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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Information on a Canadian Infantry Man


chris basey

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895231 Sergt D.Harrison is the man and his medals are clearly inscribed "31 Can Inf".

He's got MM, BWM and VM.

We know that he survived because, in 1957, he was made a Life Member of the British Legion for Meritorious Service.

Can anyone please help me with some information about '31 Can. Inf.'?

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Hi!

First of all I presume you have checked Sgt. Harrison's Attestation paper here .

Next, there is quite a bit of stuff available about the 31st (Alberta) Battalion. It was the Alberta representative in the 2nd Canadian Division, serving in the 6th Brigade. By the time your fellow reached them the battalion was largely made up of Albertans from outside the main centres of Calgary and Edmonton. A regimental history was published in the interwar years. However, you may wish to browse through the battalion War Diary here . Of all the Canadian War Diaries I have looked at, that of the 31st is the most complete and informative.

Your man enlisted with the 191st (South Alberta) Battalion, whose headquarters were at McLeod. However, he seems to have enlisted in Calgary. As near as I can make out, the (understrength) 191st shipped overseas in the spring of 1917.

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James

How could I be so lucky!! Of all the WW1 men that I have researched, I have never found so much in such a short time!

Stupidly, I had not thought to look at attestation papers as he had survived.

Many, many thanks for those links. Again, so lucky in my choice of dates of War Diaries and found a reference which looks very like where he was awarded the MM.

His medals have just surfaced with other things belonging to my local Royal British Legion Branch. He died in 1957 so there's no evidence around but we now know where he lived in this village before going to Canada. Only a bit of work this end now to confirm that he returned to UK and died here.

Yours was the one reply to my post - that's all that was needed!

A great result and thank you, again.

Kind regards

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