Source: Re. George Cruickshank service records record of promotion per Conlin’s death due to illness.
Earned Military Medal. London Gazette. No. 31340. June 3, 1919.
Harry Ross Conlin, commemorative scroll, 1918.
Commemorated at the Fergus War Memorial.
“Died” (Bronche Pneumonia) at No. 51. Casualty Clearing Station.
This 23-year old farmer enlisted with the 153rd Battalion at Fergus, Ontario on December 16, 1915. His father Thomas was listed as his next of kin.
6′ tall, he was approximately 6″ taller than the average soldier in the CEF during the war and his physical development was considered “excellent”.
He was appointed a Lance-Corporal before the battalion left Canada.
He boarded ship at Halifax aboard the MHT Olympic on April 25, 1917, and arrived at Liverpool on May 7, 1917. That very same day he was TOS with the 25th Reserve Battalion at Bramshott and was reverted to the rank of private.
On November 25, 1917, he was to be an acting Lance-Corporal and was reverted to private on December 14, 1917, in expectation of being transferred to active service.
The next day he arrived at No. 2 Canadian Infantry Base Depot, Etaples, and then moved on to the Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp 3-days later.
He stayed at the CCRC until February 7, 1918, when he was transferred to the 18th Battalion and arrived in the field with that unit.
He served with the 18th and was appointed an Acting Lance-Corporal on June 22, 1918, and then promoted to Corporal on August 25, 1918.
Having survived the 100 Days Campaign and the war he was to be felled by bronchial pneumonia, possibly Spanish Flu, on November 29, 1918.
War Diary of the 18th Battalion CEF 