Compared to others of the day, Walter must have felt like an old man when he applied to serve with the Canadian Army back in 1914. He was already 33 years old when the average age was said to be between 20 and 27. And some were younger. Thousands actually. In the British service, possibly including Canadians, 50,000 soldiers who went up against the enemy in the Battle of the Loos in 1915 died. They aged from 14-16 years of age. On the first day of the horrific 1916 Battle of the Somme, 500 "Boy Soldiers" were killed. And that number jumped to over 18,000 by the time the battle was over.
Canadian records show an enlistment of a 9, 11 and 12 year old in WW11 and one "ALMOST 10." So, as noted, Walter must have felt like an old man When he walked into the British Government's recruiting offices in California to sign up and finally got accepted. Then aged 36 or 37. He had already tried twice in Canada a few years earlier but some unknown medical condition resulted in his being rejected at Vancouver. Upon enlisting he was sent right back to Canada... to Victoria were intake papers were signed on 10 July 1917, and Walter then became Private Walter Rayfield, with the 7th Bn of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. (The unit was also known as the First BC Regiment.)
Canadian records show an enlistment of a 9, 11 and 12 year old in WW11 and one "ALMOST 10." So, as noted, Walter must have felt like an old man When he walked into the British Government's recruiting offices in California to sign up and finally got accepted. Then aged 36 or 37. He had already tried twice in Canada a few years earlier but some unknown medical condition resulted in his being rejected at Vancouver. Upon enlisting he was sent right back to Canada... to Victoria were intake papers were signed on 10 July 1917, and Walter then became Private Walter Rayfield, with the 7th Bn of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. (The unit was also known as the First BC Regiment.)
Walter was born at Richmond-on-Thames in 1881, schooled there and at London and then he emigrated to Canada. He was working in the Vancouver area in the real estate field when the Great War broke out. After failed attempts from Vancouver to join up he moved to California and found work as a lumberjack in the Los Angeles area. It would be there that his 3rd attempt to join up was successful.
He was assigned to the 7th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, also then known as the First BC Regiment. His collar dog above has been shown on this site in the recent past regarding other Canadian VC recipients. Note the Collar dog on his collar in the centre as an "Old Man." The right picture is the cap badge he would have been wearing in those days.
He was assigned to the 7th Battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force, also then known as the First BC Regiment. His collar dog above has been shown on this site in the recent past regarding other Canadian VC recipients. Note the Collar dog on his collar in the centre as an "Old Man." The right picture is the cap badge he would have been wearing in those days.
Fourteen months after enlisting with the 7th Battalion, Rayfield would find himself with the unit about to start the push against the German defensive line called the Droucurt ("B" on map) Quent Line ("A" on map). The line got it's name as it ran between these two French towns.
The battle would launch the beginning of what would be later become known as the "100 Days Offensive" as those next 100 days would finally draw a close to the war.
But Rayfield's battle of 2/4 September 1918 would see that battle line pushed to the east some 40 miles, a major accomplishment of the war for the Allies.
During the battle Rayfield would be singled out with several others for incredible bravery. Under intensive enemy fire and without orders directing him to do so Rayfield charged way ahead of the rest of his troops and attached a trench that looked like it had quite a few enemy in. After bayonetting 2 Germans, ten immediately threw their rifles down and became his prisoners. Later, he stalked an enemy sniper that was killing many of his mates. He not only managed to shoot him, be jumped into the very pit he had occupied and found the enemy so overwhelmed that a full 30 more threw their weapons down in disgust and panic, and they too became his prisoners. Still later, private Walter Rayfield would crawl out under gauling fire to rescue one of his wounded comrades.
The battle would launch the beginning of what would be later become known as the "100 Days Offensive" as those next 100 days would finally draw a close to the war.
But Rayfield's battle of 2/4 September 1918 would see that battle line pushed to the east some 40 miles, a major accomplishment of the war for the Allies.
During the battle Rayfield would be singled out with several others for incredible bravery. Under intensive enemy fire and without orders directing him to do so Rayfield charged way ahead of the rest of his troops and attached a trench that looked like it had quite a few enemy in. After bayonetting 2 Germans, ten immediately threw their rifles down and became his prisoners. Later, he stalked an enemy sniper that was killing many of his mates. He not only managed to shoot him, be jumped into the very pit he had occupied and found the enemy so overwhelmed that a full 30 more threw their weapons down in disgust and panic, and they too became his prisoners. Still later, private Walter Rayfield would crawl out under gauling fire to rescue one of his wounded comrades.
