Spr. Vernon Ellis 636381

Vernon Hall Ellis was born in Belleville, Ontario on February 17^th 1900 to Charles and Alva Jane Ellis.

Vernon enlisted into the 155^th Battalion 4^th Overseas Pioneer Battalion in Trenton on January 17, 1916. Upon enlistment he gave a false birth date and enlisted underage, being a month shy of his 16^th birthday.  He stood 5 feet 7 inches tall, and weighed 135 pounds.   He had fair complexion, blue eyes, and light brown hair.  He was a Methodist and a blacksmith by occupation. He was single, had no previous military experience and was living in Warsaw, Ontario at the time of his enlistment.  At the time of his enlistment, Vernon’s father, Charles, was already serving in France with the Canadian Army Service Corp.

Vernon sailed with the Pioneers for England on September 12, 1916 aboard the S.S. Metagama and arrived safely there ten days later.  Upon arriving in England, he was posted to Bramshott Camp, where the 4^th Pioneers were re-designated the 5^th Pioneers. After four months he was sent to the Canadian Pioneer Training Depot at Crowborough England for further training and to await assignment at the front.

Sapper Ellis remained at the training depot at Crowborough for close to a year before being assigned to the 2^nd Entrenching Company and proceeding overseas on October 28^th 1917.  He spent nearly four months in the field before being wounded by a gas shell.  After returning from the trenches in early February, Vernon began to complain of headaches and shortness of breath.  He was evacuated to a hospital in Seaford, England on February 2^nd 1918.

Ellis remained in hospital for close to two months, before being discharged to a Casualty Clearing Depot on April 18^th 1918.  He remained in the depot camps in England awaiting his return to the front.  It was during this time, in September, that his true age was discovered and he was flagged as a minor.

Vernon was kept in the reserve camps in England until the end of the War.  He sailed back to Canada on March 30, 1919 and discharged two weeks later.  He later moved to Keene where he worked with his father as a blacksmith.  He married Evaline McKim of Omemee on June 7^th 1921.

Sources

 Archives of Ontario. Registration of Births and Stillbirths, 1858-1913. MS 929, reel 150. Archives of Ontario, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. P.7.

Archives of Ontario Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Registrations of Marriages, 1869-1928;  Series: MS932; Reel: 585  P.192.

LAC. Census of Canada, 1901. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: 1901; Census Place: Sidney, Hastings (west/ouest), Ontario; Page: 4; Family No: 50. Page:40.

Library & Archives Canada The Military Service File of Vernon Ellis.  Ottawa, Ontario. RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 4930-35. NO.377062.

LAC. Census of Canada, 1911. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: 2007. Census Place: 25 - Peterborough, Peterborough West, Ontario; Page: 13; Family No: 131

LAC. Sixth Census of Canada, 1921. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Library and Archives   Canada, 2013. Series RG31. Statistics  Canada Fonds.  Reference Number: RG 31;   Folder Number: 82; Census Place: Peterboro (City), Peterborough West, Ontario; Page Number: 12