CULBERT, Wilson

War
1st World War
Date of Birth
Date Attested
Attested at
Exeter, Ontario
Original Unit
161st Huron Battalion
Regimental Number
654626
Rank
Private
Date of Death
Age at Death
24 years 11 months
Cemetery
Dury Crucifix Cemetery - Pas de Calais - France
Cenotaph
Exeter Cenotaph
Biographical Summary

DIVISIONAL UNIT:         4th Canadian Infantry Division
                                             10th Infantry Brigade
                                             47th Battalion - Western Ontario
                                             Canadian Infantry Corps
SERVICE NO:                   654626
RESIDENCE:                    Centralia – Ontario 
DATE OF BIRTH:            October 7, 1893
                                             Stephen Township – County of Huron - Ontario
DATE OF DEATH:           September 3, 1918               24 years     11 months
CEMETERY:                     Dury Crucifix Cemetery – Dury –
                                             Pas de Calais – France
                                             I     A     16
PARENT:                           Mr. John & Sarah Culbert – Centralia – Ontario
Occupation:                        Farmer                                  Religion:     Methodist
Enlistment:                         Exeter – March 21, 1916 – into 161st Huron Battalion
Enlistment Age:                 22 years     5 months

Private Culbert had arrived in England on November 11, 1916 and departed on March 8, 1918 overseas for service with the 4th Battalion. He arrives at Canadian Base Depot on March 10th and then days later on March 14, 1918 joins his unit already in the field.
Private Culbert was killed in action while he was digging himself in. An enemy shell landed very close to him which caused very severe wounds to his side. He was given immediate aide but did not survive but for a short period.
Winds were from the south-west with a few showers in the morning and good observation.
The Battalion strength was 632 men of all ranks.
At midday, the Battalion advanced to the east supporting the 46th Battalion. They crossed the summit of Mont Dury Ridge and then came under very heavy and nasty enemy artillery fire with high explosives and gas shells. There were casualties taken as the ground was very exposed with very little cover.
The advance continued with the objective being a line from the east of Recourt to the east of Saudemont and this was reached and then the Battalion dug in. The Companies were distributed in depth.
Casualties included 22 killed and 66 wounded. Casualties were 14%.