Source: Via Mark Carmichael Excel spreadsheet dated September 2025 re. soldiers of the 116th Battalion that served with the 18th.
Family Search: When Private Edward Vernon Callow was born on 23 June 1896, in Reading, Berkshire, England, United Kingdom, his father, Edward Henry Callow, was 28 and his mother, Kate May, was 25. He married Grace Maida Bell Alderson on 7 December 1923, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They were the parents of at least 2 sons. He immigrated to Quebec City, Quebec, Canada in 1908 and lived in Brampton, Peel, Ontario, Canada for about 15 years and Alliston, Simcoe, Ontario, Canada in 1960. He registered for military service in 1915. In 1931, at the age of 35, his occupation is listed as leather cutter in Brampton, Peel, Ontario, Canada. He died on 10 April 1960, in Alliston, Simcoe, Upper Canada, British North America, at the age of 63, and was buried in Alliston Union Cemetery, Alliston, Simcoe, Upper Canada, British North America.
LETTER FROM THE FRONT
VERNON Callow, one of the Brampton boys who left recently for France, writes as follows to his mother:
Witley Camp, Surrey, Eng., Sunday, Nov. 26.
Dear Mother, — I wrote you only a few days ago, but did not know then just when we would leave. We are going to-morrow about 10 o’clock, and I think we will be at the base in France some time to-morrow night. There are not many Brampton boys in this first draft. H. Lilly is the only one in the hut I am in. We are going to join the 18th Battalion in France and I think that we will be going straight to the trenches, as there are no officers nor N.C.O’s going with us. We have had another new rigout and a different lot of kit, a new pack, with trenching tool, small pick and shovel and first aid outfit, etc.
We were only warned for this last night, and believe me, we have been kept busy getting ready. I have just been overlooking mine and it seems a good outfit.
I had a pass in this week to go and see Chambers, but did not get it, as all passes were cancelled. He has been moved and is now in a hospital at Shoreham, Sussex, not far from here. It was too bad I did not get it. I had a letter from him a few days ago, and he told me if I did not hurry up, I would be sent across. You must not expect a letter from me every week when I get over, and not very much news then. They won’t let you say too much, and everything is censored, but will write as often as I can.
We were inspected this morning by the brigadier and he seemed very pleased with us. We don’t take any kit bag. All we own we carry wherever we go.
Well, I have told you all I can think of for this time. Now don’t worry about me. I will get on all right, so good-bye and best love to you all, from your loving son,
VERNON.
The Conservator. 14 December 1916. Page 1.
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 