Eldridge, Fred: Service no. 769575

Source: April 1918 casualty.

A soldier would do this as they could not be sent to an active combat unit as a non-commissioned officer. They had to hold the rank of private to get transferred to a combat unit.

PTE. FRED ELDRIDGE
Official notice was received by Mrs.Eldridge to the effect that her husband, Pte. Fred Eldridge, late of 37 Could st., had been killed in action on April 4th. He enlisted with the “Pals” Battalion, later being transferred to another unit before going overseas. Prior to enlisting Pte. Eldgridge was employed on the steamer Dalhousie City. he had four brothers, two of whom where killed in action.
Toronto Evening Telegram. April 16, 1918.

PTE. F. ELDRIDGE KILLED
Pte. Fred Eldridge, 37 Could street, was killed in action on April 4. He enlisted with the “Pals” Battalion but transferred to another unit before going overseas. He was previously employed on the steamer Dalhousie City. Two brothers are now overseas and two more have been killed in action. Pte. Eldridge is married and his wive lives at the above address.
Toronto Star. April 18, 1918.

Summary of Service for Private Fred Eldridge, reg. no. 769575

Date	Event	Remarks
April 13, 1889	Born	Born Oxfordshire, England.
Prior to March 20, 1915	Emigrated	Emigrated to Canada. Record of New York Passengers disembarking at Ellis Island on this date shows this man arriving at New York, New York. He lists his residence as Ontario, Canada. Therefore, he emigrated before this date. The ship was the SS St. Paul.
January 3, 1916	Enlisted	Enlisted with the 124^th Overseas Battalion at Toronto, Ontario. He was 26-years-old and stood 6’1”. He was a sailor and listed his father, George Eldridge, residing at 265 Niagara Street, as his next-of-kin. He had no prior military experience and practiced the Methodist faith.
February 2, 1916	“Promoted”	Appointed to rank of Lance-Corporal per DO 8-2-16.
August 7, 1916	Reverts Rank	Reverts rank to that of Private re. DO 160 on his own request.
May 16, 1916	Marries	Marries Emily Mildred Annie Mayo at Toronto, Ontario. She was a 32-year-old spinster and practiced the Anglican faith. Private Eldridge indicates the same faith on the marriage certificate. A next-of-kin notification indicates she lives at 37 Gould Street, Toronto, Ontario.
July 31, 1916	Submits Will	Submits will leaving real and personal estate to his wife.
August 1, 1916	Assigns Pay	Assigns pay of $20.00 per month to his wife.
August 7, 1916	Sails	Sails for England from Halifax, Nova Scotia aboard the SS Cameronia.
August 18, 1916	Arrives	Arrives in England.
August 18, 1916	Appointed	Appointed Lance-Corporal.
October 10, 1916	Reverts	Reverts to rank of Private on his own request.
October 10, 1916	Transferred	Transferred from 124^th Battalion to 18^th Battalion.
October 11, 1916	TOS	TOS with the 18^th Battalion “in the field.” Arrives at the Canadian Base Depot, Etaples, France.
November 5, 1916	Arrives	Arrives at 2^nd Canadian Entrenching Battalion.
November 15, 1916	Attached	Attached to No. 4 Field Company, Canadian Engineers.
November 26, 1916	Ceased to Be Attached	Returns to 2^nd Canadian Entrenching Battalion
February 21, 1917	Joins Unit	Joins unit. The Battalion is in the Thelus sector on this date in the front line. The War Diary notes on February 22, 1917, that 70 other ranks arrived from the 2^nd Entrenching Battalion as reinforcements.
May 3, 1917	Admitted	Admitted to No. 4 Canadian Field Ambulance for hematuria and diarrhea.
May 4, 1917	Admitted	Admitted No. 30 General Hospital, Calais, France for a medical condition not yet determined.
May 8, 1917	Admitted and Transported	Admitted aboard the HS Antwerpen and transported from France to England.
May 9, 1917	Admitted	Admitted Military Hospital Eastleigh, England for hematuria.
May 18, 1917	Admitted	Admitted to Bermondsey Military Hospital, Ladywell Road, London, England.
July 13, 1917	Transferred	Transferred to the Canadian Convalescent Depot, Bromley, England.
July 14, 1917	Transferred	Transferred to the Canadian Convalescent Depot, Epsom, England.
August 13, 1917	Discharged	Discharged to above.
August 13, 1917	On Command	On Command with the 2^nd Canadian Convalescent Depot.
November 29, 1917	Posted	Posted to 18^th Battalion.
April 4, 1918	Killed in Action	“Killed in Action” in attack north of Arras. The 18^th Battalion is near Neuville Vitasse. The War Diary on this date relates: “During night of 3/4^th A coy frontage (Right Support) was heavily shelled and barraged from 1 am to 9.30 am, a considerable number of gas shells being [used] in this shelling. Our artillery retaliated with a barrage of heavies on enemy front and support lines. A patrol penetrated enemy front line and reported trenches unoccupied with the exception of one M.G. LIEUT. R.E. LAWRANCE and 7 ors were wounded during enemy shelling. 2 ors. killed in action.” He has no known grave. A news clipping indicates he served aboard the steamer Dalhousie City and he had four brothers, two who had been killed in action, and two that were serving overseas.
	Commemorated	Private Eldridge is commemorated on the Vimy Memorial, along with 200 other members of the 18^th Battalion.
July 12, 1920	Medals, Plaque and Scroll	Medals, plaque, and scroll issued to Mrs. E.M.A Eldridge of 37, Gould Street, Toronto, Ontario.
July 12, 1920, est.	Memorial (Silver) Cross Issued	Medal issued to Mrs. Mary Eldridge, Fulbrook, Nr. Burford, Oxon, England.
July 24, 1921	War Service Gratuity	War Service Gratuity issued to Mrs. E.M.A. Eldridge, 525 Greenwood Avenue, Toronto, Ontario in the amount of $100.00.

