FWW Names – B

Regimental Number: Lieutenant
Enlistment Date / Location / Unit: 26 February 1916 / Winnipeg, Manitoba / 101st Battalion; Active Militia three years on enlistment (Private and Corporal)
Birth Date / Location: 24 March 1888 / Sherbrooke, QC (both the 1891 and 1901 Canadian Census for Maple Ridge show birthplace as BC)
Parents: Ernest William Beckett and Mary McSwiggin
Spouse: Elizabeth Evans
Dependents: William Evans Beckett born on 25 May 1912, Winnipeg, MB; John Maxwell Beckett born on 27 December 1914, Rudell, SK
Occupation on Enlistment: Agent
Date of Death / Location: 21 October 1917 / Caestre, France
Age at Death: 29
Unit on Date of Death, or on Demobilization: 3rd Divisional Signal Company
Circumstances of Death: Killed by airplane bomb while returning to headquarters
Cemetery or Memorial: Whitehouse Cemetery, St Jean, Belgium, Grave 7, Plot 3, Row F
Where commemorated: Canadian Virtual War Memorial, Veterans Affairs Canada; First World War Book of Remembrance page 198, Memorial Chamber, Parliament Buildings, Ottawa, ON; Maple Ridge Cenotaph, Maple Ridge, BC; Cenotaph, Ruddell, SK

John Maxwell Beckett was born on 24 March 1888, the son of Earnest William Beckett and Mary McSwiggin. In 1885, his family settled in Port Haney, moving from Sherbrooke QC.

John’s grandfather, Henry Robert Beckett established Beckett & Co., Brick Manufacturers in Port Haney. John’s father, Ernest William Beckett was the manager for the brick works company until it was sold in 1893. In 1895, Ernest took on the position of municipal clerk and became involved in the Maple Ridge Agricultural Association.

John only lived in Port Haney for four years before moving to the prairies for work as a Canadian National Railway telegraph operator. He married Elizabeth Evans on 17 May 1911 in Winnipeg, MB. Their first son, William Evans was in May 1912 in Winnipeg. Their second son, John Maxwell was born in December 1914 in Rudell, SK.

John enlisted in the 101st Battalion on 26 February 1916 at age 28. His rank was Lieutenant, having served in the Active Militia for three years as a Private and Corporal. He weighed 89.9 kilograms (198 pounds) and was 1.8 meters (six feet) in height.

John shipped out from Halifax on 28 June 1916, arriving in Liverpool on 5 July 1916. He was transferred to the 17th Battalion on 13 July 1916 and on 2 September to General List to be attached to the Canadian Engineer Training Duty. Next transfer was to 3rd Divisional Signal Company on 7 August 1917 and on 18 August 1917 was on command to Central Wireless School. He rejoined his unit on 20 September 1917.

He was killed by an airplane bomb while returning from Caestre, France on 21 October 1917.

The war diary entry on 21 October 1917, page 8 states: “Lt Beckett who had gone in advance to install Wireless and Power Buzzer stations on our new front, while returning to Headquarters in company with Cpl. Brooks, was killed by an aeroplane bomb. Cpl Brooks was severely wounded. Lt. Beckett, though only with the company a short time, had shown himself to be a most energetic & capable officer. By his death this unit suffers a severe loss.”

J. Beckett was added to the Cenotaph in 2000 as part of the Legion’s Millennium project.

(Updated 13-Feb-2024)

Regimental Number: 629549
Enlistment Date / Location / Unit: 29 September 1915/ Vernon, BC / 47th Battalion; 23 September 1915 – 28 September 1915/ Active Militia; 104th Westminster Fusiliers of Canada
Birth Date / Location: 8 March 1891/ Yennadon (Maple Ridge), BC
Parents: Robert McLure Blake and Effie Boyd
Occupation on Enlistment: Farmer
Date of Death / Location: 2 February1916/ Military Isolation Hospital, Aldershot, England
Age at Death: 24
Unit on Date of Death, or on Demobilization: 47th Battalion
Circumstances of Death: Died of acute miliary tuberculosis and cerebro spinal meningitis
Cemetery or Memorial: Aldershot Military Cemetery, Hampshire, England, Plot AF.1963
Medals / Awards: Death Penny in collection of Maple Ridge Museum and Community Archives
Where commemorated: First Word War Book of Remembrance page 55, Memorial Chamber, Parliament Buildings, Ottawa, ON; Maple Ridge Cenotaph, Maple Ridge, BC; Maple Ridge Legion Branch 88 Memorial Plaque; Municipality of Maple Ridge Honour Roll, St. John the Divine Anglican Church, Maple Ridge, BC; The Gold Stripe Roll of Honour, Maple Ridge, page 89

