Welcome to the story of the Canadian Army's 102nd
Infantry Battalion in World War One. Click links below to follow them to
victory. Lots of PICTURES inside, meet Privates Haddon and Dobson and don't miss
the Images!
After 2 years of war the Battalion Staff gathered in Boitsfort Belgium
in 1919 for a group picture as they waited to return home. Thanks to Dr Paul Morly.
Click below for their names
HOLT,
JAMES
Regimental number: 761160 Al Martin from BC writes: My grandfather immigrated to
Canada as an infant with his parents. His occupation was a barber as noted
in his attestation papers. He married my grandmother Laura Kate Holt, Dec
12, 1910. They had four children, my mother being the oldest. James
had two children when he returned from the war. He returned to barbering
and moved the family to Port Haney, now Maple Ridge for a few years. They
then moved back to Vancouver. At this time there were now four children.
Three daughters and a younger son. During World War 2 all his son in-laws
served with the Canadian military overseas. Their son, my uncle, was too
young to enlist. James continued to barber in Vancouver at a small
shop on Smithe Street until he passed away at the age of 72. He was
working half days and had come home for lunch. After lunch he laid down
for a nap and never woke up. My grand mother blamed the gas from WW1 for
her husbands death.
6 May 04 a new pic on the page - click link above!
Gordon Dobson and friends
The Song of the Spit
(Sung to the tune of "John Brown's-Body)
We're Warden's weary warriors, a'drilling on the sand,
And paying out a buck a day to help the bloomin' band.
But what they do with all the cash, we don't quite understand,
As we go marching on.
The Colonel forms us up in line ands hands us lots of bull:
"You are the finest bunch of men that trigger e'er did pull."
On beef and beans and bread and Jam we keep our bellies full,
As we go marching on.
The sand gets in our blankets, and the wind blows chill and drear.
If life was dull at Comox, it's a damned sight duller here,
You have to go a mile or so to get a glass of beer,
As we go marching on.
Chorus:
We are Warden's weary warriors,
We are Warden's weary warriors,
We are Warden's weary ,warriors,
The Gallant-One-0-Two
Photo of Lance Sergeant
Abraham Abel, born 1892, Wales, UK. He emigrated to Canada at the age of
15 yrs in 1907. In 1911 was working on a farm in Creighton Valley, near
Lumby, BC .
He
was with the 30th BC Horse Regiment from 1912-1916, then joined 102nd
Comox-Atlin CEF at Vernon, commanding officer J W Warden.
He
sailed from Halifax on the Empress of Britain arriving in England June
1916. After training at Bramshott camp embarked for France August 1916.
After some months in the front line was hospitalised in Rouen 1917 with
trench fever, recovered and returned to frontline duty.
In
August 1918 he was wounded by gunshot at Amiens and returned to England.After
discharge in 1919, he remained in Berkshire, England where he married
and became a greengrocer. He
died in 1973, aged 81
I
am proud to be his grandaughter.
Mrs
Allen
Berkshire
England
Abrahams
colleague Frank Page also joined the 102nd Battalion. His
Army number is consecutive to my grandads whose no is 703554, Frank Page`s
being 703555, his address was also in Lumby BC, but he was born in
Suffolk, England.
The curator of the Lumby BC Museum
sends this from the Vernon News Archives
February 10, 1916
"Frank Page and A. Abel went to Vernon on Monday and
signed on with 102nd Comox Overseas Regiment."
February 17, 1916
"A most enjoyable farewell party and dance was given in
Morand's Hall on Wednesday last week by A. Abel and Frank Page who left
the next morning to join their regiment, the 102nd Comox-Atlin. The
main feature of the evening was dancing, a few card games being indulged
in, in another room. An excellent supper was served, and after a long
evening's pleasure, farewell's were said to the two boys, the guests
returning to their homes in the early hours of the morning."
