27252 Private Matthew Rutherford was 39 year old miner originally from London, England with pre-war service in the Coldstream Guards when he attested into the 15^th Battalion at Valcartier in September 1914. He had been living in Cobalt, Ontario and was part of the contingent from the 97^th Regiment (Algonquin Rifles) that made up the original 15^th Battalion. He was in No. 2 Company and served at St, Julien and Festubert in the spring of 1915. In December 1915 the battalion was in the line once again along the Messines Road north of Ploegsteert.  Enemy activity was steady and on December 5^th Private Rutherford was wounded in the head by shrapnel from an HE artillery shell. He was evacuated unconscious to England for treatment a several hospitals and transferred initially to the 23^rd Reserve Battalion, then the 17^th Reserve Battalion before being returned to Canada in November 1916. He died of his service related wounds in Cobalt on May 5, 1918. Private Rutherford is buried in New Liskeard Pioneer Public Cemetery and is also commemorated on the Cenotaph in Cobalt, Ontario.

NOK: Son of William and Elizabeth Rutherford.