Charles Percy Blake was born on 8 March 1891 in Yennadon (Maple Ridge), BC. His parents, Robert McLure Blake and Effie Boyd married in Maple Ridge in 1890 and had a farm on 32nd Road (present day 132nd Avenue). Both are buried in the Maple Ridge Cemetery.

His four siblings never married. Roy Archibald took over the family farm, Ruby Annie Elizabeth was a nurse, Olive May was a teacher and Etta Mary was also a nurse. They continued to reside on the farm for the rest of their lives. They are buried in the Maple Ridge Cemetery.

Charles enlisted in the 47th Battalion at Vernon, BC on 29 September 1915 at age 24. He also served in the Active Militia 104th Westminster Fusiliers of Canada from 23 September to 28 September 1915. His rank was Private. Medical history listed his height as 1.68 meters (5 feet, 6 ½ inches) with blue eyes and brown hair.

He sailed with his unit on 13 November 1915, aboard the SS Missanabie, arriving in England on 23 November 1915. Charles was admitted to Bramshott Military Hospital on 27 January 1916 with meningitis. He had to be transferred again on 2 February 1916 to the Military Isolation Hospital in Aldershot because of acute miliary tuberculosis and cerebro meningitis. He died the same day and was buried in Aldershot Military Cemetery, Hampshire, England.

His brother, Roy Archibald Blake, Regimental Number 2023260, served and survived FWW.

C.P. Blake’s name was on the Cenotaph when it was unveiled in 1923.
(Updated 13-Feb-2024)

Regimental Number: Lieutenant
Enlistment Date / Location / Unit: 2 December 1915/ Calgary, AB / 137th Battalion
Active Militia 15th Light Horse Calgary on enlistment
Birth Date / Location: 16 February 1890 / Halifax, NS
Parents: William Henry Blois and Mary Melissa Sterling
Occupation on Enlistment: Lawyer
Date of Death / Location: 10 April 1917/ near Vimy Ridge (Hill 145)
Age at Death: 27
Unit on Date of Death, or on Demobilization: 50th Battalion
Circumstances of Death: Killed in action
Cemetery or Memorial: Canadian Cemetery No. 2, Neuville-St. Vaast, Pas-de-Calais, France. Grave 20, Plot 7, Row A.
Where commemorated: Canadian Virtual War Memorial, Veterans Affairs Canada; First World War Book of Remembrance, page 203, Memorial Chamber, Parliament Buildings, Ottawa, ON; Maple Ridge Cenotaph, Maple Ridge, BC; FWW Memorial Plaque, The Legal Archives Society of Alberta, erected by The Law Society of Alberta,1921

Harry Morris Blois was born in Halifax, NS to William Henry Blois and Mary Melissa Sterling on 16 February 1890. Although his family lived both in Alberta and BC, Harry remained in Alberta and was residing in Calgary where he became a lawyer in 1912.

Harry Morris Blois enlisted on 2 December 1915, joining the 137th Overseas Battalion in Calgary. He also served in the Active Militia 15 Light Horse Calvary on enlistment. His rank was Lieutenant. His height was 1.79 meters (5 feet 10 ½ inches) and weight was 57.6 kilograms (127 pounds). It was noted that he was underweight.

