Friday 11 November 2016

Sidney Adams, Canadian Expeditionary Force, WWI


Today, as we remember and express our gratitude to the men and women who have courageously and sacrificially served our country, I would like to honour my Great Grandfather, Sidney Adams, by writing this year’s Remembrance Day post about him. I always struggle writing posts about family members I didn’t have the chance to know. I love searching for information. When I find a document it feels like Christmas morning, but the truth is, I am always left wanting more. There are always unanswered questions. It feels all the more so when war is involved. With that being said, I will do my best to do his life, his time here, and his service to our country, justice.

My Great Grandfather, Sidney Adams was born in Botwood, Green Bay, Newfoundland on March 19, 1898 to his parents Abraham Adam Adams (for real) and Matilda Jenkins.

Sidney enlisted on December 28, 1916 in Halifax, Nova Scotia. He had moved to N.S. some time prior to this date, and had been working as a Miner in the Reserve Mines in Sydney prior to enlisting. There were two locations at the Reserve Mines Sidney could have worked at: Dominion Colliery No. 5, which opened on the Phalen Seam in 1872 and closed in 1938, or No. 10, which opened on the Emery Seam in 1905 and closed in 1942. Before it closed, No. 5 produced 350 tons of coal per day; No. 10 produced 1,470 tons per day.

Dominion Coal Company's Reserve Mines Colliery, Sydney, Cape Breton, N.S. ca. 1900
Source: Cape Breton at the Beginning of the Twentieth Century,
Toronto; Nation Publishing, 1903, Author: C.W. Vernon

In the Summer of 1916, while Sidney was working at the Reserve Mines, the 246th Battalion, a unit of the Canadian Expeditionary Force based in Halifax, Nova Scotia began recruiting throughout the province of Nova Scotia. Spoiler alert: Sidney enlisted.

He signed up on December 28, 1916. He was 18 years old at the time, and according to his medical exam from that day he had a dark complexion with dark brown hair and brown eyes. He was 5 feet 2 ¾ inches tall (no short jokes today, we’re honouring him…besides now I know what I inherited from him). Also, his religious denomination was Salvation Army. This is the first branch of my family I’ve come across that were members of the Salvation Army. I found that interesting since I worked for the Salvation Army for a while.

Sidney’s Regimental number was 1060284, and his rank was SPR (Sapper). His commanding officer was N.H. Parsons, Lieut-Col., Commander of the 246th Reserve, [N.S. Highlanders]. 

The unit sent two drafts to England, both of which were absorbed into the 17th Reserve Battalion, CEF upon arrival. The first group left on March 28th, 1917 aboard the S.S. Metagama, arriving in Liverpool on April 7, 1917. The second group left June 2, 1917 aboard the S.S. Olympic, arriving at Liverpool on June 9, 1917. On June 10, 1917 they were reunited and absorbed by the 17th Reserve Battalion under C.R.O. 1462. Their role was to provide a reinforcing battalion for the Canadian Corps in the field. To quote the Canadian Expeditionary Force Study Group: The Matrix Project, “as of October 15, 1917 the 17th Reserve Battalion became the sole reinforcing unit of the Nova Scotia Regiment”. They made their final move from Bramshott to South Ripon on January 23, 1919, however, it appears by this point, Sidney was no longer with them.

I have very few treasures passed down to me from my ancestors, but I am incredibly blessed to have been given two Pay Books that belonged to my Great Grandfather. I like to hold them, knowing he held them too. They have also been a source of some key information in tracking his movements during WWI. In the first Pay Book it states he was transferred to the No. 2 Tunnelling Company (Engineers) C.E.F., Canadian Engineers Training on May 15, 1918. According to Library and Archives Canada this company “ceased to exist 6 July 1918: personnel to 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 10th, 11th, and 12th Battalions, Canadian Engineers.” This information from LAC seems to expand on a note, handwritten in pencil, in Sidney’s Pay Book. Underneath where it states he was transferred, someone has written “1st Bn. C.E.” with no date. I wonder if this was pencilled in when No. 2 Tunnelling Co’y ceased to exist, and he was transferred to the 1st Battalion, which would line up with the information from LAC!  Also written in this Pay Book is another piece of important information: “Leave to Brussels”. It is handwritten and I had some trouble deciphering the date, but I think it reads: “Mch 2 to 4-3-1919”. Could that mean March 2 – 4, 1919? Another lead to follow up on!
 
