Source: Duty Nobly Done Roll of Honour
Family Search: When Private Samuel Alexander Chalmers was born on 18 February 1894, in Tilbury East, Kent, Ontario, Canada, his father, George Collier Chalmers, was 30 and his mother, Mary Hannah Sales, was 39. He lived in Tilbury, Kent, Ontario, Canada in 1916. He registered for military service in 1916. In 1916, at the age of 22, his occupation is listed as cutter, canadian auto top company in Tilbury, Kent, Ontario, Canada. He died on 26 August 1918, in Vis-en-Artois, Pas-de-Calais, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France, at the age of 24, and was buried in Chérisy, Pas-de-Calais, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France.
This 21-year-old cutter decided to enlist with the 91st Battalion at St. Thomas, Ontario on January 10, 1916. He was transferred to the 186th Battalion and left Halifax on March 25, 1917, arriving at Liverpool on August 7, 1917.
That very day he was transferred to the 4th Canadian Reserve Battalion to be used as replacements for the battalions already serving on the Continent. He was giveng the acting rank of Corporal and reverted to Private in preparation for a transfer to a line unit.
That day came on September 26, 1917, and he arrived at the 2nd Canadian Base Depot the very next day. He was only in Etaples for less than a week when he was transferred to the Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp on October 2, 1917. Two-months later he arrived at the 18th Battalion and served with them without interuption until he was ‘“Killed in Action” Was killed by an enemy shell, during operations in front of Vis-en-Artois, on the afternoon of August 28, 1918.’
The Tilbury Times, Thursday
26 September, 1918 p1.
Pte. Sam Chalmers is Killed in Action in France.
“Official word was received by Mrs. George Chalmers Friday morning that her son Pte. Sam Chalmers, had fallen in action in France on August 28th. The young man, who was 24 years old, and with several local boys, enlisted with the 91st Battalion at St. Thomas in the winter of 1916, and was later transferred to the 186th Kent Battalion, with which unit he went overseas in 1917. He had seen a year of service in the trenches. He was always prominent in local athletic sports and his manly character and likeable disposition made him a general favorite with his associates. He was a member of the Anglican church and Oddfellow fraternity. For several years prior to enlisting he was employed at the Canadian Top Co. A memorial service was held on Sunday evening in St. Francis Church to an overflowing congregation. The popularity of the deceased was shown by the large attendance of Oddfellows and returned soldiers. Rev. T. Dobson personally testified to the high character and religious convictions of Pte. Chalmers, choosing for his text, “Greater love hath no man, than this, that he gave his life for his friends”, and assured the bereaved widow and sorrowing relatives and friends of the sympathy of all.”
Source: Gathering Our Heroes.
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 