Source: July 1917 Casualty.
DIED OF WOUNDS
Pte. Alfred Puterbaugh, of 36 Geary avenue, was wounded by a gunshot in the head December 24 last, and after several moths of suffering died July 30 in the Ontario Military Hospital, Orpington, England. He was 26 years of age and was employed for a while with J.B. Smith and Sons, lumber merchants, where his father is employed.
Toronto Star. August 7, 1917.
Summary of Service[i] for Private Alfred Puterbaugh, reg. no. 53378
Notes: This soldier does not appear to have assigned any of his pay to a family member or other. This is unusual and may simply reflect that those records did not make it into his service record docket.
| Date | Event | Remarks |
| May 1, 1889 | Born | Born at Toronto, Ontario to Alf Puterbaugh. |
| November 3, 1914 | Enlisted | Enlisted at London, Ontario with the 18th Battalion. He was a machine had standing 5’7” and had a red complexion, blue eyes, and brown hair. He had no prior military experience and was 25-years and 5-months old. He was Presbyterian. His next-of-kin was Alfred Puterbaugh, father, care of J.B. Smith Lumber Company, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. |
| November 10, 1914 | Inoculated | Typhoid. |
| November 20, 1914 | Inoculated | Typhoid. |
| December 17, 1914 | Vaccinated | |
| March 25, 1915 | Pay Mutch | Pay of 6-days withheld. Reason unknown. Reference DO 137-25-3-15. |
| April 18, 1915 | Unit Sailed | The 18th Battalion sails for England from Halifax, Nova Scotia aboard the S.S. Grampian. |
| April 29, 1915 | Unit Arrives | Unit arrives at Avonmouth, takes train to Shorncliffe and is stationed at West Sandling Camp. |
| September 14, 1915 | Embarks Overseas | The 18th Battalion is transferred to action with the 2nd Canadian Division to Belgium. He is a member of “B” Company. |
| October 18, 1915 | Appointed Cook | Appointed cook in the field. As Pte. J. Douglass, reg. no. 53448 returned to duty. Working pay of $0.50 per day instituted. |
| October 31, 1915 | Returned to Duty | Returned to duty and ceases to draw working pay. |
| December 7, 1915 | Wounded, Accidental. Admitted | Admitted No. 6 British Red Cross Hospital, Etaples, France. Wounded light to leg, accidental. The War Diary states, “LA CLYTTE – Companies practice Smoke Helmet drill. “B”-“D” Coy paid.” The cause of the wounds are not recorded and there is no inquiry on record for the incident. Soldiers accidentally injured usually had an inquiry done by a board of 3 offices to determine cause and assign blame. If the wounding was through negligence the soldier could be charged. It appears that the wounding was of no direct cause of negligence as Private Puterbaugh’s service record shows no action against him. |
| December 10, 1915 | Transported to England | Transported by H.S. Stad Antwerpen. |
| December 10, 1915 | Admitted | Admitted to Military Hospital, Shornecliffe. |
| December 13, 1915 | Transferred | Transferred to 36th Battalion. |
| December 31, 1915 | Discharged | Discharged to light duty at Shornecliffe. |
| February 22, 1916 | Field Punishment No. 2 | Awarded 5-days FP No. 2 for drunkenness by Officer Commanding, 36th Battalion. |
| March 1, 1916 | Boarded | Medical Board convened for assessment of G.S.W. left thigh and chronic tonsilitis. Recommended further treatment at West-Cliff Canadian Eye and Ear Hospital. |
| March 24, 1916 | Admitted | Moore Barracks Hospital, Shornecliffe, Kent, England. |
| March 23, to March 30, 1916 | Admitted | To West Cliff. Condition listed as quinsy. |
| March 31 to April 22, 1916 | Admitted | Admitted to West Cliff Canadian Eye and Ear Hospital. Tonsils removed. |
| April 1, 1916 | Admitted | West-Cliff Canadian Eye and Ear Hospital. |
| April 22, 1916 | Discharged | Discharged from hospital and treatment at Folkestone, Kent, England. |
| April 28, 1916 | Bacteriological Report | Negative test for diphtheria. |
| April 25, 1916 | Taken on Strength | TOS with the 39th Battalion. |
| June 8, 1916 | Admitted | Admitted to Canadian Convalescent Hospital, Bromley. |
| June 19, 1916 | Discharged | Discharged to 39th Battalion. |
| July 6, 1916 | Pay Restricted | Pay restricted to $0.20 per day. Reason unknown. Privates earned $1.10 per day when on active duty. |
