Headstone

McSHERRY, Wilson

War
1st World War
Date of Birth
Date Attested
Attested at
Clinton, Ontario
Original Unit
161st Huron Battalion
Regimental Number
654855
Rank
Private
Date of Death
Age at Death
45 years 4 months
Cemetery
Hillsgreen Cemetery - Ontario - Canada
Cenotaph
None
Biographical Summary

DIVISIONAL UNIT:        1st Canadian Infantry Division
                                             1st Canadian Labour Battalion
                                             1st Canadian Infantry Work Company.
                                             Canadian Engineering Corps
SERVICE NO:                   654855
RESIDENCE:                    Clinton – Ontario 
DATE OF BIRTH:            October 7, 1874
                                             Hensall – Hay Township – County of Huron - Ontario
DATE OF DEATH:           February 4, 1920                  45 years     4 months
CEMETERY:                     Hillsgreen Cemetery – 73365 Parr Line –
                                             County of Huron – Ontario 
PARENTS:                         Mr. Wilson and Isabella McSherry – Hensall - Ontario
Occupation:                        Store Clerk                           Religion:     Presbyterian
Enlistment:                         May 20, 1916 – Clinton – into 161st Huron Battalion
Enlistment Age:                 41 years     7 months

Private McSherry and the 161st Battalion departed Canada on the S.S. Lapland and arrived in England on 
November 11, 1918.
He transferred to the 37th Battalion on November 28, 1916 and then on December 20th he transferred to the 1st Canadian Labour Battalion. On January 8, 1917, he goes overseas into France and is in France about 6 months.
From our research of his military files we have learned that he did not put his correct age on his attestation papers and in fact could be at least 10 years older than the 41 years    7 months upon enlistment.
I feel he wanted to contribute for his country but that his age was against him and he could not perform the heavy manual labour in a labour battalion.
On March 4, 1918 Private McSherry was discharged from the Canadian Expeditionary Force and from service to His Majesty’s Forces.
These units were located in the rear areas and used men not suitable in the front line trenches. The 1st Canadian Labour Battalion was formed in England in December of 1916. They went overseas into France on January 11, 1917 with 1,023 officers and men. They worked on broad gauge railways, roads, light railways, water services, trench cables and salvage.