Series S0002 - 50th Battalion veterans.

Purcell Blain, 1893-ca. 1984, was born in Petrolia, Ontario. He joined his father on a homestead in the Elkton district, near Didsbury, Alberta, in 1908. During First World War he served overseas with the 50th Battalion and fought at Vimy Ridge. On his return in 1919 he farmed west of Bergen, Alberta. He and his brothers established the Blain Brothers Horse Ranch. In 1929 Purcell married Ruth Howe. In 1976 he moved into a senior citizen's home in Sundre. His hobby was mapping old trails in the Didsbury-Sundre area.

James "Jim" Bracegirdle was born on Dec. 22, 1890, in Boothstown, Metropolitan Borough of Salford, Greater Manchester, England, and died on Mar 8, 1990 (aged 99) in Vancouver, Metro Vancouver Regional District, British Columbia, Canada. He was married to Gladys Mary Ranicar Bracegirdle and had three daughters. He is part of the WW1 veteran Canadian Expeditionary Forces; he was wounded at Vimy Ridge in Feb 1917, gassed in Apr and Oct 1918, then returned to Calgary with the 50th Canadian Infantry Battalion and served over 3 years at the front.

Avard Carter was born on November 24, 1886, in Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, and was married to Mary Gahan on March 23, 1926. He was part of the 50th Battalion, infantry (Army), and was discharged from army services on June 6, 1919.

Col. Douglas G.L. Cunnington, 1885-1973, was born in Bridgenorth, Shropshire, England. At sixteen he became a farm labourer, and served as a trooper with the Shropshire Imperial Yeomanry from 1901-1905. He went to British Guiana in 1905 to supervise on plantations. In 1910 he emigrated to Canada, living in British Columbia for a year and then settling in Calgary, Alberta to operate a dairy. In 1913 he married Elsie May Wightman and they had two children, Betty (Parsons) and Douglas W. Serving in First World War, he enlisted in the 191st Battalion and commanded a draft of 50th Battalion as a lieutenant. He was awarded the Military Cross in 1918, and returned to Canada in 1919 after spending time as a POW in a German hospital. Until 1926 he worked on the Calgary Herald advertising staff; he then opened an insurance agency in which he was active well into the 1960s. He was promoted to colonel in 1930 and commanded the 24th Infantry Brigade for five years. He served as city alderman from 1934-1939, and was Progressive Conservative Member of Parliament (MP) for Calgary West in 1939. In 1940 he reverted to the rank of major and was promoted to lieutenant-colonel the following year. He was commanding officer of the 19th Field Brigade RCA, and honorary colonel of the 19th Medium Regiment RCA. He was also active in a number of community organizations.

Herbert Arthur Gibbons was born on February 5, 1893, in Halifax, N.S., and died on December 6, 1976. He was a corporal in his retirement/discharge on April 5, 1919, in Calgary, AB (Alta.), and he was part of the unit 50th Battalion C. E. F.

Alec was born on March 28, 1894, in Norwich, England. Alec Green was part of the 56th Battalion and was transferred to the 50th Battalion, C. E. F., on May 12, 1916. He was reported missing on November 19, 1916, and officially reported as a prisoner of war at Minden and was released at South Camp, then he was discharged on April 16, 1919.

Herbert Hobden was born on July 19, 1898, in Brighton, Sussex, England, and died on December 6, 1998, in British Columbia, Canada, at the age of 101, and was buried in Valley View Memorial Gardens, Surrey, British Columbia, Canada. He was a private soldier with the unit 50th Battalion and was discharged on April 11, 1919.

Arthur Henson was born on January 31, 1888, in Nottinghamshire, England, and died on October 22, 1985, in Oxnard, Ventura County, California, USA. He was married to Rose Gertrude on June 21, 1914, in Glenwood, Alberta, Canada. During World War I, he served in France as bandmaster for the 50th Infantry Division of the Canadian Army.

He was born on October 28, 1888, in Hobart, Tasmania. He was diagnosed with cholelithiasis but was fit for service, and he was part of the 50th Battalion unit as a captain.

Frederick Highfield is a musician. He was born on November 28, 1869, and died on June 18, 1950, in Saanich, Capital Regional District, British Columbia, Canada, and he was also a sergeant in unit 50th Battalion C. E. F.

Ashley Cooper Cornell Johnston was born on May 9, 1875, in Burford, Burford, Brant, Ontario, Canada, and died in 1967 in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. He married Ina Margaret Dean on 25 January 1916. Dr. A. C. Cooper Johnston was a pioneer medical physician and druggist associated with the early history of Lundbreck. Johnston served with the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force throughout the war. He was a captain with the 50th Battalion unit.

