WEILAND, George Andrew

War
1st World War
Date of Birth
Date Attested
Attested at
London, Ontario
Original Unit
1st Battalion - Western Ontario
Regimental Number
3131769
Rank
Private
Date of Death
Age at Death
21 years 2 months
Cemetery
Vimy Memorial - Pas de Calais - France
Cenotaph
Seaforth Cenotaph
Biographical Summary

DIVISIONAL UNIT:        1st Canadian Infantry Division
                                             1st Infantry Brigade
                                             1st Battalion  -  Western Ontario
                                             Canadian Infantry Corps
SERVICE NO:                   3131769
RESIDENCE:                    Seaforth
DATE OF BIRTH:            July 28, 1897
                                             Seaforth – Tuckersmith Township – County of Huron - Ontario
DATE OF DEATH:           September 27, 1918             21 years     2 months
MEMORIAL:                    Vimy Memorial – Vimy
                                             Pas de Calais - France
PARENTS:                         Mr. Henry and Sarah Weiland – Egmondville – Clinton - Ontario
Occupation:                        Barber                                  Religion:     Presbyterian
Enlistment:                         January 8, 1918 – London - Ontario
Enlistment Age:                 20 years     6 months

The upcoming advance onto the Canal du Nord and Cambrai would involve the Marquion Line, the strategic Bourlon Wood and then the Marcoing Line. It would bot be an easy task.
They advanced across the Canal du Nord and then fanned out to the north and attacked the villages of Sains-les-Marquion and Marquion and were successful in capturing them. The 4th & 14th Battalions would lead the assault and then the 1dt & 13th Battalions would pass through and capture the Marquion Line. Other units would move on and take their attack across the Arras-Cambrai Road and head north-east toward the Marcoing Line.
Private Weiland was killed in action and it is thought he lost his life during the following all day fight with the enemy.
The Division barrage opened up at 5:20 am and the enemy reply was a feeble one and this fell on Inchy and the Buissy Switch.
The Canal du Nord seemed to be heavily defended by the enemy with machine-gun nests, trench mortars and well concealed dugouts.
The 4th Battalion followed the barrage to the Red line and here the 1st Battalion passed through, advanced by following the barrage and attacked and gained the Green line which was taken except for a point on the right where enemy fire held them up and did not allow them to reach the railway embankment.
Here the 2nd / 3rd Battalions passed thought and crossed the railway.
At 1:20 pm the Battalion came into Divisional support and were distributed in depth then dug themselves in and prepared for possible enemy counter-attacks.
During the advance to the Green line the casualties were 20 men killed; 133 men wounded and a number of  men were missing and it was during this advance where Private Weiland lost his life in action.