The O'Leary Collection—Medals of The Royal Canadian Regiment

Major Ernest Frederick "Tug" Wilson

21st Canadian Infantry Battalion
The Royal Canadian Regiment

By: Capt (ret'd) Michael M. O'Leary, CD, The RCR

Ernest Frederick Wilson was born on 21 Oct 1895 at Perth, Ontario. The Wilson family can be found in the 1901 and 1911 Canadian Censuses. In 1901, father Richard and mother Annie have three children, Ernest (5), William (3), and Hazel (2). Ten years later, in 1911, there are three more children, all daughters; Gladis, Elsie and Morna.

On 7 Jan 1914, Wilson married Gertrude Catherine (nee) Levesque at Kingston, Ontario. Ernest and Gertrude would have four daughters, one born before the First World War and the three younger girls born between 1922 and 1927. The Wilson daughters were Katherine Jean (b. 12 Dec 1916; Kingston, Ontario), Frances Gertrude (b. 4 Jul 1922; Kingston, Ontario), Marian Elsie (b. 17 Jul 1924; London, Ontario) and Margaret Ernestine (b. 1 Mar 1927; London, Ontario).

Wilson joined the Non-Permanent Active Militia on 27 Aug 1914. He served for 26 months with the 14th P.W.O.R. Regiment Guard (14th Regiment, Princess of Wales Own Regiment), which was formed by the regiment for home service. The 14th Bn. P.W.O.R. provided a guard at Fort Henry in Kingston, Ontario, for prisoners of war held there during the First World War.

Ernest Frederick Wilson enlisted in the 253rd Overseas Battalion for service in the Canadian Expeditionary Force (C.E.F.) on 1 Nov 1916. The terms of service for his enlistment were recorded as "duration of war plus six months." On attestation, Wilson was described as 25 years 1 months of age; 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighing 136 lbs with a 36-inch chest, good physical development, a dark complexion, brown eyes and brown hair. His religious denomination was Roman Catholic.

At his attestation for CEF service, Ernest Frederick Wilson declared himself to be married. His wife, Gertrude Catherine Wilson, resided at 232 Earl St, Kingston, Ont. The family was living at the same address in 1920 when Wilson attested for the Permanent Force of Canada.

During the First World War Wilson served in Canada (27 Aug 1916 to 29 Apr 1917), England (30 Apr 1917 to 29 Mar 1918), France (30 Mar 1918 to 31 Aug 1918), England (1 Sep 1918 to 9 Jan 1919), and finally back in Canada (10 Jan 1919 to 30 Jun 1919). His total CEF service would be 3 years, 247 days.

Ernest Wilson sailed from Halifax aboard the S.S. Olympic on 29 Apr 1917. He arrived in England on 7 May 1917 and was taken on strength the 5th Canadian Reserve Battalion at West Sandling where he was appointed to the position of Acting Pay Sergeant on the 12th of the same month.

On 6 Jun 1917, Wilson was transferred to the 164th Canadian Battalion, from where he was attached to the 125th Battalion on 9 Mar 1918. He ceased that attachment on 29 March, returning to the 164th Battalion from which he was then transferred to the 21st Canadian Infantry Battalion on 30 Mar 1918.

Wilson arrived at the Canadian Corps Reinforcement Camp (C.C.R.C.) on 4 Apr 1918 en route to his unit and on the 15th of April he finally joined the Battalion in the field. He would serve with the battalion through the summer of 1918 including the battle of Amiens in early August, 1918.

On 29 August 1918, during the first days of the battle of Arras, 1918, Wilson was wounded. Suffering gun shot wounds of the left hand and right leg, he was evacuated to No. 26 General Hospital, Etaples. Wilson was subsequently transferred to 2nd Western General Hospital, Manchester, and then the Military Convalescent hospital in Epsom from which he was discharged on 28 October 1918.

Once he was evacuated from France to England, Wilson was posted from the 21st Battalion to the Eastern Ontario Regimental Depot (E.O.R.D.) at Seaford. The E.O.R.D. was part of the regionally based reinforcement system created in 1917, with named Depots taking in troops from battalions raised in those areas in Canada and providing reinforcement drafts to similarly designated fighting units. The 21st Bn. was associated with the E.O.R.D. These Depots also became the parent unit for any soldiers returned to England from their affiliated battalions in France and Flanders.

