historical references to life in the town up to 1918 or mention of any of the 20 names in newspaper articles, almanacs, family records during this period would be of value. Hopefully, as this project develops, it will create a cross-section of life in a typical small town a century ago, and will also generate a profile, a collective experience of life for those who served in the Great War, for those who lives were divided in two. Any references to any of these names would be most welcome. The CONTACT page is included for this purpose.
Thanks to the contribution of Richard Firth of the Mayholme Foundation, we have a complete list of all those who enlisted from the town. A great deal can be extrapolated from this information; for example, the range of occupations, the average age of the men, the numerical trend of enlistments from month to month and year to year, and the national origins of the men. This can be found under the heading of ALL ENLISTMENTS.
Under the PORT DALHOUSIE heading, there are maps showing the layout of the town wedged between Lake Ontario and the Welland Canal and photos of the town and canal from the time period.
THE CENOTAPH section has a brief history of the monument (contributed by Bill Stevens), a program from the unveiling ceremony and photos showing the names of the fallen.
The following sites are where the vast majority of the information has been gathered. Included are the names of the organizations, as well as a link, should you want to do some investigating yourself:
PUBLICATIONS SOURCED
- CANADIAN EXPEDITIONARY FORCE 1914-1918 Nicholson, Col. Gerald WL
- SHOESTRING SOLDIERS 1st Canadian Division at War 1914-1915 Iarocci, Andrew, University of Toronto
- "Port Dalhousie Cenotaph," February 2006, Bill Stevens
RELEVANT SUMMARIES
These are the birthplaces of the 20 men whose names are on the cenotaph
Port Dalhousie 6
St Catharines 2
Toronto 1
Edinburgh 6
Glasgow 1
Hastings Eng. 1
Shetland Is. 1
Birmingham 1
The Summaries below, provide a bit of a picture as to the what and who the small town of Port Dalhousie lost as a result of these men heading off to war, and never returning. One might have thought that all would be young in age,....but the average age shows something different. As well, besides some fairly young men,....there were also some older men who likely would have been established in the community. So, Port lost a lot of it's youth, who would be just starting off in careers, as well as men who were likely an integral part of a very vibrant community. The question of course is, what was life like after these men were gone,.....and how did the community cope without them?
Age Range: 20 to 37
Average Age: 25
The list and range of occupations listed below, shows that although the town of Port Dalhousie was a well established lake port community on the Welland Canal,....it was also a vibrant industrial town as well,....and one not solely reliant on shipping and agriculture!
Occupations:
- Rubber Workers 3
- Labourers 4
- Sailors 2
- Farmers/Fruit Grower 3
- Shoe Maker 2
- Plumber (Water Works) 1
- Locomotive Fireman 1
- Electrician 1
- Lineman 1
- Bookkeeper 1
CONTRIBUTORS
• Herb Davies
• Pat Brand
• Rowan Davies
• Bill Stevens
• Valerie Colquhoun
• Richard Firth
• Al Lloyd - Webmaster, 21st Battalion. ca