George Wilfred Imrie – Canadian Infantry, C.E.F., 1st Battalion

Private George Wilfred Imrie – Canadian Infantry, C.E.F., 1^st Battalion

Birth and Family Background

George Wilfred Imrie

George Wilfred Imrie was born in 1890 in Oystermouth. He was the son of David Imrie and Annie Finlay, both of whom were Scottish-born, reflecting a family background shaped by migration and industrial employment.

1891 Census

At the time of the 1891 Census, the Imrie family were residing at Underwood, Oystermouth.
David Imrie (47) was employed as a colliery shipping agent, while his wife Annie (41) managed the household.

Their children were David P. C. (6), Wilfred (4), and George W. (1).
Also present in the household was a servant, Elizabeth Andrew (26).

1901 Census

By the 1901 Census, the family had moved to 6 Bryn Road, Swansea.
David Imrie (57) was then working as a colliery coal merchant, and Annie (51) continued to manage the household.

The children recorded were David Patrick Cuthbert (16), Winnifred (14), and George Wilfred (11).
The household still included their long-serving servant, Elizabeth Andrew (38).

Emigration to Canada

Royal George Passenger Lists

In June 1912, George Wilfred Imrie emigrated to Canada, sailing aboard the ship Royal George. He arrived at Quebec City, before settling in Montreal.

Military Service

Attestation Papers

At the outbreak of the First World War, George enlisted with the 5^th Royal Highlanders of Canada. He later transferred to the Canadian Infantry, C.E.F., 1^st Battalion.

In March 1915, George was sent to France, joining one of the first Canadian units committed to front-line service on the Western Front.

Death in Action – Second Battle of Ypres

George Wilfred Imrie was killed in action on 23^rd April 1915 during the Second Battle of Ypres. He was killed near the wood at St. Julien, a sector that saw some of the most intense fighting of the battle, including the first large-scale use of poison gas by German forces against Allied troops.

The fighting around St. Julien was marked by chaotic conditions, heavy artillery fire, and desperate defensive actions, as Canadian units struggled to hold their positions under unprecedented attack.

Commemoration

George Wilfred Imrie
Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium
credit - findagrave

George Wilfred Imrie has no known grave. He is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium, which bears the names of thousands of Commonwealth soldiers who died in the Ypres Salient and whose resting places are unknown.

His story reflects the experience of many young men who left South Wales for Canada, only to be among the earliest casualties of the First World War, giving their lives during the brutal opening battles on the Western Front