Source: SS Caronia Passenger Manifest. 1919.
Family Search: When Private Roy Leonard Gatecliff was born on 11 June 1898, in Blanshard Township, Perth, Ontario, Canada, his father, Henry Gatecliff, was 50 and his mother, Amelia Ann Stephens, was 39. He married Laura Secord Andrews on 30 July 1932, in London Township, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada. They were the parents of at least 2 daughters. He lived in Middlesex, Ontario, Canada in 1911 and Broughdale, London, Ontario, Canada in 1925. He registered for military service in 1916. In 1916, at the age of 18, his occupation is listed as shoemaker in London, Ontario, Canada. He died in 1986, in London Township, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada, at the age of 88, and was buried in London Township, Middlesex, Ontario, Canada.
This man enlisted with the 135th Battalion on 19 January 1916, at London, Ontario.
The is some confusion as to what was his date of birth. His attestation paper records 2 September 1897 as his DOB, but a document in his service file records his birth date as 11 June 1898. The had some concern that he was under age when he enlisted.
He went overseas, arriving in Liverpool on 30 August 1916 and was transferred to the 18th Battalion on 28 November 1916, arriving “in the field” on 2 December 1916.
He took ill with Iritis, and it was discovered he was underage. He was sent to the 1st Army School of Instruction on 5 September 1917.
He was assigned as a batman to Captain H. Cook, 6th Battalion, The Cheshire Regiment, on 4 November 1917.
He never returned to active duty. He was sent to the Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp and held there until war’s end.
He was discharged due to demobilization at London, Ontario, on 25 April 1919.
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 