FALLIS, Robert John

DIVISIONAL UNIT:        3rd Canadian Infantry Division
                                             9th Infantry Brigade
                                             58th Battalion - Central Ontario
                                             Canadian Infantry Corps
SERVICE NO:                   654492
RESIDENCE:                    Wingham – Wingham 
DATE OF BIRTH:            February 14, 1894
                                             Wingham – Turnberry Township – County of Huron - Ontario
DATE OF DEATH:           July 19, 1917                       23 years     5 months
CEMETERY:                     La Chaudiere Military Cemetery – Lens –
                                             Pas de Calais – France
                                             I     A     6
PARENT:                           Mrs. Helen Fallis – Wingham – Ontario
Occupation:                        Farmer                                  Religion:     Church of England
Enlistment:                         Wingham – February 19, 1916 – 161st Huron Battalion
Enlistment Age:                 22 years

Private Fallis following his arrival in England on November 11, 1916 transferred to the 58th Battalion. He arrived overseas in early December 1916 and arrived with his unit in the field on Christmas Eve. In early March of 1917 he was admitted to No. 9 Canadian Field Ambulance because of deafness and then re-joined his unit.
The inscription on his headstone reads “Sleep on, dear loved one, in your distant grave. Your life for your country you nobly gave.”
Private Fallis was killed in action in the vicinity of Lens.
The weather was fair with winds from the west at 15-25 mph.
Artillery was active and being used to destroy and to harass the enemy and to cut the barbed wire in front of the enemy trenches. Enemy trench mortars were active at Avion and along Saskatoon Road. The enemy did however use their artillery to shell Toronto Road, Gladys Trench, Amble Trench, Bois du la Chaudiere, Avion, Saskatoon Road and the outpost to the north-east and La Coulette. The machine guns from the Brigade were active as was rifle fire. Various Brigade patrols sent out during the day but there was no action reported.
Casualties reported by the battalion was 2 ordinary ranks being killed.
During the night of July 18/19, the 9th Brigade relieved the 8th Brigade with “D” Company – right front; “A” Company – left front. “B” Company was support in Adept and Agent Trenches. “C” Company was in reserve in Sydney and Dartmouth Trenches.  
We cannot ascertain from reading the file of Private Fallis or from the Battalion and Brigade diaries when and where Private Fallis fell in the field on this day.