Pte
William Maurice McConnell
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 25/05/1897 |
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Place of birth: Grey County, Ontario, Canada |
General information
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Last known residence: Kelliher, Saskatchewan, Canada |
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Profession: Farmer |
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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: 888134 |
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Enlistment date: 14/02/1916 |
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Enlistment place: Kelliher, Saskatchewan, Canada |
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Units: — Canadian Infantry, 46th Bn. (South Saskatchewan) (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 26/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Tyne Cottage, Passchendaele, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 20 |
Memorial
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Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Panel: Panel 28H |
Points of interest 4
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Enlistment place | ||
| #4 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
William Maurice McConnell, a former farmer, was born on the 25th of may 1897 in Gray County, Ontario, Canada. On February 14th, 1916, he enlisted at Kelliher, Saskatchewan, Canada. William served as a private in the 46th Battalion Canadian Infantry, part of the 10th Canadian Brigade, of the 4th Canadian Division.
On 26 October he took part in the Second Battle of Passchendaele. The 10th Canadian Brigade attacked with the 46th Battalion Canadian Infantry north of the Ypres Roulers Railway. The jumping off line was situated in the line Heine House, Hillside Farm and Ypres Roulers Railway. They consolidated most of their objective under heave enemy shelling, including mopping up Decline Copse. The 46th battalion was eventually driven back due to German counter attacks and established a new frontline closer to their jumping off line. Of the 420 men of the 46th Battalion who were on the start line at zero hour, around 70% became casualties.
William Maurice McConnell aged 20, was killed in action on 26 October 1917. Private McConnell was initially buried near Tyne Cottage at 28.D.16.b.90.30. His remains were not recovered or identified after the war. William Maurice McConnell has no known grave and is remembered on panel 28H of the Menin Gate Memorial.
On 26 October he took part in the Second Battle of Passchendaele. The 10th Canadian Brigade attacked with the 46th Battalion Canadian Infantry north of the Ypres Roulers Railway. The jumping off line was situated in the line Heine House, Hillside Farm and Ypres Roulers Railway. They consolidated most of their objective under heave enemy shelling, including mopping up Decline Copse. The 46th battalion was eventually driven back due to German counter attacks and established a new frontline closer to their jumping off line. Of the 420 men of the 46th Battalion who were on the start line at zero hour, around 70% became casualties.
William Maurice McConnell aged 20, was killed in action on 26 October 1917. Private McConnell was initially buried near Tyne Cottage at 28.D.16.b.90.30. His remains were not recovered or identified after the war. William Maurice McConnell has no known grave and is remembered on panel 28H of the Menin Gate Memorial.
Sources 5
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Circumstances of death Register file of McConnell, William Maurice. Library and Archives Canada, RG150, 1992-93/314, 219, Volume 31829_B016759, Microform 75, 71-72. https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/mass-digitized-archives/circumstances-death-registers/Pages/item.aspx?PageID=69805 Sources used |
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McCarthy, Chris. Passchendaele: the Day-by-Day Account. (Londen: Unicorn Publishing Group, 2018), 145-146. Sources used |
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Personnel Record of McConnell, William Maurice. Library and Archives Canada, RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 6648 - 31, 138811. https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/personnel-records/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=138811 Sources used |
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War Diary of the 10th Canadian Infantry Brigade, October 1917. Library and Archives Canada, RG9-III-D-3, Volume number: 4902, Microfilm reel number: T-10694, File number: 308. https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/home/record?app=fonandcol&IdNumber=1883182 Sources used |
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War Diary of the 46th Canadian Infantry Battalion, October 1917. Library and Archives Canada, RG9-III-D-3, Volume number: 4939, Microfilm reel number: T-10745--T-10746, File number: 437. https://recherche-collection-search.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/home/record?app=fonandcol&IdNumber=2005929 Sources used |
More information 2
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/1594022 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=cb8e1ae2-0ba3-4537-aba3-ec778f81ebb9 |