Wilson's wounding was reported in his hometown newspaper at Kingston, Ontario:

Kingston Daily Standard September 7, 1918

Sergt. Ernest Wilson.

Mrs. Ernest Wilson, 232 Earl Street, received official notification this morning that her husband, Sergt. Ernest F. Wilson, who left here with the 253rd Battalion on April 24th, 1917, and who has since seen much, service in the front trenches, was severely wounded on August 29th by shrapnel in the left hand and right leg. He is at present in hospital in France.

Sergt. Wilson is well known in the city and his many friends will regret to hear that he has been temporarily incapacitated from duty. While here he had risen to the rank of sergeant major in the 253rd, and after going to England he reverted to private to go to France. There he soon won the rank of sergeant by his good work as a soldier.

On discharge from hospital, Wilson was attached "On Command," i.e., a temporary duty assignment without changing parent units, to the 1st Canadian Convalescent Depot at Seaford. Two weeks later, on 14 Nov 1918, he was posted to the 6th Res. Bn. He was subsequently attached to the No. 3 Military District Convalescent Wing from which he was sent On Command to Kimnel Park on 11 Dec 1918 awaiting despatch to Canada. He was struck off the strength of the 6th Res. Bn. on 9 Jan 1919 and taken on strength of the Casualty Company No. 3 District Depot at Kingston, Ont., "for disposal." Wilson was then struck off the strength of the District Depot to the No. 3 Detachment Canadian Army Pay Corps on 19 Feb 1919, where he would work until being released on 30 Jun 1920.

The end of the following year, on 11 Mar 1946, Wilson was promoted to the substantive rank of Major (Authority Pt II Order #17/1946 RCR Depot).

During the Second World War, Wilson also remained active in regimental affairs. The regimental history records: "…the cheerful news that the finances of The Regiment, under the careful administration of Major F.G.W. Pennell and Capt E.F. Wilson, had flourished during the war; by shrewd investment the capital value of its non-public funds had more than doubled." (pp. 200 (1945/46))

Gertrude Wilson died at London on 28 Oct 1945. Wilson was not a widower for long, marrying Margaret Laura (nee) Newman, at Walkerville, Ont., on 14 Aug 1946.

With the War over, the Canadian Army started to reduce its strength to a much smaller Permanent Force establishment. At this time, serving soldiers were choosing between release, retirement to pension, or pursuing one of the few positions that would be available after the war. Major Wilson decided at this time that retirement to pension was his preferred course, and after rehabilitation leave from 24 June to 29 September 1946 he was "Struck off Strength and Retired to Pension." His service record also notes his entitlement to wear a War Service Badge.

The Certificate of Discharge for No. P.16114 Major CA (A); S/Sgt (PF) Ernest Frederick Wilson, MBE; The Royal Canadian Regiment is included in his file. Wilson originally attested at Kingston, Ontario, on the 1st July 1920 for the Canadian Permanent Machine Gun Corps at the age of 28 8/12 years. At his retirement, he was described as: Age 54; years; height 5 feet 7 inches, complexion dark; eyes hazel; hair black; trade clerk.

Wilson's total Permanent Force service was 26 years 91 days. He was discharged on 29 Sep 1946 under King's Regulations and Orders (Canada), paragraph 372 (xvi); "His services no longer required."

Major Wilson was recorded as having the following special qualifications for employment in civil life, vide K.R. (Can.) 383 and 384: "Accountant - Military Messes and Canteens, Quartermaster – Military Stores and Accounting, Records - Military documentation and files."

In his declaration to the Department of Veteran's Affairs, on his "Dischargee's own Statement of future plans", Wilson stated simply: "I intend to retire."

Wilson's address on discharge was 459 Central Avenue, London, Ontario.

Ernest Frederick Wilson died at London, Ontario, on 30 Nov 1948.

(Wilson's nickname, "Tug," was confirmed by from Capt (ret'd) Sheridan "Sherry' Atkinson, a fellow regimental officer who served at Wolseley Barracks and overseas during the Second World War.)

Pro Patria

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