Sapper George Ward

George Ward was born on 2 September 1923 in Quebec. CWVMP records his birthplace as Harrington. He grew up on a farm, attended a rural public school and worked on his father's farm before spending four months as a farmhand for Norman Spratt at Billings Bridge, Ontario. He spoke English and hoped to continue farming after the war. He enlisted at Petawawa on 6 August 1942, service number C-90227, as a Sapper in the Royal Canadian Engineers. He served with No. 8 Engineer Survey and Works Company and trained at No. 33 Basic Training Centre in Ottawa before joining 23rd Field Company in March 1943. He qualified as a driver. In May 1943, while driving a truck in convoy near Sussex, New Brunswick, he fractured the tip of his nose in an accident; he returned to his unit after hospital treatment. Ward sailed to Britain in July 1943 and went to France with his unit in July 1944. He qualified as a Carpenter, Group B, that October. In January 1945 he was hospitalized in Belgium with acute tonsillitis and returned to 23rd Field Company later that month. His later service included an attachment to 5th Field Company and a posting to 10th Canadian Field Park Company in Britain. He returned to Canada early in 1946 and was discharged at Ottawa on 8 March 1946 on normal demobilization. His awards were the 1939–45 Star, France and Germany Star, Defence Medal, Canadian Volunteer Service Medal with clasp and War Medal 1939–45. At discharge he planned to work on his father's farm before seeking Veterans' Land Act assistance to purchase a farm. His Army carpenter qualification also offered another employment option. Ward later lived at Valleyfield. He died at Salaberry-de-Valleyfield on 26 May 1989 and was buried in the Field of Honour at Valleyfield Catholic Cemetery.

1923-09-02 — Born in Quebec; CWVMP identifies Harrington, while extracted attestation/home entries read Rivington, with other uncertain variants; Harrington, Quebec.
1936 to 1942 — Worked on father George L. Ward's farm after rural public school, Grade VI/VII, leaving around fourteen. Later employed four months as farmhand by Norman Spratt at Billings Bridge before enlistment; Quebec; Billings Bridge, Ontario.
1942-08-05 — Entry medical at Petawawa: fit A1, 68.5 inches, 128 pounds, chest 37 inches expanded with 3-inch expansion; dark complexion, hazel eyes, brown hair, moles left hip/shoulder. Entry X-rays 4/6 August negative; Petawawa, Ontario.
1942-08-06 — Enlisted for General Service as Sapper C-90227, No. 8 Company, Royal Canadian Engineers, Canadian Army (Active); single, Baptist, student on attestation, prior service denied. Home Billings Bridge, R.R. 2 Ottawa, father George next of kin; Petawawa, Ontario.
1942-08-07 — Signed family particulars and service will: father George L. Ward and mother Jane living at Rivington, Quebec; unmarried, no children or other support, no insurance; Petawawa, Ontario.
1942-10-05 — Personnel testing in English at Petawawa; later assessment recommended general sapper duties and overseas service; Petawawa, Ontario.
1942-11-20 — Attached from No. 8 Engineer Survey and Works Company to No. 33 Basic Training Centre, Lansdowne Park, for all purposes except pay; Ottawa, Ontario.
1942-11-26 to 1943-01-09 — Vaccination and TAB/tetanus inoculations recorded, continuing 19 December and 9 January; Canada.
1942-12-03 to 1942-12-12 — Miss Miriam/Meriam N. Spratt, 4 Thornton Avenue, enquired about his service address; reply gave No. 8 Engineer Survey and Works Company, Petawawa. Relationship not stated; Ottawa, Ontario; Petawawa, Ontario.
1942-12-15 — No. 33 Basic Training Centre attachment changed to all purposes, previously except pay; Lansdowne Park, Ottawa, Ontario.
1943-01-23 — Ceased No. 33 BTC attachment and returned to No. 8 company at Petawawa; apparent composite-mess rations attachment, designation unclear; Petawawa, Ontario.
1943-02-03 — Medical category A1 confirmed; Petawawa, Ontario.
1943-02-08 to 1943-02-15 — Dental examination identified caries, roots/extractions and chipped incisor; treatment appointment 15 February; Petawawa, Ontario.
