Autterson, William Harold: Service no. 53426

Digitized Service Record

Source: Per promotion in service record of Corporal Frederick Gilfoy, reg. no. 489223.

Find-A-Grave

His brother, Autterson, Gordon Alexander: Service no. 53425, served with the Battalion as well.

Summary of Service for Private William Harold Autterson, reg. no. 53426

Date	Event	Remarks
February 12, 1895	Born	Born at Strathroy, Ontario, Canada.
October 31, 1914	Enlists	Enlists with the 18th Battalion at Strathroy, Ontario. His regimental number shows he is an original member of the battalion. He is a 19-year-old farmer standing 5’10” tall. He has designated Gordon Autterson, his brother and also serving in the 18th Battalion, as his next-of-kin. He has 1-year of military experience having served with the Canadian Militia in the 26th Regiment. He is a adherent of the Church of England.
April 10, 1915	Forfeits Pay	Forfeits 7-day’s pay for being AWL at London, Ontario.
April 18, 1915	Embarks	Embarks for England aboard the SS Grampian.
April 29, 1915	Arrives	Arrives Avonmouth, England and entrains for West Sandling Camp near Shorncliffe, Kent.
June 8, 1915	Admitted	Admitted at the Bear Wood Convalescent Hospital for measles.
June 28, 1915	Discharged	Discharged as cured.
August 1915	Admitted to Hospital
August 6, 1915	Discharged	Discharged from hospital at West Sandling.
August 28, 1915	Transferred	Transferred to Base Company, 18th Battalion.
September 12, 1915	Transferred	Transferred from Base to “B” Company.
September 14, 1915	Embarks	Embarks for France for service as part of the 2nd Canadian Division, CEF. Enroute to Flanders region of Belgium,
November 7, 1915	Wounded	Wounded with GSW to right arm.
November 7, 1915	Transferred	Transferred to England for treatment of wounds aboard the HS Cambria.
November 7, 1915	Admitted and SOS	Admitted to Bevan Military Hospital, Sandgate, England. SOS 18th Battalion to 36th Battalion.
November 12, 1915	Admitted	Admitted to Shorncliffe Military Hospital, Shorncliffe.
November 29, 1915	Admitted	Admitted Bear Wood Convalescent Hospital for shrapnel wound to the right arm.
December 20, 1915	Discharged	Discharged from Canadian Convalescent Hospital, Wokingham.
February 29, 1916	Re-Examined by Medical Board	Exam re. GSW to right arm. Recommended fit for duty at Shorncliffe. Report endorsed on March 2, 1916.
March 24, 1916	Transferred	Transferred to the 18th Battalion from the 36th Battalion.
March 26, 1916	Arrives	Arrives at the front.
July 6, 1916	Completes Will	Leaves is real and personal property to Gordon A. Autterson currently serving with him in the 18th Battalion. It is witness by George Allen and Henry Wells Cash.
April 9, 1917	Appointed Lance-Corporal and then Lance-Sergeant
April 14, 1917	Promoted Corporal
August 13, 1917	TOS	TOS from 18th Battalion to WORD.
August 16, 1917	Granted Leave	Granted 10-day’s leave to England.
August 20, 1917	Promoted Sergeant
November 11, 1917	Course of Instruction	To course of instruction.
December 17, 1917	Rejoins 18th Battalion
February 18, 1918	Granted Leave	Granted 14-day’s leave to England.
August 8, 1918	Wounded	GSW to face and right shoulder.
August 9, 1918	Admitted	Admitted No. U.S.A. 9 General Hospital, Rouen, France.
August 11, 1918	Transferred	Transferred for further treatment to England aboard the AT Marguerite.
August 13, 1918	Admitted	General Military Hospital, Edmonton.
August 20, 1918	Admitted	Admitted hospital at Croydon.
December 31, 1918	Admitted	Woodcote Park, Epsom.
January 4, 1919	Marriage Approved
January 23, 1919	Married	Married Annie Isabel Vinall at Parish Church, Folkestone, County of Kent, England. Vicar P.F. Tindall presiding. She is later listed as residing at No. 8 Coast and Cottages, Folkestone, Kent.
February 3, 1919	Discharged	Discharged from Woodcote Park, Epsom.
February 3, 1919	On Command	On Command with the 1st CCD, Witley.
March 29, 1919	Ceases On Command	Ceases on Command with the 1st CCD, Witley and TOS with 4th Reserve Battalion, Ripon.
March 31, 1919	SOS	SOS with 4th Reserve Battalion and attached to Regimental Depot No. 2.
April 1, 1919	Attached	Attached to “R” Wing.
April 3, 1919	On Command	On Command 1st CCD, Buxton.
April 4, 1919	Dental Exam	Dental exam reports he has 10 fillings, no extractions or crowns.
May 3, 1919	SOS for Discharge	SOS to discharge in Canada. Embarks ship at Liverpool, England. Sailing aboard the SS Melita.
May 12, 1919	Disembarks	Disembarks Quebec City, Quebec.
May 14, 1919	Discharged	Discharged at Quebec City. He has grown 1-inche and lost a couple of years of age as his discharge papers indicate he is now 22 years old. He has attained the rank of Sergeant.
1970	Passes	Buried at Green Lawn Memorial Gardens, Oldcastle, Ontario.

Notes:

1. Record shows that the army should also notify a George Stillwell of Warwick, Ontario.
2. No record of Assigned Pay. May be due to the fact he married after he had active service.

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