After more than 100 years, the Canadian military has identified a soldier killed in the First World War as Capt. William Webster Wilson.
Capt. Wilson, an accomplished soldier, left Lindsay, Ontario to fight in France before he was declared missing on October 9, 1916 following a fierce fight known as the Battle of the Ancre Heights – part of the larger Somme offensive.
The Defence department said his grave was identified by Canada’s Casualty Identification Review Board through the use of historical and archival research.
“Capt. Wilson gave his life to protect our great country and his identification is a reminder of the sacrifices that he and all Canadians who served have made — as well as their families,” said Defence Minister David McGuinty in a news release.
Capt. Wilson’s family has been notified about the news and a headstone rededication ceremony will soon take place at Adanac Military Cemetery, in Miraumont, France.
William Wilson was born on November 29, 1890, in Edinburgh, Scotland, to Hugh Cunningham and Mary Ann Lyell (née Webster) Wilson. William had a younger brother, Hugh. William joined the Royal Bank of Scotland at the age of 15, working at several branches in Edinburgh. He resigned in 1911, shortly after his mother’s death, immigrated to Canada and joined the Bank of Montreal. He initially worked in Toronto, before joining the branch in Lindsay, Ontario.
Before the First World War, William volunteered with local militia units in both Scotland and Canada. While in Lindsay, he was a captain with the 45th Victoria Regiment and joined the thousands of men who travelled to Valcartier, Quebec, to enlist following the outbreak of war. He enlisted on September 23, 1914, as an Honorary Captain and Paymaster with the 1st Canadian Divisional Signal Company.
After training in Quebec and England, he was taken on strength by his unit in France in April 1915. Originally attached to the 1st Divisional Headquarters, by 1916 he was attached to the Canadian Section of General Headquarters, 3rd Echelon of the British Expeditionary Force.
By the fall of 1916, gruelling fighting and heavy losses sustained during the Somme Offensive meant that trained men were desperately needed on the front lines. Probably due to his extensive militia experience and recent completion of a machine gun course, Capt. Wilson was attached to the 16th Canadian Infantry Battalion (Canadian Scottish), Canadian Expeditionary Force.
On October 8, 1916, the Canadian Corps participated in the Battle of the Ancre Heights, as part of the broader Somme Offensive. The 16th Canadian Battalion was involved in an unsuccessful attempt to capture Regina Trench, and Capt. Wilson was reported missing the next day, on October 9.
It was not until June 24, 1919, that his brother Hugh received a second-hand account indicating that Capt. Wilson had been killed by a shell. At the time of his death, Capt. Wilson was 25 years old.
Researchers had not initially considered the grave could have belonged to Capt. Webster, since he was officially commemorated on the Canadian National Vimy Memorial as a member of the Canadian Signal Corps, rather than a member of the 16th Battalion, with whom he died.
The Casualty Identification Program was established in 2007 and started to formally confirm unidentified graves six years ago. When their identity is successfully found, the headstone is replaced featuring their full identity with a small rededication ceremony.
Canadians with missing relatives due to 20th century war efforts can register with the program on this government website.
