The Royal Canadian Legion Saskatchewan Command LEST WE FORGET 71 BYERS, William “Bill” WWI William Henry Greer Byers was born on October 8, 1896 to Robert John Byers and Gertrude Lillian Elizabeth Ward in Millbrooke, Ontario. He moved to Frobisher with his parents and brother John in 1898 and got his schooling there. He worked out and farmed there for a number of years before going to take up a homestead in Minton, SK. Bill was overseas in the Army in 1918 to 1919 during the First World War. He married his first wife, Myrtle Typheau Johnston on September 8, 1924 in Ontario. In 1935, he married his second wife, a widow Mrs. Agnes Hamilton of Minton, who had two daughters and they retired to Weyburn. Bill passed away on August 29, 1965 at the age of 65. CAIRNS, Albert WWI Albert is born in Ashington, England on January 28, 1895. He was working as a grocer in Saskatoon. He enlisted in the Army on August 11, 1915 having served one year with the British Army previously. On November 5, 1917 he received a wound to his right arm. He returned to duty on January 2, 1918. On September 22, 1917 he was promoted to Corporal. He served with the 105th Fusiliers and the 46th Battalion during the First World War. On September 10, 1918 he died from wounds in France and is buried at Terlincthun British Cemetery near Boulogne, France. CAIRNS, Hugh WWI Hugh was born on December 4, 1896 in Ashington, England. He enlisted in the Army at the age of eighteen in Saskatoon on August 2, 1915. He served with the 46th Battalion during the First World War. He had been working at the time as a plumber. Making his way through the ranks, he was promoted to Sergeant on October 1, 1918. In August 1917 he was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal when covering the flank of an attacking Battalion. He had repelled three enemy attacks, covered the retreat and although wounded he did not retreat himself until he ran out of ammunition. He was also posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross and the French Legion of Honour. These were awarded when he single handed rushed a machine gun crew, capturing the gun. He then later rushed forward again this time capturing eighteen men and two guns. Again when the advance was halted he led a party to outflank an enemy position, forcing around fifty men to surrender. After he went with a patrol and captured another sixty men. Being severely wounded though he was eventually rushed, holding his ground he eventually collapsed from wounds he later died from on November 2, 1918 in Valenciennes, France. He is buried at Auberchicourt British Cemetery in France.
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