Source: Notation on back of Paymasters document.
This soldier was the father-in-law of Private Albert West, reg. no. 53521. This information was provided by a family member from the 18th Battalion Facebook Group.
Obituary of John Douglass, 1945
[1] Obituary Daily Sentinel Review, Woodstock, Ontario, September 12th, 1945, p.4:
Veteran of the First Great War and resident of Woodstock for many years, John DOUGLASS, 310 Hay Street, passed away this morning at Woodstock General Hospital, in his 73rd year. He had been in ill health for some time.
Born in Tain, Scotland, he was the son of the late Mr. and Mrs. William DOUGLAS(S). He lived in London, England for some time and came to Canada in 1905 and to Woodstock, where he has resided since, with the exception of the time he served in the First Great War with the 18th Battalion, C.E.F., in which he enlisted in London, Ontario. He was a member of the Woodstock branch of the Canadian Legion, also a member of the Dundas Street United Church. He was a plasterer by occupation and worked at this trade before and after his war service.
Surviving are his widow, formerly Harriett KELLY, two sons and five daughters.
The late Mr. DOUGLASS is resting at the E.F. MEADOWS funeral home where the funeral service will be held Saturday, September 15th at 2 pm with interment in Hillview Cemetery.
……………………………………………………[2] FUNERAL JOHN DOUGLASS -Obituary
The funeral of the late John DOUGLASS, 310 Hay Street, whose death occurred September 12th, was held Saturday afternoon from the E.F. MEADOWS funeral home. The funeral was conducted by Rev. L.C. McROBERTS of Dundas Street United Church, assisted by Major J.P. DICKINSON of the Salvation Army also padre of the local branch of the Legion, and was largely attended by relatives, friends and a large representation of the Canadian Legion. Many beautiful floral tributes expressed the sympathy and esteem of friends.
Casket bearers were Alf KENDALL, William WARREN, Ken MANSELL, P. LeCRAS, Bror JANSSON, and Sid HEMMINGS.
Flower bearers were E. LINSDELL, Harry SALTER, W. MacARTHUR, J. ROBINSON, A. BATES, J. FITZJOHN, W. STEELE, D. KIRKPATRICK, V. SIDEBOTHAM, C. HALE, M. BLACK, S. DYKES, J. WALTERS, Col. E. ELLIOT, George MURRAY, J. OGDEN, H. PIKE, A. NELSON, K. RUTHERFORD, P. OWEN, C. McALPINE, C. SHOEBOTHAM, E. GILBERT, J. WELCH, T. HADDEN, K. LUMSDEN, W. STEWART, F. MONEY, J. HICKENSON, W. VAN HATTON, and A. WISHART.
Interment took place in Hillview Cemetery where the Legion service was conducted, in charge of C. McALPINE, vice-president of the Woodstock branch and Major DICKINSON, chaplain.
Source: https://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=65784465
Summary of Service for Private John Douglass, reg. no. 53448
| Date | Event | Remarks |
| October 18, 1875 | Born | London, England |
| October 29, 1914 | Enlists | Enlists with the 18th Battalion in Woodstock, Ontario. He lists his wife, Harriet Douglass, as his next-of-kin. They reside at 320 Hay Street in Woodstock. He is a 39-year old labourer with prior military experience showing 7 years service with the 74th Royal Fusiliers. |
| November 10, 1914 | Inoculated | Anti-Typhoid |
| November 20, 1914 | Inoculated | Anti-Typhoid |
| December 1914 | Separation Allowance | Separation allowance of $20.00 per month is started. One payment of $41.00 is made during the month of February 1915. This is a rare entry. Most allotments were the same amount and rarely varied. |
| December 17, 1914 | Vaccinated | |
| April 6, 1914 | Employed as Cook | Employed as a 2nd Cook for the 18th Battalion’s Officer’s Mess. |
| April 18, 1914 | Embarks for England | Leaves Halifax aboard the S.S. Grampian. |
| April 29, 1915 | Arrives England | Disembarks Avonmouth and arrives West Sandling, Kent. Note to receive pay as a 2nd Class Cook. |
| May 1915 | Assigns Pay | Assigns $15.00 per month to his wife with an initial payment of $30.00 in May 1915. |
| September 15, 1915 | Embarks for France | Embarks for France as the 4th Canadian Infantry Brigade and the rest of the 2nd Division set off for the Continent and to active service at the front. |
| September 20, 1915 | Appointed Cook, 2nd Class | Appointed 2nd Class Cook “in the field”. |
| October 18, 1915 | Returns to Duty | Returns to duty and ceases being a Cook, 2nd Class with subsequent adjustment in pay. |
| November 30 1916 | No. 6 Canadian Field Ambulance | Admitted to No. 6 C.F.A. with P.U.O. Suffering from “P.U.O.”, pyrexia of unknow origin. Typically flu like symptoms. |
| February 1916 | Assigns Pay | Assigns pay in a lump sum of $100.00. This is unusual. This is equivalent to 100 days pay for a private. Most assigned pay was monthly at the rate of $15.00 to $20.00 per month. |
| December 2, 1916 | No. 6 Canadian Field Ambulance | Discharged. |
| September 1, 1917 | Leave | Granted 10-days leave. |
| December 12, 1917 | Leave | Granted 14-days leave to the United Kingdom. Note that is was rare for a private soldier (other ranks) to be granted two leaves within a year. Some men got no leave and most that did only get one instance during the entire war. Also, not the proximity in dates of the leave. Normally such leaves would be a year apart instead of 3 months. |
| January 1, 1918 | Pay Entitlement | Eligble for an additional $0.50 per diem pay as he is now serving under 3rd Class Washing pay while he is working as a cook. |
| November 29 1918 | Leave | Granted 14 days leave to the U.K. |
| November 1918 to January 1919 | Attached from Leave | Appears to be attached to a unit serving in the U.K. during this time. |
| January 8, 1919 | Returns from Leave | Returns from leave in the field and joins the Battalion which is doing duty in Germany. |
| March 14 1919 | Proceeds to England | Proceeds to England as the C.E.F. demobilizes. |
| April 4, 1919 | Taken Off Strength | Taken of Strength from the 18th Battalion to the Western Ontario Regimental Depot in Witley, England. |
| April 12, 1919 | Medical Exam | Medical exam at Ripon, England before embarking to Canada. |
| May 5, 1919 | Struck of Strength | Struck of Strength, W.O.R.D. to C.C.C. Ripon in expectation of embarking to Canada. |
| May 8, 1919 | Dental Exam | Dental exam before discharge at Ripon, England. 1 filling and 5 extractions and dentures. |
| May 20, 1919 | Embarks for Canada | Embarks the R.M.T. Regina. |
| May 23, 1919 | Disembarks Canada | Disembarks Halifax, Nova Scotia. |
| May 31, 1919 | Discharged | Discharged at Military District No. 1, London, Ontario. He intends to live in Woodstock. |
War Diary of the 18th Battalion CEF 