Source: Mentioned in Gerald Thomas, reg. no. 53164 service record.
Summary of Service for Sergeant William Braisby, reg. no. 53204
| Date | Event | Remarks |
| March 16, 1879 | Born | Born at Melton Newbury, Leicester, England. |
| October 22, 1914 | Enlists | Enlist with the 18th Battalion at Windsor, Ontario, on October 22, 1914. He is one of the first soldiers to enlist as this is the earliest enlistment date seen, to date, by this researcher. He is a “shoe finisher” and indicates prior military experience with the 21st Regiment in Canada and Buck Yeomanry (probably in England) and the Transvaal Police in South Africa.
He stands 5’8” tall and it is noted that he has a bullet wound, right thigh, and a mole on the right cheek. He is 35-years and 7-months old at enlistment. |
| November 9, 1914 | Inoculated | Anti-Typhoid. |
| November 19, 1914 | Inoculated | Anti-Typhoid. |
| December 19, 1914 | Vaccinated | |
| April 1915 | Assigns Pay | Assigns pay to his brother F. Braisby of Georgetown, Ontario at the rate of $20.00 per month. |
| April 29, 1915 | Arrives England | Arrives England aboard the S.S. Grampian. |
| July 1, 1915 | Promoted | Promoted Corporal. |
| July 26, 1915 | Promoted | Promoted Lance-Sergeant. |
| September 14, 1915 | Embarks Overseas | Embarks for the Continent with the 18th Battalion as part of the 2nd Division move to active service at the front. |
| December 27, 1915 | Admitted | Admitted to No. 5. Canadian Field ambulance for GSW to right thigh. War Diary stated on this date: “Battn as yesterday – Pte Storing killed in action – 3 – O.R. sent to hospital.” |
| December 28, 1915 | Transferred | Transferred to the No. 8 Casualty Clearing Station. |
| December 29, 1918 | Transferred for Transport | Transferred onto No. 18 Train for transport to treatment at a hospital. |
| December 29, 1918 | Admitted | Admitted to No. 8 B.R.C. (British Red Cross) Hospital at Paris Plage. |
| January 28, 1916 | Transferred | Discharged from hospital and transferred to No. 6 Convalescent Camp. |
| January 29, 1916 | Transferred | Transferred to Detail Camp, Etaples, France. |
| February 2, 1916 | Transferred | Transferred the Canadian Base Depot, Etaples, France. |
| February 15, 1916 | Proceeds to Join Unit | The Battalion is in Divisional Reserve at La Clytte, Flanders. |
| February 16, 1916 | Joins Unit | |
| March 14, 1916 | Admitted | Admitted to No. 5 C.F.A. for myalgia due to prior GSW wound to thigh. |
| March 16, 1916 | Transferred | Transferred to No. 6 C.F.A.D.R.S.[i] |
| March 22, 1916 | Discharged | Discharged from No. 6 C.F.A.D.R.S. |
| April 1, 1916 | Employed | Employed and 2nd Division Laundry at WESTOUTRE, as part of the 2nd Divisional Convalescent Company. |
| April 23, 1916 | Admitted | Admitted to No. 5 C.F.A. |
| April 30, 1916 | Employed | Employed at then 2nd Divisional Cinema. |
| April 27, 1916 | Admitted | Admitted to No. 4. Canadian Field Ambulance for wound to hand. |
| May 3, 1916 | Discharged | Discharged from No. 4 C.F.A. to duty. |
| June 30, 1916 | Attached | Attached to 2nd Canadian Divisional Convalescent Company. Not clear if this is related to health issues or for duty with unit. |
| July 28, 1916 | Promoted | Promoted Sergeant as Sgt. Rayward, reg. no. 53279 is granted a commission. |
| October 27, 1916 | Granted Leave | Granted 10 days leave. |
| June 1, 1917 | Inoculated | TAB |
| April 9, 1914 | Mentioned in Despatches | Mentioned in Despatches per London Gazette. No. 30107. January 6, 1917. Page 5426. |
| July 22, 1917 | Attached | Attached to No. 4 Field Company, Canadian Engineers. |
| August 23, 1917 | Ceased to Be Attached | Returns to 18th Battalion. |
| September 20, 1917 | Will | Makes out a Military Will leaving his estate to his brother whose address is Box 190, Georgetown, Ontario. |
| November 9, 1917 | Killed in Action | He was killed in action by a high explosive shell at the action at Passchendaele. He is referred to in the memory about this action. He is buried at plot V.K.9 at the Oosttaverne Wood Cemetery in Belgium. He is the only member of the 18th Battalion to be interred here but he rests with 476 other soldiers at peace. |
| May 25, 1921 | Scroll Dispatched | Scroll No. 244696 dispatched to F. Braisby of Georgetown, Ontario. Brother. |
| August 9, 1921 | Plaque Dispatched | Plaque No. P149 dispatched as above. |
[i] No reference to the meaning of this acronym has been found.
“Killed in Action.” This non-commissioned officer was instantly killed by the explosion of an enemy shell, which fell close beside him during the operations near PASSCHENDAELE.
Phot courtesty of Marg Liessens. Source: CVWM