He sailed with his unit from Halifax on 23 August 1916, arriving in Liverpool on 30 August 1916. While in training, he was injured in a wrestling bout on 31 December 1916. He was hit over the nose causing cartilage fracture and treated at Bramshott Military Hospital. He was deemed fit for duty on 10 January 1917 and transferred to the 21st Reserve Battalion (Alberta). On 3 March 1917 Harry qualified 1st Class East Com School of Musketry and proceeded to Havre to join the 50th Battalion on 22 March 1917. He joined the unit in the battlefield on 2 April 1917.

Harry Morris Blois was killed in action on 10 April 1917. The Circumstances of Death record states “This officer was seriously wounded during the attack on Vimy Ridge (Hill 145), and had evidently set out for Dressing Station alone as his body was found a short distance back, he having succumbed to wounds on the way in.”

By 1921 his mother, Mary, a widow was living with her son Herbert who was a farmer in Maple Ridge and also served as a city councilor. Herbert is buried in the Whonnock Cemetery and Mary is buried in the Maple Ridge Cemetery. Brother, Leonard, Regimental Number 321695, survived the war and was demobbed to Whonnock where he married Gudrun Aurora Lee on 4 March 1921.They moved to Alberta. Sister, Mabel Blois McCullough lived in Alberta but is buried the Maple Ridge Cemetery. Brother, Percy is also buried in the Maple Ridge Cemetery.

H. Blois was added to the Cenotaph in 2000 as part of the Legion’s Millennium project.

(Updated 29-Jan-2024)

Regimental Number: Lieutenant
Enlistment Date / Location / Unit: 14 October 1914/ Active Militia, 6th Regiment, DCOR (Duke of Connaught’s Own Rifles) – rank of Sergeant – 3 months; 24 March 1915/ New Westminster, BC/ 47th Battalion
Birth Date / Location: 6 September 1885/ Truro, NS
Parents: George Owen Buchanan and Mary Wilson Nelson
Occupation on Enlistment: Barrister-at-law
Date of Death / Location: 19 April 1916/ On edge of a wood, south of trench railway near Verbranden Molen, Belgium.
Age at Death: 30
Unit on Date of Death, or on Demobilization: 16th Canadian Infantry Battalion
Circumstances of Death: Killed in Action.
Cemetery or Memorial: Woods Military Cemetery, Zillebeke [West Flanders], Belgium, Plot 4, Row B, Grave 1 (2 miles SE of Ypres).
Where commemorated: First World War Book of Remembrance, page 60, Memorial Chamber, Parliament Buildings, Ottawa, ON; Maple Ridge Cenotaph, Maple Ridge, BC; Municipality of Maple Ridge Honor Roll, St John the Divine Anglican Church, Maple Ridge, BC; Maple Ridge Legion Branch #88 Memorial Plaque; The Gold Stripe Roll of Honour, Maple Ridge, page 89

Leo Buchanan was born in Truro, Nova Scotia to George Owen Buchanan and Mary Wilson Nelson on 6 September 1885. The family was living in Yale in 1891 and the census shows Leo had an older brother, Samuel.

Leo’s mother died in Kaslo, BC in 1912 and Leo’s father George remarried in 1914 to Alice Maud Hall at Port Haney, BC. George was very active in community service, having served as President of the Associated Boards of Trade and also a member of the Fraser Valley Development League.

Leo was an Arts graduate and had a Bachelor of Law degree from the University of Toronto. He was the editor of the university paper The Varsity. Along with his intellectual abilities he engaged in rowing and was a skilled tennis player. He also was a Rhodes Scholar finalist in 1907, while living in Kaslo, BC. He later lived in Vancouver and was one of the principals in the law firm of Buchanan and Bull. He was described in the 22 May 1916 Vancouver Sun as a “modest, big-hearted, broad-minded young man, with a very superior intellect.

Leo Buchanan enlisted with the Active Militia, 6th Regiment, Duke of Connaught’s Own Rifles for three months on 14 October 1914. His rank was Sergeant. He was transferred to the 47th Battalion on 24 March 1915 with the rank of Lieutenant. His height was 1.85 meters (6 feet one inch) and he weighed 72.57 kilograms (160 pounds). His eyes were blue and complexion fair.

