Willial Everett Bastin

[Phil Wood]

Not a non-commemoration but one that may be wrong:

Name: EVERETT

Initials: W

Nationality: Canadian

Rank: Private

Regiment/Service: Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry (Eastern Ontario Regiment)

Date of Death: 05/09/1916

Service No: 24

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: S. 435.

Cemetery: SHORNCLIFFE MILITARY CEMETERY

and on the Canadian Great War Project site:

Regimental Number: 24

Force: Army

Battalion: Princess Patricia`s Canadian Light Infantry

Place of Birth: Newbury, Berkshire

Next of Kin: Mrs. W. Bastin (sister), "The Mount", High Cliff, Newbury

Date of Birth: April 2, 1889

Marital Status: Single

Place of Enlistment: Ottawa, Ontario

Age at enlistment: 25

Cause of Death: Died of Illness

Date of Death: September 5, 1916

Buried at: Shorncliffe Military Cemetery, Kent, United Kingdom

(plus more: http://www.canadiangreatwarproject.com/searches/soldierDetail.asp?ID=19155)

LAC Reference: RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 2959-13

The information above matches his attestation papers.

Whereas I have come across this:

Newbury Weekly News, 28 Sep 1916

.. death of Private William Everett Bastin, RAMC, who was lilled by gas poisoning while taking a bath at Shorncliffe Hospital. The bathrooms had geysers to warm the water, and Bastin and a fellow soldier were both done to death while in the water, there being not sufficient ventilation to the rooms to take away the fumes and gas. [sounds like CO poisoning]. Private Bastin was the son of Mr and Mrs Bastin of the Mount, Highclere. He was aged 24 years and emigrated six years ago to Canada ...

... The funeral took place at Shorncliffe .... The father, mother and two sisters attended. ...

1901 census has the family, William BASTIN, wife, 3 sons (incl William) and 3 daurs at The Mount, Woolton Hill (actually in East Woodhay parish but almost Highclere).

His birth was registered Q4 1891 Kingsclere 2c 216 (as William Bastin). There is no birth registered for a William Everett in Apr 1889 (birthdate given on attestation). The next of kin given is really his mother, not sister.

On attestation he claimed he had 3 years service with the Hampshire Regt - is there any way to check this?

I am wondering if his emigration to Canada and his change or name are related - was he running away from something?

I am also wondering how much evidence would be needed to convice the CWGC and/or the Canadian authorities to record this chap as William Bastin, served as William Everett?