Name: Edmund McConnell Lewis Regimental Number: 283360 Rank: Private Regiment: Canadian Infantry Battalion: 219th Battalion/46th Battalion Date of Birth: June 26, 1898 (actual 1899) Place of Birth: Yarmouth, NS Date of Enlistment: April 3, 1916 Place of Enlistment: Yarmouth, Nova Scotia Address at Enlistment: Yarmouth, Nova Scotia Age at Enlistment: 17 Height: 5 feet, 7 inches Complexion: medium Eyes: blue Hair: dark brown Prior Military Experience: 29th Battery, CFA (Yarmouth, NS) Recruit Trade: Machinist Marital Status: Single Religion: Methodist Next of Kin: Herbert C Lewis (Father), Yarmouth, NS Discharged: June 15, 1919 (Halifax) Edmund was the son of Herbert Churchill Lewis and Roberta (Beals) Lewis. There were six children in the family, three boys and three girls. Edmund’s second name, ‘McConnell’ was the family name of his grandmother, Annie (McConnell) Lewis. He completed his medical on March 23, 1916 and enlisted with the 219th Battalion on April 3, 1916. He sailed from Halifax on the SS Olympic on October 12, 1916 and arrived in Liverpool on October 18, 1916. On January 23, 1917 Private Lewis was taken on strength with the 17th Reserve Battalion from the 219th Battalion. He transferred to the 161st Battalion at Witley Camp on February 8, 1917 and on April 4, 1917 transferred to the Western Ontario Regimental Depot at Bramshott. He joined the 46th Battalion in September,1917 and crossed to France. In January, 1918, while in the field, Edmund was “placed under stoppage” (given a pay deduction) to make good the cost of a pair of gloves “lost by neglect” while on active service. Again in June, 1918 he was sentenced to ten days of Field Punishment No 1 for “while on active service, conduct to the prejudice of good order and military discipline in that he when spoken to on parade by a Non- Commissioned Officer replied in an insolent manner”. Field Punishment No. 1, generally entailed labour duties and attachment to a fixed object such as a post for two hours a day. Soldiers viewed Field Punishment No. 1 as particularly degrading. While in France, on September 8, 1918 he received a gun shot wound to the right buttock and knee. He was admitted to No. 1 South African General Hospital at Abberville for treatment and was released on November 19, 1918. He returned to his unit on December 3, 1918. Granted fourteen days leave to the UK on December 14, 1918 he spent Christmas in England, returning to the field in France on January 5, 1919. He was awarded the Military Medal on February 13, 1919. He departed England for Canada on the HMT Adriatic arriving in Halifax on June 7, 1919. He was discharged at Halifax on June 15, 1919. Private Lewis served in Canada between March 24, 1916 and October 12, 1916; in England between October 12, 1916 and September 26, 1917; and in France from September 9, 1917 until April 26, 1919. He was 20 years of age at discharge.

Edmund McConnell Lewis

Military Puinishment Library and Archives Canada