Samuel Kirk was born on February 9, 1890, in Radford, Nottingham, England. He was a private soldier with the unit 50th Battalion and was discharged on July 28, 1919.

Everett Kelly was born on April 22, 1892, in Edmonton, A.B. (Alta.). He was part of the 50th Battalion, C. E. F., and was discharged on February 13, 1919.

William John Martin was born on August 10, 1898 and died in a car crash accident on July 2, 1990. He served 18 months in France during WW1 and was a member of the 50th Battalion C. E. F.

Joseph Alfred "Alf" McLean, ?-1980, was born in Bainbridge, Ontario. He moved to Calgary in 1903 and attended Haultain School. He served in the First World War with the 50th Battalion, and joined the King's Own Calgary Regiment after the war. He was commissioned as a major with the South Alberta Regiment in 1940, and served in Edmonton and Nanaimo until invalided back to Calgary in 1941. He later served in Vernon, Red Deer and Calgary as a trades and training officer, and in 1944-1945 as sports and training officer in Nova Scotia. He retired and entered the reserve army in 1945. During the interwar period and also after the Second World War he was employed as a plumber at Bell and Morris and later Anderson Plumbing Co. He and his wife, Millicent, had no children.

Edwin Leonard Meeres was born on February 14, 1898, in Hill End, Alberta, Canada. He is the son of Horace Meeres and Emily Meeres. Edwin Leonard was part of the 50th Battalion and was discharged on June 9, 1919.

Born on 26 October 1874 in Hamilton, Ontario, Edward George Mason was a surgeon and physician in Calgary. A noted football player and militiaman, he was appointed to organize the 50th Battalion in November 1914. In 1928, he became doctor of psychiatric medicine at the University of Alberta and was one of the original members of the Alberta Eugenics Board. He worked as a neuro-psychiatrist at the Colonel Belcher Hospital, treating shell-shocked patients. He died in Calgary on 3 January 1947.

Charles McDonald was born on March 21, 1892 in Galt, Ontario, Canada and died on January 2, 1968. He was married to Gladys McDonald.
Charles was part of 56th Battalion and got transferred to 50th Battalion on May 12, 1916 and was discharge on January 14, 1920.

John Horace Neeland was born on June 13, 1889, in Moose Jaw, SK, Canada. He became a private, captain, lieutenant, and sergeant in the 50th Battalion and was discharged on Dec. 7, 1918.

William Pattullo was born on February 5, 1896, in Brechin, Scotland. He was enlisted on May 14, 1915, and he was part of the unit 50th Battalion.

Douglas Paradise was born on October 22, 1882, in London, England, and died on December 24, 1963, in Colonel Belcher Hospital, Calgary, AB (Alta.). He was enlisted on February 17, 1915, and worked with unit 50th Battalion and got transferred to 31st Battalion.

David Cecil Parker, son of George Henry and Jane Parker, was born on March 3, 1896, in Red Deer, Red Deer Census Division, Alberta, Canada, and died on April 22, 1983, in Red Deer, Red Deer Census Division, Alberta, Canada, and was married to Margaret Maxwell in 1919. He was enlisted on Nov. 25, 1916, at Calgary, Alberta, in the 187th Battalion and served with the 50th Battalion in France.

John George Pattison was born on September 8, 1875, in London, England, and died on June 3, 1917. Pattison was 41 years old and a private in the 50th (Calgary) Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, during the First World War and was killed in action at Lens, France.

Payne was born on June 6, 1884, in Blockley, Worcestershire, England, and was part of the unit 50th Battalion on August 20, 1916.

Harvey Redfern was born on April 7, 1891, in Toronto, ON, Canada. He was enlisted on January 18, 1816, and was part of the 50th Battalion and the 137th Overseas Battalion.

John was born on February 7, 1897, in Burningham, England. He served with the 50th Battalion on November 8, 1916.

Ricks was born on December 21, 1892, in Monasterevin, Ireland, and died on January 7, 1973. He was a salesman and became part of the 50th Battalion.

Roper was born on June 24, 1886, in Kerrville, Texas, U.S.A., and died on June 24, 1973, at age 87 in Camrose, Alberta, Canada. He was married to Winnifred Nora Roper in 1908. William Trevor served overseas in WW1 and received the Military Medal. He served again in the Veterans Guard in WW2. Trevor was a well-known athlete in cricket, baseball, and tennis.

Born on December 21, 1893 in Smiths Parish, Bermuda Island. Smith was enlisted on February 20, 1915 and was discharge on June 12, 1919.

Raphael Louis was born November 11, 1894 in Faribault, Minnesota and died February 27, 1977 in Errington, British Columbia, Canada. He was a sergeant of the 5th (Western Cavalry) Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force, during the First World War, when on 9 August 1918 east of Warvillers, France, he performed the deed for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross.