Pte
John Frederick Greenwood
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 30/10/1889 |
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Place of birth: Mara Township, Ontario, Canada |
General information
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Last known residence: Kilworthy, Ontario, Canada |
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Profession: Labourer |
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Religion: Presbyterian |
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: 853429 |
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Enlistment date: 25/05/1916 |
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Enlistment place: Orillia, Ontario, Canada |
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Units: — Canadian Infantry, 4th Bn. (Central Ontario) (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 06/11/1917 |
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Place of death: Flox House, Langemark, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 28 |
Memorial
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Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Panel: 18 |
Points of interest 4
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Enlistment place | ||
| #4 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
John Frederick Greenwood was born on 30 October. On his service record, he stated 1889 as his year of birth. However, other sources also mention 1883 as the year of his birth. John lived in Kilworthy, Ontario, and worked as a labourer before the war. He enlisted in the Canadian Army and was part of the 4th Battalion (1st Brigade, 1st Division).
John was killed in action on 6 November 1917 during Canadian operations as part of the Battle of Passchendaele. At that time, the 1st Brigade was in the vicinity of ‘s Graventafel. Their starting lines stretched from Duck Lodge across Meetcheele to just before Woodland. The brigade's objective was to capture the area around Mosselmarkt and advance to the line near Vindictive Crossroads to Vapour Farm. The attack was carried out by the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions. The A Company and two platoons of the B Company of the 4th Battalion supported the 1st Battalion during the attack, while the C and D Companies, together with two platoons of the B Company, reinforced the 3rd Battalion. The brigade managed to capture all its objectives, although there was heavy shelling throughout the day.
John was killed in action at the age of 28. His body was buried near Flox House, but his remains were not found after the war. He is commemorated at the Menin Gate.
John was killed in action on 6 November 1917 during Canadian operations as part of the Battle of Passchendaele. At that time, the 1st Brigade was in the vicinity of ‘s Graventafel. Their starting lines stretched from Duck Lodge across Meetcheele to just before Woodland. The brigade's objective was to capture the area around Mosselmarkt and advance to the line near Vindictive Crossroads to Vapour Farm. The attack was carried out by the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions. The A Company and two platoons of the B Company of the 4th Battalion supported the 1st Battalion during the attack, while the C and D Companies, together with two platoons of the B Company, reinforced the 3rd Battalion. The brigade managed to capture all its objectives, although there was heavy shelling throughout the day.
John was killed in action at the age of 28. His body was buried near Flox House, but his remains were not found after the war. He is commemorated at the Menin Gate.
Sources 4
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Circumstances of Death Registers, First World War (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC), RG150, 1992-93/314, 186). https://library-archives.canada.ca/eng Sources used |
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McCarthy, Chris. Passchendaele: The Day by Day Account (Londen: Arms & Armour Press, 2018), 160-161. Sources used |
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War diaries: 1st Canadian Infantry Brigade (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC), RG9-III-D-3, Volume number: 4868, Microfilm reel number: T-10667, File number: 195). https://library-archives.canada.ca/eng Sources used |
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War diaries: 4th Canadian Infantry Battalion (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC), RG9-III-D-3, Volume number: 4915, Microfilm reel number: T-10707, File number: 360). https://library-archives.canada.ca/eng Sources used |
More information 3
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/1592659 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=0a5330a3-179c-4b33-9cb7-e364d2905c27 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/5909535 |