In December of 1918 he was awarded the Victoria Cross for these three acts of incredible bravery. Above are the five medals he would be presented for his WW1 service. Note him wearing the VC in picture above. The medal of the far right was awarded by the Belgian government and is that for a Member, Royal Order of the Crown of Belgium. Here is his London Gazette announcement of his being awarded the VC...
A month after the Buckingham Place presentation of the VC in March 1918, Walter was back in Vancouver and taking his release. Medical conditions required a short hospital stay but upon release he took up farming in the thoughts that it would help him get better.
Later he would move to Toronto where the press would refer to him as "Canada's Sergeant York." ... of US Medal of Honor Fame. (Before receiving his VC he was promoted to Cpl and then Sergeant.) He would continue a military career, on a part-time bases in the militia as a Lieutenant and then captain with the Queens York Rangers.
For full time work he turned to Toronto's famous Don Jail. There he would be first working as a deputy Governor, but before long he would be advanced to Governor. Still later he would be appointed the Sergeant-at Arms at the Ontario Legislature and would remain at that post till death in 1949.
He lies today at rest in a Toronto Cemetery and his medals are now held by the wonderful National War Museum at Ottawa which I have been privileged to visit for several days a few years back, and have praised in past blogs. His deeds that earned the VC were performed 95 years ago the beginning of this week.
NOTE NOTE NOTE
More than 180 blogs and nine months ago I started writing these blogs. The original intent was to do a daily blog, as some that have braved the long trip with me will recall. After a few months of working 7 days a week, I found a calendar that said most folks only worked 5 days a week. So I did what most do, I followed suit and dropped the frequency to five weekly. Since then I have introduced my second favorite topic... those Canadians who earned the Victoria Cross.
But I'm now at a dilemma. I have covered the basic story of most of the MOH recipients and no doubt will be at that point with the VC recipients some day. These, and of course the odd side trip along the way, and updates as required still do not need a blog 5 days a week.
Beginning Monday of next week I will be scaling the blogs back to three days a week...Monday, Wednesday and Friday, with adjustments were needed for new and exciting info, holidays falling on one of these days etc. I also need time to get in some more research and believe it or not, have other interests that are also beckoning my attention.
Within a few weeks I will also be doing some serious research and away rom my usual desk, but will do my best to still meet the 3 blogs a week whist away.
I hope all understand, stay tuned, and for Pete's sake... (who ever he is) drop me a line once in awhile to let me know what you think of the work I am doing,
cheers till Monday.
Bart
Later he would move to Toronto where the press would refer to him as "Canada's Sergeant York." ... of US Medal of Honor Fame. (Before receiving his VC he was promoted to Cpl and then Sergeant.) He would continue a military career, on a part-time bases in the militia as a Lieutenant and then captain with the Queens York Rangers.
For full time work he turned to Toronto's famous Don Jail. There he would be first working as a deputy Governor, but before long he would be advanced to Governor. Still later he would be appointed the Sergeant-at Arms at the Ontario Legislature and would remain at that post till death in 1949.
He lies today at rest in a Toronto Cemetery and his medals are now held by the wonderful National War Museum at Ottawa which I have been privileged to visit for several days a few years back, and have praised in past blogs. His deeds that earned the VC were performed 95 years ago the beginning of this week.
NOTE NOTE NOTE
More than 180 blogs and nine months ago I started writing these blogs. The original intent was to do a daily blog, as some that have braved the long trip with me will recall. After a few months of working 7 days a week, I found a calendar that said most folks only worked 5 days a week. So I did what most do, I followed suit and dropped the frequency to five weekly. Since then I have introduced my second favorite topic... those Canadians who earned the Victoria Cross.
But I'm now at a dilemma. I have covered the basic story of most of the MOH recipients and no doubt will be at that point with the VC recipients some day. These, and of course the odd side trip along the way, and updates as required still do not need a blog 5 days a week.
Beginning Monday of next week I will be scaling the blogs back to three days a week...Monday, Wednesday and Friday, with adjustments were needed for new and exciting info, holidays falling on one of these days etc. I also need time to get in some more research and believe it or not, have other interests that are also beckoning my attention.
Within a few weeks I will also be doing some serious research and away rom my usual desk, but will do my best to still meet the 3 blogs a week whist away.
I hope all understand, stay tuned, and for Pete's sake... (who ever he is) drop me a line once in awhile to let me know what you think of the work I am doing,
cheers till Monday.
Bart
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