Wilfred Reginald French – Canadian Infantry, C.E.F., 54th Battalion
Private Wilfred Reginald French – Canadian Infantry, C.E.F., 54th Battalion
Birth and Family Background
Wilfred Reginald French was born in 1884 in Northleach, Gloucestershire. He was
the son of Samuel French and Annie Hancock.
1891 Census
At the time
of the 1891 Census, the French family were residing at 3 Oak Avenue,
Christchurch, Monmouthshire.
Samuel French (50), born in Gloucestershire, was employed as a sampler,
while his wife Annie (42), also Gloucestershire-born, worked as a dressmaker.
Their
children were Frederick J. (24), a labourer; Florence A. (15),
a draper’s assistant; Harold T. (12), a hairdresser’s
assistant; Richard B. (11); Ethel M. (9); Wilfred R. (7);
and Lilian F., an infant.
Also present in the household was a boarder, Herbert R. Spray (28).
1901 Census
By the 1901
Census, Wilfred French was recorded as a servant, working in
the household of Joseph Potter at Langton Long, Dorset,
indicating that he had entered domestic service at an early age.
Emigration to the United States
Luania Passengers List
In 1906,
Wilfred emigrated to the United States, departing from Liverpool
aboard the steamship Luania. He settled in New York City,
where he is recorded as working as a servant in the household of George
Allen in Manhattan.
Marriage
While
living in New York, Wilfred Reginald French married Sally French, of 153
East 52nd Street, Manhattan, New York, establishing his adult life in North
America prior to the war.
Military Service
Attestation Papers
In 1917,
Wilfred enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, serving as a Private
with “D” Company, Canadian Infantry, C.E.F., 54th Battalion.
The battalion formed part of the 11th Canadian Infantry Brigade,
4th Canadian Division, and was engaged in the final, hard-fought
campaigns of the war.
Death in Action
Private Wilfred Reginald French was killed in action during the night of
29th–30th September 1918. At the time of his death, his
battalion was taking up position in the “jumping-off” trench prior to an
attack in the vicinity of Sailly.Wilfred Reginald French
Cantimpre Canadian Cemetery, Sailly, Nord, France
credit - findagrave
He was
killed by heavy enemy shellfire, a common and deadly hazard during the
hours immediately preceding an assault, when troops were concentrated in
forward trenches.
Burial and
Commemoration
Wilfred Reginald French is buried at Cantimpre Canadian Cemetery, Sailly, Nord, France.
Later Family History
Following
the war, Wilfred’s father, Samuel French, later settled in Swansea,
where he is recorded in the 1921 Census, marking a return to South Wales
after years of movement across England and Wales. This later settlement
provides a poignant postscript to Wilfred’s story, linking his final resting
place in France with his family’s eventual return to Swansea.
Comments
Post a Comment