LEST WE FORGET 133 COULTER, Walter “Bunty” WWI Walter was born on August 10, 1886, in Glencairn, Simcoe County, Ontario to John and Margaret (Gravelle) Coulter.Walter was the fifth of eight children born to the couple. His mother died in 1893. His father remarried and more children were added to the family. The Coulter family moved to the district of Wapana in southwestern Manitoba about 1902. Around 1911, most of the family returned to Ontario but two of the sons came to Saskatchewan withWalter coming to Tantallon, SK. “Bunty” rented the George Hogg farm in the Carnoustie district until he enlisted in the Army in Regina on January 5, 1918. In February, he was hospitalized with inflammation caused by a vaccination. He left Canada aboard the Metagama, on April 9, 1918. He was first assigned to the 15th Canadian Reserve Battalion but joined the 3rd Canadian Machine Gun Company and arrived in France in late July 1918. This final period of the war, called the Hundred Days Offensive, started with the Battle of Amiens in August 1918, and ended with Armistice on November 11, 1918. The Canadian Corps had some of their greatest victories during that time, but they also suffered heavy losses with 30% of their total battle casualties occurring in the final three months of the war. Walter’s unit had a successful operation at Maiens and had two long rotations at the front lines. They were relieved from the second one on September 20, and moved to a camp at Warhus just west of Arras. Three days later, on September 24, a German aeroplane dropped a large bomb on the camp during a parade. From the war diary of the 3rd Battalion, Canadian Machine Gun Corps, 24 were killed outright and 35 were wounded – fifteen of which died later at Casualty Clearing Station. Walter was one of those who died from his wounds. He is buried in Wanquetin Command Cemetery Extension in the village of Wanquetin. Among the last burials at this cemetery were those of Walter and 32 other members of the 3rd Canadian Machine Gun Corps, all killed on September 24, 1918, and buried in rows C and E. He is commemorated on the Saskatchewan World War I Memorial as well as the Tantallon Legion Cenotaph. COVEY, Marjorie Ellen Marjorie was born on March 18, 1938 and completed grade 12 at Carpenter Composite High School in 1956 and then joined the Royal Canadian Air Force. She was posted to St. Jean, Quebec; Clinton, Ontario and Falconbridge, Ontario. She was released with Honourable Discharge as Airwoman First Class to marry Roy S. Covey on August 28, 1958. Roy was posted to Chatham, New Brunswick, France and Belgium, Cold Lake, Alberta and finally Comox, BC.
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