Sidney Adams' Pay Books, 1918-1919

Unlike in the previous Pay Book, there are only entries for one day in the later one: April 14, 1919. It states his English Balce (I’m assuming “Balance”) was $340.93, his pay and allowance was $31.90, his civilian clothing allowance was $35.00 and his 1st payments W.S.G. was $70.00. There were also some in the charges column: $9.73 (unspecified), Boat Expense Money:  $4.87, Train Expense Money: $5.00, and a cheque, No. 1446 for $458.23. His total balance was $477.83. That would be $5, 902.00 today. And a shout out to the Bank of Canada Inflation Calculator for doing the math for me on that one! 


Here is a timeline for Sidney during WWI:
December 28, 1916:          
Enlisted, was working at Reserve Mines, Sydney, NS

January 8, 1917:                 
Was approved and joined the 246th Reserve Battalion, CEF

April 7 or June 9, 1917:     
Sailed to England

June 10, 1917:                    
246th Reserve was absorbed into 17th Reserve Battalion, CEF

Aug 15 – 25, 1917:           
Engaged in the Battle of Hill 70

Oct 26 – Nov 10, 1917:     
Engaged in the 2nd Battle of Passchendaele

May 15, 1918:                    
Was transferred to No. 2 Tunnelling Company (Engineers), CEF

July 6, 1918:                        
No. 2 Tunnelling Co'y ended, transferred to 1st Battalion, Cdn Engineers

Approx. March 1919:        
Leave to Brussels

April 26, 1919:
Board ship to sail home


I’ve read a few pages of the War Diary for the 1st Battalion, Canadian Engineers, and although I haven’t found an entry of his battalion going to Brussels, there are a series of entries that seem to show the tail end of their time overseas, and preparing to come home:
On March 24th they marched to Huy Station, and amongst the group was the 1st Battalion. What followed was a detailed account of the group travelling by train, stopping along the way for tea or a hot meal. On March 26th they arrived at Le Havre at 1590 hours and marched to the Canadian Embarkation Camp. They had a hot meal and were directed to their quarters. The following day “All men were bathed and clothing deloused”. On March 28th they “paraded at 2030 hours with Group 23 (Winnipeg) and marched to the Docks where they embarked on the S/S Devonshire at 1145pm…Accommodation was very poor and the sea rather rough”. On March 29th they arrived at Weymouth, travelled again and arrived at Liphook at 1615. After tea, they marched to the Canadian Corps Camp. The following day the whole group participated in a Muster Parade and documentation was carried out. From this day on the schedule seems pretty relaxed and many were given leave. On April 18th it states they were in Bramshott, the weather was warm and bright, there was a Pay Parade and Last Certificates were signed. On April 21st they were preparing for sailing. On April 23rd the sailing rolls were closed. On April 24th auditors checked all the documents, and finally on April 25th, 1919 Arrangements were made for sailing on the 26th. That is all the information I was able to find (for now), but it is probable that Sidney was back in Canada soon after. Wherever he landed, it appears he didn’t go back to Nova Scotia or Newfoundland for very long, if at all.

By August, Sidney had moved to Hespeler, Waterloo, Ontario, married Maggie Brown Williamson and his occupation was “Scouring at Woolen Mills”. When thinking of why he would move to Ontario instead of back to Nova Scotia or Newfoundland, I should tell you a bit about his mother, Matilda. She had gotten remarried to Elkanah Sheppard/Shepherd on January 10, 1914 in Botwood, and they had moved, first, to Grand Falls, NFLD some time prior to Sidney enlisting, and second, to Ontario in 1918. As of June 1, 1921 Matilda and Elkanah were living in Welland, ON. So the fact that he moved there and married Maggie within months of the war ending may imply that his mother was a connection in both accords.

Shortly after Sidney and Maggie married they moved from Waterloo to Hamilton. Then some time before or about 1924 they moved to Welland, ON., where Sidney helped build the Welland Canal. He eventually became Bridge Master.

They had many children, thirteen by my count, including my Grandmother. Sadly, two of their children died very young. Their son, Arthur drowned in the Welland Canal when he was 7 years old. Their daughter, Elizabeth, was born with Down Syndrome and died about a year and a half later due to health complications.

Sidney’s wife, Maggie died on July 26, 1958.

Sidney died in 1978. Although I don’t have documentation for Elizabeth, Maggie or Sidney’s deaths, I learned this information from my Grandmother, and being their daughter and sister, I’m confident the information is accurate.

How do you sum up a person’s life in a few pages? You can’t. Or at least I can’t. I do hope, however, that this gives a good overview of his life, and touches on some important events in his life.

May we honour them today and hold them in our hearts always.

Happy hunting, my fellow gene geeks!

Sources:
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