Pte
Jack Bingham Willson
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 17/01/1897 |
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Place of birth: Plattsville, Ontario, Canada |
General information
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Profession: Driver |
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: 864 |
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Enlistment date: 01/02/1915 |
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Enlistment place: Toronto, Ontario, Canada |
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Units: — 1st Motor Machine Gun Brigade (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 30/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Abraham Heights, Zonnebeke, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 20 |
Cemetery
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Cement House Cemetery Plot: XVI Row: A Grave: 23 |
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
Private Jack Bingham Willson served in the 1st Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade, which took part in the attack on Passchendaele village on the 30th of October 1917.
Private Willson and two others, namely Private Carr and Sergeant Bellas, were found in one grave on Abraham Heights (28.D.15.b.8.4.), southwest of the village of Passchendale. The ‘Circumstances of death’ record of Private Willson were lost, but the surviving records of Private Carr and Sergeant Bellas note that both men were killed by a High Explosive shell on Abraham Heights.
According to the War Diary of the 1st Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade, three machine gun companies were in the field at around the 30th. ‘A’-Battery from the 28th till the 31st of October, ‘B’-Battery from the 29th till the 31st of October and the ‘Eaton’-Battery from the 30th October till the 1st of November. Although the positions on Abraham Heights (28.D.15.b.7.4.) were abandoned on the 29th to take up new positions just north of Tyne Cot Cemetery (28.D.16.b.6.9.), many runners were sent to the supply stores behind the front to resupply the machine guns on the front line. Although it's uncertain in which Battery the three men served, it's likely that the men were killed by shellfire while hauling equipment between the gun positions and the back areas.
Private Willson and two others, namely Private Carr and Sergeant Bellas, were found in one grave on Abraham Heights (28.D.15.b.8.4.), southwest of the village of Passchendale. The ‘Circumstances of death’ record of Private Willson were lost, but the surviving records of Private Carr and Sergeant Bellas note that both men were killed by a High Explosive shell on Abraham Heights.
According to the War Diary of the 1st Canadian Motor Machine Gun Brigade, three machine gun companies were in the field at around the 30th. ‘A’-Battery from the 28th till the 31st of October, ‘B’-Battery from the 29th till the 31st of October and the ‘Eaton’-Battery from the 30th October till the 1st of November. Although the positions on Abraham Heights (28.D.15.b.7.4.) were abandoned on the 29th to take up new positions just north of Tyne Cot Cemetery (28.D.16.b.6.9.), many runners were sent to the supply stores behind the front to resupply the machine guns on the front line. Although it's uncertain in which Battery the three men served, it's likely that the men were killed by shellfire while hauling equipment between the gun positions and the back areas.
Sources 5
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Ancestry http://www.ancestry.co.uk Sources used |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/4032487/willson,-jack-bingham/ Sources used |
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Library and Archives Canada http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/Pages/home.aspx Sources used |
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Service Record http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/personnel-records/Pages/list.aspx?SurnameSearch=Willson&GivenNameSearch=Jack& Sources used |
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The Long Long Trail http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk Sources used |