Bermudians in the Canadian Expeditionary Force


Many British nationals from the United Kingdom or colonies who were resident in Canada during the First World War joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force, which was deployed to the Western Front. A sizeable percentage of Bermuda's volunteers who served in the war joined the CEF or the Royal Canadian Navy, either because they were resident in Canada already, or because Canada was the easiest other part of the British Empire and Commonwealth to reach from Bermuda. As several CEF battalions were posted to the Bermuda Garrison before proceeding to France, islanders were also able to enlist there. Although the Bermuda Militia Artillery and Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps both sent contingents to the Western Front, the first would not arrive there until June 1915. By then, many Bermudians had already been serving on the Western Front in the CEF for months. No further contingents were sent to France by the BVRC after 1916, however forty-seven BVRC NCOs and Riflemen were permitted to re-enlist in Canada during the course of the war. Although some enlisted in British Army organs in Canada, including the Royal Flying Corps, most joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force. Bermudians in the CEF enlisted under the same terms as Canadians.
Bermudians contributed to the Canadian war effort in other ways, including by sending their Canadian and Newfoundland-born children into the ranks of the CEF. Although a civilian, Bermudian-born Sir Joseph Outerbridge was the commanding officer of the Church Lads' Brigade from 1890 to 1894, and during the First World War was the vice president of the Patriotic Association of Newfoundland, which raised and maintained the Newfoundland Regiment. His sons included United States-born Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Leonard Cecil Outerbridge, MBE, DSO, who had been commissioned into the 10th Regiment, Royal Grenadiers, in 1912, and joined the CEF in 1915. He served with the 35th and 75th Battalions, and on the staffs of the first Canadian Infantry Brigade and the Fourth Canadian Division. He was twice mentioned-in-despatches and was awarded the Distinguished Service Order. He became the Honorary Colonel of the Newfoundland Regiment in 1949, and was the Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland from 1949 to 1957. Lieutenant Norman Outerbridge of the 1st Battalion, The Newfoundland Regiment, was killed at Monchy-le-Preux on 14 April 1917. Another son, Captain Herbert A. Outerbridge, MBE, also served on the Western Front in the 1st Battalion, Newfoundland Regiment.
The following list, which is undoubtedly incomplete, only includes those who joined Canadian military units during the war, not those who served in the RCN, or those who joined British Army units, such as the Royal Flying Corps, in Canada without passing through nominally Canadian military units first.
NAMERANKUNITCOMMENT
Adams, Karl LesliePrivate38th Battalion, CEFThe battalion was sent from Montreal to Bermuda to replace the British Army battalion on garrison duty, arriving on 12 August 1915 with 35 officers and 959 other ranks. It departed Bermuda on 30 May 1916, arriving in England on 9 June 1916, with 35 officers and 1001 other ranks. Canadian Great War Project records Adams as having joined 163rd Battalion in Bermuda.
Anderson, Charles AdolphusPrivate10th Reserve Battalion, CEF
Astwood, Harold FrithPrivate1st Field Ambulance, Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps.Enlisted on 3 April 1916, at Winnipeg, Manitoba.
Astwood, James CliftonPrivate1st Depot Battalion, Manitoba Regiment.Enlisted on 27 November 1917, at Winnipeg, Manitoba. Brother of Harold Frith Astwood.
Astwood, Merven StuartPrivate1st Depot Battalion, Manitoba RegimentEnlisted 3 January 1918, at Port Arthur, Ontario. Brother of Harold Frith Astwood and James Clifton Astwood.
Baker, KennethCEFEnlisted August 1914.
Barritt, Frank LeslieCorporalThe Fort Garry Horse, CEFEnlisted in 1914. Wounded in the hip and taken Prisoner-of-War, 21 January 1917. Returned to England on 4 December 1919. Returned to Bermuda on 8 April 1919, aboard the SS Chaleur from Halifax, NS. Canadian Great War Project lists as having served in the Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps before enlisting as a Trooper in 6th Regiment, Canadian Mounted Rifles, and his final unit as the 2nd Field Company, Canadian Engineers. Wounded in action on 10 May 1916.
Basham, Frederick Charles Tucker28th Field Company, Royal Canadian EngineersCommissioned. Awarded Military Cross
Brown, Ewart CudemoreMcGill University Overseas ContingentEnlisted together with Edward Tucker, August 1914. Both had worked for Bank of Montreal at St. John's, N.B. Appointed Lance-Corporal by April 1915.
Brown, FrankPrivate42nd Battalion, CEFEnlisted on 5 January 1916, in Halifax, NS. Died in Belgium on 3 August 1916.
