Crowe Norman Elgin 195440

Norman Elgin Crowe 195440

Norman Elgin Crowe was born in on February 22, 1897 to parents Thomas Crowe and Lavinda Porter. Birth records show that he was born in Midland, Ontario, but the birth was also registered in Dummer Township.  From 1901-1914, young Norman Crowe was living on West Peterboro St. in Warsaw, Ontario with his aunt Arabella and uncle Joseph Crowe, who was a stage coach driver. 

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Norman enlisted in the 93^rd Battalion on December 21, 1915 in Peterborough, Ontario.  At the time, he was still living in Warsaw and working as a book keeper.  He was single, and had one year’s experience in the militia regiment, the 3rd Prince of Wales Dragoons, which was based in Peterborough.  He was 2 months shy of 19 years old, and stood 5 foot 7 inches tall. He weighed 116 pounds, had a dark complexion, dark brown hair and blue eyes. He was a Presbyterian.

Norman sailed with the 93^rd Battalion from Halifax aboard the S.S. Empress of Britain on the 15^th of July 1916 and arrived in England ten days later.  With his battalion, he marched to Otterpool Camp where he stayed until he was transferred to the 19^th Battalion in France on September 20^th, arriving with that unit in the field on October 2^nd. 

Pte. Crowe spent the remainder of the winter months of 1916 in the trenches with the 19^th Battalion, until he was admitted to the No.2 Australian General Hospital in Boulogne on January 25th, suffering from influenza.  After two weeks there, his condition warranted a transfer to the Miles End Military Hospital in London, England.  After a three weeks hospital stay and sufficient recuperation, he was transferred to the Canadian Convalescent Hospital at Bromely, West Sandling Camp, England.  It seems that Pte. Crowe stayed on at Bromely, enrolled in a Physical Education Instructors program there.  He stayed on there for about two months when he was transferred to the Canadian Training School at Bexhill, England on He soon was promoted to Acting Company Sergeant Major and continued to instruct at the P.B.T. school on April 7^th 1918. He was there when the Armistice was struck on November 11 1918. 

With his training services no longer required he was transferred into the 3^rd Reserve Battalion to await demobilization.  A/ Sergeant Major Crowe disembarked Liverpool on the H.M.T. Grampian on December 15 1918 and arrived in St. John 9 days later.  He received his official discharge on June 21st 1919 in Toronto.   Norman Crowe returned to Peterborough.  In 1921 he was listed as boarding in the city of Peterborough at 314 Boswell St. with Francis and Lillie Detcher, and working as a clerk.

Source:

Archives of Ontario. Registrations of Births and Stillbirths- 1869-1913. MS 929, reels 1-245. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Archives of Ontario.

Library and Archives Canada online: (www.collectionscanada.gc.ca), Census of 1911. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. 2007.

Library and Archives Canada online: (www.collectionscanada.gc.ca), Census of 1901. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. 2004.

Library and Archives Canada online: (www.collectionscanada.gc.ca), Sixth Census of Canada, 1921. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. 2013.

Library and Archives Canada. “Complete Service File of William Crowe.” Record group. 150, Accession 1992-93/166. Box 4930-35. Library and archives Canada, Ottawa.

Library and Archives 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, Select Marriage, Archives of Ontario, Toronto.