Pvt James Ross McWilliams #639588 was born Feb 7, 1899 in Dundee, Scotland to Mr James and Mrs. Lizzie McWilliams. He emigrated from Liverpool aboard SS Canada as part of a group of Scottish schoolboys, destined for Brockville, ON to be farm labourers. The ship arrived in Halifax on April 10, 1911. Among the boys was his brother John Thyne McWilliams, age 12. His mother lived at 82 Church St. Broughty Ferry, Scotland at the time of his death.
Pvt. McWilliams enlisted on February 12, 1916 in Merrickville, ON at the age of 17 and was assigned to 156th battalion. He was 5’5, 32” chest, 150 lbs, single, blue eyes and brown hair. He listed his mother, Mrs. J McWilliams, of Dundee, Scotland as next of kin, his occupation as farmer, and his religion as Methodist. He listed Eastons Corners as his present address. His mother received his medals, decorations, plaque, scroll and a Memorial Cross.
On Sept 20, 1916, he was transferred to Special Service Battalion from the 156th being underage. Interestingly, his younger brother John was sent overseas a month later despite also being underage. During this time, he forfeited pay twice for being absent without leave and then was transferred to the 207th on Jan. 16, 1917. Finally, he enlisted again in Kingston, ON on Mar 22, 1917 and was assigned to the 2nd reserve battalion after serving with the 156th and 207th battalions. He had grown three inches to 5’8 and changed his religion to Catholic. On Mar. 28, 1917, he sailed from Halifax to Liverpool on the SS Saxonia with the 2nd battalion and was assigned to 6th reserve battalion. While at Seaford on May 5, 1917, it was discovered Pvt. McWilliams was only 17 years old when he enlisted. The medical board allowed him to go to France since he was 18 at that point. He was assigned to the 2nd battalion on May 18, 1917 and headed for France. He received 14 days of leave on Feb. 23, 1918. However, he returned three days late and forfeited 3 days of pay and got 14 days of field patrol. On March 2, 1918, Pvt. McWilliams wrote a will leaving everything to his mother, Lizzie of 82 Church St. Dundee, Scotland while with the 2nd battalion. It was witnessed by Tashmore Kidd of Burritts Rapids and TH Hough of Smiths Falls.
The 2nd battalion spent Sept 21-26 in training practicing the gun accuracy and going over attack plans. It was a relatively peaceful time with a concert and fair weather. On Sept. 27, the 2nd battalion with the 2nd brigade and 4th Division attacked at 5:20am from the Green Line headed toward Canal du Nord. However, they got pinned down by German machine guns located at the Railway. The 2nd had to wait until the 4th Division passed through on their flank and took out the machine guns. The 2nd then advanced to the Blue Line with limited opposition and secured the trench.
Pvt McWilliams died Sept 27, 1918 while waiting in support during the attack at Raillencourt by the 2nd battalion. An enemy shell landed close to him and instantly killed him. He was buried at the Ontario British Cemetery, 6 miles west of Cambrai in Sains-Les-Marquion. The cemetery was made at the end of September and the beginning of October 1918, after the capture of Sains-les-Marquion (on the 27th) by the Canadian Division. It contained, in its original form, the graves of 144 soldiers from Canada and ten soldiers (or sailors of the Royal Naval Division) from the United Kingdom; the majority of the Canadian graves belonged to the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Battalions, all of which were raised in Ontario. He is commemorated on page 465 of the Book of Remembrance.
Pvt. McWilliams enlisted on February 12, 1916 in Merrickville, ON at the age of 17 and was assigned to 156th battalion. He was 5’5, 32” chest, 150 lbs, single, blue eyes and brown hair. He listed his mother, Mrs. J McWilliams, of Dundee, Scotland as next of kin, his occupation as farmer, and his religion as Methodist. He listed Eastons Corners as his present address. His mother received his medals, decorations, plaque, scroll and a Memorial Cross.
On Sept 20, 1916, he was transferred to Special Service Battalion from the 156th being underage. Interestingly, his younger brother John was sent overseas a month later despite also being underage. During this time, he forfeited pay twice for being absent without leave and then was transferred to the 207th on Jan. 16, 1917. Finally, he enlisted again in Kingston, ON on Mar 22, 1917 and was assigned to the 2nd reserve battalion after serving with the 156th and 207th battalions. He had grown three inches to 5’8 and changed his religion to Catholic. On Mar. 28, 1917, he sailed from Halifax to Liverpool on the SS Saxonia with the 2nd battalion and was assigned to 6th reserve battalion. While at Seaford on May 5, 1917, it was discovered Pvt. McWilliams was only 17 years old when he enlisted. The medical board allowed him to go to France since he was 18 at that point. He was assigned to the 2nd battalion on May 18, 1917 and headed for France. He received 14 days of leave on Feb. 23, 1918. However, he returned three days late and forfeited 3 days of pay and got 14 days of field patrol. On March 2, 1918, Pvt. McWilliams wrote a will leaving everything to his mother, Lizzie of 82 Church St. Dundee, Scotland while with the 2nd battalion. It was witnessed by Tashmore Kidd of Burritts Rapids and TH Hough of Smiths Falls.
The 2nd battalion spent Sept 21-26 in training practicing the gun accuracy and going over attack plans. It was a relatively peaceful time with a concert and fair weather. On Sept. 27, the 2nd battalion with the 2nd brigade and 4th Division attacked at 5:20am from the Green Line headed toward Canal du Nord. However, they got pinned down by German machine guns located at the Railway. The 2nd had to wait until the 4th Division passed through on their flank and took out the machine guns. The 2nd then advanced to the Blue Line with limited opposition and secured the trench.
Pvt McWilliams died Sept 27, 1918 while waiting in support during the attack at Raillencourt by the 2nd battalion. An enemy shell landed close to him and instantly killed him. He was buried at the Ontario British Cemetery, 6 miles west of Cambrai in Sains-Les-Marquion. The cemetery was made at the end of September and the beginning of October 1918, after the capture of Sains-les-Marquion (on the 27th) by the Canadian Division. It contained, in its original form, the graves of 144 soldiers from Canada and ten soldiers (or sailors of the Royal Naval Division) from the United Kingdom; the majority of the Canadian graves belonged to the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Battalions, all of which were raised in Ontario. He is commemorated on page 465 of the Book of Remembrance.