Pte
Walter John Froment
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 30/05/1895 |
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Place of birth: Milton, Cambridgeshire, England, United Kingdom |
General information
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Profession: Labourer |
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Religion: Church of England |
Army information
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Country: Canada |
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Force: Canadian Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 117252 |
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Enlistment place: Calgary, Alberta, Canada |
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Units: — Canadian Mounted Rifles, 2nd Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 02/06/1916 |
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Place of death: Valley Cottages, Zillebeke, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 21 |
Memorial
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Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Panel: Panel 30, 32. |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place | ||
| #3 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
John Walter Froment was born in Milton, Cambridgeshire in England in 1895, the third son of John and Harriet Froment. The family lived in Milton, where his father worked as a road worker, his brother George was a baker. John left for Canada in 1913. In March 1915, John, who worked as a labourer in Canada, enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in Calgary, Alberta. John returned to England in October 1915 and completed his training at Bramshott Camp in Surrey. In January 1916, he went to France, where he was assigned to the medical section of the 2nd Canadian Mounted Rifles, part of the 8th Brigade, of the newly formed 3rd Canadian Division. The 3rd Division was formed in December 1915 and the 8th Brigade consisted of four battalions of Mounted Rifles.
In late May 1916, the 3rd Canadian Division defended the area around Mount Sorrel, one of the few stretches of highland east of Ypres that was in Allied hands. In the morning of 2 June 1916, shelling destroyed the Canadian positions and in the afternoon the Germans detonated four mines. Sandbags, machine guns and defenders were hurled into the air with a deafening roar. The entire line disappeared in an instant. This was the signal for German Army Corps XIII (Royal Württemberg). In four waves, they overran the lines from Mount Sorrel to over Tor Top. Assisted by flamethrowers, they encountered little resistance. After the unusually fierce and accurate bombardment, only small groups of Canadians were able to hold out, as the fierce shelling had knocked out almost all machine guns. In a few hours, the Germans controlled all positions, from Mount Sorrel to Tor Top. Nothing seemed to be able to reverse the momentum. The Germans thought the Allied resistance was broken. Nothing could be further from the truth. In the communication lines and the switches near Zillebeke and Maple Copse, two reserve battalions of the 8th Brigade (the 2nd and 5th Mounted Rifles) and the 42nd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada) of the 7th Brigade set up a defence. As soon as the Württembergers descended the ridge, they were showered with bullets and they decided to cease any further attacks.
The losses among the Canadian battalions were terrible. During the heavy fighting, and whilst on duty as stretcher bearer, giving first aid attendance to the wounded, John, 21, was instantly killed by a high explosive shell. He was buried at what was called, Valley Cottages near Zillebeke Switch. His grave was marked with a small cross with his name on it. Several Canadians were buried nearby. Today, John has no known grave and is commemorated at the Menin Gate. His grave at Valley Cottages was either lost or his remains were not identified.
In late May 1916, the 3rd Canadian Division defended the area around Mount Sorrel, one of the few stretches of highland east of Ypres that was in Allied hands. In the morning of 2 June 1916, shelling destroyed the Canadian positions and in the afternoon the Germans detonated four mines. Sandbags, machine guns and defenders were hurled into the air with a deafening roar. The entire line disappeared in an instant. This was the signal for German Army Corps XIII (Royal Württemberg). In four waves, they overran the lines from Mount Sorrel to over Tor Top. Assisted by flamethrowers, they encountered little resistance. After the unusually fierce and accurate bombardment, only small groups of Canadians were able to hold out, as the fierce shelling had knocked out almost all machine guns. In a few hours, the Germans controlled all positions, from Mount Sorrel to Tor Top. Nothing seemed to be able to reverse the momentum. The Germans thought the Allied resistance was broken. Nothing could be further from the truth. In the communication lines and the switches near Zillebeke and Maple Copse, two reserve battalions of the 8th Brigade (the 2nd and 5th Mounted Rifles) and the 42nd Battalion (Royal Highlanders of Canada) of the 7th Brigade set up a defence. As soon as the Württembergers descended the ridge, they were showered with bullets and they decided to cease any further attacks.
The losses among the Canadian battalions were terrible. During the heavy fighting, and whilst on duty as stretcher bearer, giving first aid attendance to the wounded, John, 21, was instantly killed by a high explosive shell. He was buried at what was called, Valley Cottages near Zillebeke Switch. His grave was marked with a small cross with his name on it. Several Canadians were buried nearby. Today, John has no known grave and is commemorated at the Menin Gate. His grave at Valley Cottages was either lost or his remains were not identified.
Sources 5
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"Flashback: 50 years ago. Milton Man's Noble Death", (Saffron Walden, Saffron Walden Weekly News, 24 June 1966). Sources used |
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Cook T., Shock Troops: Canadians fighting the Great War 1917-1918. Volume II (Toronto, Penguin Canada, 2008), 351-354. Sources used |
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Personnel Records of the First World War (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC) RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 3319 - 16). https://library-archives.canada.ca/ Sources used |
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War Graves Registers: Circumstances of Death (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC), Record Group Number: RG 150, 1992-93/314; Volume Number: 180). https://library-archives.canada.ca/ Sources used |
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War Graves Registry: Commonwealth War Graves (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC), RG150, 1992-1993/314, Box 39-244; Box: 70). https://library-archives.canada.ca/ Sources used |
More information 4
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/1592305 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=b0d939fe-9e7b-4803-a83a-cdde4195651e |
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The Canadian Virtual War Memorial https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/1592305 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/5880947 |