Source: Canadian Expeditionary Force Study Group post.
Son to Private Frederick William Stokes.
Stokes, George Wilfred: Service no. 654135. Circa 1916 – 18. Source: Bill Donaldson via the 18th Battalion Facebook Group.
Summary of Service for Lance-Corporal George Wilfred Stokes, reg. no. 654135
| Date | Event | Remarks |
| October 28, 1895 | Born | Born at Seaforth, Ontario to Frederick William and Agnes Stokes. |
| December 30, 1915 | Enlists | Enlists at the age of 19 with the 161st Huron Battalion at Goderich, Ontario, his current place of resident. He is a “turner” by trade and stands 5’5” tall. He has no distinguishing marks and identifies his father, Frederick Stokes, as his next-of-kin. |
| April 29, 1916 | Inoculated | Anti-Typhoid inoculation course begins. |
| June 17, 1916 | Forfeits Pay | Forfeits 3-days pay for being Absent Without Leave (AWL) per Daily Order No. 146 dated June 22, 1916. |
| July 21, 1916 | Vaccinated | |
| October 30. 1916 | Units Sales | Embarks for England at Halifax, Nova Scotia. |
| November 1, 1916 | Assigned pay starts. | Private Stokes has assigned $20.00 per month of his pay to his mother, Mrs. F.W. Stokes. |
| November 11, 1916 | Arrives England | Arrives via the S.S. Lapland. |
| January 14, 1917 | Admitted | Admitted to hospital with influenza. |
| January 27, 1917 | Discharged | Discharged. |
| February 11, 1917 | Promoted | Promoted Acting Lance-Corporal at Witley Camp. |
| February 28, 1917 | Reverts to Private and Taken On Strength | Reverts to “permanent grade” of private in expectation of being transferred to a line-battalion. Taken on Strength with the 18th Battalion. Leaves England and arrives the same day at 2 Canadian Infantry Base Depot, Etaples, France. |
| March 15, 1918 | Joins the 18th Battalion | Joins the 18th Battalion in the field. The Battalion is resting, refitting, and training at Le Pendu, France. |
| August 26, 1918 | Wounded | Suffers a G.S.W. and contusion to right knee and hip.
The Battalion had been, and continued to be, heavily engaged and the tempo of the fighting was intense. On that day the War Diary relates:
“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.” |
| August 27, 1917 | Admitted | Admitted No. 26 General Hospital, Etaples, France. |
| August 30, 1917 | Transferred and Admitted | Transferred and admitted to No. 6 Convalescent Depot. |
| September 2, 1917 | Transferred and Admitted | Transferred and admitted to No. 10 Convalescent Depot. |
| September 11, 1917 | Discharged | Discharged to No. 5 Rest Camp. |
| September 14, 1917 | Admitted | Admitted to Canadian Infantry Base Depot, Etaples. |
| September 18, 1917 | Arrived | Arrived Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp, Etaples. Designated Class ‘A’ for duty. |
| October 7, 1917 | Rejoined | Rejoined the 18th Battalion in the field. The Battalion was in the line at Vimy Ridge. |
| September 9, 1918 | Promoted | Appointed Lance-Corporal as L/Cpl. F. Privett, 158665, was invalided to England. |
| November 25, 1918 | Admitted | Listed as having a pyrexia of unknown origin. Admitted to No. 1 Casualty Clearing Station (C.C.S.). The Battalion is in transit, via marching, from Fleurus. Belgium to Namur, Germany. |
| November 29, 1918 | Transferred | Transferred to No. 57 C.C.S. |
| December 2, 1918 | Transferred | Transferred to [illegible]. |
| December 3, 1918 | Transferred | Transferred to No. 7 Canadian General Hospital, |
| January 13, 1919 | Posted Sick and Transferred | Posted sick and transferred to the Western Ontario Regimental Depot. |
| May 3, 1919 | Dental Exam | |
| May 10, 1919 | Transferred | Struck off strength and transferred to Casualty Clearing Centre, Military District 1 at Ripon. |
| May 14, 1919 | Transferred | Stuck off strength for transport to Canada. |
| May 24, 1919 | Arrives | Arrives Halifax. |
| May 27, 1919 | Discharged | Discharged at No. 1 Military District (London, Ontario). |
| February 24, 1922 | Latest Address | Latest address General Post Office, Goderich, Ontario. |
Possible headstone. George W STOKES 1895-1970 Maitland Cemetery 35424 Huron Rd , Goderich, Goderich Township (Concession MT, Lot 4) Huron County, ON Source: http://geneofun.on.ca/names/photo/218946
Born on October 28, 1895 in Seaforth, Ontario to Mr. & Mrs. Frederick Stokes. On enlistment he gave his occupation as “turner” and his current address as Goderich, Ontario. He enlisted at the age of 19 on December 30, 1915 at Goderich with the 161st Huron Battalion and arrived in England on November 11, 1916 aboard the SS Lapland. After arriving in England the unit was posted to Witley and in February 1918 he was transferred to the 18th Battalion of the Canadian Infantry, Western Ontario Regiment and served in France until the end of the war. Lance Corporal Stokes was discharged on May 27, 1919 and returned to Goderich where he married his wife, Mary Myrtle.
Source: http://www.canadiangreatwarproject.com/searches/soldierDetail.asp?ID=74724
