LEST WE FORGET 113 BUTLER, Hubert James Valantine “Bert” WWI Bert was born on February 14, 1891, in Moosomin, Saskatchewan. He worked as a farm labourer for Chris Watson in the Prosperity district near Rocanville, SK prior to his enlisting in the Army on January 5, 1915, in Moosomin with the 10th CMR – Cavalry Draft. He listed his next-of-kin as his mother, Mrs. Annie Butler of Carberry, Manitoba. Bert left Halifax on April 29, 1916, aboard the Olympic. He was appointed Lance Corporal on May 16. 1917. He served in France with the 10th Battalion Canadian Infantry from September 2, 1916, to August 1917. After mustard shell gas exposure near Camiers, France, he was hospitalized for 54 days from August 23, 1917, to October 15, 1917, in Duston War Hospital for three weeks: VAD Hospital for one month and Epsom for one month. After returning from his unit, he was again hospitalized for epigartrum (extreme indigestion). He was promoted to Corporal on October 19, 1918, and appointed Lance Sergeant shortly after. Sgt. Butler returned to Canada on April 10, 1919, aboard the SS Carmania and he was discharged on April 19, 1919. On arriving back to Rocanville, he purchased land through the Soldiers Settlement and located on SE ¼ 11-16-33. Bert joined the Rocanville Great War Veterans Association and enjoyed the comradeship and helping to alleviate the difficulties experienced by some veterans during the early “dirty thirties”. Comrade Butler made a motion at a local meeting on March 4, 1931, that “an advertisement be inserted in the local paper to say that all returned men in this district be supplied with a pair of army slacks and be charged 10 cents a pair”. He farmed for a few years and purchased a house in town in 1930. When his health began to fail, the Watson family convinced him to move back to their farm. Bert Butler passed away on August 14, 1939, and he is buried at Webster Cemetery in Rocanville. CALDWELL, Walter Perry WWI Walter was born on January 17, 1894, in Chandos Township, Peterborough County, Ontario. He was farming when he enlisted in Whitewood on June 2, 1916, with the 217th Saskatchewan Regiment.While training in Regina, he was hospitalized with diphtheria in December 1916. He left on the seven-day journey to England on June 2, 1917, aboard the Olympic. Private Caldwell was with the 19th and 15th Reserved before being assigned to the Canadian Machine Gun Corp, 4th Division and going to France on November 29, 1917. On April 14, 1918, Private Caldwell was “killed instantly when the funk hole he was occupying was hit by an enemy shell east of Vimy.” Walter was 24 years old. He is buried at Roclincourt Military Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais, France. Private Caldwell is remembered on the Rocanville, Wapella, andWhitewood Memorials. His next-of-kin was his uncle Henry Hillcox and Aunt Charlotte (Caldwell) Hillcox of Vermillion, Alberta.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM0NTk1OA==