Gerrit Mulder (1890 - 1917)

Born 1890 in Holland

Husband of Mary (Lowrie) Mulder — married 10 Oct 1911 in Woodstock, Ontario, Canada

Died 16 Aug 1917 at about age 27 in France

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Biography

Gerrit Mulder was born in Holland in 1890. Immigration records show him sailing from Liverpool, England May 7, 1910 on the vessel: Canada part of the White Star Dominion Shipping line. He was one of 1,641 people on the ship. He traveled in steerage as the majority of passengers did. He arrived in Quebec City May 15, 1910. From Quebec he took the Grand Trunk Railroad to Oxford County. There he became a farm labourer. At his time of arrival he had $5 with him.

On October 10, 1911 he married Mary Lowrie. He was 21 and she was 35. They had two children Gerritt born 1912 and Lillian born 1914.

In January, 1916 Gerrit voluntarily enlisted in the Canadian Over-Seas Expeditionary Force. His ID number was 675122. His attestation paper showed he was 5' 6" tall with a 34" chest. In other words he was a small framed man. His medical examination showed he was fit for duty.

Gerrit became part of the 21st Battalion (Eastern Ontario Regiment) that saw active duty in France during WW1. His rank was private. The Canadian Expeditionary Force was so respected and had such combat efficiency that the Germans nicknamed them Stormtroopers. The mostly volunteer force became so revered by the allied commanders that the Canadians were ordered to spearhead the last campaigns of the war.

As a private, Gerrit's pay would have been $1.10 per day with an extra $20 per month since he was married and had children.

Gerrit lost his life on August 16, 1917 in the "Battle of Hill 70", north of the city of Lens. This battle was initiated by Sir Douglas Haig but was implemented by Sir Arthur Currie who had been placed in command of the Canadian Corps. The Canadians lost 9,000 soldiers at Hill 70. Records showed that the Germans started using mustard gas on Canadian troops on August 15, 1917.

Gerrit Mulder's death record showed that at first he was reported as "missing in action", then it was changed to "killed in action". It said he was killed in the trenches north of Lens. It is unknown if he was a victim of the mustard gas attack.

His military service record reveals that he was 27 years old when he died. He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. Gerrit Mulder of Utrecht, Holland and husband of Mary Mulder of Tillsonburg, Ontario.

Gerrit is buried in the Vimy Memorial Cemetery in Pas de Calais, France. This cemetery is Canada's most impressive tribute overseas to those Canadians who fought and gave their lives in the First World War. It overlooks the Douai Plain from the highest point of Vimy Ridge, about eight km northeast of Arras towards Lens. The signpost for the cemetery says "To the valour of their countrymen in the great war and in memory of their sixty thousand dead, this monument is raised by the people of Canada. "

Sources

• "Ontario Marriages, 1869-1927" database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1KS8M-MR1:10 April 2015), Gerit Mulder and Mary Lowrie, 10 Oct 1911; citing registration, Woodstock, Oxford, Ontario, Canada, Archives of Ontario, Toronto; FHL microfilm 1,887,556

• Government of Canada, Veterans Affairs Canada, Canadian Virtual War Memorial, Gerrit Mulder, Military service # 675122