Remembering World War I Yarmouth Connections

William Weed Gavel

Name: Service No: Rank: Battalion/Service: Date of Birth: Place of Birth: Date of Enlistment: Place of Enlistment: Address at Enlistment: Age at Enlistment: Height: Complexion: Eye Colour: Hair Colour: Previous Military: Martial Status: Trade: Religion: Next of Kin: Date of Discharge: Date of Death:

William Weed Gavel 734538 Private 112th Battalion; 25th Battalion May 30, 1892 Richfield, Digby Co., NS April 13, 1916 Yarmouth NS 23 5 feet 8 inches light blue light brown 29th Battery, Canadian Field Artillery, Yarmouth NS (Recruit) Single Clerk Baptist Mrs Jane Gavel (Mother), Richfield, Digby Co., NS Mrs. Ethel Gavel (Wife), West Jeddore, Halifax Co., NS (post attestation) July 10, 1919 (Halifax; on demobilization) April 7, 1959 William enlisted and trained in Canada with the 112th Battalion from enlistment until July, 1916. He sailed from Halifax on the SS Olympic July 23, 1916, arriving in Liverpool, England on July 31, 1916. On October 10, 1916 at Bramshott, he was transferred for overseas service in France with the 25th Battalion. He arrived in France on October 11 and left the Canadian Base Depot for his Battalion on November 2. he joined his unit in the field on November 5, 1917. On December 17, 1916 he was admitted to No 5 Canadian Field Hospital with fever of unknown cause (PUO, or Pyrexia Of Unknown Origin) later diagnosed as influenza. He rejoined his unit on January 2, 1917. He was again admitted to No 6. Stationary Hospital at Frevent suffering from a wound and shell shock and was discharged on March 8, 1917. On May 2, 1917 William received a slight gun shot wound to his left hand and was admitted to No. 14 General Hospital at Wimereux and transferred to No. 1 Convalescent Hospital at Boulogne (half-way house for wounded returning to the front - men who no longer required hospitalisation but were not yet fit to rejoin their units). He was discharged on May 5 and returned to his unit. On August 15, 1917 he received another gun shot wound to his left arm and was admitted to No. 18 General Hospital Dannes at Camiers. On August 25, he was transferred to No 1 Australian General Hospital at Rouen and on August 29 to No. 2 Convalescent Hospital at Rouen. He was discharged to Base Details at Etaples on September 21, 1917. On November 24, 1917 he rejoined the 25th Battalion in the field. He was granted fourteen days leave in the UK on December 6, 1917 and rejoined his unit in France on December 24, 1917. On April 23, 1918 while in the field he was again wounded in an accident (a severe incision below the left knee) and admitted to No. 5 Canadian Field Ambulance. He was discharged on April 28, 1918 and returned to the field. On August 26, 1918 he suffered a wound to his right arm and was admitted to No. 12 Stationary Hospital at St. Pol and was transferred on August 30 by ambulance train to the 1st West General Hospital in Liverpool, England where he remained until November 2, 1918 when he was transferred to the Military Convalescent Hospital, Woodcote Park at Epsom. He was discharged from there on November 13, 1918. On December 17, 1918 he was taken on strength with the 17th Reserve Battalion at Bramshott. He returned to Canada embarking England at Liverpool on January 18, 1919 and disembarking at Halifax on January 24, 1919. On January 25, 1919 he was taken on strength at No. 6 District Depot Casualty Company, Halifax . On March 10, 1919 William was promoted to Corporal (provisionally) and employed with the Administrative Staff of Disp. Station “B”. On March 29, 1919 he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant (provisionally). On April 25 he relinquished the rank on being posted to the Depot Casualty Company Administrative Staff at Halifax. He was discharged from military service on July 10, 1919 (Halifax; on demobilization) having served in Canada, England and France.

Sources: Library and Archives Canada