Walter
Bapty (1884-1973), the young man on our left holding the gun with the
bandoleer over his shoulder, ran away from home and school in January 1900
to join the second Canadian contingent forming to fight in the Boer War. He
was just 15 when he sailed on the Laurentian, bound for Cape Town,
probably the youngest volunteer with the contingent. In other ways, however,
he was a typical volunteer. He was a patriotic English speaking Canadian
whose father was a small businessman in London, Ontario. He grew up reading
RM Ballantyne and Captain Marryat and tried to emulate the heroes of these
books.
Bapty served initially with the Royal Canadian Field
Artillery under John McCrae but at the end of his tour signed up with the
Canadian Scouts (as seen in the photograph). The Canadian Scouts, raised and
led by the charismatic Major 'Gat' Howard, developed a large following in
Canada and a reputation for daring, reckless action. After Howard's death in
action in February 1901, they also developed a reputation for ruthlessness.
It was said, for instance, that they showed no quarter and took no
prisoners.
After his return to Canada, Bapty had a distinguished career
as a physician. He practiced for many years in Victoria, BC and, in 1912,
was a founding member of the Medical Council of Canada. He also had a
distinguished military career. He served with the Second CMR in World War I
and, following a severe neck wound, was the MO with the 102nd North British
Columbians at Vimy Ridge. Following the war Bapty returned to medical
practice in Victoria where he was instrumental in establishing the Canadian
Scottish Regiment in Victoria, later becoming CO of the 2nd Battalion. This
regiment served with great distinction in Normandy and Northwest Europe
during World War II. Following this war he again returned to medical
practice before retiring. He died in Victoria in 1973.
His unit is here - click to enlarge
Thanks to Dr.
Bruce Williams, the Grandson of Walter
Bapty of the 102nd!
Reuban Randall was born
the youngest of 8 children, in 1884 in Chartridge, Buckinghamshire
England. He came to Canada in 1899 at the age of 15, to be with his
older brother Albert who had arrived in Canada a few years earlier.
They stayed in Wapella, Saskatchewan for a few months then headed
west to the Okanagan. He worked on the Coldstream Ranch near Vernon
as a general laborer and eventually became a fruit inspector. He
went home to England for Christmas in 1903 at age 19, but was back
at Coldstream Ranch by April of 1904.
Between April and Oct 1910, he took time off from the Ranch
and took a trip through Washington USA. Occasionally he worked
at tree nurseries, selling trees but mostly enjoyed the scenery as
he travelled by horseback. He married Dora Elsie Potten (from
Watford, Hertfordshire) UK, in Vancouver BC in 1911. He was 27, she
was 21. They had 1 son, Ivan in 1913. Reuben also worked for
Central Okanagan Lands Co in Kelowna and was District Fruit-Pest
Inspector at Summerland, Peachland, Naramata & Westbank.
He signed on in Vernon on April 4 1916 in the 102nd Batt'
Overseas.On Oct 31, 1917 he was wounded while on front line supports
at Abraham Heights. He was sent to St Marys Hospital London Nov 4th
1917. He left England for Canada on Dec 24, 1918 and was discharged
from Army in New Westminster Feb 25th 1919. He and his family
arrived in Vernon BC and he started work again March 1st 1919 for
Okanagan Land Co in Okanagan Center as Ranch & Orchard Foreman at
$150.00 per month with house, fruit, vegetables, and wood for free.
They left Okanagan Center for Victoria in 1921.He worked for
the Provincial Government as Fruit Inspector until his retirement in
1949. They lived in Cordova Bay, Victoria, and Sidney until his
death in 1972, Dora moved to Nelson BC to be closer to Ivan and she
passed away there in 1979. Although they had only I child, Ivan had
6 sons, so our family now numbers 68, and counting! Sincerely Marina
Bennett.
HOLT,
JAMES
Walter
Bapty (1884-1973), the young man on our left holding the gun with the
bandoleer over his shoulder, ran away from home and school in January 1900
to join the second Canadian contingent forming to fight in the Boer War. He
was just 15 when he sailed on the Laurentian, bound for Cape Town,
probably the youngest volunteer with the contingent. In other ways, however,
he was a typical volunteer. He was a patriotic English speaking Canadian
whose father was a small businessman in London, Ontario. He grew up reading
RM Ballantyne and Captain Marryat and tried to emulate the heroes of these
books. 
