EASSON, George Richardson

War
1st World War
Date of Birth
Date Attested
Attested at
Stettler, Alberta
Regimental Number
883544
Rank
Private
Date of Death
Age at Death
22 years
Cenotaph
Biographical Summary

DIVISIONAL UNIT:        1st Canadian Infantry Division
                                             2nd Infantry Brigade
                                             10th Battalion  -  Canadians
                                             Canadian Infantry Corps
SERVICE NO:                   883544
RESIDENCE:                    Botha – Alberta 
DATE OF BIRTH:            August 19, 1896
                                             Winchelsea – Usborne Township – County of Huron - Ontario
DATE OF DEATH:           September 6, 1918               22 years
CEMETERY:                     Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension – Aubigny –
                                             Somme – France
                                             IV     A     40
PARENT:                           Mrs. Eliza Easson – Botha - Alberta
Occupation:                        Farmer                                  Religion:     Church of England
Enlistment:                         June 12, 1916 – Stettler – Alberta – into 187th Battalion
Enlistment Age:                 19 years     10 months

Private departed from Canada on December 15th and arrived in Liverpool on December 26, 1916. On February 2, 1917, he transferred to the 202nd Battalion at Witley Camp - Surrey. On May 27, 1917, he transferred to the 10th Battalion went into France and joined the unit on June 27, 1917.
On September 2nd, Private Easson was advancing with his unit was mortally wounded by shrapnel in his lower back from the shrapenel of an exploding shell. He received immediate attention and was moved to No. 42 Casualty Clearing Station. Four days following him receiving wounds he died.
The weather was variable with some rain. 
The upcoming advance was to be on the Drocourt-Queant Line with the 1st Division objective striking south toward the Arras-Cambrai road with the 2nd Brigade on the left attack position. The 7th Battalion would lead the advance until the Red Line was met at which time the 8th & the 10th Battalions would then pass through and together would carry the attack to the Drocourt-Queant Line’s main support position which was the Buissy Switch Line which was heavily centred on the heavily defended French village of Villers-les-Cagnicourt.
The barrage opened at 5 am and the advance began at 5:30 am the 7th Battalion was able to reach the Red Line They were to advance anout 1,000 yards and then allow the Battalion to pass through. The 8th & 10th Battalions passed through at 8 am. The Battalion advanced to the first objective Villers-les-Cagnicourt and the Buissy Switch the advance was held up until midday. Then there was hand to hand fighting yard by yard as they moved ahead. Considering the efforts the enemy put into defending this village the 8th & 10th Battalions crushed the enemy and his defences.
At 2:07 pm the Battalion passed through the eastern end of the town and directly south through the Buissy Switch and took every yard from the enemy. The town itself did not fall until 4 pm in the afternoon of September 2nd.
Both the 8th & 10th Battalions worked their way forward but they were held up by enemy machine-gun fire. One nest had 13 guns in it and they also captured artillery pieces.
At 6 pm under a barrage the advance continued with the final objective being taken at 11:30 pm. The Brigade now held all the objectives it was assigned to capture.
During the day 1 officer was killed and 95 other ranks killed.