Source: Photo of “D” Company, 18th Battalion, post-war.
Family Search:When Private Charles Herbert Sankey was born on 4 July 1895, in London, England, United Kingdom, his father, William Henry Sankey, was 46 and his mother, Elizabeth Maud Watts, was 39. He married Elsie May Burch on 3 October 1915, in Thedford, Lambton, Ontario, Canada. They were the parents of at least 2 daughters. He immigrated to Detroit, Wayne, Michigan, United States in 1939 and lived in Thedford, Lambton, Ontario, Canada in 1916 and Saginaw, Michigan, United States in 1936. He registered for military service in 1916. In 1916, at the age of 21, his occupation is listed as farmer in Thedford, Lambton, Ontario, Canada. He died on 16 April 1960, in Saginaw, Saginaw, Michigan, United States, at the age of 64, and was buried in Roselawn Memorial Gardens, Saginaw, Saginaw, Michigan, United States.
This soldier joined the 149th Battalion at Thedford, Ontario on December 26, 1916. He was married to Elsie M. Sankey and listed his trade as a farmer. He had no prior military experience.
He was transferred to the 122nd Battalion. He was 20-years old at enlistment and stood a whopping 5’2″ tall, shorter than average for a Canadian soldier at this time. He was 121 lbs.
He embarked for England on May 28, 1917, and arrived in Liverpool on June 10, 1917. He was posted to No. 43 Company Canadian Forestry Corps, France and is recorded to have landed in France on June 28, 1917.
He was granted a 15-day leave in April 1918 and returned to the his unit. He than ran into a bit of trouble in March 1918, as he was AWL for 11 days.
On October 7, 1918, he was transferred to a line unit, the 18th Battalion, and arrived in the field on the next day.
Before he embarked on his return to Canada he was able to take a 14-day leave in England, perhaps to reconnect with his family.
He was discharged after his service at London, Ontario on May 24, 1919.
History of the 18th Battalion CEF, "The Fighting Eighteenth" 