Personnel files of one hundred and seventy-eight personnel who served in World War I with ties to South Simcoe. Research was commenced by Jan Coward. After her passing, a group of research assistants are working to verify the research and share this publicly. Original database exists as an online spreadsheet. Reseach assistants have identified which personnel files have been verified.
Photograph of Owen Smith (1920-1943), son of Ann "Jennie" Smith (nee Martin) (1881-1947) and James Albert Smith (1878-1956). Owen was reported missing in action on March 23, 1943.
Jennie was the daughter of Thomas Martin (1840-1919) and Elizabeth Martin (nee Lee) (1850-1936). Elizabeth Lee was the daughter of Thomas Lee (1794-1868) and Ann Lee (nee Graham) (abt. 1825-1903).
Photograph of John A. Collis, soldier from World War II. John was born on October 14th, 1915 in Lowville, Ontario to parents George and Florence May Collis. He later married Dorothy Ruby in Bradford, Ontario and had a daughter, Joan Yvonne Collis, and a son, John Neill Collis. He was killed in action on July 25th, 1944 in Caen, France, and is buried in the Bretteville-Sur-Laize Canadian War Cemetery in Calvados, France.
A military training camp in Newmarket during the Second World War where recruits gathered for the first stage of their training before heading overseas.
Photograph of Jack Geddes, soldier in World War II who lost his life in battle. Jack was the son of George and Julia Ethel (Robinson) Geddes, born on May 13th, 1917 in Bradford, Ontario. . Jack worked as a Sub-Foreman for a Barrie construction company prior to marrying Mabel Elizabeth Copeland in May, 1940, and they had a daughter Gwendoline Elizabeth. He enlisted on November 27, 1942 specifically for the RCAF. Jack earned the rank of Sergeant in October of 1943 and was an Air Gunner for the RCAF. He and his flight crew did not return from their mission to Revigny, France. They were presumed dead until his body was found and registered through the Imperial War Graves Commission at Auger St Vincent Cemetery in Oise, France. He died July 19, 1944, and his wife received his Operational Wings recognition in honour of his service.
These are the children of Charles and Emily (Johnson) Adams, farmers of Bradford. David and John in the back row, and their sisters Bertha, Lilly (Perry) and Emily (Else). Jessie Lawrence is not pictured as she lived in Saskatchewan. David and John fought in World War I, though John died in Belgium on November 10th, 1917 and is buried in the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery.