On arrival in England, he was transferred from the 47th Battalion to the 30th Reserve Battalion, Shorncliffe on 4 July 1915. He attended a machine gun course on 4 November 1915 and qualified as a 1st Class Machine Gun Instructor. He also qualified in a grenade course on 1 January 1916. He was next transferred to the 3rd Brigade Machine Gun Corp and landed in France on 31 January 1916 and was attached to the 16th Canadian Battalion as Machine Gun Officer on 18 April 1916. The following day, he died from a Stokes gun shell that burst in the trench where he was standing, killing him instantly.

Several newspapers covered Leo Buchanan’s death, noting in addition to his military service that he was a well-respected lawyer with exceptional literary ability. Alice Maud’s brother was Charles Edward Russell Hall and also served in the FWW and is named on the Maple Ridge Cenotaph as E. Hall.

L. Buchanan’s name was on the Cenotaph when it was unveiled in 1923.
(Updated 19-Feb-2024)

Regimental Number: A29515 (also recorded as 429515)
Enlistment Date / Location / Unit: 8 March 1915 / New Westminster, BC. / 104th Battalion (Westminster Fusiliers of Canada) / 47th Battalion
Birth Date / Location: 7 June 1885 / Holwell, Leicestershire, England
Parents: Thomas Bust and Elizabeth (nee Plumtree) Bust
Occupation on Enlistment: Steam Engineer
Date of Death / Location: 10 November 1917 / Passchendaele
Age at Death: 32
Unit on Date of Death, or on Demobilization: 7th Overseas Battalion
Circumstances of Death: Killed in Action
Cemetery or Memorial: Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium, panel 28
Medals / Awards: 1914-15 Star
Where commemorated: Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, Belgium; First World War Book of Remembrance, page 211; Memorial Chamber, Parliament Buildings, Ottawa, Ontario; Maple Ridge Cenotaph, Maple Ridge, BC; Maple Ridge Legion Branch #88 Memorial Plaque; Municipality of Maple Ridge Honor Roll, St John the Divine Anglican Church, Maple Ridge, BC; St Saviour’s Church, Nottinghamshire Meadows, England. Roll of Honour 1914-1918; Nottinghamshire County Council, Nottinghamshire, England, Virtual Roll of Honour

Edward Bust was born 7 June 1885 in Holwell, Leicestershire, England to parents Thomas and Elizabeth (nee Plumtree) Bust of Nottingham, England. His siblings were Annie, Thomas, Sara, and Frederic (later known as James). Edward immigrated to Canada in 1905 and was joined by his brother James in 1912. In 1911 Edward was working for the Vancouver Power Company (a subsidiary of B.C. Electric) on the Coquitlam Dam construction in the Dewdney District as a fireman—tending the fire of a steam engine. The Coquitlam Dam is part of the Lake Buntzen Power Plant; construction was completed in January 1914.

On 8 March 1915 Edward enlisted with the 104th Regiment (Westminster Fusiliers of Canada) in New Westminster. He is listed as one of the “Loyal Maple Ridge” who enlisted from “F” Company from the area in the 30 September 1915 Vancouver Daily World. He was 29 years and 10 months old, 1.7 meters (5 feet 8-1/2 inches) tall, weighing 71 kilograms (156 pounds), with a medium complexion, hazel eyes, and dark hair. He was transferred to the 47th Battalion, then sailed overseas arriving in England 27 June 1915, was transferred to the 30th Reserve Battalion, and eventually to 7th Overseas Battalion. By November 1915 he was fighting in France.

Edward was wounded and missing in the field, 10 November 1917 during an attack at Passchendaele and, for official purposes, was presumed to have died on or since that date.

Edward left all his BC property to his brother, James Bust, Regimental #645280, who had enlisted in Vancouver in 1916. James survived the war, eventually returning to England where he died in 1973.

Edward’s name was not on the Cenotaph when it was unveiled in 1923 but the 24 November 1927 Weekly Gazette reported that his name was included in the honor roll read at the 1927 Armistice Day ceremony. E. Bust appears at the bottom of the Cenotaph by the 1920s based on photo P01201.

(Updated 19-Jan-2024)