A Forgotten Tribute

This cairn to the fallen men of Elder's Mill is located in the old Knox Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Vaughan, Ontario. The church is long gone and the cemetery a reminder of those from a by gone era. But at the front is this nearly forgotten tribute to the men of a long gone community.  Just like the war they served in, both have faded into memory.

Woodbridge Memorial

Video and Photography by Sharon aka The Boneyardblogger.

Commonwealth War Graves Brampton Cemetery



Private Benjamin McCormack



The grave of 228134 Private Benjamin McCormick. 198th Overseas Bn C.E.F. He was born in Brampton on May 3, 1898. Before enlisting on March 16, 1916, he worked as a clerk in Toronto. He died as the result of his service at the age of 23 years old in 1921.



Spr George C. McCollum

 507228 Spr. George G. McCollum Canadian Signals Corps. Was born in Aurora Ont., on October 23, 1889. Before enlisting on June 19, 1916 he was a school teacher in Toronto. He died on January 22, 1917 at the age of 27.

Captain Frank D.Early

Captain Frank Douglas Early, Lord Strathcona Horse. C.E.F. Enlisted in Regina Sask in 1917. Was a veterinarian, Army Veterinary Corp. He was born in Brampton on August 13, 1890. He died May 15, 1918 at the age of 28.  Note that officers have their rank on the head stone, enlisted men have their regimental number.



Gone But Not Forgotten



I believe that this is also a veteran of WWI. I did not want to tamper with any of the memorials it appears that the grave is still attended. Lest We Forget, Lest We Forget.



LDG Aircraftman Gordon H. McClure


This veteran's grave is from WWII. It is the grave of LAC Gordon McClure Royal Canadian Air Force, who died in December 17, 1941 at the age of 23. The only son of Thomas and Mabel McClure of Brampton Lest We Forget, Lest We Forget.

Great War Association Graves Brampton Cemetery



GWA Marker at Brampton Cemetery

 There are approximately 12 graves in this area, most are of veterans from WWI who died later in life and not on active service.  Unfortunately, it is difficult to find much information on these individuals as some did not serve with the Canadian Expeditionary Forces or there are no service numbers to trace. However, regardless of those minor set backs, these men or boys at the time of their enlistment are to be honoured as any veteran should be.

Private William Brown

Private William Brown served with the Hastings & Prince Edward Reg't. He died in 1952 at the age of 49.  It is unlikely that he served with the CEF in WWI as he would have been only 16 at end of the war. In 1915 the Canadian Government stopped sending boys under the age of 18 to the front, due to the carnage that was being suffered there. The average life expectancy was three weeks.  Many boys still enlisted for their chance at the front. They were usually placed into holding units in England until they reached 18.



Spr. Thompson Brown

A006986 Spr. Thompson Brown served with the 228th Btn., C.E.F. He was born on August 8th, 1884 on Manitoulin Island.  He enlisted on October 31st., 1916  at 32 years of age in North Bay and was a farmer by profession.  He died in 1951 at the age of 67.



Corporal I. Matthews

Other than the information on this stone, I am unable to find much more. The Welsh Rifles would have been a British Regiment and judging by his D.o.B he served in the  B.E.F. in WWI.  He was 38 years old at the time of his death.  




Private James Woods

The grave of Private James Woods 1st LAB BATTN. C.E.F. He died in the 1940's I am unable to find any information on his service as there are a number James Woods listed in the DND CEF service records. A further review of the DND library, I have been able to isolate one name that has prevalent information. This may be the grave of James Woods born December 4, 1884 in Peterborough England. Enlisted in Toronto in August 1915, would have been in his late 50's at the time of death.



L/Corp William H. Selley

412844 L/Corp. William Selley, Canadian Engineers C.E.F. was born in Exeter England on October 5, 1842. He served in the 21st Hussars in England before WWI. His occupation at the time of his enlistment in 1915 was that of a Farmer in Picton On. He died on November 11, 1939.

The math does not work here, does it?  I have recheck the attestment papers on L/Corp Selley and the officer who completed them must of made an error in the year of birth or L/Corp Selley looked good for his age.  On his attestment papers it states that he was 43 at the time of his enlistment, but his year of birth was put down as 1842, which would have made him 73 at that time.  He was most likely born in 1872.



Private Dan Theobald

3035792 Pte. Dan Theobald, 208th Overseas BTTN C.E.F. Canadian Infantry. He was born in Norfolk England on May 12, 1894. He enlisted at the age of 22 in Toronto on March 16, 1916, his occupation was listed as a farmer. He died on March 31, 1920 from the effects of his service at he age of 25.

Lest We Forget