Private Michael Williams

Survivor of WW1

Biography General Links Ranks Chronology Print

Service Biography

Michael Williams was born at St. Regis, Quebec, on 1 January 1871. A cook, he enlisted at Kingston, Ontario, on 27 January 1916 as Private 835493 with the 146th Overseas Battalion, after four years of previous service with the 47th Regiment. He went overseas in 1916 and served in France with the 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles, later transferring to the 3rd Canadian Divisional Employment Company. In 1918 he received treatment for pterygium at West Cliff Canadian Eye and Ear Hospital, Folkestone, and was recorded as a Lance Corporal during his later service. Medical Boards subsequently restricted him to base duty and then classified him Category E; the final Board described age-related weakness and recorded the disability as probably precipitated by service. He returned to Canada in October 1918 and was discharged at Kingston on 28 November 1918, in the rank of Private, as medically unfit for further war service.

General Information

Conflict:

WW1

Regimental No.:

835493

Cause of Death (in war):

Not Specified

Branch:

Army

Regiment:

Canadian Mounted Rifles

Battalion:

4th Canadian Mounted Rifles

Company:

Date of Birth :

Place of Birth:

St. Regis, Quebec

Date of Enlistment:

Age at Enlistment:

45 years

Date of Discharge:

Age at Discharge:

47 years 10 months

Date of Death:

Age at Death:

Country Born:

Canada

Trade or Calling:

Cook

Next of Kin:

Maggie Williams (wife), Verona, Ontario

Address at Enlistment:

Verona, Ontario

Religion:

Roman Catholic

Place of Enlistment:

Kingston, Ontario

Was a Prisoner of War:

Height:

5 ft 11.0 in / 180 cm

Weight:

195 lbs / 88 kg

Chest:

47.0 in / 119 cm

Expansion:

5.0 in / 13 cm

Marital Status:

Married

Prior Military Experience:

Yes

Saw Service in:

Europe

Place of Discharge:

Kingston, Ontario

Discharge Type:

Medically Unfit

Discharge Notes:

Medical Board: senility; disability probably precipitated by service.

Battle Died/Wounded:

Length of Service:

1036 days in service

Buried at:

Links

Canadian Great War Project

Ranks

Conflict	Rank	Regiment	Branch	Unit
WW1	Private	Canadian Mounted Rifles	Army	4th Canadian Mounted Rifles
Representative combat/field unit; final discharge rank was Private, so this remains the default rank/unit.
WW1	Private	Canadian Expeditionary Force	Army	No. 3 District Depot
Final discharge rank Private; administrative discharge unit, not default.
WW1	Lance Corporal	Canadian Expeditionary Force	Army	3rd Canadian Divisional Employment Company
Documented rank interval only: L/Cpl by 26 Jul and still L/Cpl 14 Nov. Exact appointment and reversion orders are absent.
WW1	Private	Canadian Expeditionary Force	Army	3rd Canadian Divisional Employment Company
Transferred after B1 classification; later records identify 3rd Divisional Employment Company/General Depot sequence.
WW1	Private	Canadian Expeditionary Force	Army	95th Reserve Battalion
Reserve posting; not default.
WW1	Private	Canadian Expeditionary Force	Army	146th Overseas Battalion
Original CEF unit.

Service Chronology

1871-01-01 — Born
1916-01-27 — Enlisted
1916-09-26 — Embarked for England
1916-10-06 — Disembarked in England
1916-10-08 — Taken on strength
1916-11-30 — Proceeded to France
1916-12-01 — Arrived Canadian Base Depot
1917-05-04 — Left Canadian Base Depot for 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles
1917-05-08 — Joined 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles in the field
1918-01-29 — Effective date of transfer to 3rd Canadian Divisional Employment Company after B1 classification
1918-05-21 — Admitted with P.U.O. and double pterygium
1918-06-15 — Attached/posted to England because over 50 and considered not fully capable of carrying on field duties
1918-07-26 — Admitted with pterygium of the left eye
1918-08-07 — Sutures removed following eye operation
1918-08-26 — Hospital reported satisfactory result; vision 6/6 both eyes; fit Category A as far as eyes concerned
1918-08-29 — Hospital treatment period ended
1918-09-20 — Medical report recommended permanent BIII/base duty for senility/age-related limitations
1918-09-22 — Medical Board approved permanent BIII/base-duty classification
1918-10-07 — Attached to Canadian Discharge Depot, Buxton, for return to Canada
1918-10-20 — Ceased attachment to Canadian Discharge Depot on embarkation for Canada
1918-10-21 — Taken on strength of Casualty Company No. 3 District Depot for disposal
1918-11-14 — Medical Board classified Category E and recommended discharge
1918-11-18 — Medical Board recommendation approved
1918-11-28 — Discharged as medically unfit for further war service

Notes

At enlistment Williams was a cook, married and Roman Catholic, 5 ft 11 in tall, with a 47 in chest and 5 in expansion, dark complexion, brown eyes and black hair tinged with grey. He reported four years of previous service with the 47th Regiment as a sergeant cook. Later medical records give his weight as 195 lb and sometimes list his former occupation as farmer. A November 1918 Medical History of an Invalid used the diagnosis "senility" and described weakness of the legs, inability to stand marching, shortness of breath on exertion and occasional painful knees; the Board considered the disability permanent and probably precipitated by service. The same record notes a terminal-phalanx deformity of the left little finger caused by a dislocation accident in France, with no disability, and loss of two teeth on active service.

[Previous notes - manual reconciliation required]

previous service-47th Regt

Additional Service Notes

Michael Williams enlisted at Kingston, Ontario, on 27 January 1916 with the 146th Overseas Battalion. He embarked for England in September 1916, transferred through the 95th Reserve Battalion and proceeded to France, where he joined the 4th Canadian Mounted Rifles in the field in May 1917. In January 1918 he was classified B1 and transferred to the 3rd Canadian Divisional Employment Company. On 21 May 1918 he was admitted to No. 8 Canadian Field Ambulance with P.U.O. and double pterygium. He was later treated at West Cliff Canadian Eye and Ear Hospital, Folkestone, where a pterygium of the left eye was operated on with satisfactory results; vision was recorded as 6/6 in both eyes. By 26 July 1918 he was recorded as Lance Corporal. A September 1918 Medical Board found him fit only for permanent BIII/base duty. On 7 October he was attached to the Canadian Discharge Depot at Buxton for return to Canada and ceased that attachment on embarkation for Canada on 20 October. At Kingston, a Medical Board on 14 November classified him Category E for senility and recommended discharge, stating that the disability was probably precipitated by service. His final discharge certificate records his rank as Private. He was discharged at Kingston on 28 November 1918 as medically unfit for further war service.

Additional Next of Kin Notes

Wife Maggie Williams of Verona, Ontario was named as next of kin and received assigned pay and separation allowance. The 1918 family form records four children: Mitchell Williams, age 18; John Williams, age 16; Mary Williams, age 6; and Maggie Williams, age 4.

Version: 3 Last modified: 2026-09-20 02:41:24 by: marc