Wednesday 7 April 2010

Private Armour Cowan William Jeffs

Born on 12 July 1896 in Cumberland, British Columbia - son of Dr. Thomas W. and Minnie (Mary?) Cowan Jeffs, Vancouver, British Columbia - at the time of his enlistment in 1915: trade as McGill student; single; no current or previous military service; Presbyterian; height of 5 feet 4.5 inches; chest of 36 inches fully expanded; dark complexion; brown eyes; dark hair.

Attended Strathcona and Grandview Public Schools and Britannia High School, Vancouver, British Columbia - attended McGill University College, British Columbia, in the faculty of Arts, in 1914 and 1915.

Joined the 38th Battalion, CEF, in Vancouver, British Columbia, on 5 March 1915 (number 411035) - transferred to Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry on 16 July 1915 - declared missing, presumed dead, on 2 or 4 June 1916 - "Private Jeffs was on sentry duty with Alex. Munro until 6 o'clock in the morning of June 2. While having breakfast in a dugout they were buried alive by a shell but after digging themselves out reported for duty in the trenches. Munro was sent to man a machine gun, while Jeffs remained in that portion of the line which was later ploughed by heavy shell fire. He was first reported missing, then presumed dead, but his body was never found." - name inscribed on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial (panel 10), Belgium.

(sources: Library and Archives Canada (www.collectionscanada.gc.ca), online attestation papers; Canadian War Museum, 19740281-001, Manu 58F 2 3, 207th Canadian Infantry Battalion and 38th Canadian Infantry Battalion, Nominal Roll; The Cameron Highlanders of Ottawa Regimental Museum, A400-0007, Master Personnel List for the 38th Canadian Infantry Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force; Commonwealth War Graves Commission, "Debt of Honour" register, www.cwgc.org; Anonymous, Record of Service 1914-1918: University of British Columbia, McGill British Columbia, Vancouver College (Vancouver: Lionel Ward & Company, Ltd., 1924), p.69)

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