WEIR, Frederick David

War
1st World War
Date of Birth
Date Attested
Attested at
Toronto, Ontario
Original Unit
3rd Infantry Brigade - Canadian Machine Gun Corps
Regimental Number
475331
Rank
Private
Date of Death
Age at Death
19 years 6 months
Cemetery
Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension - Pasde Calais - France(589)
Cenotaph
Seaforth Cenotaph
Biographical Summary

DIVISIONAL UNIT:        1st Canadian Infantry Division
                                             3rd Infantry Brigade
                                             3rd Machine Gun Company
                                             Canadian Machine Gun Corps
SERVICE NO:                   475331
DATE OF BIRTH:            September 11, 1897 
                                             Milton – North Dakota - USA
DATE OF DEATH:           March 21, 1917                   19 years     6 months
CEMETERY:                     Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension – Aubigny-en-Artois
                                             Pas de Calais – France
                                             I     H     44
PARENT:                           Mrs. Catherine Weir – Seaforth - Ontario
Occupation:                        Student                                 Religion:     Presbyterian
Enlistment:                         September 21, 1915 – Toronto – Ontario into 4th Universities Company
Enlistment Age:                 18 years     

Frederick had attended McGill University prior to his enlistment, and he sailed from Canada on the S.S. Lapland in early December 1915 and arrived in Liverpool on December 7, 1915. While at Shorncliffe he transferred to the 11th battalion which was on December 8, 1915 and then transferred to the Machine Gun Base on March 21, 1916. He then moved on to the 3rd Brigade Machine Gun Company based at West Sandling on May 25, 1916 and went overseas into France to join up with his unit.
On March 20th the 3rd Brigade was in the line in the Roclincourt sector, the weather was poor and work was being done on the Rocade Trench and during the night of March 20/21 the Company fired 8,000 rounds onto enemy positions in a nearby support trench. It was a disturbing night as the enemy gunners and bombers were active and seemed nervous.
March 21st a working party of 12 men was working in Rocade Trench cleaning and constructing shelters and the enemy support trench seemed to be in poor shape and the enemy at times was observed moving about and walking along the top of the trench. Whenever the enemy was seen the Company machine guns fired upon them. It was a cold day.
Private Weir had been reported as dangerously ill from wounds he received in the chest, left arm and hand during military action. He was immediately moved to No. 30 Casualty Clearing Station but could not survive his wounds.