Source: Found during Circumstances of Death Card search for Private B. Rucker.
Family Search: When Private William Robert Ruck was born on 24 January 1897, in York, Ontario, Canada, his father, William Ruck, was 35 and his mother, Mary Ellacott, was 34. He lived in Toronto, Ontario, Canada for about 10 years and Oshawa, Durham, Ontario, Canada in 1915. He registered for military service in 1915. In 1915, at the age of 18, his occupation is listed as labourer in Oshawa, Durham, Ontario, Canada. He died on 17 August 1917, in Lens, Pas-de-Calais, Hauts-de-France, France, at the age of 20, and was buried in Aix-en-Issart, Pas-de-Calais, Nord-Pas-de-Calais, France.
PTE. WM. ROBERT RICK.
Pte William Robert Rick, only son of Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Ruck, 301 Clinton street, is reported killed in action on Aug. 17th. Deceased was twenty years of age and was born in the house on Clinton street. He enlisted in November 1915 in a Toronto battalion and had spent some ten months in the trenches. A cousin whom he had never seen is serving in the Imperial army, and immediately before his death Mrs. Ruck received word that the two boys were endeavoring to arrange to meet each other. Prior to his enlistment he was employed as a driver by Wm. Greaves, grocer, College street.
Source: Toronto Evening Telegram – September 4, 1917
PTE. RUCK KILLED
Word has come to Mr. and Mrs. William Ruck of 301 Clinton street, that their only son, Pte. W. R. Ruck, was killed in action August 17. he had been in France since last October, was 20 years of age, and was employed with W. Greaves, grocer, on College street. Pte. Ruck was born in Toronto and attended Clinton street school.
Source: Toronto Star – September 4, 1917
SOLDIER SON’S GRAVE
Mr. and Mrs William Ruck, 301 Clinton street, have received from France the above photograph of their soldier son’s grave. Private William Ruck enlisted in 1915 with the 116th Battalion. He made the supreme sacrifice at the Battle of Lens on August 15, 1917. His grave is situated in the Aix Noulette Communal Cemetery Extension near Bully Grenay. His is survived by his parents and five sisters.
Source: Toronto Star – November 23, 1918
| Reg number | 746091 |
| Name | Ruck, William Robert |
| Rank | Private |
| Year of Birth | 3/11/1905 |
| Date of Death | 8/17/1917 |
| Cemetery | |
| Cemetery location | |
| Country of birth | Canada |
| Home Country | Canada |
| City born | Toronto, ON |
| Address | oshawa, ON |
| Enlistment Date | 11/3/1915 |
| Drafted? | |
| Enlistment place | Oshawa |
| Origin Unit | 116th Battalion |
| Pre war Unit | |
| Final Bn | 18th |
| Ship | SS Olympic |
| Date in England | 7/31/1916 |
| Date in France | |
| Date w 116 | 11/3/1915 |
| Left 116th | 10/6/1916 |
| Married | no |
| Occupation | labourer |
| Wounded date | |
| Wound type/Death particuolars | |
| KIA | yes |
| DOW | |
| Died other | |
| Missing/Presumed Dead | |
| Wounded | |
| Sick | |
| PTSD | |
| Medals | |
| Vimy | |
| Vimy area | |
| Raid | |
| Hill 70 | yes |
| Pass | |
| Amiens | |
| Parvillers | |
| Boiry | |
| Canal | |
| Other | |
| Unit History | 116th to 18th |
| Other details | D company 116th |
| Field Punishment | |
| FP Details | |
| Gravestone | |
| Underage | |
| Medically Unit | |
| Deserter | |
| Undesirable | |
| Casualty Description | Killed in action, attack west of Lens |
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 