John Mcleod ~ October 29, 1891 - March 1, 1919
John Mcleod is remembered in the First World War Book of Rememberance on Page 539 on November 15 in the Memorial Chamber of Ottawa
A list of hospitals and diagnoses that John Mcleod was at and was given. His final diagnoses was Tuberculosis Laryngitis and was invalided to Canada, meaning sent back to Canada due to his illness
The H.S Aragua, a medical vessel in charge of transporting sick and wounded soldiers back to Canada
The attestation papers of John Mcleod, who attested in Peterborough
John Mcleod was born on October 29, 1891 in Dunvegan, Glengary County, Ontario. His mother and father names were Reverend Roderick and Bertha Mcleod. They came from Garrabost Scotland, and may have been part of the Macleod Clan of the Isle of Skye, which renamed the originally named Kenyon town in Glengary County to Dunvegan. He also had two brothers and two sisters, the names of which are unknown. While there is little information about his childhood, based off the fact his father was a reverend, he may have attended the Christian school located there as well as church. It is unknown when he moved to Peterborough, but it was probably in an attempt to acquire a job in a more urban place, such as Peterborough. There, he worked as a lineman, a person who strings the electrical poles, and found the love of his life, Bertha, and married.
He arrived at Liverpool on July 25, 1916, where he transferred to the 97th battery on October 5, 1916 in Otterbourne. Later that month, he was again transferred to the 39th Battalion, also in Otterbourne. After serving for two months, he was moved to the 6th brigade posted in West Sandling on January 4, 1917. Near the end of January, he was moved over to the reserve Brigade in East Sandling for the Canadian Field Artillery, where he remained until the May 27, 1917, when he was sent to reinforce the 2nd Canadian Divisional Ammunition Column. From there, Mcleod was eventually posted to the 5th Brigade of the Canadian Field Artillery on May 28, 1917, the final brigade he served in.
Life in the trenches was very difficult at the time. Disease was widespread, rations were inadequate, and there were countless dead and injured soldiers, unable to be cared for or taken away. John Mcleod experienced this during his months out in the Canadian Field Artillery during the Battle of Passchendaele. In October 1917, Field Marshall Sir Douglas Haig wanted a final push towards the German lines to break through to the town Passchendaele and retake the town. Reluctantly, General Arthur Currie went through with the plan, expecting high casualties. Past attempts to retake the town left massive craters left by shells that rains had filled them with mud. This made process across No Man's Land slow, and treacherous. Casualties were high, as was certain diseases like trench foot, and while Passchendaele was captured, 15,000 Canadian casualties were caused by ignorant commanding. John Mcleod amazingly survived this assault, but another battle altogether was awaiting him.
Mcleod has had previous experience with Laryngitis in September 11, 1917. His case kept recurring, and on October 27, 1917, he was diagnosed with Tuberculosis Laryngitis. He was admitted to several hospitals, his last one being January 1, 1918 in Liverpool. Most likely his Tuberculosis was primary, which is usually less severe than secondary tuberculosis, but he would have been extracted immediately to avoid spreading it to other soldiers. He was invalided to Canada on February 4, 1918, and took the H.S. Aragua, a medical ship, back to Canada on April 4. His final service was in Kingston, Canada where he was officially discharged on April 15, 1918. He had served for two years and six months, and had earned no medals, but still made a true dedication to helping the war efforts.
John Mcleod died on March 1, 1919. He was admitted to Queen’s Military Hospital, where a final diagnosis of Spanish Influenza was given. After his death, he was buried at Little Lake Cemetery in Peterborough. His death being after the war, his wife never received a war service gratuity, a sum of money for a deceased soldier for his family, as his death was after his discharge from the hospital. Bertha Mcleod, who resided on 341 Charlotte Street until February 14, 1960, when she died. She never remarried, and was buried next to her loving husband. While he had no medals to commemorate his valour in the field, and his wife only had a short year with him after the war before he died, both made incredible sacrifices to serve our country in the Great War.
He enlisted and was cleared for service on January 14, 1916, in Peterborough Ontario. On his attestation papers, it was said that he had hazel eyes, dark brown hair, was 5’ and 9 ½”, and was very tanned. He had no scars to speak of, no previous experience with the military, and agreed to enlist for a year, or for the length of the war and six months after. The regimental number assigned to him was 195730. Also required while this enlistment process was a military will, also in the case that they are killed on the field, entitling their belongings to someone. John Mcleod left all of his belongings and effects to his wife, Bertha Mcleod. After his medical examination, attestation questions, and declaration and oaths were finally completed, he was cleared for service on February 14, 1916, and headed to Liverpool from Halifax on July 15, 1916 aboard the H.M.S Empress of Britain.
Biography
Flanders Fields
In Flanders fields the poppies blow
Between the crosses, row on row,
That mark our place: and in the sky
The larks still bravely singing fly
Scarce heard amid the guns below.
We are the dead: Short days ago,
We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,
Loved and were loved: and now we lie
In Flanders fields!
Take up our quarrel with the foe
To you, from failing hands, we throw
The torch: be yours to hold it high
If ye break faith with us who die,
We shall not sleep, though poppies grow
In Flanders fields
By John McCrae, 1915
These are some fictional examples of what a letter from a soldier to his wife and back would have looked like
