Bushnell served in CEF

[Shertur]

Hi there, I have just discovered that my 2 x gt uncle James Bushnell signed up for the CEF in 1915.

A bit of background - James was born in Chelsea, London, UK in 1871.  He appears on the 1881 census, but nothing thereafter.  In a family birthday book is the entry on 4 April 1904 "Jim sailed for Canada".  I can't find him on any passenger lists but I have just found the Attestation Paper stating he signed up in January 1915 in Devizes, Wiltshire, UK.  He stated on the paper that he had previously served in S. Africa, presumably the Boer War.

So, James went to Canada in 1904.  He returned to England in 1915, or maybe earlier, but where did he live from 1904? I can't find him on the 1911 Canadian  census.  He was a labourer and was single when he signed up for the CEF.  I have found a death in Chelsea in 1925 which may be him.

Can anybody tell me where I can start looking for him please?

Christine

[J.J.]

Always good to add a little more detail...In case others want to find you...or a marriage is found
Here is the signup...Market Lavington...Signed with a Canadian Force...
His father: Edward James Bushnell / Date of birth Jan 28 1871 /  mother  Sarah Ann ( remarried Geo Cottington 1873)
http://www.familysearch.org/Eng/Search/Census/household_record.asp?HOUSEHOLD_CODE=1881BR_96143
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/cef/001042-119.02-e.php?image_url=http://data2.archives.ca/cef/gpc001/274537a.gif&id_nbr=79074
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/cef/001042-119.01-e.php?&id_nbr=79074&interval=20&&PHPSESSID=goufuqkl13mn4frimrsmkc1rl4
still haven''t spotted him in 1911...perhaps has been severely miss transcribed...

(For those searching, the unmarked  Jaimes Henry Hoyle in B.C. born 1867, father was James Henry, wife Christiana Hoyle, so not our man...)

[valeriec]

You can order his full military file at the collections canada site listed above. It may give you more information. Do you know if he was married, had children or what his occupation may have been.

[J.J.]

Top left of signup has KR & O Para  1904,  so he likely wasn't in Canada for 1904 but fighting in the Africa war.
( KIng's Rifles perhaps? not sure what "and O" would be though...) He may not have come until 1907 or later.
( unless  it was boer war, but it does say 1904)
~~~
Valerie is right your best bet is to order the military files and see what is on them.
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/cef/001042-130-e.html?PHPSESSID=goufuqkl13mn4frimrsmkc1rl4#g

[Shertur]

Thanks for your responses JJ & Valerie.

Just to put you right on a couple of points, Edward (NOK) was James nephew, not his father. 

I thought he was in the Boer War as the Attestation Paper states that he had served in South Africa.

The most annoying thing about finding this recent information is that we have just come back from a holiday in Canada, if only we knew of this development a week earlier we could have done some research ourselves! 

You have a wonderful country (even though we only saw a minute part of Ontario) and the people are so friendly and helpful.

I will probably send for the papers although I don't know that they will help me find out where James was from 1904.

Best wishes

Christine

[valeriec]

A few things for you to consider.
Was he a career military person? Did he tend to wander from one place to another? If he was a labourer he may have been on the move all the time following work. On the attestation papers, it states he has a tatoo of an anchor on his arm. Many labourers following work would cross back and forth from Canada and the USA. That may be why we can't find him on census information. Although the census was supposed to be on certain days, depending on the territory it could take longer.

I checked all aternative names I could think of for your James Bushnell on Automated genealogy and found nothing.

Collections Canada also has a searchable site for Soldiers of the South African War from 1899-1902 which is when Canadian's served. James Bushnell isn't listed but he may have served with either British or South African forces, met Canadian's and that is why he decided to migrate to Canada. He would have been in his early thirties when he came to Canada in 1904. I'm not sure that KR & O Para 1904 has anything to do with the Boer War but is worth following up. If he did serve with the British in the Boer War, you should be able to find something at the Archives in the UK to verify that he did serve. Most servicemen received medals and that would be a way to search.

[valeriec]

From his regimental number 41396 it appears that James served with the First Division, 2nd Depot Battery, 2nd Artillery Brigade.

If you get his military records, you may get information such as if he was transferred from one brigade to another, copies of pay stubs, an indication of where he may have been and then be able to match up his bridage with different battles. If he was injured, there should be followup information in the file as well. Like I said before, you don't know what will be in there. If you can determine for sure which brigade he served with, there are War Diaries at Collections Canada that you can read to see what the life was like.

This may help with searching for info for the Boer War.
http://www.genealogyworld.net/boer/tracing.html

http://freebmd.rootsweb.com/cgi/search.pl
There is a death for James Bushnell, Sep. 1928, Chelsea 1a, 332
I would order this death certificate to see if it is your James.
Have you done a thorough search on ancestry putting in all information that you have to try to find him.

[valeriec]

www.ancestorsonboard.com/
www.findmypast.co.uk/passengerListPersonSearchStart.action

has a JH Bushnell 1904 Liverpool to Halifax Canada

I don't have a membership to this site but someone else may.

Do you know what the H may stand for in case that could be his name on the census.

I will try to find him on passenger lists to see if it lists where his destination is.

Val

[valeriec]

www.casus-belli.co.uk/

lists 3 Bushnell's from the Boer War

F.J. Bushnell, Private, Army Medical Corps

J. Bushnell, Private, #2961, 10th Hussars

W. Bushnell, Lance Corporal, #6212, York & Lancs Regiment

Find My Past under Military, British Army Service Records 1760-1913
1 James Bushell
1 James Bushnell
This information may come in handy at some point in your search. I often find I have to go backwards in order to get information to go forwards.

Good luck
Val