William Henry Lewis

Forename(s):
William Henry

Surname:
Lewis

Initial(s):
W H

Service Number:
1037129

Rank:
Private

Regiment:
Canadian Forestry Corps, 238th Battalion

Died:
14/05/1917

Aged:
51

Buried:
St. Bartholomew's Churchyard, Whittingham, Northumberland

Service History:
Enlisted on 20 July 1916, passed medically fit on the same day, & joined his unit on 4 August.

On his attestation papers, Lewis stated his date of birth as 1 February 1871, whereas he actual year of birth was 1864.

After initial training, Lewis arrived in England & was sent to work in the Whittingham area at one of three lumber camps set up in North Northumberland - the others were at Chillingham & Harbottle.

During the war, the British Government realised it was becoming increasingly dangerous because of attacks on merchant shipping, & also much too expensive, to continue importing the country's timber needs from Canada. Britain had plenty of timber but not the expertise or resources to harvest it in the vast quantities needed to cope with demand from the Western Front, so an agreement was reached between the two countries to use Canadian volunteers for this work.
(Source: Joyce & Neil Brison; 2014)

Background:
Born on 1 February 1864 at Brimstage, Cheshire, the third son of Joseph Shaw Lewis (b. 1823; in Lancashire, England; d. 1900) & his wife Mary (née Carter; b. 1827; also born in Lancashire; d. 1894). Lewis's parents married in 1848, &, towards the end of their lives, they lived at Higher Bebington, Cheshire.

Lewis emigrated to Canada on 29 December 1910, aged 45. He left from Bristol on the 'Royal George' bound for Halifax, Nova Scotia. His occupation was described as Commercial Traveller. On the same ticket (No. 2071) was Herbert William Carter, a 21 years-old Motor Mechanic. This may have been a member of his mother's family as her maiden name was Carter.
(N.B. Carter also served with the Canadian Army, Central Ontario Regiment, 20th Infantry Battalion - Regimental Service #775031. He rose to the rank of Corporal before his death on 10 November 1917. His parents were H & Ann Jane Carter, of 70, Middlewich Road, Northwich, Cheshire. He left a widow, Alice Dale [formerly Carter], of 55, Roger's Road, Toronto, Canada.)

Lewis never married. His brother George Herbert, who emigrated to South Africa sometime before 1916 - possibly in 1912 - was named on his attestation papers as his next of kin.

Lewis died after attempting to climb up to his bunk, perhaps the worse for wear from drink.
(Source: Joyce & Neil Brison; 2014)

Local Memorial:
Ottawa, Canada, WW1 Book of Remembrance in the Peace Tower Whittingham, Roll of Honour in St. BartholomewÂ’s Church