YUILL, Robert McGowan

War
1st World War
Date of Birth
Date Attested
Attested at
Medicine Hat - Alberta
Original Unit
1st Canadian Mounted Rifles
Regimental Number
108649
Rank
Private
Date of Death
Age at Death
26 years 4 months
Cemetery
Ecoivres Military Cemetery - Pas de Calais - France
Cenotaph
Hensall Cenotaph
Biographical Summary

DIVISIONAL UNIT:         3rd Canadian Infantry Division
                                             8th Infantry Brigade
                                             1st Canadian Mounted Rifles Battalion  -  Brandon
                                             Canadian Infantry Corps
SERVICE NO:                   108649 Canadian
RESIDENCE:                     Hensall - Ontario
DATE OF BIRTH:            October 8, 1890
                                             Balfron – Stirlingshire - Scotland
DATE OF DEATH:           February 7, 1917                  26 years     4 months
CEMETERY:                     Ecoivres Military Cemetery – Mont-St. Eloi
                                             Pas de Calais – France
                                             IV     C     24
BROTHER:                        Mr. Alexander John and Jean Yuill – Clinton – Ontario / Medicine Hat - Alberta
Occupation:                        Farmer                                 Religion:     Presbyterian
Enlistment:                         January 22, 1915 – Medicine Hat - Alberta
Enlistment Age:                 25 years     3 months

Private Yuill and his unit sailed from Halifax on June 12, 1915.
Private Yuill landed in France on September 22, 1915 and on January 2, 1916 transferred to 1st CMR on their re-organization – taken on strength – and then attached to 8th Canadian Trench Mortar Battery on June 13, 1916.
He was wounded on September 15, 1916 in the hip and on September 21, 1916 was moved to No. 13 Stationary Hospital located in Boulogne. He rejoined his unit in the field on October 30, 1916.
The Battalion at this period in time was based at Mont St Eloi in advance of the upcoming operation against Vimy Ridge.
The Brigade diaries state that for the first eleven days of February it was very quiet except for February 4th when the enemy artillery was active and heavy causing slight casualties.
The Battalion diaries state that on February 7th there was a working party of 110 men along with three lorries carried ammunition and other supplies to Cambligneul. The diaries state this working party was successful.
However, on February 8th while the Battalion was involved in bayonet training one Ordinary Rank was killed. From our research and from what Private Yuill’s file tells and what the diaries tell us it is possible that the man that was killed furing bayonet training was Private Yuill.