CHISHOLM, Alexander

DIVISIONAL UNIT:         4th Canadian Infantry Division
                                             10th Infantry Brigade
                                              47th Infantry Battalion – Western Ontario
                                              4th Divisional Trench Mortar Group
                                             10th Light Trench Mortar Battery
                                             The Canadian Infantry Corps
SERVICE NO:                   127619
RESIDENCE:                    Goderich – Ontario 
DATE OF BIRTH:            December 8, 1892
                                             Goderich Township – County of Huron - Ontario
DATE OF DEATH:           October 28, 1917                 24 years     10 months
CEMETERY:                     Nine Elms British Cemetery – Poperinge –
                                             West-Vlaanderen – Belgium
                                             VII     E     10
PARENTS:                         Alex and Sarah Chisholm – Goderich – Ontario
MOTHER:                          Mrs. Sarah Wilson (Chisholm) – London – Ontario
SISTER:                              Miss M. Chisholm – Goderich - Ontario
Occupation:                        Farmer                                  Religion:     Roman Catholic
Enlistment:                         Goderich – November 20, 1915
Enlistment Age:                 22 years     11 months

Corporal Chisholm arrived in France on August 12, 1916 and is attached to the 10th Brigade Trench Mortar Battery.
The 44th Battalion was located at the Seine Dugout
The Canadian Corps used the Stokes 3” light mortar which used a 3” bomb of about 10 pounds with a modified hand grenade fuse. They were able to fire about 20-22 rounds per minute to a maximum range of 700 yards. There was no ammunition column for these guns so it was difficult getting ammunition to the forward positions. 
A Battery of Light Mortars consisted of 8 guns. The light trench mortars were manned by the infantry.
These guns when fired had a high trajectory and as such were used against the enemy trench systems.
During operations with his unit in the early morning of October 28, 1917, Corporal Chisholm was seriously wounded in the head by a piece of shrapnel from an enemy shell which had exploded very close to his gun pit. He was attended to and moved to No. 44 British Casualty Clearing Station - Brandhoek but the seriousness of his wounds prevented him from surviving.
Early in the morning of October 28th at 4 am the Battalion was under the influence of a very heavy enemy artillery barrage. The work of consolidating the new front line went on during the bombardment. The enemy artillery fire continued the whole day. The ground was very poor and a great deal of difficulty was encountered trying to get ammunition to the trench mortars. The parties with the ammunition came up with only partial loads because of the ground. Trying to move gun, equipment and ammunition had to wait until the positions were consolidated.
On October 28th the Brigade had 48 men killed, 161 wounded and 21 men missing. Of the total wounded the 
10th Light Trench Mortar Battery had three wounded – one of which was Corporal Chisholm and he died very shortly after.