Pte
William James Featherstone
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 27/05/1883 |
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Place of birth: Monkton, Perth, Ontario, Canada |
General information
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Last known residence: Big Valley, Alberta, Canada |
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Profession: Locomotive engineer |
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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: 440335 |
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Enlistment place: Sewell, Manitoba, Canada |
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Units: — Canadian Infantry, 28th Bn. (North West) (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 06/11/1917 |
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Place of death: Graf Wood, Passchendaele, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 34 |
Memorial
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Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Panel: 28 A |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 4
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Last known residence | ||
| #3 | Enlistment place | ||
| #4 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
William was born in Monkton, Perth County, Manitoba in 1883. At some time William and his mother Isabelle moved west to Big Valley, Alberta, where they lived with his sister Jean and her husband William Jackson. His brother in law worked as a locomotive engineer with Canadian Northern Railway. William also started working as a locomotive fireman and engineer. In May 1915 William enlisted at Sewell, Manitoba. He was taken on by the 28th Battalion (North West).
In November 1917, the 28th Battalion, part of the 6th Brigade, of the 2nd Canadian Division. was deployed at Passchendaele. Ever since 1915, the British high command had been toying with the idea of forcing a breakthrough in Flanders. But the Germans were prepared. A network of bunkers dominated the battlefield. After weeks of trudging through the mud, New Zealanders, Australians and South Africans joined the British divisions. Momentum was gained briefly, but then the attack stalled again. For the army high command, halting the offensive, however many lives that might save, was not an option. A victory, even a symbolic victory, was vital. Field Marshall Haig’s eye fell on Passchendaele. The heavily shelled village on top of the West Flemish ridge had been in German hands since 1914 and had assumed mythical proportions. To win that prize, Haig turned to the Canadians.
On 6 November 1917, the 2nd Division took part in an attack that would lead to the capture of Passchendaele. The Division attacked with the 6th Brigade, and specifically with the 27th, 31st and 28th Battalions. The objective was the village of Passchendaele and the eastern ridge. At 6am on 6 November, the three battalions advanced towards Passchendaele. The 27th and 31st Battalions came under fire from German pillboxes as they reached the north side of the village. They managed to push through and the 27th Battalion was the first to enter Passchendaele. The 28th Battalion had a difficult time. They operated on the far left of the Brigade front and the soldiers had to wade through deep mud on their way to Passchendaele. About three minutes after the Canadian barrage ended, the 28th Battalion was hit by a German barrage. Not long afterwards, about 400 metres from their objective, they were hit by heavy machine-gun fire that resulted in a large number of casualties. Eventually, the 28th Battalion managed to catch up with the others and consolidate their objective. At 8.45 am, the village of Passchendaele and the eastern ridge were taken.
William was killed in action on 6 November 1917, he was killed by shell fire about fifty yards from the "jumping off" trench. He and eight other soldiers of the 28th Battalion were buried at Graf Wood, on the western edge of Passchendaele. Today, their graves are unknown and the nine are commemorated on the Ypres Monument (Menin Gate).
In November 1917, the 28th Battalion, part of the 6th Brigade, of the 2nd Canadian Division. was deployed at Passchendaele. Ever since 1915, the British high command had been toying with the idea of forcing a breakthrough in Flanders. But the Germans were prepared. A network of bunkers dominated the battlefield. After weeks of trudging through the mud, New Zealanders, Australians and South Africans joined the British divisions. Momentum was gained briefly, but then the attack stalled again. For the army high command, halting the offensive, however many lives that might save, was not an option. A victory, even a symbolic victory, was vital. Field Marshall Haig’s eye fell on Passchendaele. The heavily shelled village on top of the West Flemish ridge had been in German hands since 1914 and had assumed mythical proportions. To win that prize, Haig turned to the Canadians.
On 6 November 1917, the 2nd Division took part in an attack that would lead to the capture of Passchendaele. The Division attacked with the 6th Brigade, and specifically with the 27th, 31st and 28th Battalions. The objective was the village of Passchendaele and the eastern ridge. At 6am on 6 November, the three battalions advanced towards Passchendaele. The 27th and 31st Battalions came under fire from German pillboxes as they reached the north side of the village. They managed to push through and the 27th Battalion was the first to enter Passchendaele. The 28th Battalion had a difficult time. They operated on the far left of the Brigade front and the soldiers had to wade through deep mud on their way to Passchendaele. About three minutes after the Canadian barrage ended, the 28th Battalion was hit by a German barrage. Not long afterwards, about 400 metres from their objective, they were hit by heavy machine-gun fire that resulted in a large number of casualties. Eventually, the 28th Battalion managed to catch up with the others and consolidate their objective. At 8.45 am, the village of Passchendaele and the eastern ridge were taken.
William was killed in action on 6 November 1917, he was killed by shell fire about fifty yards from the "jumping off" trench. He and eight other soldiers of the 28th Battalion were buried at Graf Wood, on the western edge of Passchendaele. Today, their graves are unknown and the nine are commemorated on the Ypres Monument (Menin Gate).
Sources 7
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"Big Valley Historical Society Receives Inquiry From Passchendaele - With a Canadian Northern Connection” (Canora, The Canora Chronicle, April 2023). Sources used |
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Big Valley Historical Society, personal communication, April 2023. Sources used |
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Dewitt G.E., The Story of the Twenty-Eight (Northwest) Battalion, 1914-1917 (London, Charles & Son, s.d.), 22-24. 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 3022 - 37). https://library-archives.canada.ca/ Sources used |
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War diaries: 28th Canadian Infantry Battalion (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC), RG9-III-D-3, Volume number: 4935, Microfilm reel number: T-10739--T-10740, File number: 425). https://library-archives.canada.ca/ Sources used |
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War Graves Registers: Circumstances of Death (Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa (LAC), RG 150, 1992-93/314; Volume Number: 177). 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: 67). 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/1592097 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=396aff2b-d79e-42ec-ac90-7119f3cb1f6e |
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The Canadian Virtual War Memorial https://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/1592097 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/5861861 |