Lt William Proudfoot MC 27 Sept 1918 Sans Les Marquion British Cemetery

Lt William Proudfoot MC

Personal

Born:  1895-01-28 at Toronto, Ontario

NOK:  Mother; Jean Proudfoot

NOK Address:  170 Walmer Road, Toronto

Address:  same as NOK

Marital Status:  single

Occupation:  Bank Clerk, Bank of Commerce

Previous military service:  33rd Huron Reg’t

Enlistment

Enlisted:  1916-05-01 with 92nd Bn at Toronto

Coy/Photo:  MG Section // no

Physical: 21 years 3 months, 6 feet 2 inches, chest 34.5+4.5, 145 lb

Description: fair complexion, blue eyes, brown hair

Religion:  Presbyterian

Service

1916-05-22/29:  92nd Bn sailed aboard SS Empress of Britain from  Halifax to Liverpool.  Bn posted to East Sandling Camp

07-05:  Posted to 26th Bn & proceeded to France.  Attached to  CBD, Havre

07-23:  Joined 26th Bn at Alberta Camp

1917-02-06:  ILL, DAH, to 6th Fd Amb

02-07:  Transferred to 18th CCS

02-09 to 03-15:  attached to 1st CD, Boulogne

03-21:  Attached to CBD, Etaples

03-31:  Attached to 2nd Ent Bn

09-11:  Rejoined 26th Bn at Maisnil Bouche

10-26 to 11-05:  Granted leave to England

11-13:  Promoted to Sgt

1918-01-12/15:  Posted to NBRD & proceeded to England for officer training.  Assigned to Depot Coy while attending training

02-02:  Attached to OTC Bexhill for officer training

04-27:  Discharged from CEF on being commissioned as Lt

04-28:  Posted to 12th Res Bn, Seaford

08-18:  Posted to 15th Bn & proceeded to France

09-03:  Joined 15th Bn at Berneville, assigned to B Coy

09-27:  KIA at Marquion, Canal du Nord

Commemorated:   First World War Book of Remembrance at pg 488

Harbord Collegiate Institute Memorial

University of Toronto Soldiers Tower

Recognition

Medals:  BWM & VM; Mem Cross to Mother

Awards/Commendations:  none

Special Qualifications:  none

Other Information

He is not the “Mr Proudfoot” named in John Cannon Stothers’ unpublished letter 050.  See Captain William Proudfoot.

K Beattie, “The 48th Highlanders, 1891-1928”, at pgs 366 & 372 & Roll of Honour, pg 468

The Proudfoot family lived across the street from 169 Walmer Road, the home of Charles Albert Massey, his family & their maid, Carrie Davis.  Massey was the son of Hart Massey, founder of Massey-Ferguson.  On 1915-02-08, Carrie Davies, shot Bert Massey to death as he walked up the front steps of his house.  Davies’ trial for capital murder was a huge scandal at that time.  During her trial, it came out that Massey had attempted to sexually assault her.  Using a temporary insanity defence, she was acquitted.

NOK: Jean Proudfoot (M) 170 Walmer Rd., Toronto, ON

Awards
Date
Award
Citation
18-Apr-1918
Military Cross (MC)

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when intelligence officer at headquarters. Owing to heavy casualties he volunteered to go forward and take charge of a platoon and showed the soundest judgment in placing his men to defend
the position against repeated counter-attacks. When the enemy gained a footing in the trench, he personally led his men in driving them out, and, although wounded bya bomb, remained at duty for twenty-four hours until all lost ground was retaken. He only left when it became apparent that he could carry on no longer. His pluck won
the admiration of all ranks.

P3544.

Era(s)
  • 1914 - 1919 (WW 1)
Unit(s)
15th Bn (WW 1)
Previous unit
33rd Bn
Date of attestation
22-Oct-1915
Service number
192113
Fate
Killed in action
Date of death
27-Sep-1918
Cemetery or memorial name
SAINS-LES-MARQUION BRITISH CEMETERY
Grave or panel reference
I. C. 1.
Cemetery or memorial country
France
Age on date of death
23
Cause of death
Killed in action

Data source(s)

Source
Detail
15th Battalion Memorial Project
Source: LAC File RG150, 1992-93/166, Box 8004-27 Researched: September 16-19, 2013 for Scott Stothers
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