Military Chat

I’m looking for information on Albert James Ward, 1877-1939, believed to have been from Canada, served with 4th Canadian Division. Stayed in London after marrying Ellen Clark, nee McCarthy, in 1918.

Welcome to the boards Tom.

Where did you find the marriage in 1911 as I can't find a marriage for these two names.

Kath. x

For our reference:

Marriages Dec 1918 (>99%)
Clark Ellen Ward W.Ham 4a 691
Ward Albert J Clark W.Ham 4a 691


Deaths Jun 1939 (>99%)
Ward Albert J 62 Essex S.W. 4a 143



You may need to get the marriage cert, for his father's name.

Where did you find the info that he was with the 4th Canadian Division?

I have their marriage certificate. His father, deceased, was Alfred.
His rank or profession is what looks like Gunner 86300 4 Canadian Division and am unable to decipher the rest. He lived in Grange Rd, Plaistow at the time. They were actually married 1st Oct 1918.

Ellen’s first husband died of TB in 1916. She is the Grandmother of my Wife on her mother’s side.

Albert James Ward
in the Canada, WWI CEF Personnel Files, 1914-1918
Name: Albert James Ward
Birth Date: 22 Jul 1877
Birth Place: Harkins Essex
Relative: Florence Eliza Ward
Relationship of Relative: Sister
Regimental Number: 86300 <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<

It says he was born in Barking, Essex.
NOK is his sister Florence Eliza Cordell, 126 Grange Road, Plaistow, Essex. (Later at 50 Brook Road, Plaistow.)
Occupation: teamster.
5ft 4ins: ruddy complexion, blue eyes, medium brown hair.
Scar on right wrist.
Church of England.

He fought in France in 1916, when his home address was 50 Brook Road, Plaistow.

He attested in Winnipeg, Manitoba, on 15 June 1915, and was in the 5th Artillery Brigade, CEF

31/8/1918 - granted permission to marry.
28/9/1918 - proceeded on 14 days leave to UK

Therefore, his birth:

WARD, ALBERT JAMES mms WRIGHT
GRO Reference: 1877 S Quarter in ROMFORD UNION Volume 04A Page 193

His sister's marriage:

Marriages Jun 1905 (>99%)
Cordell Arthur W. Ham 4a 427
WARD Florence Eliza West Ham 4a 427


And her birth:

WARD, FLORENCE ELIZA mms WRIGHT
GRO Reference: 1876 J Quarter in ROMFORD UNION Volume 04A Page 188

In 1919, Albert certified "that I desire to secure my discharge in England, and waive all claim on the Canadian Government for transportation to Canada for myself and my dependents."

50 Brook Road was his proposed residence after discharge.

Wife, Mrs Ellen Ward, 50 Brook Road.

This census fits - but father isn't Alfred:

Albert J. Ward
in the 1881 England Census
Name: Albert J. Ward
Age: 4
Estimated birth year: abt 1877
Relationship to Head: Son
Father: Charles Gibson Ward
Mother: Eliza Ward
Gender: Male
Where born: Leyton, Essex, England
Civil Parish: East Ham
County/Island: Essex
Country: England
Street address: 12 Russell Ter
Education:
Employment status:
View image
Registration district: West Ham
ED, institution, or vessel: 53
Neighbors:
Piece: 1724
Folio: 120
Page Number: 51
Household Members:
Name Age
Charles Gibson Ward 48
Eliza Ward 42
Florence E. Ward 5
Albert J. Ward 4

Albert J Ward
in the 1901 England Census
Name: Albert J Ward
Age: 23
Estimated birth year: abt 1878
Relation to Head: Son
Gender: Male
Mother: Eliza Ward
Birth Place: Burking, Essex, England <<<<<<<<<<<<
Civil Parish: West Ham
Ecclesiastical parish: St Andrew
County/Island: Essex
Country: England
Street address:
Registration district: West Ham
Sub-registration district: Canning Town
ED, institution, or vessel: 49
Neighbors:
Piece: 1586
Folio: 60
Page Number: 45
Household schedule number: 263
Household Members:
Name Age
Eliza Ward 63 - widow, living on own means
Albert J Ward 23 - carter on farm [ fits with "teamster" on army record ]
Alfred J Chemery 22 - boarder

Albert James Ward
in the Essex, England, Church of England Births and Baptisms, 1813-1918
Name: Albert James Ward
Age: 0
Birth Date: 22 Jul 1877
Baptism Date: 17 Aug 1877
Baptism Place: Barking, St Margaret, Essex, England
Father: Alfred Ward <<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<
Mother: Eliza Ward

So who is Charles Gibson Ward ?

As the name Ward seems to have been squeezed in to the 1881 census, I wonder if he was really Charles Gibson, and not married to Eliza.
Maybe just took the name Ward to fit with Eliza and the children - or maybe the enumerator assumed his name was Ward.


ADDED:

Yes, looks as if that's correct:

Eliza Ward
in the 1891 England Census
Name: Eliza Ward
Gender: Female
Age: 53
Birth Year: 1838
Birth Place: Nebdon, Essex, England
Civil Parish: West Ham
Ecclesiastical parish: St Andrew
Residence Place: West Ham, West Ham, Essex, England
Registration district: West Ham
Sub registration district: West Ham
ED, Institution or Vessel: 27
Neighbors:
Piece: 1323
Folio: 32
Household Members:
Name Age
Charles Gipson 57 - single, labourer
Eliza Ward 53 - widow, living on own means
Albert Gipson 13 - [ name is Ward on image ]

Possible marriage of Alfred and Eliza ???

