Source: Cambridge Facebook Group post by a family member.
Find-A-Grave

Summary of Service for Private William Frederick Holwett, reg. no. 730431
Date | Event | Remarks |
October 24, 1897 | Born | Born at Pickering, Ontario. |
January 29, 1916 | Enlisted | Enlisted with the 111th Battalion at Galt, Ontario. He was an 18-year-old shoemaker standing 5”5” tall. He no prior military experience and lived at 150 Cambridge Street in Galt. His next-of-kin was his mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Masterson, of the same address. He was single and indicated that he practiced the Methodist faith. |
June 3, 1916 | Particulars of Family of an Officer or Man Enlisted in C.E.F. | On this form he states he is not married nor a widower, has no children. His father is dead, and his mother is alive and remarried. He is not insured. |
September 1916 | Assigns Pay | Assigns pay of $15.00 per month to his mother. |
September 25, 1916 | Embarked | Sailed from Halifax to England aboard the SS Tuscania. |
October 6, 1916 | Arrives | Arrives England. |
October 8, 1916 | Transferred | Transferred to the 17th Reserve Battalion. |
October 13, 1916 | Transferred | Transferred to the 35th Battalion, West Sandling, Kent, England. |
January 4, 1917 | TOS | TOS with the 4th Reserve Battalion, West Sandling. |
May 9, 1917 | TOS | TOS with the 18th Battalion. |
May 10, 1917 | Arrives | Arrives at Canadian Base Depot, Etaples, France. |
June 11, 1917 | Address Updated | Next-of-kin address updated to Ferguson Block, West Main Street, Galt, Ontario for his mother. |
June 12, 1917 | Arrives | Arrives with the 18th Battalion in the field. |
August 21, 1917 | Wounded | Wounded by an enemy shell bursting in road. Many men of the 18th were killed and wounded by this shell. He suffered a GSW to his right thigh and leg. |
August 23, 1917 | Admitted | Admitted to No. 4 General Hospital, Camiers, France. |
August 30, 1917 | Transported | Transported from France to England aboard the AT St. David. |
August 31, 1917 | Admitted | Admitted to Berrington War Hospital, Shewsbury, England. |
October 25, 1917 | Discharged | Discharged Berrington War Hospital, Shewsbury, England. |
October 26, 1917 | Admitted | Admitted to Canadian Convalescent Hospital, Woodcote Park, Epsom. |
April 3, 1918 | Discharged | Discharged Woodcote Park, Epsom and put On Command at 2nd CCD. |
May 31, 1918 | Ceases | Ceases to be On Command and TOS 4th Reserve Battalion at Witley. |
September 4, 1918 | Proceeds Overseas | Proceeds overseas to the 18th Battalion. |
September 5, 1918 | Arrives CIBD | Arrives at the CIBD, Etaples, France and TOS 18th Battalion. |
September 9, 1918 | Arrives CCRC | Arrives at the Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp. |
September 11, 1918 | Arrives 18th Battalion | Arrives in the field with the 18th Battalion. |
April 4, 1919 | Ceases | Ceases to be attached to 4th Reserve Battalion and TOS to the 18th Battalion and SOS to the PWCCC. |
April 4, 1919 | Proceeds to England | After serving with the 18th from September 11, 1918 to this date he would have served with the Battalion until the war ended and then participated in occupation duty in Germany with the Battalion. |
April 5, 1919 | SOS | SOS to WORD in preparation to return to Canada. |
April 7, 1919 | Medical Exam | Medical Exam for Discharge. He is the same height as at enlistment and weighs 130-pounds. |
April 27, 1919 | Admitted | Admitted to Canadian Special Hospital, Witley for VDG. |
July 1, 1919 | Medical Exam for Discharge | |
July 2, 1919 | Dental Exam for Demobilization | |
July 27, 1919 | Discharged | Discharged at MD No. 1 (London, Ontario). He has miraculously grown 3”. He plans to live at Ferguson Block, West Main Street, Galt, Ontario. |
May 19, 1921 | Updated Address | Address of Private Howlett updated to 475 Dupont Street, Toronto, Ontario. |
Acronyms
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. |
A Classification | Medical Board Classification that determined your fitness for duty. A1, A2, A3 and A4 were assigned to different units with the expectation that these men would be able to serve with active combat units. See this link for more information. |
B Classification | Medical Board Classification that determined your fitness for duty. B1, B2, and B3 were assigned to different service units such as railway and forestry corps. See this link for more information. |
D Classification | See this link for more information. |
CAMC | Canadian Army Medical Corp |
CB | Confined to Barracks: a punishment for minor infractions. |
CCD | Casualty Convalescent Depot: a depot at a base where men, in their final stages of convalescing, would be prepared for duty depending on their rating. |
CCH | Casualty Clearing Hospital |
CCRC | Canadian Corps Reserve Camp |
CCS | Casualty Clearing Station: this facility was attached to rail transportation from the front to hospitals on the coast of France |
CDC | Canadian Dispatch Camp |
CFA | Canadian Field Ambulance/Canadian Field Artillery. Most common usage would be Canadian Field Ambulance. |
DAH | Disorderly Action of the Heart |
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: This was a term used for any illness that could not clearly be identified and typically was related to influenza symptoms. |
SOS | Struck Off Strength |
TOS | Taken On Strength |
CAMC | Canadian Army Medical Corp |
CCH | Casualty Clearing Hospital |
CFA | Canadian Field Ambulance |
DRS | Divisional Rest Station |
GSW | Gun Shot Wound – this was a generic term for all projectile penetrating wounds. |
MD | Military District |
PUO | Pyrexia of Unknown Origin |
SOS | Struck Off Strength |
TOS | Taken On Strength |
WORD | Western Ontario Regimental Depot |

