William Cecil Freeburn 256969

William Cecil Freeburn was born on October 11^th, 1897 in Warsaw, Ontario. He was the son of Jedida and William Freeburn.

Freeburn was living in Bromhead Saskatchewan, when he was called to report under the Military Service Act for a medical inspection on December 4^th 1917.  He was 20 years old, stood 5 feet, 5 inches tall and weighed 135 pounds.  He had a fair complexion, grey eyes and brown hair.   He stated his occupation as a farmer, religion as Methodist, and also declared that he had no previous military experience.  He was considered category A.2 by the medical board and fit for overseas service.  He reported a month later, on January 8^th 1918, to the 1^st Depot Battalion in Regina for training.

William embarked Montreal on July 6, 1918 aboard the H.M.T. Tunisian and arrived in London,18 days later.  He was taken on strength to the 15^th Canadian Reserve Battalion upon arrival and quartered at Bramshott Camp in England, where he remained for the duration of the war.  Freeburn trained at the camp, the only mentionable occurrence during  this time was a four-day stay in the Canadian General Hospital with a bout of influenza from October 6^th to 10^th.  He was demobilized on June 14, 1919 and boarded the H.M.T. Aquitania for Canada on June 14.  He arrived safely in Halifax six days later and was formally discharged on June 26^th in Regina.  Freeburn returned to his previous civilian life in Bromhead Saskatchewan.

Sources

 Library and Archives Canada. Census of Canada, 1911. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Library and Archives Canada, 2007. http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/census/1911/Pages/about-census.aspx. Series RG31-C-1. Statistics Canada Fonds. Microfilm reels T-20326 to T-20460.

Library and Archives Canada. Sixth Census of Canada, 1921. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Library and Archives Canada, 2013. Series RG31. Statistics Canada Fonds.

"Soldiers of the First World War (1914-1918)." Record Group 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 4930 - 35. Library and Archives Canada, Ottawa.