Burgess, Alfred HamiltonPrivate198th Battalion, CEF
Burrows, Stuart AlexanderSergeantComposite Battalion, CEF.Enlisted in Halifax, NS, in 1915. Promoted to Sergeant in 112th Battalion. Posted to Bramshott Camp in England as an instructor. Gave up his rank in 1917 to transfer to the Royal Canadian Regiment in France. Severely wounded near Lens. Hospitalised for several months before declared unfit for active service and returned to Canada. Returned to Bermuda aboard the SS Chaleur from Halifax, NS, on 8 April 1919. Rank noted in the Royal Gazette of 10 April 1919, as Sergeant.
Burrows, John FrancisPrivate69th Battery, Canadian Field ArtilleryServed previously in the Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps. As no further contingents were planned to be sent abroad by the BVRC or BMA, travelled to Canada to enlist with W.E. Cooper, E.W. Doe, B.A. ??, H.E. Kemp, and S.S. Toddings. Provided a letter of introduction by Governor and Commander-in-Chief of Bermuda, Major-General Sir George Mackworth Bullock, they enlisted into the 69th Battery at Toronto on 31 March 1917. Killed 1918. Canadian Great War Project shows that subsequently to the CFA, he served in 1st Machine Gun Company, Canadian Machine Gun Corps.
Butterfield, Charles Nathaniel ArthurUniversity of Toronto Overseas ContingentEnlisted on 24 August 1918, in Toronto, Ontario. Attached 1st Tank Battalion. Had previously served for eleven months as a Private in the T.M.C., and for seven months as a Rfileman in the Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps.
Butterfield, Harry DurhamCorporalCanadian Garrison Artillery Commissioned September 1918, into 2nd Canadian Division Signals Company, Royal Canadian Engineers. Meritorious Service Medal. Officer Commanding the Bermuda Volunteer Engineers, 1931-1932. Knighted.
Conyers, CharlesSergeant62nd Battery, Canadian Field ArtilleryEnlisted in Victoria, British Columbia on 18 April 1916. Had previously served in 5th Regiment, Canadian Garrison Artillery.
Cooper, Clarence JohnCaptainCanadian Army Permanent Veterinary CorpsPromoted Captain, 23 September 1918
Cooper, Wilfred EugeneGunner69th Battery, Canadian Field ArtillerySee comment for John Burrows. Service #340206. Served as an officer in the BVRC into the Second World War with the rank of Captain.
Crisson, John EthelbertGunner69th Battery, Canadian Field ArtilleryPreviously served in the Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps. Left Halifax on SS Megantic, 24 November 1917. Arrived in Liverpool, 6 December 1917. Motorcycle despatch rider in France. Returned to Canada 16 March 1919. Discharged on 31 March 1919. Founded Crissons jewelry firm in Bermuda in 1921 with his brother, Herbert S. Crisson.
Curtis, Harry CroyleOfficer CadetUniversity of Toronto Officers Training CorpsTransferred to Royal Navy. Commissioned.
Denham, Frederick William ClarkeGunner69th Battery, Canadian Field ArtilleryTransferred to Trench Mortar Battery.
Dickins, Eldon CharlesGunner69th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery
Dickinson, Percival ErlePrivateCanadian Army Medical CorpsDied in Halifax, NS, October 1918, a few weeks after enlisting. Detailed to nurse 1918 influenza patients, he caught, and died of, the disease himself.
Doe, Evelyn WaltonCorporal119th Battalion, CEF, Royal Canadian Horse ArtillerySee comment for John Burrows. Previously served six months in the BVRC with the rank of Rifleman. Served as a Gunner in the 69th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery. Awarded Belgian Croix de Guerre.
Doe, Joseph EldonPrivateCanadian Cycle Corps.Canadian Corps Cyclists Company
Doers, Ivan Wesleyan McCall BenjaminPrivate163rd Battalion, CEF.Enlisted on 18 July 1916, at Prospect Camp, Bermuda. Next-of-kin was mother Mrs. Arthur Doers, of Mount Hill, Hamilton, Bermuda. Prior military experience.
Down, Albert EdwardPrivate28th Battalion, CEF, North-West Canadian RegimentAwarded Military Medal, November 1916. Promoted to Sergeant 1 December 1917. Specially mentioned 1 February 1918. Gazetted Second-Lieutenant, July 1918.
Down, GeorgePrivate67th Battalion
Dunscombe, Howard StanleyGunnerCanadian Garrison Artillery
Dunstan, NormanPrivate2nd Battalion, Cyclist Corps, CEF
Fraser, Lavinia FloraNursing SisterCanadian Army Medical Corps
Fraser, Lewis HoyesCaptainRoyal Canadian Army Medical CorpsHad a practice in Peru before joining the CEF. Received the Military Cross in 1918 for going back under fire to rescue the wounded Major Alexander McPherson, who commanded the unit to which he was attached.
