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Military Medal per. London Gazette. 31173. February 11, 1919.
“Bishop, who was born in Wilkesport in 1899 and lived in the Wallaceburg and Dresden areas, was a veteran of both the First and the Second World War.
He died in London, Ont. at age 73.
Eager to fight the enemy, Bishop lied about his age and enlisted for the First World War in 1915 as a 16-year-old.
Some of his experiences are detailed in memoirs that he wrote after he returned.
His niece, Sonya Gall of the former Raleigh Township, said the memoirs were part of his therapy while Bishop was being treated for shell shock, which is now known as post-traumatic stress disorder, at Westminster Hospital in London.
Gall and her cousin Peggy Marchand of Chatham have been typing the words from the old yellowing and deteriorating pages so they can preserve the story for their family members. He begins with wanting to leave his job in Sarnia to join the war effort, and details part of his experience as a stretcher-bearer while with the 18th Battalion in France.”
Summary of Service[i] for Private Albert Earl Bishop MM, reg. no. 189576
| Date | Event | Remarks |
| December 3, 1897 | Born | Born at Wilkesport, Ontario to Mr. and Mrs. George Bishop. |
| December 7, 1915 | Enlisted | Enlisted at St. Thomas, Ontario with the 91st Overseas Battalion and then was transferred to the 186th Battalion. He was a machinist by trade and stood 5’6” with a chest of 36” (2.5” expansion). He was a Methodist with a fair complexion, blue eyes, and light brown hair. He listed his father as his next of kin. He had no prior military experience. His apparent age was 18-years old.[ii] His medical records show he was 133 lbs. and received his inoculations for tetanus and typhoid. He was under-aged (16-years old). |
| January 7, 1916 | AWL and CB | Absent without leave (AWL) from January 4 (12:01 am) to 10:00 pm January 6, 1917. Confined to Barracks (CB) for 10-days. Deducted 3-days pay. |
| February 25, 1916 | CB | CB for 1 day “for being late for tattoo.” |
| May 25, 26, 27, 1916 | CB | Confined to barracks for 5-days. Reason not stated. |
| July 8, 1916 | Admitted | Admitted to London Military Hospital for mumps. |
| August 1, 1916 | Discharged | Discharged above “cured”. |
| August 25, 1916 | CB | 4-days CB. Not stated. |
| March 28, 1917 | Transferred | Transferred from 91st to the 186th Battalion. |
| September 27, 1916 | Signs “Particulars of Family of an Officer or Man Enlisted in the C.E.F. | This form indicates he was born at Wilkesport, Ontario. That he is not married and carries no life insurance. His parents are George D. Bishop and Maggie Bishop, both residing at R.R. No. 3 Dresden, Ontario. They are both living. |
| December 12 and 14, 1916 | CB | 3-days CB. Not stated. |
| December 16, 1916 | Admitted | Admitted to London Military Hospital for gonorrhea. |
| December 30, 1916 | Detention | 10-days detention. Not stated. |
| January 20, 1917 | Discharged | Discharged above “cured”. |
| February 12, 1917 | CB | 10-days CB. Not stated. |
| March 25, 1917 | Embarks | Embarks for England aboard the S.S. Lapland from Halifax, Nova Scotia. |
| March 28, 1917 | Unit Sails | |
| April 1, 1917 | Assigns Pay | Assigns $20.00 per month to his mother, Mrs. Margaret Bishop of R.R. No. 3 Dresden, Ontario. |
| April 7, 1917 | Arrives England | Arrives aboard the S.S. Lapland. |
| April 7, 1917 | TOS | TOS with the 4th Reserve Battalion at Bramshott Camp. |
| August 25, 1917 | TOS | TOS with 18th Battalion. |
| August 25, 1917 | Arrives | Arrives No. 2 Canadian Infantry Base Depot, Etaples, France. |
| September 5, 1917 | Arrives “In the Field” | Arrives in the field to the 18th Battalion. The Battalion was in reserve a Villers Au Bois. |
| March 5, 1918 | Granted Leave | Granted 14-days leave to Paris France. |
