Source: SS Caronia Passenger Manifest.
Family Search: When Corporal Amos John Bilney was born on 11 March 1889, in Glasgow, Scotland, United Kingdom, his father, Arthur Bilney, was 25 and his mother, Harriet, was 25. He married Isabella Caroline Naylor on 8 November 1913, in Galt, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. They were the parents of at least 2 sons and 1 daughter. He lived in Gillingham, Kent, England, United Kingdom in 1901 and Galt, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada for about 17 years. He registered for military service in 1915. His occupation is listed as carpenter in Galt, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. He died on 10 February 1958, in London, Ontario, Canada, at the age of 68, and was buried in Cambridge, Waterloo, Ontario, Canada.
Corporal Amos John Bilney, reg. no. 126061.
This man was enlisted with the 71st Battalion CEF at Galt, Ontario, on 3 September 1915.
He was a carpenter and followed the Wesleyan faith.
He was married and listed his wife, Issabela Carolyn (nee Naylor) Bilne,y living at 145 Francis Street, Galt, Ontario, as his next-of-kin. He had 1 year of military experience with the 29th Regiment, Highland Light Infantry of Canada
He arrived in England at Liverpool on 1 April 1916 and was confirmed as a sergeant on 1 February 1916.
He was struck off strength with the 71st Battalion and transferred to the Canadian Casualty Assembly Centre on 11 August 1916, at Folkestone.
He was then put “on command” with the 1st Canadian Convalescent Depot at Monks Horton.
He had a series of ailments which had him in hospital off and on from late August 1916 and later in January 1917, and again in August 1917.
He was attached for duty at Hastings effective 19 February 1917 and taken on strength from the CCAC on 11 March 1917.
He was put on command at the 2nd CCD effective 22 June 1917 and was transferred to the 4th Canadian Reserve Battalion where he reverted to the rank of private at his own request so he could be assigned to an active combat unit on 6 September 1917 and he was posted to the 18th Battalion on the same date.
He arrived from the 4th Cdn. Res. Bn. at No 2 Canadian Infantry Base Depot at Etaples, France on 7 September 1917 and was sent to the Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp twenty days later.
He joined the 18th Battalion “in the field” on 2 December 1917 and was appointed a Lance Corporal on 9 November 1917.
He was wounded on 8 August 1918 with a gunshot wound to the right eye and face and arrived at No. 11 Stationary Hospital the next day. He was released to convalesce and rejoined the 18th Battalion on 28 September 1918.
He was promoted to the rank of Corporal effective 14 August 1918, replacing Corporal D. A. Kelly, 213203, who had been invalided to England. This appointment also made him an armourer.
He was awarded the Military Medal on 24 January 1919.
Corporal Bilney was granted 14 days’ leave on 4 April 1919 and returned to Canada aboard the SS Caronia, sailing from Liverpool on 14 May 1919.
He was discharged due to demobilization at London, Ontario, on 24 May 1919.
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 