Cpl. Allen Ray* 52nd Batt. Oct. 11, 1920

Allen* Gordon Ray 438951

 * Name appears Allan in all official documents; also he is recorded as the rank of private on his official grave circumstance of death notice.

Ray's Attestation Paper available
at Library Archives Canada (press link)

 Allan Gordon Ray was born in Dummer township on April 15, 1885 to parents Albert Ray and Elizabeth Miles.   Little is known about Allan’s early life, but at some time during 1900-1902, he enlisted with the 3^rd Canadian Mounted Rifles and saw action in the South African War.   Upon returning to Canada after the war’s end, he headed to northern Ontario, possibly while working for the railroad.  There he married Katie Peever on February 07, 1907 in Fort William, (now Thunder Bay) Ontario.  At the time Allan listed his occupation as brakeman.

On January 02, 1915, five months after the First World War erupted; Allan enlisted with the 52nd “New Ontario” Battalion in Dryden, Ontario.  He listed his mother, Elizabeth, as his next of kin and recorded that she lived in Winnipeg.  On his attestation papers Allan indicated that he was, at this time, single, was employed as a cook, and also a veteran of the South African War.  He was 29 years old at the time, stood 5 foot, nine inches tall, had fair hair, blue eyes and red hair.  He listed his religion as Presbyterian.

Allan survived his experiences in the trenches, and returned home to Canada.  Like many who returned, he did so in ailing health.  He died in Calgary General Hospital on October 11, 1920 from Pleurisy and Effusion.  The physician indicated that his death was due to service overseas.  He is buried in Calgary, Alberta.  He is commemorated on the Dummer Township cenotaph in Warsaw, Ontario.

War Grave Registry: Circumstance of Death Record

Sources:

Archives of Ontario. Registrations of Births and Stillbirths – 1869-1913. MS 929, reels 1-245. Toronto,
Ontario, Canada: Archives of Ontario.
Canada. "Soldiers of the First World War (1914-1918)." Record Group 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 4930 - 35. Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa.
Ontario, Canada. Registrations of Marriages, 1869-1928. MS932, Reels 1-833, 850-880. Archives of
Ontario, Toronto.
Original data: Records of the Immigration and Naturalization Service, RG 85. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration.
Library and Archives Canada. Census of Canada, 1901. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Library and Archives Canada, 2004. Series RG31-C-1. Statistics Canada Fonds. Microfilm reels: T-6428 to T-6556.
War Graves Registry: Circumstances of Death Records. Record Group 150, 1992–1993/314, Boxes 145–238. Library and Archives Canada. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.