Notes: Some confusion regarding his actual first name. Several different spellings in the service record.
“The last of Canada’s First World War dead was 40-year-old Nassau Briggs, a labourer during peacetime who served as a sergeant with the Canadian Infantry’s 18th Battalion and is buried in Hamilton, Ont. Briggs’s death, on Aug. 31, 1921 of complications resulting from having been gassed, came almost three years after Armistice Day 1918, but as it coincided with the ratification of the peace treaty between Britain and Hungary — the last between Britain and its wartime antagonists — it is considered by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to be the last death of a Canadian during the Great War. Nov. 11, 1918, in essence, was a truce, a temporary suspension of hostilities. The war didn’t end until its combatants agreed it was over and signed on the dotted line.”
Sergeant Briggs and family, circa 1915-1919. He is with his wife Florence, daughter Elsie and son Ernest. Source: Karen Lucas.
Summary of Service[i] for Sergeant Nassau Briggs, reg. no. 406681.
Date
Event
Remarks
June 12, 1881
Born
Born at Leeds, Yorkshire, England.
March 22, 1915
Enlists
Enlists with the 36th Battalion at Hamilton, Ontario. He is a 33-year old labourer and is married to Florence Briggs, residing at 35 Ardvollien[ii] Street, Hamilton. He has no prior military experience.
April 1915
Assigns Pay
$20.00 per month to his wife Mrs. Florrie Briggs.
May 1915
Separation Allowance
$20.00 per month to his wife Mrs. Florrie Briggs.
August 28, 1915
Arrives England
November 1, 1915
Transferred
Transferred to 18th Battalion.
November 2, 1915
Taken On Strength
T.O.S. in the field with the 18th Battalion. At this time the Battalion had been in active operations since September 25, 1915. The War Diary relates on this date as it was in the front line in Flanders, Belgium:
“Battalion relived 19th Bn. In trenches and at Vierstraat – “B” + “D” Coys in Trenches.”
December 21, 1915
Admitted
Admitted to No. 5 Canadian Field Ambulance. Carbuncle.
December 30, 1915
Admitted
To a Casualty Clearing Station.
January 8, 1916
Discharged
Discharged to duty and rejoined unit.
February 19, 1916
Admitted
Admitted to No. 5 Canadian Field Ambulance.
February 20, 1916
Admitted
Divisional Rest Station at Goderwaerovelde.
February 27, 1916
Discharged
March 7, 1916
Admitted
Admitted to No. 5 Canadian Field Ambulance.
March 8, 1916
Admitted
Divisional Rest Station at Goderwaerovelde.
March 13, 1916
Admitted
Nor. Med. Divisional Casualty Clearing Station.
March 15, 1916
Discharged
Discharged for duty.
March 31, 1916
Admitted
No. 14 General Hospital, Wimereaux, France.
April 16, 1916
Admitted
Admitted No. 5 Convalescent Depot, Wimereaux, France.
April 26, 1916
Discharged
Discharged to Base Depot.
May 4, 1916
Proceeds to Unit
May 5, 1916
Arrives
Arrives with 18th Battalion “In the Field”.
December 29, 1916
Leave
Granted 10 days leave.
November 18, 1917
Admitted
Admitted to No. 5 Canadian Field Ambulance for impetigo.
November 27, 1917
Discharged
Discharged to duty.
December 8, 1917
Granted Leave
14 days leave to England.
October 14, 1918
Admitted
No. 4 Canadian Field Ambulance the to Casualty Clearing Station. Inflamed glands.
October 21, 1918
Admitted
Admitted to No. 18 General Hospital.
October 23, 1918
Invalided to England
Invalided to England, sick.
October 21, 1918
Taken On Strength
T.O.S. with the Western Ontario Regimental Depot at Witley, England.
[i] The Summary of Service for this soldier is meant as just that, a summary of his service. It is not intended to be an exhaustive biographical relation of his life or his war service. Some information may be deliberately suppressed by the author out of sensitivity to the soldier. Readers are encouraged to reference the actual service records available at the Library and Archives Canada in PDF format if they wish to learn more about this soldier. Such additional information (i.e. hyperlinks etc.) are for informational purpose only and no claim to verification or accuracy is made by the author of this summary.
First name is definitely Nassau – it was his mother’s maiden name. I’ve done a lot of research on the Nassau name which was originally Nussey.
I’m based in the UK but hoping to visit Hamilton later in the year
First name is definitely Nassau – it was his mother’s maiden name. I’ve done a lot of research on the Nassau name which was originally Nussey.
I’m based in the UK but hoping to visit Hamilton later in the year
Thank you Heather. If you have any biographical info you wish to add please contact me and I will add it, with credit. ebd.edwards [at] gmail.com.