| September 24, 1916 | Stuck on Strength | SOS to the 18th Battalion. |
| September 28, 1916 | Taken on Strength | TOS in the field. Arrives at Canadian Base Depot, Etaples, France. |
| October 8, 1916 | Proceeds to Unit | Proceeds to 2nd Canadian Entrenching Battalion. |
| October 16, 1916 | Joins Unit | Joins 18th Battalion. |
| December 24, 1916 | Wounded and Admitted | Wounded. Admitted 6 Casualty Clearing Station. Dangerously Wounded per Officer Commanding. The Battalion was stationed a Calonne II in France and the War Diary notes, “Position as yesterday. 2 o.r. reported wounded. Patrols covered Battalion frontage and reported all quiet.” |
| December 27, 1916 | Update | Slight improvement. |
| January 3, 1917 | Update | Slight improvement. |
| January 5, 1917 | Admitted | General Hospital, Camiers, France. Seriously ill. |
| January 7, 1917 | General Hospital, Camiers | Still seriously ill. |
| January 19, 1917 | General Hospital, Camiers | Improved. |
| January 22, 1917 | Admitted | University College Hospital, London, England. Gunshot Wound, head. |
| February 3, 1917 | Operation | |
| March 15, 1917 | Taken of Strength | TOS from Canadian Convalescent Assembly Corp to Western Ontario Regimental Depot at Bramshott. |
| June 6, 1916 | Admitted | Canadian Convalescent Hospital, Bromley, for tonsillitis and sciatica. |
| June 8, 1917 | Operation | Wound was discharging. Removed a foreign object. |
| July 5, 1917 | Admitted | Canadian Convalescent Hospital, Bromley. |
| July 7, 1917 | Admitted | Orpington. |
| July 16, to 31, 1917 | Chart of temperature, pulse, and respiration | Operated on on July 24, 1917, at 5:00 PM. Temperature erratic and running a fever of up to 102 degrees. |
| July 23, 1917 | Ontario Military Hospital | Private Puterbaugh is in Ward 2, bed 36. |
| July 24, 1917 | Report of X-Ray Examination | “Fracture of the skull extending from the median line 2.5” to the right and from the apex forward 2”. Small portions excised at the median and lateral borders of the fracture. |
| July 24, 1917 | Updated | Dangerously ill. |
| July 30, 1917 | Died of Wounds | Died of wounds related to GSW to head. |
| June 9, 1917 | Made Out Will | Will leave $100 to his Aunt, Mrs. P. Gillie of 2418 Dundas Street, West, Toronto and the same amount to his sister Miss Dorothy Puterbaugh, No. 5 Gladstone Place, Toronto. The remainder is designated to his other sister, Agnes of 53 Howland, Toronto. |
| June 10, 1917 | Admitted | Admitted to Canadian Convalescent Hospital, Bromley. |
| June, to 31, 1917 | Chart of temperature, pulse, and respiration | Operated on July 24, 1917, at 5:00 PM. Temperature erratic and running a fever of up to 102 degrees. |
| June 23, 1917 | Admitted | Admitted to Ontario Military Hospital, Orpinton. |
| June 25, 1917 | Classified as Dangerously Ill | There may have been a telegram generated to next of kin about his condition. Medical records indicate a broad infection. |
| June 30, 1917 | Died of Wounds | Patient notes: “Patient had two convulsions. Operation: Old would in head opened. Duro thickened but no pus found. Developed a meningitis – staphylococci found. Patient died 30-7-17 following G.S.W. in head. A. Cerebral abscess. Iii Pulmonary oedema. Private Puterbaugh died at 1:00 AM. |
| Buried | Buried at Orpington All Saints Churchyard Extension. He was later joined by Private G.M. Clark, reg. no. 651472 who died of wounds on September 20, 1918. They lie with 84 other Canadians who are buried there. His inscription reads: A LOVING SON, TRUE AND KIND A BEAUTIFUL MEMORY LEFT BEHIND FATHER | |
| Spring 1921 | Medals and Decoration | Medals and Decorations directed to Miss Agnes Puterbaugh, 53 Howland Road, Toronto, Ontario. |
| May 26, 1921 | Memorial Scroll | Scroll sent to Mr. Alfred Puterbaugh, 36 Geary Street, Toronto, Ontario. Scroll requisition no. 244883. |
| December 31, 1921 | Memorial Plaque | Plaque sent to Mr. Alfred Puterbaugh, 36 Geary Street, Toronto, Ontario. Plaque requisition no. P23123. |
| No Date | Memorial Cross | Nil. Only issued to a surviving mother or wife. |
| No Date | Eligible for… | 14-15 Start, Victory Medal, |
[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.
