Caldwell, Wesley Strang: Service no. 53661 (Military Medal)

Digitized Service Record

Source: Earned the Military Medal for “Bravery in the Field” during the actions at the Somme, September 1916.

Find-A-Grave

Family Search: When Lieutenant Wesley Strang Caldwell was born on 18 March 1895, in Hay Township, Huron, Ontario, Canada, his father, William Thomas Caldwell, was 46 and his mother, Sarah Alice Chamberlain, was 42. He married Sethrona Sherritt on 16 February 1920, in London, Canada West, British North America. They were the parents of at least 1 son and 1 daughter. He immigrated to Port Huron, St. Clair, Michigan, United States in 1929 and lived in Huron, Ontario, Canada for about 10 years and London, Canada West, British North America in 1958. He registered for military service in 1914. In 1914, at the age of 19, his occupation is listed as student. He died on 16 November 1972, in London, Ontario, Canada, at the age of 77, and was buried in Woodland Cemetery, London, Ontario, Canada.

Military Medal

Wesley, Sethronie, Doreen and Ross Caldwell 1925.
Eighteenth Encount as Sixteen Hells London Advertiser May 6 1916 Page 16
London Advertiser. May 6, 1916. Page 16.
St. Thomas Daily Times. May 6, 1916. Via Allan Miller 18th Battalion Facebook Group.

Later promoted to lieutenant and rejoined the 18th Battalion on June 23, 1917.

Source: The Clinton News Record, 1916-12-14, Page 1.

SOLDIER BOY HONOURED

Sergt. Wesley Caldwell, son of Mr. and Mrs. Caldwell of Hensall, is officially reported as having received a military medal for distinguished service on the battle field. Sergt. Caldwell is very well known in Clinton, having attended Collegiate here. He enlisted as a private with the 18th Battalion in November 1914 and was promoted on the field. He has served in Belgium and France for over a year. He is a member of the machine gun section. The Clinton friends of this young soldier will be glad to hear of his success and will wish for him more distinguished honours.

Source: The Clinton News Record, 1916-12-14, Page 1.

Source: Allan Miller from 149th Battalion CEF – Lambton’s Own Facebook Group.
Appendix to October 1916 War Diary outlining the soldiers who won decorations from Septembers 1916 action on the Somme Front.
Appendix to October 1916 War Diary outlining the soldiers who won decorations from Septembers 1916 action on the Somme Front.

A series of news clippings sourced from the online archives at the Huron County Museum Newspaper Archive about this soldier:

001920a
001920b

Blog at WordPress.com.

Up ↑