LEST WE FORGET 79 CAMPBELL, William Charles WWII William was born in Melfort, Saskatchewan, in 1921 and farmed in Ethelton, Saskatchewan, until he retired in 1974 and moved to Melfort and worked as a clerk for an auctioneer, Bill Hodgkins, part time and for farmers during seeding and harvesting. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force Pathfinders and served in Great Britain. Bill passed away in 1993 and received the Distinguished Flying Medal and the Air Gunners Flying Badge. He was a member of The Royal Canadian Legion Melfort Branch 30 for 47 years. CARSON, George Alfred WWI George was born on March 13, 1885, in Lancashire County, Manchester, England to parents Edward and Annie (Wallworth) Carson. George trained with the 16th Queen’s Lancers (1902) and served two years in South Africa. He came to Canada in 1909 to take up farming but went to Regina to work as a letter carrier for the G.P.O. Canada. He was married in Regina on August 22, 1914 and his Irish wife, Frances Emily Bolton, was attending Regina College. Just days after marrying, George enlisted on August 27, 1914 in Ottawa with the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry. At the age of 29, Private Carson sailed from Quebec aboard the SS Royal George on October 3, 1914. He went to France with his PPCLI unit on December 20, 1914 and was promoted to Sergeant on March 13, 1915. His unit took part in the Battle of Ypres. On May 8, 1914, Sergeant Carson: “Greatly distinguished himself after the repulse of the German attack on May 8 by bringing in the wounded, and a comrade wrote: He returned (from support trenches to open) and carried a wounded man back to our trenches. To do this he had to cross an open space 300 feet wide swept by shrapnel and machine guns. He returned four times and brought back a wounded man each time – how he escaped unhurt, I cannot imagine. Our company Sergeant shook him by the hand, and said ‘You are the bravest man I have ever met.’ Captain Adamson also wrote speaking highly of his conduct, and added “No braver man ever gave his life for his country.” However, ten days after such heroic bravery, Sergeant Carson was hit in the right leg by a shell and was taken to No. 13 General Hospital in Boulogne. He was reported as dangerously ill and died from his wounds on May 18, 1915 and is buried at Boulogne, Eastern Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais, France. Both his mother and his widow received Memorial Crosses. His widow, Frances Emily Carson, later returned to Ireland and remarried and had three sons. He is remembered on the Wapella and Rocanville cenotaphs as the Irish mail carrier who came on the train to deliver mail to their towns.
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