He was born in Sacred Heart, Minnesota and immigrated at age 18 to Saskatchewan in 1905 to claim a homestead. He was one of about 750K Americans who went north after Alberta and Saskatchewan became provinces. The Canadian government offered land (160 Acres) for $10. When the US entered the war in 1917 many of them were eager to go and serve. The Canadian Army said sign up with us and we will get you there quicker. There would be about 36K Americans who would serve in the Canadian Army in WW1. Four of them would earn the Victoria Cross.
He signed up in Jan 1916 with the 214th Bn known as the Wadena Wildcats. The 214th was a Canadian Expeditionary Force unit based in Wadena which began recruiting in early 1916 in the districts of Mackenzie and Humboldt. After sailing to England in April, 1917, the battalion was absorbed into the 15th Reserve Battalion April 16, 1917 the unit embarked in Halifax on the SS Grampian. The SS Grampian was part of the Allan Line of Royal Mail Steamers, first launched in 1907, taken over by the Canadian Pacific Line in 1917, gutted by fire during a retrofit in 1921 and ultimately scrapped in 1925.
April 29, 1917 - Arrived and disembarked at Liverpool, England. 10 May, 1917 the 214th became part of the 15th Reserve Battalion at Bramshott and Army camp set up in Bramshott Common, Hampshire, England. While there he was a member of a Tug-a-War team that would be awarded a sports badge by Queen Mary of England. The badge can be seen worn of a chain on his left breast pocket.
On 28 February 1918 the unit was transferred to France for service with the 5th Canadian Battalion. The 5th Western Canadian Cavalry known as the "Red Saskatchewan's" as so many enlisted from there. The hat badge had a red cloth behind it hence the red in the name. The unit was authorized on 10 August 1914 and embarked for England on 29 Sept 1915. It entered the theatre of operations in France on 14 Feb 1915 where it fought as part of the 2nd Brigade, 1st Canadian Division. The unit fought in France and Flanders until the end of the war. They fought at Vimy Ridge where they would capture the highest point on the ridge known on the battle maps as the "Pimple". On 1 March 1918 his unit arrived at the Canadian Base Depot in France. Two days later they entered the front lines where he would serve until 2 Sept 1918 when he was shot in the leg in a battle known as the 100 days as it started on 8 August and lasted until the Armistice on 11 Nov. The day he was wounded is significant in Canadian military history as there would be 7 Canadians awarded the Victoria Cross that day.
He would lie on the battle field much of the day until he was picked up by stretcher bears and taken to a hospital in England. He would remain in the hospital until released in the early morning of 11 Nov. He was walking the street when the news flashed that the war was over. He was released to the 5th Battalion Reformed Unit and on 10 April 1919 embarked on RMS Carmania sailing for Canada. On 18 April 1919 the ship arrived in Canada and he was released from Service. He proceeded home to Minnesota to visit his family. The first photo was taken after the war when he went home to Minnesota to see his sisters and brother. He and a friend who is in a US Army uniform went to a photo shop and had the photo done. Of interest on his uniform is the hash mark for the first two years of service and right below it the metal bar known as the wound bar.
He would return to Saskatchewan to his homestead where he would marry Margret Nelson who was 19 years his junior. He was very active in the community working not only as a farmer but as an auctioneer and was said to ride on horseback for 40 miles to be a caller at square dances which paid the princely sum of $5! The marriage would be blessed by 6 children - Alida, Luzella, Evangeline, Leo, Margret and Milo.
He signed up in Jan 1916 with the 214th Bn known as the Wadena Wildcats. The 214th was a Canadian Expeditionary Force unit based in Wadena which began recruiting in early 1916 in the districts of Mackenzie and Humboldt. After sailing to England in April, 1917, the battalion was absorbed into the 15th Reserve Battalion April 16, 1917 the unit embarked in Halifax on the SS Grampian. The SS Grampian was part of the Allan Line of Royal Mail Steamers, first launched in 1907, taken over by the Canadian Pacific Line in 1917, gutted by fire during a retrofit in 1921 and ultimately scrapped in 1925.
April 29, 1917 - Arrived and disembarked at Liverpool, England. 10 May, 1917 the 214th became part of the 15th Reserve Battalion at Bramshott and Army camp set up in Bramshott Common, Hampshire, England. While there he was a member of a Tug-a-War team that would be awarded a sports badge by Queen Mary of England. The badge can be seen worn of a chain on his left breast pocket.
