Good Day and the Best of the New Year
My interest in geneology is not new. I have DNA testing with both 23 AND ME and ANCESTRY. My interest in genealogy started about 30 years ago. Both my wife and I learned much about the BONNEAU family from my Grandmother (Cecilia Bonneau nee Boyer).
I have a keen interest in Canadian Military History - a subject that instructed as a Recruit Instructor. Also when in High School, I produced papers on the Dieppe Raid 1942 and a comparison of the Hitler / Napoleon attack on Moscow.
My specific interest is with my former Regiment - The Royal Regiment of Canada ( R Regt C). If is interesting to note that my father in law (766877 John McGregor served with the 123rd BN CEF Royal Grenadiers (perpetucated by the R REGT C).
As a result of family related research, both my my own and my wife's is in The Great War and the Canadian Expeditionary Force. As a former Royal, my interest is also with the R REGT C and in particular the 3rd (Toronto) BN CEF, the 58th BN CEF, the 123RD BN CEF Royal Grenadiers and the 124th BN CEF.
Recently my interest has developed into the recipients of the Military Medal (MM). According to Wikipedia and the publication "The Complete medal roll 1914-1919 compiled by Peter Warrington and published by the Military and Naval Press, there were 115,589 medals issued in the Great War. Of those, according to David W Love on A Nation in the Making, 12,316 were presented to Canadians (All of which are included in Peter Warrington's publication.
The following are my wife's and my relatives who provided service under the umbrella of the Canadian Forces and one with the Royal Naval Division.
766881 SPR John McGregor MM (wife's Father) who attested with the 123rd BN CEF Royal Grenadiers. In the Canadian Engineers / Pioneer Battalion reorganization of 1918, he was transferred to the 9th BN Canadian Engineers. Finally, he was later transferred to the 3rd Canadian Division Signals Company Canadian Engineers. According to his personnel file he was wounded in Bourlon Wood (vacinity of Canal du Nord France) 27th Sept 1918. John was awarded the Military Medal, but related details were elusive but with my wife's relating of her father's desciption of events and the War Diaries of the 3rd Canadian Division Signal Company War Diary, I was able to solve the puzzle. He was citied in the London Gazzette 1919 for an incident that occured in 1918.
CZ2346 AB Thomas (Tom) Mcgreor (wife' Uncle - brother of John McGregor). Served with the Royal Naval Division (Anson BN) and died at Passchendaele and is buried in the Tyne Cot Cemetery, Belgium.
228504 Pte James Benzie (wife's Grandfather) attest with the 198th Overseas BN CEF (presently Queen's Own Rifles - Toronto). Before leaving Canada, he was reassigned to the 201st BN CEF. He served with the 2nd BN Canadian Mounted Rifles (presently The South Albert Light Horse) as a Ferrier (associated with the Canadian Army Veterinary Corps - looking after horses).
192282 Pte George Hadden Murdock attested with the 92nd BN CEF (presently 48th Highlanders - Toronto) and served on the Western Front with the 15th BN CEF (presently 48th Highlanders - Toronto). Wounded 2nd Oct 1918 and died of wounds 29 Oct 1918.
45627 Sgt MA Hayden McGregor Crawford A GREAT WAR soldier in interest with possible to the McGregor and Crawford (Crawford in my wife's ancestry as well)
644748 Pte Thomas Bonneau (my Mother's Father) attested with the 157th BN CEF(present day Grey and Simcoe Foresters - Barrie / Owen Sound ON) and served on the western front with the 19th BN CEF (presently Argyle and Sutherland Highlanders (Princess Louise's) - Hamilton ON)
Although these are of primary interest, I know of family members serving in the 2nd World War as well.
I have uncles during the Cold War served with the Royal Canadian Navy. My sister served with the Canadian Air Force and the Dental Corps as well. I have personally served 39 years (2 yrs R REGT C and 37 with the RCN).
Am I interested in particpating with the MILITARY AND WAR PROJECT - definitely. But that is not up to me but those in charge of the project.
I am participating with wikitree because I recognized as a tool to assist me in documenting my family tree. I have a lot of genealogical information already but need to populate that information in the family trees for both my wife and myself.
We Will Remember Those Who Served.
From the Rising of the Sun to the Going Down of the Same - We Will Remember Them
PO1 (Ret'd) Elgin Smith CD RCN (smith-201578)