Private William John Sproule
Survivor of WW1
Service Biography
William John Sproule was born at Ormstown, Quebec, on 27 January 1883. A machinist and toolmaker living in Montreal, he was drafted under the Military Service Act and entered service on 15 May 1918 as Private 3084589. He transferred to the Canadian Engineers and served in Britain with Canadian Engineer reinforcement units before transferring to the Canadian Army Service Corps in October 1918. His C.A.S.C. service included postings at Rhyl, Witley and Hythe, and he was later graded for pay as a mechanical transport driver. He returned to Canada in September 1919 and was discharged at Halifax on 27 September 1919 on demobilization.
General Information
Conflict:
WW1
Regimental No.:
3084589
Cause of Death (in war):
Survived
Branch:
Canadian Expeditionary Force
Regiment:
Canadian Army Service Corps
Battalion:
C.A.S.C. Depot / Mechanical Transport postings
Company:
Date of Birth :
Place of Birth:
Ormstown, Quebec
Date of Enlistment:
Age at Enlistment:
25 years 3 months
Date of Discharge:
Age at Discharge:
26 years 8 months
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
Country Born:
Canada
Trade or Calling:
Machinist and toolmaker
Next of Kin:
John Sproule (father), Franklin Centre, Quebec
Address at Enlistment:
236 University Street, Montreal, Quebec
Religion:
Roman Catholic
Place of Enlistment:
Montreal, Quebec
Was a Prisoner of War:
No
Height:
5 ft 6.0 in / 168 cm
Weight:
127 lbs / 58 kg
Chest:
34.0 in / 86 cm
Expansion:
1.0 in / 3 cm
Marital Status:
Single
Prior Military Experience:
No
Saw Service in:
Great Britain
Place of Discharge:
Halifax, Nova Scotia
Discharge Type:
Regular/End of Service
Discharge Notes:
Battle Died/Wounded:
Length of Service:
500 days in service
Buried at:
Links
Ranks
| Conflict |
Rank |
Regiment |
Branch |
Unit |
Company |
Date From |
Date To |
| WW1 |
Private |
Canadian Army Service Corps |
Canadian Expeditionary Force |
C.A.S.C. Depot / Mechanical Transport postings |
|
|
|
| WW1 |
Private |
1st Quebec Regiment |
Canadian Expeditionary Force |
1st Depot Battalion |
|
|
|
| WW1 |
Private |
Canadian Engineers |
Canadian Expeditionary Force |
Engineer Training Depot / 2nd and 3rd Canadian Engineer Reinforcement Battalions / CERD |
|
|
|
Awards
| Conflict |
Award |
Action |
Date of Award |
Date of Citation |
Source |
| WW1 |
British War Medal |
|
|
|
|
Service Chronology
1883-01-27 — Born
1918-05-15 — Drafted under Military Service Act; joined
1918-05-15 — Transferred to Canadian Engineers
1918-06-20 — Embarked for overseas service
1918-07-22 — Arrived in England aboard S.S. Saturnia
1918-07-26 — Taken on strength from Canada
1918-07-27 — Medical Board for poor physique; classified B1, fit for duty
1918-08-06 — Struck off strength, 2nd CERB, to 3rd CERB
1918-08-07 — Taken on strength, 3rd CERB, from 2nd CERB
1918-08-19 — Struck off strength, 3rd CERB, to CERD; attached to 3rd CERB from CERD
1918-09-25 — Canadian Engineer reinforcement posting/transfer entry recorded
1918-10-07 — Taken on strength, C.A.S.C., from Canadian Engineer Reinforcement Depot
1918-12-19 — Struck off strength, C.A.S.C., to C.A.S.C. Rhyl
1918-12-20 — Taken on strength, C.A.S.C.
1919-01-07 — Offence: drunkenness at 9:45 p.m.
1919-01-09 — Awarded four days Field Punishment No. 2
1919-02-06 — Struck off strength on posting to C.A.S.C., Witley
1919-02-07 — Taken on strength from C.A.S.C. Depot
1919-03-20 — Struck off strength on posting to C.A.S.C. M.T.
1919-03-21 — Taken on strength from C.A.S.C. D.D.I., Witley
1919-03-25 — Struck off strength to C.A.S.C. D.D., Witley
1919-03-26 — Taken on strength from C.A.S.C., Hythe
1919-05-10 — Graded for pay as mechanical transport driver
1919-09-12 — Taken on strength pending return to Canada
1919-09-17 — Struck off strength to Canada
1919-09-27 — Discharged on demobilization
Notes
At call-up Sproule was single, Roman Catholic, and a machinist and toolmaker. His present address was 236 University Street, Montreal, Quebec. He was born at Ormstown, Quebec, and named his father, John Sproule of Franklin Centre, Quebec, as next of kin. The Military Service Act medical history records fair complexion, blue eyes, fair hair, weight 127 lb, height 5 ft 6 in, and chest 33–34 in. A later discharge certificate describes him as 36 years old, 5 ft 6 in, with fair complexion, blue eyes and brown hair.
Additional Service Notes
William John Sproule was drafted under the Military Service Act, 1917, and entered service at Montreal on 15 May 1918. He transferred to the Canadian Engineers and embarked for overseas service on 20 June 1918, arriving in England aboard S.S. Saturnia on 22 July. At Seaford he served successively with the 2nd and 3rd Canadian Engineer Reinforcement Battalions and the Canadian Engineer Reinforcement Depot. A Medical Board at Seaford on 27 July 1918 examined him for poor physique and classified him B1, fit for duty. On 7 October 1918 he was taken on strength of the Canadian Army Service Corps from the Canadian Engineer Reinforcement Depot. His later C.A.S.C. postings included Rhyl, Witley and Hythe. At Rhyl on 7 January 1919 he was charged with drunkenness at 9:45 p.m.; on 9 January he was awarded four days Field Punishment No. 2. On 10 May 1919 he was graded for pay as a mechanical transport driver. He was taken on strength at Witley pending return to Canada on 12 September 1919, struck off strength to Canada on 17 September, and discharged at Halifax on 27 September 1919 on demobilization.
Additional Next of Kin Notes
Father John Sproule of Franklin Centre, Quebec, was named as next of kin.
Version: 3 Last modified: 2026-09-08 02:05:02
by: marc
