McBRIDE, George Henry

DIVISIONAL UNIT:         3rd Canadian Infantry Division
                                             9th Infantry Brigade
                                             58th Battalion - Central Ontario
                                             Canadian Infantry Corps
SERVICE NO:                   654615
RESIDENCE:                    Zurich – Ontario 
DATE OF BIRTH:            December 3, 1892
                                             Stanley Township – County of Huron - Ontario
DATE OF DEATH:           April 12, 1917                      24 years     4 months
CEMETERY:                     La Chaudiere Military Cemetery – Vimy –
                                             Pas de Calais – France
                                             VII     B     17
PARENTS:                         Mr. Samuel and Annie McBride - 
Occupation:                        Merchant as operator of a    Religion:     Presbyterian
                                             Flour / Feed business in Zurich
Enlistment:                         Hensall – March 20, 1916 – 161st Huron Battalion
Enlistment Age:                 23 years     3 months

The S.S. Lapland with the 161st onboard departed from Halifax and arrived in England on November 11, 1916.
On November 27th, he was Taken on Strength by the 58th Battalion. Private McBride is then issued a new uniform, rucksack and rifle, travels to Dover and boards a ship and goes overseas into France. He joins the 58th Battalion on December 29, 1916 near Mont St. Eloi.
Private McBride lost his life in action in the trenches west of Petit Vimy.
The winter of 1916-1917 was apparently the coldest of the war.
The 58th Battalion from April 9-12 had advanced nearly a mile and the Battalion was now engaged with the retreating enemy on the east side of La Folie Wood just ouside of Vimy.
The weather on April 12, 1917 was wet with rain with west winds at 7 mph. All the snow had gone by 5 pm.
At 8:30 am two parties from “A” Company pushed toward Staubwesser Weg and established blocks about half way through La Folie Wood. While in the trench three wounded men from “D” Company were located. There was no enemy opposition. A post was established at the junction of this trench and Staubwesser Weg and held all day. They had to move back at night because there was active enemy sniping from Bloater Trench.
As the day progresses one officer and another soldier when out to reconnoitre and both men were wounded and captured.
At noon, the 58th Battalion was front line centre. An order was issued at 8:35 pm for the 58th Battalion to send patrols into Petit Vimy and they found the enemy in houses and could not proceed further because of heavy rifle and machine-gun fire and they also found the enemy in possession of Flower Trench where it crosses the Lens-Arras Road.
During this day 7 were killed and 21 wounded and 3 missing. One of those who fell was Private McBride.
Private McBride was reported as missing and it was two weeks later when his remains were located.