DOBSON, Lawrence Elwin

DIVISIONAL UNIT:         5th Canadian Infantry Division
                                             4th Reserve Battalion
                                             13th Infantry Brigade
                                             Canadian Infantry Corps
SERVICE NO:                   3135671
RESIDENCE:                     Ethel – Ontario 
DATE OF BIRTH:            July 26, 1895.
                                             Grey Township – County of Huron - Ontario
DATE OF DEATH:           October 12, 1918                 23 years     2 months.
CEMETERY:                     Plymouth (Efford) Cemetery – Plymouth – 
                                             Devon – England 
                                             C     4186
PARENTS:                         Mr. Harvey and Lucy Dobson – Ethel – Ontario
Occupation:                        Farmer                                  Religion:     Methodist
Enlistment:         London – May 16, 1918 
Enlistment Age:                 22 years     7 months

Private Dobson enlisted very late in the war under the Military Services Act of 1917 and arrived in England one month prior to the war ending.
At this period of time in the world the Spanish Influenza epidemic was at its peak. Of the three troopships that departed Canada in September of 1918, there were 99 deaths and burials at sea and many more upon their arrival in England. The S.S. Cairo had departed Montreal on September 26th with 1,075 passengers and of that number 1,057 were CEF reinforcement soldiers. Nearly all on board were ill and on the voyage to England there were 32 deaths and burials. Upon their arrival in England an additional 344 flu cases were immediately transferred to hospital and 114 were moved by stretchers.
Private Dobson arrived in England gravely ill, was taken to hospital and died the same day.
Private Dobson died from the effects of pneumonia at 5 pm at No. 4 Southern General Hospital located at Devonport, England.