HELPS, William Edward

DIVISIONAL UNIT:         2nd Canadian Infantry Division
                                             4th Infantry Brigade
                                             18th Battalion - Western Ontario.
                                             Canadian Infantry Corps
SERVICE NO:                   654401
RESIDENCE:                    Wingham – Wingham 
DATE OF BIRTH:            January 1, 1898
                                             East Wawanosh Township – County of Huron – Ontario.
DATE OF DEATH:           March 13, 1917                   19 years     2 months
CEMETERY:                     Ecoivres Military Cemetery – Mont-St Eloi –
                                             Pas de Calais – France.
                                             IV     F     23
MOTHER:                          Mrs. Frances Helps – Wingham – Ontario.
Occupation:                        Electrician.                           Religion:     Methodist.
Enlistment:                         Wingham – February 3, 1916 – 161st Huron Battalion.
Enlistment Age:                 18 years     1 month.

“Eddie” prior to his enlistment was employed by the Municipal Electric Power Company of Wingham.
Private Helps was promoted to Corporal on June 30th and then to Sergeant on July 19th.
Once overseas he transfers to the 18th Battalion and then on January 12, 1917 proceeds into France and arrives at the Canadian Base Depot one day later and then joins his unit already in the field on January 18th, 1917.
Sergeant Helps during his service had been part of some hard fighting and during the day of March 13th he and his unit were deployed in the trenches just west of Thelus located south-west of Vimy when he lost his life in action performing his duties.
The weather was cloudy with some rain with winds from the south-east.
Battalion diaries state that at 4:00 am the enemy fired their green flares giving the signal for their artillery that included trench mortars, field guns to be brought down on the 18th Battalion front and support lines. At 4:15 am the enemy attempted a raid on #16 outpost on the right flank due north of Vissee and the group of craters called Zivy Craters. The enemy was discovered at No. 3 crater.  Another enemy group attempted to enter the Brigade water lines in the area of craters 7-9 but were repulsed by Lewis gun and bombs.
The outpost crew was in the process of withdrawing and moving back to the front lines as two parties of the enemy numbering about 30 men approached the outpost. Two men of the crew covered the withdraw with covering fire.
The outpost S.O.S. rockets had been damaged and only rose 5-10 feet in the air. Once Battalion HQ knew the situation artillery was brought down upon the enemy.
Casualties from the Battalion were 3 killed and 14 wounded.