Frith, Frederick HarveyPrivate31st BattalionLater served in 137th Battalion. Died 17 September 1916. Son of Frederick Hervey Frith and Catherine Adams Frith. Next-of-kin: mother Mrs. Catherine Adams Frith, 736 - 1 Avenue N.W., Calgary, Alberta.
Galway, Mark VossmerPrivate7th BattalionPrevious service: Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps. Enlisted 24 April 1916, in Vancouver, British Columbia. Served in 121st Battalion, 7th Battalion, and 1st Reserve Battalion. Wounded in action.
Gorham, CliveSergeant82nd BattalionFrom Pembroke, Bermuda. Enlisted at Halifax, Nova Scotia, summer 1915. Posted to Wellington Barracks, Halifax. Promoted to Corporal, then Sergeant. Died 1 December, 1915, attempting to rescue Private Truen, killed by electrocution when stepping on a downed power line on the corner of Church Street and Morris Street, in Halifax. Gorham was also electrocuted.
Gray, Edmund BrownlowPrivateCanadian Expeditionary ForceWounded, 4 October 1918.
Gunn, Archibald DonaldPrivate112th Battalion, CEFEnlisted 19 January 1916, in Halifax, NS. 112th Battalion, CEF, proceeded to Britain on 23 July 1916, but not to the Western Front. It instead provided replacements to other battalions in France until absorbed by the 26th Reserve Battalion, CEF, on 7 January 1917. Canadian Great War Project lists Gunn serving in the 112th and the 25th Battalion, CEF. Killed in action 29 April 1917.
Harvey, EldonOfficer CadetOTC, TorontoCompleted O.T.C., Toronto, Canada, and resigned on 8 July 1918. Discharged from CEF. Training for commission in Royal Garrison Artillery in UK, September 1918.
Harvey, RaymondOfficer CadetOTC, TorontoDetails same as for brother, above.
Higinbothom, Henry C.Private1st Depot Battalion, 1st Central Ontario RegimentPreviously a Second-Lieutenant in the Bermuda Militia Artillery. Employed in Toronto by Bank of Montreal. Offered commission into CEF in 1915. Conscripted 1 January 1918. Wounded September 1918.
Huestis, Harold WaldoPrivate46th Battalion
Jackson, CyrilCanadian Expeditionary ForceEnlisted August 1914
Jackson, Lionel ArnotPrivate187th Battalion, CEFWounded and discharged as medically unfit.
Johnston, Harold CliffordPrivate163rd Battalion, CEF
Kemp, Howard EvelynGunner69th Battery, Canadian Field ArtillerySee comment for John Burrows. Previously served six years in the BVRC.
Motyer, ArthurCanadian Field Artillery1905 Bermuda Rhodes Scholar. Enlisted August 1914. Killed in action 15 September 1916.
Moss, John Wingfield10th Siege Battery, Canadian Garrison ArtilleryPreviously served two years in the Bermuda Cadet Corps. Born in St. George's, Bermuda. Enlisted in Halifax, Nova Scotia, in 1917. Not listed on Canadian Great war Project, but attestation form exists and shows he enlisted into the 10th Siege Battery. The Royal Gazette reported that he had returned to Bermuda on 8 April, along with four other soldiers, aboard the SS Chaleur from Halifax, NS. It reported that he had enlisted in, and spent his service in, the 38th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, serving on the Western Front from 1917 to the Armistice.
Motyer, ArthurCanadian Field Artillery1905 Bermuda Rhodes Scholar. Enlisted August 1914. Killed in action 15 September 1916.
Motyer, EphraimCanadian Field ArtilleryCommissioned from the ranks.
Ratteray, William AlpheusPrivate10th Reserve Battalion, CEF
Robinson, Charles BryanCaptain 1st Canadian Contingent, Salvation Army BattalionFrom Spanish Point, in Pembroke Parish, Bermuda. Appointed in April 1915, as a chaplain from the Salvation Army to 20th Battalion, CEF. Resigned as chaplain on 16 November 1916. Enlisted into CEF. Musketry instructor in Canada. Commissioned. Proceeded to France with the 7th Battalion, CEF. Lieutenant, 17 February 1918. Awarded Military Cross, for gallantry at Flanders. Killed in action, 2 September 1918.