1943-02-10 — Occupational history: farm hand for George L. Ward, eight years' farming, promised work; wished dairy farming and possible welding. Later form names Norman Spratt and six years' work; Petawawa, Ontario.
1943-02-22 to 1943-03-07 — Leave originally recorded as furlough, later explicitly corrected to special leave; Canada.
1943-03-11 to 1943-03-12 — Fingerprinted/photographed 11 March; appraisal next day recommended overseas RCE sapper service; Petawawa, Ontario.
1943-03-16 to 1943-03-22 — Leave from 1200 on 16 March to 0630 on 22 March in detailed copy; another copy gives 1700 start; Canada.
1943-03-27 — Taken on strength 23rd Field Company from No. 8 Engineer Survey and Works Company after departure 26 March. Reposting destination named Debert Camp, receiving station appears Sussex; Sussex, New Brunswick; Debert, Nova Scotia.
1943-04-03 — Occupational history: former farm labourer for Norman Spratt, Billings Bridge; wanted return to farming and a welder's apprenticeship; Sussex, New Brunswick.
1943-05-01 — Qualified Driver I/C Class III following test; faint earlier summary's 1942 year conflicts with detailed 1943 qualification; 23rd Field Company, Sussex, New Brunswick.
1943-05-10 — Medical category A1 confirmed; Canada.
1943-05-11 to 1943-05-12 — On-duty convoy truck accident about 2300: dusty curve, wheel caught shoulder, truck ditched, face struck steering wheel, fracture tip of nose. Sussex Military Hospital 0400–1500 on 12 May then unit; neither driver nor others blamed, no inquiry required; Sussex, New Brunswick.
1943-05-18 to 1943-05-21 — 7 Division headquarters forwarded injury report from Debert; Ottawa confirmed report on file; Debert, Nova Scotia; Ottawa, Ontario.
1943-05-27 — Army Examiner at Sussex found sufficient ability to soldier, qualified driver, no apparent reason he could not do his work, after unit referral; Sussex, New Brunswick.
1943-06-25 — Leave granted with four days ration allowance at 50 cents per day; Canada.
1943-07-08 — Re-examined medical category A, possibly A1; Canada.
1943-07-16 to 1943-07-23 — Embarked Canada 16 July, overseas strength 17 July, landed Britain 22/23 July in duplicate copies; duty reporting 23/28 July differs; Canada to United Kingdom.
1943-11-08 to 1943-11-16 — Coryza/acute bronchitis: 6 CCS admission 8 November, 3 CGH 9–15 November in release history; X-ray negative 12 November, symptom-free 15 November, final ledger discharge 16 November. Not confirmed pneumonitis; United Kingdom.
1944-02-12 — Sapper Duties course qualification recorded as C.V., abbreviation uncertain; 23rd Field Company, United Kingdom.
1944-02-23 — Apparent admonishment under Army Act 15(1) and pay forfeiture; precise disciplinary particulars difficult to read; 23rd Field Company, United Kingdom.
1944-02-27 — One overseas day forfeited as non-qualifying, apparently AWL; handwritten day/abbreviation uncertain, kept distinct from 23 February entry; United Kingdom.
1944-03-29 to 1944-06-02 — Dental root extraction 29 March and later restoration, apparent 2 June; 23rd Field Company, United Kingdom.
1944-07-06 to 1944-07-11 — Embarked Britain 6 July for France; original landing 8 July corrected to 11 July. Theatre summary starts northwest Europe 7 July, administrative date retained separately; United Kingdom to France.
1944-10-31 — Qualified Carpenter Group B and granted tradesman's pay; 23rd Field Company, northwest Europe.
1944-12-07 — Dental filling and extraction completed, 23rd Field Company; Northwest Europe.
1945-01-05 to 1945-01-13 — Acute tonsillitis in Belgium, onset 4 January: 2 CCS evacuation, No. 7 CGH 5–9 January, transferred No. 10 CGH 9 January, duty to 2 CBRG 13 January. RCE X-3 medical list from 5 January, then X-4 reinforcement
1945-01-26 — Rejoined 23rd Field Company from RCE X-4 list; departure from list 25 January, receiving strength 26 January, Category B recorded; Belgium; northwest Europe.
