YUILL, Robert McGowan
DIVISIONAL UNIT: 3rd Canadian Infantry Division
8th Infantry Brigade
1st Canadian Mounted Rifles Battalion - Brandon
Canadian Infantry Corps
SERVICE NO: 108649 Canadian
RESIDENCE: Hensall - Ontario
DATE OF BIRTH: October 8, 1890
Balfron – Stirlingshire - Scotland
DATE OF DEATH: February 7, 1917 26 years 4 months
CEMETERY: Ecoivres Military Cemetery – Mont-St. Eloi
Pas de Calais – France
IV C 24
BROTHER: Mr. Alexander John and Jean Yuill – Clinton – Ontario / Medicine Hat - Alberta
Occupation: Farmer Religion: Presbyterian
Enlistment: January 22, 1915 – Medicine Hat - Alberta
Enlistment Age: 25 years 3 months
Private Yuill and his unit sailed from Halifax on June 12, 1915.
Private Yuill landed in France on September 22, 1915 and on January 2, 1916 transferred to 1st CMR on their re-organization – taken on strength – and then attached to 8th Canadian Trench Mortar Battery on June 13, 1916.
He was wounded on September 15, 1916 in the hip and on September 21, 1916 was moved to No. 13 Stationary Hospital located in Boulogne. He rejoined his unit in the field on October 30, 1916.
The Battalion at this period in time was based at Mont St Eloi in advance of the upcoming operation against Vimy Ridge.
The Brigade diaries state that for the first eleven days of February it was very quiet except for February 4th when the enemy artillery was active and heavy causing slight casualties.
The Battalion diaries state that on February 7th there was a working party of 110 men along with three lorries carried ammunition and other supplies to Cambligneul. The diaries state this working party was successful.
However, on February 8th while the Battalion was involved in bayonet training one Ordinary Rank was killed. From our research and from what Private Yuill’s file tells and what the diaries tell us it is possible that the man that was killed furing bayonet training was Private Yuill.