STRANG, John Caldwell

War
1st World War
Date of Birth
Date Attested
Attested at
Exeter, Ontario
Original Unit
Regimental Number
654817
Rank
Private
Date of Death
Age at Death
20 years 1 month
Biographical Summary

DIVISIONAL UNIT:        3rd Canadian Infantry Division
                                             9th Infantry Brigade
                                             58th Battalion - Central Ontario
                                             Canadian Infantry Corps
SERVICE NO:                   654817
RESIDENCE:                    Hensall – Ontario 
DATE OF BIRTH:            June 10, 1897
                                             Usborne Township – County of Huron - Ontario
DATE OF DEATH:           July 23, 1917                       20 years     1 month
CEMETERY:                     La Chaudiere Military Cemetery – Vimy –
                                             Pas de Calais – France
                                             II     A     9
PARENTS:                         Mr. Henry and Annie Strang – Hensall - Ontario
Occupation:                        Farmer                                  Religion:     Presbyterian
Enlistment:                         Exeter – May 15, 1916 – 161st Huron Battalion
Enlistment Age:                 18 years     11 months

The unit left Canadian waters on November 1, 1916 and arrived overseas in England on November 11, 1916.
Upon arriving in England the Battalion went to Witley Camp – Surrey and on November 30, 1916 Private Strang transferred to the 58th Battalion at Dibgate Camp at Shorncliffe – Kent. He then went overseas very early in December and joined his unit already in the field on March 6, 1917.
The diaries of the Battalion inform us that 1 man was killed and 5 men were wounded. They also state the winds were from the north=west at 7 mph and it was a fine day. In addition, it states it was a quiet day on the front.
On July 22nd the Battalion and Brigades artillery was active all day in an attempt to cut the enemy wire.
Brigade Diaries: Just after midnight the enemy artillery bombarded the assembly area which caused 90 
      casualties.
Very early on July 23rd the 116th raided the enemy trenches and the enemy then counter attacked at 4:45 am and were putting down a heavy barrage. The standing patrols that had been sent out were missing.
When the enemy counter-attacked the 58th Battalion reported their right Company was under attack and two additional Companies moved forward into battle positions at Avion Trench. By 6 am the situation had cleared ad it was found that the enemy had attacked the 58th Battalion front. The enemy artillery was very active the whole day.
The weather was fine and warm with the winds at 6 mph from the east.
The information available to us from the files of Private Strang, the Battalion diaries and the diaries of the Brigade do not tell us how Private Strang fell in battle. We do not know if he was killed during the gas attack in the assembly areas, if he was killed in the attack on the right Company or if he died in the enemy frontal attack on the Battalion.