Links to the individual's name in the Book of Remembrance are noted below. From the Canadian Virtual Memorial Website you can access the actual copy of a specific soldier's name in the book, along with the exact page of which it is listed. In addition, you may order a copy of the page which will be mailed to your home.

Receiving a severe gun shot wound to his right leg at Arras four months later on August 28th, he was sent to the 8th Stationary Hospital in Wimereux. After nine months in the various hospitals of England, he was invalided to Canada on May 21st, 1919 and spent three months convalescing at the Brant Military Hospital. He was discharged on the 29th of August 1919, and died at the age of seventy-eight on 25 Jun 1972 (Burial not known)

Pte. George Henry Cracknell was born 29 Nov 1896 in Canning, Oxford Co., Ontario, Canada. He was the son of Richard and Fannie E. Cracknell, and served with the 54th Battalion Canadian Infantry (Central Ontario Regiment).

A knitter by trade at time of filing his Attestation on May 8, 1916, he was listed as Military Active with the 25th Brant Dragoons,. In physical appearance he was listed as 5' 9", ruddy complexion, blue eyes and fair hair.

George received a gun shot wound to the head and died at the age of twenty-four on Nov. 7, 1919. He was laid to rest at Richwood Cemetery, Ontario, Canada.

Click marker to the right for larger view.
Headstone photos taken November 11, 2008 by John Thompson.

Index of Patients A-K Brant Military Hospital
Attestation Papers of Pvt. George H. Cracknell
Memorial Record at Canadian Virtual Memorial (Outside Links)

Gordon Pirie's sailed home to Canada from England, departing on February 17th, 1919. Upon his arrival home, he convalesced at Brant Military Hospital. He died at age 22 on August 21st, 1920 in Canada. According to one newspaper article, he died at Brant Military Hospital, however, an obituary from 1920 noted that he died at home in Hamilton. He was buried at Grove Cemetery in Dundas, Ontario. His name was carved on the outdoor monument for the war dead of St. Paul's Presbyterian church in Hamilton, Ontario.

Grave: Oak Hill Sec. 2. L.17. Grave 4.

Pte. Dalton Ryckman was born 13 May 1889 in Jordan, Ontario, Canada. He was the son of the late Sylvester and Mary E. Ryckman of Beamsville, Ontario. At the time of his Attestation on November 15, 1915, he was listed as belonging to the Active Militia, 44th Regiment. He was listed as 5' 7¾" with fair hair and complexion, and blue eyes.

He served with the 98th Battalion and died of Phthisis* at the age of thirty-one on March 3, 1921. He was laid to rest at Jordan Station (Oaklawn) Cemetery in Ontario, Canada.

Arthur Sawyer was born 20 Apr 1881 in Bradford, Yorkshire, England and was the son of Jesse and Mary Ann Sawyer, of 5, Worthampton St., Bradford, Yorks, England; and husband of Rose Sawyer, of 575, St. Catherine St. North, Hamilton, Ontario.

A Fitter by trade, at the time of his Attestation on August 23, 1915, he states that he had actively served for 7 years with the 19th Yorks. At 5’ 5¾” he had dark complexion, blue eyes, fair hair, a tattoo on his left arm and both forearms, and a brown birthmark on left eye.

He served with the 86th Battalion Canadian Infantry (Canadian Machine Gun Battalion*) and died at the age of thirty-nine on 18 Feb 1921. He was laid to rest at Hamilton Cemetery, Hamilton, Ontario (Grave Reference: S. 116. 31)

* Note: The 86th Battalion Canadian Infantry (Canadian Machine Gun Battalion) was a special and unique unit that was raised in Hamilton, Ontario. As Hamilton is the closest major city to Burlington, a number of patients enlisted with this unit.

Headstone photo taken by Marika Pirie on 23 May 2006.

Index of Patients L-Z Brant Military Hospital

Attestation Papers of Pte. Arthur Sawyer (Outside Link)

Virtual Memorial Record of Pte. Sawyer at the Veteran Affairs of Canada (Outside Link)

Pte. Illion John Shay was born on 12 November 1884 at Chesterville, Ontario, Canada. The son of John and Charlotte Shay, and husband of Nellie Shay, Illion was a carpenter by trade and was residing at 547 Ashdale Ave., Toronto at the time he enlisted.

A Roman Catholic, he had dark complexion, grey eyes and dark brown hair. At 5’ 2” he was noted to have a small scar on his back, back of neck and on his left thumb at the time of the medical examination on 03 March 1916.

He served with the 3rd Battalion and was treated for diabetes at the Brant Military Hospital. He died of heart failure at the age of thirty-five on January 6, 1921. He was laid to rest at Toronto (Mount Hope) Cemetery in Ontario (Sec. 17, Lot 298, Grave 15).

Harvey Allen Spittal, was born on 09 March 1898 in Seneca, Wentworth, Ontario, and was the son of Andrew.

He enlisted at Dundas, Ontario on the 29th of March 1916 at which time he was an eighteen year-old student living in Hamilton.

He served with the 129th Over-Seas Battalion, and was a patient at the hospital, who suffered from pleurisy. He had lived in Hamilton when he signed up in 1916, and in the 1930s he and his family moved to Burlington.

Harvey is shown here with two nursing Sisters in about 1919.

Index of Patients L-Z Brant Military Hospital

Attestation Papers of Pte. Harvey A. Spittal (Outside Link)

Pte. Hugh Turner was born 18 June 1883 in Oldham, Lanc, England and was the son of William and Mary Jane Turner; and husband of Harriet Turner who resided at 134, Ferrie St. East, Hamilton, Ontario.

He served in the 76th Battalion of the Canadian Infantry, Canadian Expeditionary Force and was listed as having served for 12 months prior with the Territorials. At the time of the enlistment he was listed as 5’ 2” with a medium complexion, blue eyes and dark hair.

Pte. Turner was hospitalized at Brant Military Hospital for Chronic Interstitial Nephritis and died at the age of forty-five on 01 July 1921. He was laid to rest at Hamilton Cemetery in Ontario, Canada (Sec. 116, Grave 39).