Source: Via Katherine Cross at the 18th Battalion Facebook Group.
Family Search: When Charles Wesley Boyd was born on 11 October 1896, in Trent Hills, Northumberland, Ontario, Canada, his father, Mathew Boyd, was 39 and his mother, Rose Ann Redden, was 26. He married Gladys Anne Stewart on 28 April 1920, in Kingston, Frontenac, Ontario, Canada. They were the parents of at least 1 daughter. He lived in Northumberland, Ontario, Canada for about 10 years. He died on 20 January 1973, at the age of 76, and was buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Burlington, Halton, Ontario, Canada.
Blog article about this soldier.
Summary of Service for Lieutenant Charles Wesley Boyd, attested under reg. no. 455590.
| Date | Event | Remarks |
| October 11, 1896 | Born | Born in Campbellford, Ontario to Mathew and Rose Boyd. |
| September 4, 1915 | Enlisted | Enlisted in “Barriefield” (CFB Kingston) under reg. no. 455590. Indicates having 3 years experience as a Cadet in high school. He has attested to the 59th Battalion. |
| September 6, 1915 | Inoculated | Inoculated with anti-typhoid and vaccinated. |
| December 1915 | Sick Furlough | Duration and type of illness not known. |
| April 1, 1916 | Assigns pay | Assigns $10.00 per month to his mother, Rose Boyd. |
| April 11, 1916 | Arrived in England | |
| June 6, 1916 | Struck of Strength | S.O.S. from 59th Battalion to 18th Battalion. In Shorncliffe, England. |
| June 8, 1916 | Taken on Strength | Arrives 18th Battalion in the field. The Battalion is located in the Dickenbusch Sector, Belgium and the War Diary relates: “Position as yesterday. 5 o.r.s wounded. 10 o.r.s (sick) admitted to hospital. 1 o.r. returned from hospital.” |
| May 20, 1917 | Appointed Lance-Corporal | Promoted. Appointed Lance-Corporal, vice 454696 L.Cpl. C. Colby promoted. |
| July 9, 1917 | Wounded and sent to No. 9 Canadian Field Ambulance | He was on of 35 men wounded by a German shell landing in the bivouac area. 4 other men were killed and at least one of the wounded died later. War Diary: “Training during the morning. Postponed Church Parade held. About midday (12.40 pm) shell dropped by long range gun struck one of the huts in which H.Q. details[iii] and portion of D coy where billeted. 5 ors Killled. 4 ors died of wounds. 35 wounded.[iv]” |
| July 10, 1917 | Appointed Corporal | Promoted Corporal vice 424389 Cpl. A. Smith, died of wounds. |
| July 18, 1917 | Returns to Battalion | Corporal Boyd’s wounds appear to be minor and he returns to active service nine days later. Service record records: “WOUNDED by enemy shell bursting in billet.”. War Diary: “Quiet during the day. Immediately after dark Hun T. Mortars extremely active. C coy relieved A coy in front line. A coy returning to support trenches. Our observers obtained accurate cross bearings on trenches of Enemy T.M. preparatory to more effective retaliation by Artillery.” |
| November 16, 1917 | Appointed Sergeant | Promoted Sergeant, vice 53815, Sgt. A.H. Jones invalided to England. |
| January 15, 1918 | Assigned to Cadet Course | Taken on Strength at Bramshott for Cadet Officers course. |
| January 16, 1918 | Assigned to 4th Reserve Battalion | |
| January 30, 1918 | Struck of Strength 4th Reserve Battalion | S.O.S. in preparation to go the Bexhill for Officer Training Course. |
| February 2, 1918 | Arrives Bexhill | Officer Training Course. |
| April 27, 1918 | Posted to 4th Reserve Battalion | Granted temporary commission as a lieutenant. |
| April 28, 1918 | Promoted Lieutenant | |
| July 28, 1918 | Qualification notation | “Qualified Grade 2 at [Aldershott] Command School of Musketry” |
| February 27, 1919 | Arrived from England and T.O.S. 18th Battalion | The Battalion is at Fosses, France. |
| March 15, 1919 | Arrives 18th Battalion | The Battalion is at Fosses, France. |
| April 4, 1919 | Proceeded to England | It appears that since Lieutenant Boyd as from the Central Ontario region when he enlisted he was not required or expected to return with the Battalion to London, Ontario where the official demobilization would occur. |
| April 7, 1919 | Medical Exam at Witley Camp. | Medical exam for demobilization noting pneumonia in October 1915, GSW July 1917 and gassed November 1917. |
| April 9, 1919 | P Wing CCC, Witley | T.O.S. from 18th Battalion pending return to Canada (RTC). |
| May 13, 1919 | Sailed to Canada | |
| May 13, 1919 | Military District No. 1 (Ottawa) | T.O.S. C.E.F. for Demobilization. |
| May 25, 1919 | Demobilized | Military District No. 1 (Ottawa) |
| April 28, 1920 | Marriage | To Gladys Anne Stewart[i] |
| January 20, 1973 | Passes away[ii] |
[i] Per http://www.reddens.ca/redden_history.html
[ii] Per http://www.reddens.ca/redden_history.html
Charles W. Boyd
Lieutenant, 18th Battalion, C.E.F.Enlisted in September 1915, as a Private in the 59th Battalion, and in June 1916, he went to France where he was attached to the 18th Battalion. In April, 1918, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. He was severely wounded in July 1917, and he was gassed at Passchendaele in November, 1917.
Source: Memorial of the Great War, 1914-1918 : a record of service by Bank of Montreal Published 1921. Page 149.
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 