Acronyms

AWL	Absent Without Leave: Generally, a soldier would be deducted 1-days pay for every day absent. In some cases, the soldier would be confined to barracks. Sometimes it was a combination of both.
A Classification	Medical Board Classification that determined your fitness for duty. A1, A2, A3 and A4 were assigned to different units with the expectation that these men would be able to serve with active combat units. See this link for more information.
B Classification	Medical Board Classification that determined your fitness for duty. B1, B2, and B3 were assigned to different service units such as railway and forestry corps. See this link for more information.
D Classification	See this link for more information.
CAMC	Canadian Army Medical Corp
CB	Confined to Barracks: a punishment for minor infractions.
CCD	Casualty Convalescent Depot: a depot at a base where men, in their final stages of convalescing, would be prepared for duty depending on their rating.
CCH	Casualty Clearing Hospital
CCRC	Canadian Corps Reserve Camp
CCS	Casualty Clearing Station: this facility was attached to rail transportation from the front to hospitals on the coast of France
CDC	Canadian Dispatch Camp
CFA	Canadian Field Ambulance/Canadian Field Artillery. Most common usage would be Canadian Field Ambulance.
DAH	Disorderly Action of the Heart
DRS	Divisional Rest Station
GSW	Gun Shot Wound – this was a generic term for all projectile penetrating wounds.
In the Field	This term relates to a soldier arriving at an active-duty unit after transporting from England, to France, and then to his duty assignment. The routing varied from soldier to soldier and could take 2-3 days to several months.
MD	Military District
PUO	Pyrexia of Unknown Origin: This was a term used for any illness that could not clearly be identified and typically was related to influenza symptoms.
SOS	Struck Off Strength
TOS	Taken On Strength
CAMC	Canadian Army Medical Corp
CCH	Casualty Clearing Hospital
CFA	Canadian Field Ambulance
DRS	Divisional Rest Station
GSW	Gun Shot Wound – this was a generic term for all projectile penetrating wounds.
MD	Military District
PUO	Pyrexia of Unknown Origin
SOS	Struck Off Strength
TOS	Taken On Strength
WORD	Western Ontario Regimental Depot

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