Robinson, Wilfred RylandPrivateRoyal Canadian Army Medical Corps#528485
Simpson, George Wilmot RaeLieutenant. Wounded 22 May 1915Canadian Expeditionary ForceEnlisted August 1914.
Smith, Charles KennellyStaff-Sergeant78th Battalion, Canadian Infantry Enlisted at Valcartier, Québec, on 23 September 1914. The first Bermudian to be awarded the Military Medal for gallantry under fire. Killed in action in France on 22 August 1917.
Smith, Wilfred SeymourPrivateQueen's Own Rifles of CanadaEnlisted August 1914. Went to France as a Machine Gunner in 3rd Canadian Battalion, CEF. Discharged in UK and commissioned into British Army, December 1914.
Toddings, Samuel Steward69th Battery, Canadian Field ArtillerySee comment for John Burrows. Training for commission in Sussex, England, September 1918.
Tucker, Edmund Richard HarveySergeant1st Heavy Battery, Canadian Field ArtilleryServed for five years previously in the Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps, and for three years in the Canadian Garrison Artillery. Enlisted on 24 September 1914, in Valcartier, Quebec. Left Canada aboard SS Megantic on 30 September 1914. Arrived in Devonport in October. Proceeded to Salisbury Plain, then to France 1914. Promoted to Sergeant before January 1916.
Tucker, EdwardCanadian Expeditionary ForceEnlisted together with Ewart Ewart Cudemore Brown, August 1914. Both had worked for Bank of Montreal at St. John's, N.B.
Tucker, Alexander EwingPrivate2nd Universities Company, Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry.McGill University. Enlisted 20 May 1915. Killed in action at Sanctuary Wood, serving in Eastern Ontario Regiment, 2 June 1916.
Vallis, Alfred HoarePrivate116th Battalion, CEFFrom Prospect, in Devonshire Parish, Bermuda. Worked for tailor George Smellie before the war. Killed in action, 27 August 1918.
Wainwright, James MorrisCorporal11th Battalion, Canadian Garrison Regiment
Wainwright, John DarrellGunner69th Battery, Canadian Field ArtilleryPreviously served for two-and-a-half years in the BVRC, appointed Lance-Corporal, then for eight months as a Private in the 57th Regiment, Peterborough Rangers.
Walker, Herman Walter6th Regiment, Duke of Connaught's Own Rifles. 2 CEFCommissioned Second-Lieutenant and transferred to Royal Welch Fusiliers, September 1915. Promoted to Captain. On his return to Bermuda aboard the SS Chaleur from Halifax, NS, on 8 April 1919, the Royal Gazette reported that he had originally attested into the 29th Battalion,, CEF.
Wallace, Charles RyanPrivate47th Battalion
Ward, Stephen RemsonPrivate29th Battalion
Wilkinson, Edgar Campbell69th Battery, Canadian Field ArtilleryEnlisted 3 May 1917, in Ontario.
Williams, Reuben CampbellPrivate17th Canadian Reserve Battalion
Wingood, Allan CharlesCaptain8th Battalion, CEFKilled in action 16 September 1916.
Winter, William Vyvyan RossCaptainCanadian Permanent Army Service CorpsSeconded in 1917 to the Nova Scotia Battalion of the Canadian Forestry Corps for service on the Western Front with the CEF, 1914-1918. Royal Canadian Army Service Corps D.S. and T.O., Military District No. 7, St. John, New Brundswick, 1918-1924. Retired as a Captain, 23 June 1924.
Wright, Cecil John GreenwayCanadian Field ArtilleryKilled during the Second World War while serving in the Royal Navy aboard HMS Dunedin, torpedoed and sunk in November 1941. Not listed on the Canadian Great War Project, although a Private Thomas Greenway Wright, 196th Battalion, is, and may be related.
Wooler, George Richard DavidsonLieutenant5th BattalionPrevious service: Known as Dick Wooler. Bermuda Cadet Corps, Bermuda Military Artillery ; 6th Regiment, Duke of Connaught's Own Rifles. Law student commissioned into Canadian Expeditionary Force on 3 January 1916, at Victoria, British Columbia. Address: Pembroke, Bermuda. Next-of-kin: Uncle James Davidson. He attended Saltus Grammar School., and served in the Bermuda Cadet Corps.. Wooler was commissioned as a Second-Lieutenant in the Bermuda Militia Artillery on the 24 February, 1909, with effect from the 8 February. He was attached to 3 Company, Royal Garrison Artillery, for instruction from 4 November, 1909, to 3 December, and awarded a 'satisfactory' certificate. He resigned his commission with effect from 28 February, 1910, in order to study law in Canada. Transferred in England from the CEF into the Royal Flying Corps. Killed in action 15 August 1917.