John Poitras was a 38 year old lumberjack born in Duck Lake, MN and residing in Fort McMurray AB when he attested into the 51st Battalion at Edmonton, AB on 6 Nov 1915. He had no previous military service

The 51st Battalion trained at Sarcee Camp near Calgary before departing for the UK on 18 Apr 1916. The battalion arrived in the UK on 28 Apr 1916 and was likely stationed at either Bramshott or Witley camp where it trained and supplied personnel to battalions at the front in France/Belgium. The 51st Battalion never went to the Front and remained in the UK.

Pte Poitras was sent in a reinforcement draft to the 15th Battalion in Belgium arriving on 9 Jun 1916 when the unit was in rear lines resting near Poperinghe. He was initially assigned to the battalion’s No. 1 Company and would have taken part in trench tours at: Hill 60 11-21 July; The Bluff 1-6 August.

The battalion moved to France for the Somme offensive in late August and he would have taken part in the actions near Courcelette at Pozieres in early Sept. He was transferred to the battalion’s Grenade Section on 6 Sept 1916 and was in that sub-unit during the battle of Thiepval Ridge near Coucelette when the battalion assaulted Regina Trench. The fighting was very intense and the unit suffered heavy casualties with many of the dead not recovered and Pte Poitras was one of those reported as MIA on 26 Sept His body was later recovered and buried by the 24th Battalion on 19 Oct 1916 and his status was changed to KIA

Note: On 15 Aug 1916 he was found guilty of being absent (AWL) from parade and sentenced to 7 days Field Punishment No. 1 (FP1). Here is a link to notes on FP 1 at the War Museum website. Despite the definition this punishment was viewed as archaic and frequently reduced by units to confined to barracks or labour. Our research on the battalion leads us to doubt very much whether he would have suffered the classic description of FP 1 and likely remained with the battalion for the duration of the seven days. There are no details as to why he was absent from the parade.

NOK: Son of Cecile Laboucave Poitras; husband of Mary Ward (formerly Poitras), of Fort McMurray, Alberta.  Mrs M. Poitras (Aunt) fort McMory , Alberta