Private John Arthur Cairns
Killed in Action in WW1
Date of Death:
Service Biography
Private John Arthur Cairns the son of Albert Cairns of Glenelm, was born in 1895 in Huntingdon. He enlisted when recruiting officers visited Huntingdon in early 1916 and was serving with the 24th Battalion when he was killed in the trenches at Passchendaele on November 5, 1917 by enemy mortar attacks at the age of 22.
General Information
Conflict:
WW1
Regimental No.:
841409
Cause of Death (in war):
Killed in Action
Branch:
Army
Regiment:
Canadian Infantry
Battalion:
24th Battalion
Company:
Date of Birth :
Place of Birth:
Huntingdon, Quebec
Date of Enlistment:
Age at Enlistment:
20 years 9 months
Date of Discharge:
Age at Discharge:
22 years 1 month
Date of Death:
Age at Death:
22 years 1 month
Country Born:
Canada
Trade or Calling:
Farmer
Next of Kin:
Albert Cairns, father, Glenelm, Quebec
Address at Enlistment:
Glenelm, Quebec
Religion:
Presbyterian
Place of Enlistment:
Huntingdon, Quebec
Was a Prisoner of War:
Not Specified
Height:
5 ft 8.0 in / 173 cm
Weight:
138 lbs / 63 kg
Chest:
38.0 in / 97 cm
Expansion:
4.0 in / 10 cm
Marital Status:
Single
Prior Military Experience:
No
Saw Service in:
Europe
Place of Discharge:
Discharge Type:
Died in Service
Discharge Notes:
Battle Died/Wounded:
Passchendaele
Length of Service:
486 days in service
Buried at:
Links
Images
Headstone of J. A. Cairns
John Arthur Cairns
Ranks
| Conflict |
Rank |
Regiment |
Branch |
Unit |
Company |
Date From |
Date To |
| WW1 |
Private |
Canadian Infantry |
Army |
24th Battalion |
|
|
|
| WW1 |
Private |
Canadian Infantry |
Army |
148th Battalion |
|
|
|
Available Transcriptions
Notes
Arthur Cairns, the son of Albert Cairns of Glenelm, was born in 1895 in Huntingdon. He likely enlisted when recruiting officers visited Huntingdon in early 1916. He was likely killed in the trenches at Passchendaele by enemy mortar attacks.
Red Deer News, 21 November 1917, pg. 1:
ROLL OF HONOUR
Rev. W. G. Brown received word on Monday of this week that Pte. Arthur Cairns, only surviving child of his eldest sister, had been killed in action in France on the 5th of November.
Additional Service Notes
Embarked Halifax, Nova Scotia 27 Sept 1916, Arrived in Liverpool, England 6 October 1916 SS Laconia
Joined 24th Battallion in field 17 July 1917
Version: 5 Last modified: 2026-03-25 16:37:10
by: Marc
