ARDELL, Edgar Cecil

War
1st World War
Date of Birth
Date Attested
Attested at
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Original Unit
4th Divisional Horse Train, Canadian Army Service Corp.
Regimental Number
511494
Rank
Private
Date of Death
Age at Death
34 years 6 months
Cemetery
Leeds Harehills Cemetery - Yorkshire - England
Biographical Summary

DIVISIONAL UNIT:          4th Canadian Infantry Division
                                             Canadian Army Service Corps
                                             4th Divisional Horse Train 
                                             Canadian Infantry Corps
SERVICE NO:                   511494
RESIDENCE:                    Winnipeg – Manitoba 
DATE OF BIRTH:            May 31, 1883 
                                             Gorrie – Township of Howick – County of Huron - Ontario
DATE OF DEATH:           November 20, 1917             34 years     6 months
CEMETERY:                    Leeds (Harehills) Cemetery – Leeds –
                        Yorkshire - England 
                                                  H     26
PARENTS:                         Mr. William and Mary Jane Ardell – Winnipeg - Manitoba
Occupation:                        Compositer                           Religion:     Church of England
Enlistment:                         Winnipeg – December 14, 1915 into No. 1 Canadian Army Service Corp – No. 1 Depot
Enlistment Age                   32 years     7 months

Private Ardell arrived in England and on May 16th was Taken on Strength by the Canadian Army Service Corp in Shorncliffe - Kent and transferred to the 4th Divisional Horse Train on July 7, 1916. He then went into France on August 10, 1916
The Candian Army Service Divisional Trains were made of 4 Companies. No. 1 Company was the Headquarters Company and they would have supplied the Divisional Troops. No 2, 3, 4 Companies would have supplied the Brigades of the Division. The Divisional Horse Trains were slower than the Mechanical Transport which was the first line suppliers. They would carry meat, bread and many sorts of other goods to the front for the troops.
Private Ardell could have been performing any number of duties with the horse transport. It is possible he could have been attached to a machine-gun company where there would have been 54 horses. He could have been attached to the artillery and bringing weapons to the front or taking damaged artillery pieces away from the front. As well he could have been pulling food to the front or pulling ambulances.
During the Battle for Vimy Ridge Private Ardell received severe shrapnel wounds to his right foot and was admitted to No. 2 Canadian Casualty Clearing Station – Remy Siding – Ypres Salient. This wound occurred on June 1-2, 1917.
On June 1st the Supply Train arrived at 10:00 hours. Ration strength was 21,995 of all ranks and horses numbered 5,308. On June 2nd the supply train arrived at 08:00 hours and ration strength for all ranks was 22,164 with 5,274 horses.
On June 4th the weather was fine and hot with a light wind from the east. The supply train arrived at 8 am.
Then on June 4, 1917 he was admitted to No. 14 General Hospital located in Wimereux with a severe gunshot wound to his right foot and then invalided to England and admitted to Leeds Hospital on June 7, 1917. The foot will not heal and becomes very infected and the only recourse open to the doctors is to amputate part of his leg which was done on October 15, 1917. Then on October 17th the drainage tube was removed.
Private Ardell died at 4:20 pm from pneumonia and circulatory failure, myocardial degeneration due to long sepsis in his foot which was heart failure due to the inflammation in his body at the East Leeds War Hospital located in West Yorkshire, England.
 

Note: not listed on any Huron County Cenotaph