On 28 February 1918 the unit was transferred to France for service with the 5th Canadian Battalion. The 5th Western Canadian Cavalry known as the "Red Saskatchewan's" as so many enlisted from there. The hat badge had a red cloth behind it hence the red in the name. The unit was authorized on 10 August 1914 and embarked for England on 29 Sept 1915. It entered the theatre of operations in France on 14 Feb 1915 where it fought as part of the 2nd Brigade, 1st Canadian Division. The unit fought in France and Flanders until the end of the war. They fought at Vimy Ridge where they would capture the highest point on the ridge known on the battle maps as the "Pimple". On 1 March 1918 his unit arrived at the Canadian Base Depot in France. Two days later they entered the front lines where he would serve until 2 Sept 1918 when he was shot in the leg in a battle known as the 100 days as it started on 8 August and lasted until the Armistice on 11 Nov. The day he was wounded is significant in Canadian military history as there would be 7 Canadians awarded the Victoria Cross that day.
He would lie on the battle field much of the day until he was picked up by stretcher bears and taken to a hospital in England. He would remain in the hospital until released in the early morning of 11 Nov. He was walking the street when the news flashed that the war was over. He was released to the 5th Battalion Reformed Unit and on 10 April 1919 embarked on RMS Carmania sailing for Canada. On 18 April 1919 the ship arrived in Canada and he was released from Service. He proceeded home to Minnesota to visit his family. The first photo was taken after the war when he went home to Minnesota to see his sisters and brother. He and a friend who is in a US Army uniform went to a photo shop and had the photo done. Of interest on his uniform is the hash mark for the first two years of service and right below it the metal bar known as the wound bar.
He would return to Saskatchewan to his homestead where he would marry Margret Nelson who was 19 years his junior. He was very active in the community working not only as a farmer but as an auctioneer and was said to ride on horseback for 40 miles to be a caller at square dances which paid the princely sum of $5! The marriage would be blessed by 6 children - Alida, Luzella, Evangeline, Leo, Margret and Milo.
He was born in Sacred Heart, Minnesota and immigrated at age 18 to Saskatchewan in 1905 to claim a homestead. He was one of about 750K Americans who went north after Alberta and Saskatchewan became provinces. The Canadian government offered land (160 Acres) for $10. When the US entered the war in 1917 many of them were eager to go and serve. The Canadian Army said sign up with us and we will get you there quicker. There would be about 36K Americans who would serve in the Canadian Army in WW1. Four of them would earn the Victoria Cross.
He signed up in Jan 1916 with the 214th Bn known as the Wadena Wildcats. The 214th was a Canadian Expeditionary Force unit based in Wadena which began recruiting in early 1916 in the districts of Mackenzie and Humboldt. After sailing to England in April, 1917, the battalion was absorbed into the 15th Reserve Battalion April 16, 1917 the unit embarked in Halifax on the SS Grampian. The SS Grampian was part of the Allan Line of Royal Mail Steamers, first launched in 1907, taken over by the Canadian Pacific Line in 1917, gutted by fire during a retrofit in 1921 and ultimately scrapped in 1925.
April 29, 1917 - Arrived and disembarked at Liverpool, England. 10 May, 1917 the 214th became part of the 15th Reserve Battalion at Bramshott and Army camp set up in Bramshott Common, Hampshire, England. While there he was a member of a Tug-a-War team that would be awarded a sports badge by Queen Mary of England. The badge can be seen worn of a chain on his left breast pocket.
On 28 February 1918 the unit was transferred to France for service with the 5th Canadian Battalion. The 5th Western Canadian Cavalry known as the "Red Saskatchewan's" as so many enlisted from there. The hat badge had a red cloth behind it hence the red in the name. The unit was authorized on 10 August 1914 and embarked for England on 29 Sept 1915. It entered the theatre of operations in France on 14 Feb 1915 where it fought as part of the 2nd Brigade, 1st Canadian Division. The unit fought in France and Flanders until the end of the war. They fought at Vimy Ridge where they would capture the highest point on the ridge known on the battle maps as the "Pimple". On 1 March 1918 his unit arrived at the Canadian Base Depot in France. Two days later they entered the front lines where he would serve until 2 Sept 1918 when he was shot in the leg in a battle known as the 100 days as it started on 8 August and lasted until the Armistice on 11 Nov. The day he was wounded is significant in Canadian military history as there would be 7 Canadians awarded the Victoria Cross that day.
