Private Frank Laronge

Born on 25 October 1894 in Kingston, Ontario - husband of Gertrude Doolen (formerly Laronge) - son of John and Lily Laronge, Kingston, Ontario - at the time of his enlistment in 1915: trade as fitter with the Canadian Locomotive Company (formerly a Great Lakes sailor and a streetcar conductor); single; no current or previous military service; Baptist; height of 5 feet 5 inches; chest of 35 inches fully expanded; dark complexion; brown eyes; dark brown hair.

Joined the 77th Battalion, CEF, in Ottawa, Ontario, on 5 November 1915 (number 145328) - sailed for overseas on 19 June 1916 - taken on the strength of the 38th Battalion, CEF, in England on 6 July 1916 - landed in France with the 38th Battalion on 13 August 1916 - killed in action on 9 April 1917 - name inscribed on the Vimy Memorial, France.

(Updated with a photo of Pte Laronge's inscription on the Vimy Memorial that I took in August 2012).

(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, An Historical Sketch of the Seventy-Seventh Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force (Ottawa: War Publications Limited, 1926), p.118; Peter Gower (comp.), Kingston Volunteers: The Thing To Do (Kingston: n.p., 2008), p.86)