CEF 119th Batallion

[Drifty]

Hi,
Only my 2nd post here & many apologies if it's in the wrong place  (got to say my first posting had a really quick & very helpful result)

My granddad Frederick William Carter was in the 119th Battalion of the CEF , but I have no idea how to find where he was "absorbed" to once reaching England. He had been born in Hertfordshire in the UK (1893) but moved to Canada a date I don't know. I know after WW1 he settled back in the UK & passed away in  1978.Any info about the 119th would be greatly appreciated

[gortonboy]

if this is your man,,then we know he was in Canada by 1916

http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/cef/001042-119.02-e.php?image_url=http://data2.archives.ca/cef/ren1/011129a.gif&id_nbr=90850

[gortonboy]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/119th_(Algoma)_Battalion,_CEF

[Drifty]

Hi Gortonboy,

I couldn't use the first link , but I do have a copy of Granddads attestation & also I saw the wikipedia page. Many apologies, I should have explained that  I'm struggling to a) find out when he went to Canada, but more importantly, where he was during WW1
Thank you, though, for looking into this for me 

[valeriec]

I checked the 1911 census and couldn't find him on it so he may have immigrated after 1911. You can check the census at
http://automatedgenealogy.com

I also checked the passenger lists and there are a few possibilities but this is a pay site so someone with a membership may be able to look at it for you.
www.ancestorsonboard.com

The best way to determine where he served and the battalion is to order his complete military file. The file will give pay allotments, Next of kin info, medical info, transfers to and from units, hospital stays, leaves of any type. It will give his return to Canada and where he was going on release from the CEF. Using the information in the files and the war diaries is the only way to determine where he was and what battles he was in. The War Diaries are still being transcribed at Library and Archives Canada.

Using the Information from his attestation papers, you can order his file from the following site.
http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/databases/cef/index-e.html
go to Search, enter his Regimental # 754141, click on his name
This will bring up a page with his Name, Reg#, and Reference. The same page in the right top corner has a section "How to Consult a File On-Site or Order a Copy of the Complete File
The files usually contain around 25 pages but could contain many more depending on what is in the file. I think they are well worth the cost.

The best site for information on the CEF is the Matrix Project
http://www.cefresearch.com/matrix/contents.htm

I checked for nominal rolls for the 119th battalion but couldn't find any. Bob Richardson has many of the nominal rolls available on-line but not for the 119th. Also, it appears that the War Diaries are in the process of being transcribed.

I went to the Operational History (a National Defence site)

The 119th Battalion, which was authorized on 22 Dec 1915 embarked for Britain on 8 August 1916. The battalion provided re-inforcements to the Canadian Corps in the field until Feb. 1917 when it was allotted to the 15th Infantry Brigade, 5th Canadian Division in England. On 16 April 1918, its personnel were absorbed by the 8th Reserve Battalion CEF. The battalion was disbanded on 29 Nov 1918.

Hope this helps
Val

[Drifty]

Thank you so much for the links & information Val !

I'll certainly check out the links - a couple I have done, the matrix one, & also the collectionscanada, but hadn't realised I could go further with that.

Incidentally,I have lovely memories of my granddad - a big bear (well not that big, but to me he was) with a full head of grey hair, & a wonderful greenhouse in his garden. If only i'd asked....