The Department of National Defence (DND) and the Canadian Armed Forces (CAF) have identified the remains of three Canadian First World War soldiers found near the village of Vendin-le-Vieil, France, as Private William Del Donegan, Private Henry Edmonds Priddle, and Sergeant Archibald Wilson. The soldiers’ remains were discovered during a munitions clearing process over the course of a year, from 2010 to 2011, in the same area near the village.
All three soldiers were from Manitoba and enlisted in Winnipeg. They died during the Battle of Hill 70 in France as members of the 16th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force (CEF), a unit perpetuated by The Canadian Scottish Regiment (Princess Mary’s) of Victoria, B.C.
The casualty identification review board confirmed their identities through historical, genealogical, anthropological, archeological, and DNA analysis.
Family contacted
DND and the CAF have notified members of the three families, and Veterans Affairs Canada is providing them with ongoing support as final arrangements are made.
John Hays, Donegan’s great-great-nephew living in Seattle, Washington, told CBC a long-lost relative will be attending the belated military burial after reaching out.
“Don’t have any idea if we’re going to make any kind of lasting contact, but still good to have the information,” Hays said.
Donegan was a “total stranger” to Hays before a Canadian government official contacted him two years ago and asked for a DNA swab.
“I’m a private investigator by profession and DNA is incredible in terms of resolving issues,” said the 73-year-old. “This is one of the happier sort of issues to resolve.”
The three soldiers will be buried by their regiment, in the presence of family and Government of Canada representatives, at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) Loos British Cemetery outside Loos-en-Gohelle, France, on August 23.
Battle of Hill 70
The Battle of Hill 70 took place August 15 to 25, 1917. It was the first major action fought by the Canadian Corps under a Canadian commander in the First World War.
Approximately 2,100 Canadians gave their lives in the battle. What is equally staggering is that more than 1,300 of these soldiers still have no known grave.
Defence Minister Harjit S. Sajjan said, “As Canada marks this year the 100th anniversary of the end of the First World War, we pay tribute to Private Donegan, Private Priddle, and Sergeant Wilson. They are among the nearly 61,000 brave Canadians who gave their lives during the First World War, so that all of us might live in peace and security. While there is no way to sufficiently thank them for their sacrifice, we forever hold them in our memories.”
Sergeant Archibald Wilson, a barber, died on August 16, 1917, at the age of 25, during the Battle of Hill 70 in France during WWI. Two of his brothers, John and Gavin, also enlisted, and were killed in Belgium and France, respectively. Source: Heather Lee Aldrich and Holly Lynne Chong.
The soldiers’ stories
Private William Del Donegan was born on March 27, 1897, in Ottawa. In his youth, the family moved to Winnipeg. Private Donegan was a railway clerk in that city before he enlisted in the CEF on February 21, 1916, at age 18. He joined the 16th Battalion CEF in France on April 21, 1917, and died on August 16, 1917, at the age of 20, during the Battle of Hill 70.
Private Henry Edmonds Priddle was born on May 17, 1884, in Norwich, Ont. In 1910 he married Florence Hazen, and the couple settled in Winnipeg. Private Priddle worked as a broom-maker before enlisting in the CEF on April 1, 1916, at age 31. He joined the 16th Battalion CEF in France on May 9, 1917, and died on August 16, 1917, at the age of 33, during the Battle of Hill 70.
Sergeant Archibald Wilson was born on February 12, 1892, in Campsie, Scotland. One of 11 children, he came to Canada with three brothers and two sisters in June 1910. Planning to eventually farm in Manitoba, he worked as a barber before enlisting in the CEF on December 18, 1914, at age 22. He joined the 16th Battalion on December 22, 1915, and participated in several battles throughout 1916 and the first part of 1917. On June 4, 1917, he was promoted to Sergeant, and he died on August 16, 1917, at the age of 25, during the Battle of Hill 70. Two of his brothers, John and Gavin, also enlisted, and were killed in Belgium and France, respectively.
The goal of DND’s Casualty Identification Program is to identify unknown soldiers when their remains are discovered, so that they may be buried with a name by their regiment and in the presence of their family. In striving towards this aim, the program fosters a sense of continuity and identity within the CAF, as it provides an opportunity for all Canadians to reflect upon the experiences of those men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.