He would lie on the battle field much of the day until he was picked up by stretcher bears and taken to a hospital in England. He would remain in the hospital until released in the early morning of 11 Nov. He was walking the street when the news flashed that the war was over. He was released to the 5th Battalion Reformed Unit and on 10 April 1919 embarked on RMS Carmania sailing for Canada. On 18 April 1919 the ship arrived in Canada and he was released from Service. He proceeded home to Minnesota to visit his family. The first photo was taken after the war when he went home to Minnesota to see his sisters and brother. He and a friend who is in a US Army uniform went to a photo shop and had the photo done. Of interest on his uniform is the hash mark for the first two years of service and right below it the metal bar known as the wound bar.
He would return to Saskatchewan to his homestead where he would marry Margret Nelson who was 19 years his junior. He was very active in the community working not only as a farmer but as an auctioneer and was said to ride on horseback for 40 miles to be a caller at square dances which paid the princely sum of $5! The marriage would be blessed by 6 children - Alida, Luzella, Evangeline, Leo, Margret and Milo.
He signed up in Jan 1916 with the 214th Bn known as the Wadena Wildcats. The 214th was a Canadian Expeditionary Force unit based in Wadena which began recruiting in early 1916 in the districts of Mackenzie and Humboldt. After sailing to England in April, 1917, the battalion was absorbed into the 15th Reserve Battalion April 16, 1917 the unit embarked in Halifax on the SS Grampian. The SS Grampian was part of the Allan Line of Royal Mail Steamers, first launched in 1907, taken over by the Canadian Pacific Line in 1917, gutted by fire during a retrofit in 1921 and ultimately scrapped in 1925.
April 29, 1917 - Arrived and disembarked at Liverpool, England. 10 May, 1917 the 214th became part of the 15th Reserve Battalion at Bramshott and Army camp set up in Bramshott Common, Hampshire, England. While there he was a member of a Tug-a-War team that would be awarded a sports badge by Queen Mary of England. The badge can be seen worn of a chain on his left breast pocket.
On 28 February 1918 the unit was transferred to France for service with the 5th Canadian Battalion. The 5th Western Canadian Cavalry known as the "Red Saskatchewan's" as so many enlisted from there. The hat badge had a red cloth behind it hence the red in the name. The unit was authorized on 10 August 1914 and embarked for England on 29 Sept 1915. It entered the theatre of operations in France on 14 Feb 1915 where it fought as part of the 2nd Brigade, 1st Canadian Division. The unit fought in France and Flanders until the end of the war. They fought at Vimy Ridge where they would capture the highest point on the ridge known on the battle maps as the "Pimple". On 1 March 1918 his unit arrived at the Canadian Base Depot in France. Two days later they entered the front lines where he would serve until 2 Sept 1918 when he was shot in the leg in a battle known as the 100 days as it started on 8 August and lasted until the Armistice on 11 Nov. The day he was wounded is significant in Canadian military history as there would be 7 Canadians awarded the Victoria Cross that day.
He would lie on the battle field much of the day until he was picked up by stretcher bears and taken to a hospital in England. He would remain in the hospital until released in the early morning of 11 Nov. He was walking the street when the news flashed that the war was over. He was released to the 5th Battalion Reformed Unit and on 10 April 1919 embarked on RMS Carmania sailing for Canada. On 18 April 1919 the ship arrived in Canada and he was released from Service. He proceeded home to Minnesota to visit his family. The first photo was taken after the war when he went home to Minnesota to see his sisters and brother. He and a friend who is in a US Army uniform went to a photo shop and had the photo done. Of interest on his uniform is the hash mark for the first two years of service and right below it the metal bar known as the wound bar.
He would return to Saskatchewan to his homestead where he would marry Margret Nelson who was 19 years his junior. He was very active in the community working not only as a farmer but as an auctioneer and was said to ride on horseback for 40 miles to be a caller at square dances which paid the princely sum of $5! The marriage would be blessed by 6 children - Alida, Luzella, Evangeline, Leo, Margret and Milo.
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