27345 Private John Houston was a 19 year old warehouse worker from South River Ontario with pre-war Militia service in the 106th Regiment (Winnipeg Light Infantry) when he attested into the 15th Battalion in September 1914 at Valcartier. He had been left at Tidworth Barracks with the Base Company when the battalion departed for France in February 1914 and thus was fortunate to escape 2nd Ypres in April. The Base Company joined the remnants of the battalion after 2nd Ypres on 26 April and was assigned to No. 3 Company. He fought at Festubert in May , the trench tour at Givenchy in June and the four trench tours in July at Ploegsteert. During the last trench July trench tour in trenches 124-128 north of Ploegsteert Wood, Private Houston was wounded in the abdomen and evacuated to No. 3 Canadian Field Ambulance. He died the next day at No. 3 Casualty Clearing Station and was buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery.
NOK: Son of Mr. and Mrs. H. Houston, of Sandwith, Saskatchewan. Native of Winnipeg.
