McGUIRE, Elmer

We believe that the M. McGuire on the Cenotaph in Brussels is Elmer McGuire who's parents John and Mary Ann lived in Belgrave. The family headstone located at the Brandon - Belgrave Cemetery has the name of Elmer McGuire etched on the stone.

When he enlisted Elmer was 5'  8" in height and weighed 155 pounds. He had a fresh complexion with gray eyes and black hair. In just over two short months from the time of the enlistment of Private McGuire, he found himself in Quebec and on July 28, 1918 after boarded His Majesty's Troopship Casandra.  He embarked from Canada and arrived in Liverpool on August 5, 1918.

Private McGuire was immediately assigned to Bramshott - Hampshire which was the location of a Canadian Training Base since 1915 and was located in the open countryside on both sides of the Portmouth Road, between the turnings to Grayshott and Bramshott. This is where the 1st Depot Battalion - Saskatchewan Regiment supplied men for the 15th Reserve Battalion. We know that because he was conscripted so late in the war under the Military Services Act of 1917 that all his service to Canada took place in England.

On September 26, 1918 Private McGuire was seen by the medical personnel of the Canadian Base and he told them he was achy and sore all over his body, that he was having headaches, he had a cough, had a pain in his chest, had a sore throat, had a fever and the chills. Upon being examined the doctors noted his face was flushed, his lips were somewhat blue, his tongue was coated, his throat was red, his lungs were congested and that his breathing was harsh. He was immediately admitted into No. 12 Canadian General Hospital - Bramshott and then less than a week later was diagnosed with bronco pneumonia. Very shortly following this diagnosis he was classified as very seriously ill with influenza. Two weeks after being admitted into hospital - October 10, 1918 - Private McGuire died from the effects of influenza.  

While doing research we came upon the book titled "A Harvest of Memories" Turnberry Township and it told us that the parents of Elmer lived at 27 Jane Street on the edge of Belgrave and that they had three acres of land and raised chickens and pigs. John was the father of Elmer and he was the village post carrier and transport man between the Belgrave railway station and the village stores. In 1918 the mail arrived and left four times daily and John carried the mail to and from the bottom of the hill to the village and village stores using a democrat or horse drawn wagon. He kept his horses in a small barn on the family property.  Family headstone in Brandon - Belgrave cemetery - weather worn gray stone.