AITCHISON, Aylmer
DIVISIONAL UNIT: 1st Battalion
Canadian Engineers
SERVICE NO: 3131092
RESIDENCE: Lucknow – Ontario
DATE OF BIRTH: March 5, 1895
Wingham – Turnberry Township – County of Huron - Ontario
DATE OF DEATH: January 15, 1919 23 years 10 months
CEMETERY: Belgrade Cemetery – Namur –
Namur – Belgium
III A 12
PARENTS: Mr. Thomas and Emily Aitchison – Lucknow – Ontario
Occupation: Jeweller Religion: Presbyterian
Enlistment: London – February 18, 1918 into 1st Depot Battalion of Western Ontario Regiment.
Enlistment Age: 22 years 11 months
Aylmer was drafted under the Military Service Act of 1917 and upon enlistment was placed into Category A or a man fit for service in the field.
Private Aitchison departed Halifax and Canada on the S.S. Runic on May 10, 1918 and arrived in England on
May 24, 1918.
On the same day that he arrived in England he transferred to the 2nd Canadian Engineers Battalion based at
Seaford - Sussex. He left for overseas on August 30, 1918 and went to the Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp on September 3, 1918. Then on September 20, 1918 he transferred to 1st Battalion of Canadian Engineers and joined them already in the field.
He was dangerously ill when he arrived at No. 13 Canadian Field Ambulance on January 14, 1919 and on that same day he was transferred to No. 48 Casualty Clearing Station - Maubeurge.
Sapper Aitchison died of cardiac dilatation at No. 48 Casualty Clearing Station. His family had previously been informed that he was dangerously ill. Cardian dilatation is where the heart cavity becomes enlarged and then stretches and the result is the heart muscle itself thins, resulting in heart failure.