You can read to your heart's content about the first ever print press in Canada, the first post office and the first Canadian to die in the Boer War. Plow through the stories about the world's first coloured Victoria Cross recipient, our first lighthouse and the first divorce ever. He got off but she was forbidden from again getting married before he died, and had to leave Nova Scotia within ten days. There are hundreds of great tidbits. but there is nothing about George being... not the first... bit the LAST one.
Starting at the beginning, he was of course born ... in Nova Scotia in the small community of only a few thousand called Falmouth near Windsor. He got basic education, became a labourer, farmer, lumberman and handyman of sorts, but soon sought more opportunity and headed out west in 1916, and about 24 years of age. At Moose Jaw Saskatchewan he had hopes of working to help bring in the harvest and go from there.
Apparently he worked for a while for the CPR but then got a farming job. But that led to troubles. The farm owner was a widow and at one point owed him salary that she couldn't pay. So he decided to help himself... to the tune of about $25 worth of her possessions including some bedding. He was charged and the court's were not impressed with him. He was sentenced to one month of hard labour.
And when that was over he found himself conscripted into the Canadian army.
Starting at the beginning, he was of course born ... in Nova Scotia in the small community of only a few thousand called Falmouth near Windsor. He got basic education, became a labourer, farmer, lumberman and handyman of sorts, but soon sought more opportunity and headed out west in 1916, and about 24 years of age. At Moose Jaw Saskatchewan he had hopes of working to help bring in the harvest and go from there.
Apparently he worked for a while for the CPR but then got a farming job. But that led to troubles. The farm owner was a widow and at one point owed him salary that she couldn't pay. So he decided to help himself... to the tune of about $25 worth of her possessions including some bedding. He was charged and the court's were not impressed with him. He was sentenced to one month of hard labour.
And when that was over he found himself conscripted into the Canadian army.
George would move through a few units before getting to his final unit of choice..the 28th Brigade, Canadian Expeditionary Forces.
He enlisted at first with the 1st Saskatchewan Depot Battalion, 4 Dec. 1917, left St John's aboard the HM Soctian 21 Jan. 1918, arrived at Liverpool 6 Feb. 1918 and by May was in France. By June he finally arrived with the 28th, as possibly shown above. While in France he was gassed and spent a month between a Casualty Aid Station and a general hospital before returning to his regiment.
He enlisted at first with the 1st Saskatchewan Depot Battalion, 4 Dec. 1917, left St John's aboard the HM Soctian 21 Jan. 1918, arrived at Liverpool 6 Feb. 1918 and by May was in France. By June he finally arrived with the 28th, as possibly shown above. While in France he was gassed and spent a month between a Casualty Aid Station and a general hospital before returning to his regiment.
It would be on 11 November 1918 that the Armistice to end the war was signed at about 5 am. It would take hours to get the message out to all concerned. Some may have never gotten it. So claimed some in the 28th.
Their job that day was to sweep the area between Frameries at the bottom left and Ville-sur-Haine to ensure all bridges were secured along a canal. This area is about 60 Km south West of Brussels as you can see in above map.
The objectives of the 28th were reached, but upon getting to Ville-Sur-Haine the troops found themselves along side another canal with open fields on their side, and several houses across the canal, just a stone's throw away.
Some say a patrol of four men were looking for better protection for the regiment within the homes across the canal. Others say one of the men saw movement in the area. He then asked three others if they would go with him on a patrol because German Machine Gun nests were known to be operating in the area.
The four, without official approval, took off across a bridge and then started to take enemy fire, saw Germans heading into one of the houses and they gave chase. They kicked down the door but the enemy was then escaping out the back. Entering the second house, they again found Germans fleeing out the back.
George , stepped out the front door, a bang was heard and he dropped into the arms of a mate. He was shot dead by a sniper off some distance and up an incline.
It was three minutes to eleven and the time that the Armistice ending the war was to begin. Within a minute he was dead.
George Lawrence Price that moment became Canada's, and the British Commonwealth's last soldier to die in the Great War.
Their job that day was to sweep the area between Frameries at the bottom left and Ville-sur-Haine to ensure all bridges were secured along a canal. This area is about 60 Km south West of Brussels as you can see in above map.
The objectives of the 28th were reached, but upon getting to Ville-Sur-Haine the troops found themselves along side another canal with open fields on their side, and several houses across the canal, just a stone's throw away.
Some say a patrol of four men were looking for better protection for the regiment within the homes across the canal. Others say one of the men saw movement in the area. He then asked three others if they would go with him on a patrol because German Machine Gun nests were known to be operating in the area.
The four, without official approval, took off across a bridge and then started to take enemy fire, saw Germans heading into one of the houses and they gave chase. They kicked down the door but the enemy was then escaping out the back. Entering the second house, they again found Germans fleeing out the back.
George , stepped out the front door, a bang was heard and he dropped into the arms of a mate. He was shot dead by a sniper off some distance and up an incline.
It was three minutes to eleven and the time that the Armistice ending the war was to begin. Within a minute he was dead.
George Lawrence Price that moment became Canada's, and the British Commonwealth's last soldier to die in the Great War.
Later that day a few miles to the West at Mons, the street was filled with civilians and Canadian Troops celebrating the end of the war. George's ended hours earlier!
George was buried at the old Havre communal cemetery at first but in 1948 his remains were moved to the Saint Symphorien Military Cemetery at Mons and given the new marker shown below. . The old marker is now at the Museum in Mons.
At the Peace Tower in Ottawa there are held 7 different Books of Remembrance listing the names of over 118,000 service members who have lost their lives in the service of Canada in the two World Wars, Korea, South Africa War, Merchant Navy, one for Newfoundland and yet another in the works for the War of 1812. Below is the Great War's book opened to page 487.
It lists George Price in the right hand column at the first break. At the left side one soldier at the top and bottom come from the 75th Overseas Expeditionary Force, a unit that after WW l became known as the Toronto Scottish and of which I am a former member. I shall make several more comments about George, and the 75th in the next blog, as this one is getting long.
But I would like to point out on each on these Remembrance pages it shows a date when that page will be on display in Ottawa. Check out your relative and plan a trip around visiting this incredible artifact.
Also note that if you scroll down the page enough it lists all the names from the scroll and by clicking on these you can get some further info and possibly even the link directly to their WW1 attestation papers.
It lists George Price in the right hand column at the first break. At the left side one soldier at the top and bottom come from the 75th Overseas Expeditionary Force, a unit that after WW l became known as the Toronto Scottish and of which I am a former member. I shall make several more comments about George, and the 75th in the next blog, as this one is getting long.
But I would like to point out on each on these Remembrance pages it shows a date when that page will be on display in Ottawa. Check out your relative and plan a trip around visiting this incredible artifact.
Also note that if you scroll down the page enough it lists all the names from the scroll and by clicking on these you can get some further info and possibly even the link directly to their WW1 attestation papers.
See you next week with more on George and the 75th and a wonderful even that just occurred in Europe in November.
Till then, as they say in the Tor Scots...
Carry On
Till then, as they say in the Tor Scots...
Carry On
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