Marriages Sep 1862 (>99%)
Ward Alfred Billericay 4a 161
Wright Eliza Billericay 4a 161


Alfred Ward
in the Essex, England, Church of England Marriages, 1754-1935
Name: Alfred Ward
Gender: Male
Marriage Age: Of Age
Record Type: Marriage
Marriage Date: 7 Sep 1862
Marriage Place: Great Burstead, St Mary Magdalene, Essex, England
Father: Benjamin Ward
Spouse: Eliza Wright (father James Wright )



Or ???

Alfred Ward
in the England, Select Marriages, 1538–1973
Name: Alfred Ward
Gender: Male
Marriage Date: 24 May 1862
Marriage Place: Great Burstead, Essex, England
Spouse: Eliza Wright
FHL Film Number: 1471966
Reference ID: 136

???

Eliza Wright
in the 1851 England Census
Name: Eliza Wright
Age: 13
Estimated birth year: abt 1838
Relation: Daughter
Father's name: James Wright
Gender: Female
Where born: Nevendon, Essex, England
Civil Parish: Pitsea
Phillimore Ecclesiastical Parish Maps:
View related Ecclesiastical Parish
County/Island: Essex
Country: England
Street address:
Occupation:
Condition as to marriage:
Disability:
View image
Registration district: Billericay
Sub-registration district: Brentwood
ED, institution, or vessel: 4
Neighbors:
Household schedule number: 31
Piece: 1774
Folio: 498
Page Number: 8
Household Members:
Name Age
James Wright 43
Joseph Wright 15
Eliza Wright 13
William Wright 11

Albert Ward
in the Canadian Passenger Lists, 1865-1935
Name: Albert Ward
Gender: Male
Arrival Age: 33
Birth Year: abt 1877
Departure Port: Liverpool, England
Arrival Date: 16 Apr 1910
Arrival Port: St John, New Brunswick, Canada
Vessel: Lake Erie

Destination: Robbin, Manitoba.
Occupation: carter.
Single.

On the marriage certificate his address is his sisters.

Many thanks to those that have given me this information. I was not aware of the Canadian connection until Sheila was recently reunited with one of her cousins that furnished us with the fact that she thought he was Canadian!
The marriage certificate, until then, was indecipherable (hand written scrawl best describes it).

For Albert;s service record:
http://central.bac-lac.gc.ca/.item/?op=pdf&app=CEF&id=B10075-S006

Albert enlisted 15/6/1915 in Winnipeg MB.
As he was a teamster, it's not surprising he was destined for the 5th bde CFA's ammunition column.
p13 After 3 m training in Canada, he embarked on the SS Metagama, landing in England 18/8/1915/
Before becoming a troopship, the Metagama had been a passenger liner - in 1911, my great-uncle emigrated to Canada aboard her.
After more training in England, he left for France in mid Jan 1916
[S O S = Struck off strength T O S = Taken on strength]
I think that, on 31/5/1916, the 2nd Can Div's ammo columns were amalgamated into the 2nd DAC, which would be responsible for bringing up the ammo from the rail-head to the gun pits for the 2nd div's two CFA brigades (5th & 6th) as well as the 2nd div's heavy trench mortars which were also manned by the CFA.
Such an amalgamation makes logistical sense. Although 1/6/1916 is the 1st day of the battle of the Somme, the CEF (Canadian Expeditionary Force) wasn't involved until Sept - well, the infantry wasn't, but I'm not certain abt the artillery.
On 9/7/1917, he's transferred to the 4th DAC. This is just 6w before a big artillery battle for Hill 70 which dominates Lens.
Although he's nominally looking after the ammo for the 4th div's guns,
really, throughout the British army, by 1917 control of the arty is really in the hands of the corps.
British corps are usually fixed in place, and divs rotate thru them.
However, the empire troops are a bit difft, and the Canadians now serve in the Canadian Corps, and the ANZACs serve in the 2 ANZAC corps.
Thus, in the Can Corps, there are 8 divisional brigades of the CFA, and under direct Corps control are 3 brigades of CGA heavies, plus one brigade of CFA,
In the spring of 1918, to deal with their replacement shortage, the CEF decided to break up their newly formed 5th Can Div in England, but the 5th's two bdes of CFA plus its DAC went directly to the Can Corps.
NB Normal supplies, food, etc., were handled by the CASC supply columns.

The war diaries of Albert's units are online.
These give a day by day account of what the unit did, along with orders and reports.
The 2nd DAC is in 2 chunks of 137MB & 37MB although the smaller 37 MB file is after Albert's time.
The 4th DAC is in 1 chunk of 40MB.

To get these war diaries, go to
https://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/collectionsearch/Pages/collectionsearch.aspx
Click on "Advanced search" then
Search in: Archives
All these words: 9-52 ammunition
Hit search
I then find it best to set Per page to 100 and Apply

Under the appropriate picture, click on the "View all images" link, then click on the "download all objects" link.
This brings up a check box that I check to say it's personal research, and the real download link that I click to save