by GillMcA » Sat Feb 08, 2014 1:16 pm
Thank you for your interest in this. My Grandfather is the one on the right. He was with the 18th battalion (A coy) of the Canadian army. He was sent to Canada with Barnardo's in 1910 when he was 11 and he joined up when he was 17 1/2. He was gassed in June or July 1918 just before he was 20. My mother thought it was at Vimy Ridge but I'm not sure that's right. He went back to a sanitorium in Canada (Ontario) then returned to England the following year. His brother Harry (2 years older) was killed at Vimy Ridge in October 1918 so he can't be in the photo. Their older brother was also a Barnardo's boy but wasn't sent to Canada, he went to Watts Naval School, joined the navy & was killed in a training accident in 1916, aged 22, a month after he was married. My Grandfather was lucky really, although he came home with only 1/2 a lung working, he lived until he was 80 and received a Canadian war pension all his life. The photo is on a postcard, addressed to the husband of their sister. It was taken by Geo Graham, Studio, Waterloo Road Epsom. You're right, though they do look alike. Since I read your message I've seen similar photos on various websites, some with almost identical poses. Thanks again, Gill