LEST WE FORGET 279 PEALL, Edwin WWI Private Edwin Peall was born in West Ashby, Lincolnshire, England on December 15, 1888. He arrived in Canada on March 31, 1912. By 1915, he was living in Glenside and working as a farmer. He enlisted in the 128th Overseas Battalion on Outlook on December 25, 1915, at the age of 27. He was attached with the 46th Battalion for combat in France where he served for five months before enduring a life-changing injury. Fighting at Vimy Ridge, on April 4, 1917, Private Peall suffered punishing shrapnel wounds to his left shoulder and face. He lost six teeth and had limited movement of his jaw afterwards. The wound to his left shoulder resulted in a permanent injury: he was unable to raise or flex his left arm. Accordingly, he was invalided back to Canada on October 17, 1917, and was discharged in Moose Jaw on January 21, 1918. His service record describes Peall as “honest, sober and conscientious.” Little can be found about his post-war experiences. The 1931 Census lists an Edwin Peall as being widowed, with no children, and working as a farmer in the Municipality of Loreburn. PERREAULT, Napoleon WWI Napoleon was born on June 30, 1894, in Montcalm Regional County, Quebec to Jean-Baptiste (Sr) and Herminie (Pauze) Perreault. He had five brothers and one sister. In 1914, Nap and his three older brothers arrived in Saskatchewan to homestead in the Ste. Marthe district (a French community near Rocanville, Saskatchewan). Nap enlisted in Regina on March 22, 1918 and left Halifax on April 17, 1918 aboard the Melita. He trained with several reserves before going to France with the 22nd Battalion on September 7, 1918. The 22nd Battalion was a French Canadian (and French speaking) battalion and its members were nicknamed the “Van Doos”, based on the anglicized pronunciation of the French word for “22”. In February 1919, Private Perreault was attached to the 5th Battalion to serve as a guard. He was discharged on May 19, 1919 in Montreal. Nap never married but he stayed close to family members and was living with his brother Jean Baptiste and his family in the Oak Knoll district on the 1921 census. His siblings were spread out between Ste. Marthe and Quebec. Soldat Napoleon Perreault is buried at Champ D’honneur National at Lakeview Memorial Gardens near Montreal. PERKS, George Thomas WWI Private George Thomas Perks of the 128th Overseas Battalion was born in Bristol, England, on September 25, 1892. When he enlisted on December 17, 1915, in Elbow, he listed his next of kin as his father George Perks, customs officer in Bristol. His mother was deceased. Perks was 23 and working as a barber in Elbow. His previous military service was as a drum major in England. Perks’ service in France was cut short after 3 ½ months when he was seriously injured on June 23, 1917, at Vimy Ridge. He was digging a trench when shrapnel penetrated his left arm. He was hospitalized until October 18, 1917, when he was declared medically unfit for further service in the military because he had only 50% use of the injured arm. His record describes his character as “very good.” On his release, he decided to return to England under the care of his father. He wrote about having “no prospects in Canada. All relative here [England]. Could not support myself in Canada. Disablement prevents work.” His service record contains a letter from his father undertaking the care of his son. George Thomas Perks passed away on June 23, 1964, in Bristol, England.
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