| October 10, 1918 | Wounded | Wound GSW to right arm, slight. The War Diary relates on this day: Location: Bn. “HQ” in Chateau Escaudoeuvres Bn. “HQ” T.10.d.40.50. Map 51.a.SW At 06:00 hours the Battalion assembled in T.20.a. & d. advancing to jumping off position in T.c.n.d. [?] from which position they jumped off under cover of an Artillery Barrage at 0.7:00 hrs. Battn. Hdqrs. was located in a funk hole in the railway cutting, at T.10.d.40.50. The 19th. Battalion was on the right and the 6th Bde. on the left. The Barrage was not good, the progress of the troops being retarded half an hour on account of our own shells breaking just ahead of the jumping off positions. “A” and “B” Companies (Left and Right respectively) led off, “D” Co’y in support, “C” Co’y, in Reserve. “A” Company reached old trenches in T.10.b. and T.11.a. but further progress was stopped by enemy M.G. fire from the left flank. The Brigade on the left not having gotten forward. “B” Co’y reached the river at T.11.b & d. where a line was formed and held. About 13:00 hrs. the 19th. Battalion with Calvary patrols were successful owing to the intense M.G. fire and the fact that our Artillery was out of range at this time. At 14:00 hrs. Lieut. L.E. Boulton with nine men went forward and established a post in railway embankment at T.11.b.50.60, east of ERCLIN RIVER which was found to be dry. No further attempt was made to advance during the day. During the days fighting the Battalion casualties were Lieut. W.A. Cash and 6 O.R.s killed in action, Lieuts. W. Spyer, M.M. Wilson, and A.E. Babcock and 70 O.R.s wounded. Lieut. J.C. Little and Batman were reported missing. 3 O.R.s were admitted to hospital to-day. The night passed very quietly.” |
| October 12, 1918 | Admitted | Admitted to No. 55 General Hospital, Boulogne, France. |
| October 14, 1918 | Transferred and Admitted | Transferred to No. 7 Convalescent Depot. |
| October 1, 1918 | Transferred and Admitted | Transferred to No. 10 Convalescent Depot. |
| October 21, 1918 | Awarded Confined to Barracks | Awarded 7-days CB for being absent without leave from 21:00 hours 21.10.18 to 22:00 hours same date. |
| October 22, 1918 | Discharged and Transferred | To No. 5 Rest Camp, St. Martins. |
| October 23, 1918 | Deprived Pay | Deprived of 3-days pay for “Disobedience of camp orders ie. Sleeping in a wrong hut.” |
| October 24, 1918 | Classified and Transferred | Classified “Class A” and transferred to Canadian Infantry Base Depot, Etaples. |
| October 30, 1918 | Transferred | Transferred to the Advanced Canadian Corps Reserve Camp. |
| November 2, 1918 | Rejoins Unit | Arrives 18th Battalion. The War Diary relates: “Place: Map Ref. Sheet #28. 1/20,000 Battalion entrained at CAESTRE and detrained at YPRES about 3 p.m. from there marching to POTITSE where supper was served on the roadside. Transport [lorries?] left at 6 a.m. came by road. (see O.O. D164. After supper the Battalion moved into support at Abraham Heights, relieving the 75th Battalion whose guides met the Bn. At the junction of Jill and K. trails (D.21.a.45.90) these tracks being trench mat [walks]. Relief completed at 11.40 p.m. Men were in funk holes and shelters around their respective Coy H.Q. viz A Coy H.Q. D.15.b.9.5 B Coy D.15.c.6.5 C Coy rear right D.15.b.2.5 and D Coy D.15.b.8.5. Battalion HQers being in a PILLBOX, BOATHOEK D.15.a.3.3 and R.A.P[iii]. D.15.a.2.3.” |
| February 2, 1919 | Granted Leave and Awarded Military Medal | Granted 14-days leave to the United Kingdom. Awarded Military Medal per London Gazetted no. 31173. |
| April 5, 1919 | Proceeded to England | Along with the rest of the 18th Battalion, after serving in occupation duties in Germany, he returns to England. |
| April 9, 1919 | TOS | TOS to PWCC at Witley Camp. |
| April 7, 1919 | Dental Exam | Dental exam notes no deficiencies or treatment required. |
| April 7, 1919 | Medical Exam | Medical exam in preparation for discharge. Noted he had mumps July 8, 1916 and a GSW from October 1918. |
| May 14, 1919 | Embarks | Embarks S.S. Caronia at Liverpool for Canada. |
| May 24, 1919 | Discharged | Discharged when the 18th Battalion, as a unit, returned to London, Ontario after their service overseas. He was now 21-years old. |
| March 22, 1923 | Updated Address Card | Shows his address as GPO Wilkesport. |
| Post War | ||
| 1973 | Deceased | His death is recorded at London, Ontario and he is buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Gardens. |
Acronyms and Explanations
| 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. |
| CAMC | Canadian Army Medical Corp |
| CB | Confined to Barracks: a punishment for minor infractions. |
| CCH | Casualty Clearing Hospital |
| CCR | Canadian Corps Reserve Camp |
| CFA | Canadian Field Ambulance |
| 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 |
| PWCC | Unknown |
| SOS | Struck Off Strength |
| TOS | Taken On Strength |
[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.
[ii] It appears his birth year was actually 1898.
[iii] Regimental Aid Post: The first place of care for the wounded.
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 
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