1945-05-21 — Third tuberculosis-contact chest examination negative; no tuberculosis diagnosis established; 1 Canadian Army Troops Engineers, northwest Europe.
1945-07-29 to 1945-07-30 — Embarked Allied Expeditionary Force 29 July and disembarked Britain 30 July; year difficult to read in source; Northwest Europe to United Kingdom.
1945-08-05 to 1945-08-29 — Attached all purposes to 5th Field Company, then ceased attachment; United Kingdom.
1945-09-06 — Entry appears to record return by air from Britain to northwest Europe; United Kingdom to northwest Europe.
1945-09-16 to 1945-09-28 — Apparent all-purpose attachment to DCE CEN, designation and start day uncertain; Northwest Europe; United Kingdom.
1945-09-18 — Apparent attachment to No. 11 Repatriation Depot; cessation date reads 5 September, inconsistent, not used as reliable end date; Europe.
1945-09-20 — Embarked Allied Expeditionary Force and disembarked Britain, per later movement entry; Northwest Europe to United Kingdom.
1945-10-01 — Taken on strength 10th Canadian Field Park Company from 23rd Field Company after departure 30 September; United Kingdom.
1945-10-16 — Dental extraction completed while with 10th Field Company, name abbreviated on dental form; United Kingdom.
1945-11-12 to 1945-11-20 — RCE Y-3 list movement recorded: off strength 12 November, taken back on 20 November; designation uncertain, no illness invented; United Kingdom.
1945-12-21 to 1945-12-29 — Nine days privilege leave with ration allowance; United Kingdom.
1946-01-09 to 1946-01-11 — Left 10th Field Park Company 9 January; taken on strength 877 Canadian Dispersal Depot, MD9, on 11 January and attached No. 2 Repatriation Depot; United Kingdom.
1946-01-26 to 1946-01-31 — Certified overseas service ends 26 January; repatriation ledger says overseas SOS/attachment cessation 27 January. Summary Canadian service starts 27 January, Ottawa receiving strength 31 January; precise voyage/arrival port not supplied; United Kingdom to Canada; Ottawa, Ontario.
1946-02-04 — Reported at Ottawa after receiving-strength entry 31 January; record calls 4 DD, while signed discharge/dental forms identify No. 9 District Depot; Ottawa, Ontario.
1946-02-05 to 1946-03-04 — Disembarkation leave with ration allowance; returned 5 March; Canada.
1946-03-05 to 1946-03-06 — Release medical board at Ottawa: intermittent loin/back soreness and daytime urinary frequency, improving, normal investigations/examination; full PULHEMS grade 1, no treatment recommended. Dental requirements five fillings, one extraction, prophylaxis; Ottawa, Ontario.
1946-03-06 — Release counselling recommended work on father's farm one or two years, then Veterans' Land Act purchase; carpenter/helper alternative, referrals to Hawkesbury employment and Ottawa VLA officers; Ottawa, Ontario.
1946-03-08 — Normally discharged Sapper at No. 9 District Depot, Lansdowne Park, Ottawa, to civil life on demobilization under CARO 1029(5)(c)(i); badge 834457, clothing allowance and $100 rehabilitation grant; two days leave commuted; Ottawa, Ontario.
1946-03-21 — War Service Gratuity $668.42 including five-cent pay credit; 1311 total days, 1310 qualifying, 925 overseas/924 qualifying; seven $95.48 instalments recorded, six cents below award total; Rivington (source spelling), Quebec.
1946-03-22 — Service will of 7 August 1942 returned to civilian address, remaining valid unless revoked and compliant with provincial law; Rivington (source spelling), Quebec.
1983-05-26 — Medal card carries apparent request/send annotation dated 26 May 1983; address 27 Arthur Street, Valleyfield J6S 3T9. Exact abbreviation and dispatch status uncertain; Valleyfield, Quebec.
1989-05-26 — Died at Salaberry-de-Valleyfield and buried in Valleyfield Catholic Cemetery, Field of Honour, as recorded by CWVMP; Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Quebec.