Jolie, John Ernest: Service no. 3131396 (Military Medal)

Digitized Service Record

Source: “Duty Nobly Done” page 290.

Find-A-Grave

Awarded Military Medal. Reference London Gazette No. 31227. Date March 11, 1919. Page 3447.

Diary of PRIVATE JOHN E. JOLIE by Keith Jolie.

Google Map that accompanies the work on the diary.

At 5.00 a.m. this morning the enemy attempted a stealth raid against one of our posts this morning at W.9.b.40.30. This was repulsed. Pte. Jolie of “A” Coy. shot and killed the foremost German and wounded another breaking up the party. Body of the dead German was recovered. He was an N.C.O. from the 63^rd I.R. 12^th Div. and apparently leader of the raiding party. None of our men were missing. Protective patrols coved the Battalion frontage during the night, but had nothing to report. Our artillery active during the day on enemy’s forward and rear area. Hostile artillery active at intervals. Our snipers covered the Battalion’s frontage during the day but no targets were observed. Enemy snipers very active in W.9.b and W.15.b Visibility poor throughout the day, and little movement could been seen on ARRAS – CAMBRIA Road and vicinity. About 5.00 p.m. our artillery fired on OISY-LE-VERGER. Pass word for the night – “Knife”. 3 O.rs wounded.

Source: September 1918 War Diary. September 13, 1918.

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Medals and Description of Action

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Bible

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Paybook and Diary

Summary of Service[i] for Private John Ernest Jolie (M.M.), reg. no. 313396

Date	Event	Remarks
November 12, 1895	Born	Born at Petite Cote, Essex County, Ontario, Canada.
January 8, 1918	Conscripted	Conscripted for service with the C.E.F. at London, Ontario and attached to the 1st Depot Battalion, Western Ontario Regimental Depot under the M.S.A. Private Jolie was a single pressman standing 5’7” and indicated that his father, Joseph H. Jolie, also residing at Petite Cote, was his next-of-kin.
January 10, 1918	Dental Exam	No issues.[ii]
January 9, 14, 17, 1919	Vaccinations
February 1918	Assigns Pay	Assigns $15.00 per month to his father, Joseph Hiliare Jolie of Petite Cote, Ontario.
March 4, 1918	Arrives England	Arrives England aboard the S.S. Cretic.
March 4, 1918	Taken On Strength	T.O.S. from 1st Battalion, W.O.R.D. to the 4th Reserve Battalion at Bramshott.
August 18, 1918	Struck Off Strength	S.O.S. 4th Reserve Battalion and transferred to the 18th Battalion.
August 20, 1918	Arrives France	Arrives at Canadian Infantry Base Depot, Etaples, France.
August 23, 1918	Arrives Canadian Corp Reinforcement Camp	Arrives C.C.R.C.
August 28, 1918	Arrives 18th Battalion	Joins the Battalion “In the Field” on this date. The Battalion has just run the gauntlet during the action at the Battle of Arras. He was one of 52 other men of other ranks that arrived on that day.   The War Diary relates on that day: “SENSEE RIVER LINE: Zero hour for this days operation was set for 12.30 noon. Bn. was in support of 20th Bn. Heavy casualties were suffered in the advance to the slope of the SENSEE RIVER, machine gun nests and wire in the German line being equally heavy. Capt. Mackedie was shot through the hand and instantly killed rushing a German gun post; Lieut. Cole, shot through the eye, was afterwards found dead; Major Graham and Lts. Lawrence [sic], Donaldson and Krug were wounded. Under terrific fire the Bn. was compelled to temporarily withdraw and take up a line in the sunken roads fronting the German wire East of the SENSEE RIVER. 52 O.R. arrived as reif. 3 O.Rs on leave. Approx. casualties all ranks, 10 killed & 70 wounded.”
September 13, 1918	Mentioned in War Diary	During at action Private Jolie is mentioned for his acts which probably led to him being awarded the Military Medal:   “At 5.00 a.m. this morning the enemy attempted a stealth raid against one of our posts this morning at W.9.b.40.30. This was repulsed. Pte. Jolie of “A” Coy. shot and killed the foremost German and wounded another breaking up the party. Body of the dead German was recovered. He was an N.C.O. from the 63rd I.R. 12th Div. and apparently leader of the raiding party. None of our men were missing. Protective patrols covered the Battalion frontage during the night, but had nothing to report. Our artillery active during the day on enemy’s forward and rear area. Hostile artillery active at intervals. Our snipers covered the Battalion’s frontage during the day but no targets were observed. Enemy snipers very active in W.9.b and W.15.b Visibility poor throughout the day, and little movement could been seen on ARRAS – CAMBRIA Road and vicinity. About 5.00 p.m. our artillery fired on OISY-LE-VERGER. Pass word for the night – “Knife”. 3 O.rs wounded.”
January 7, 1919	Appointed Lance-Corporal	The Battalion was performing occupation duty in Germany. He was promoted to replace E.S. Trotter, who was promoted from Lance-Corporal.
March 13, 1919	Awarded Military Medal	Awarded Military Medal. Reference London Gazette No. 31227. Date March 11, 1919. Page 3447.
April 7, 1919	Medical and Dental Exam	Exams in expectation of being shipped home. Witley Camp.
April 15, 1919	Taken On Strength	T.O.S. to the P.W.C.C.L. from the 18th Battalion at Witley Camp.
May 13, 1919	Stuck Off Strength	S.O.S. from P Wing to Canada.
May 14, 1919	Embarks for Canada	Leaves via Liverpool aboard the S.S.
May 24, 1919	Discharged	Discharged with the rank of Lance-Corporal at London, Ontario.
June 9, 1963	Dies	Dies at the Hotel Dieu Hospital at Windsor, Ontario and is interned at Assumption Cemetery, Windsor, Ontario.

[i] The Summary of Service for this soldier is meant as just that, a summary of his service. It is not intended to be an exhaustive biographical relation of his life or his war service. Some information may be deliberately suppressed by the author out of sensitivity to the soldier. Readers are encouraged to reference the actual service records available at the Library and Archives Canada in PDF format if they wish to learn more about this soldier. Such additional information (i.e. hyperlinks etc.) are for informational purpose only and no claim to verification or accuracy is made by the author of this summary.

[ii] Note that most soldier that were processed before 1918 did not have any dental records of an exam at induction. Only if treatment was required or upon demobilization would they have dental records.