Ralph Wason 1063129

Ralph Wason was born in Dummer Township on November 1^st, 1900 to parents William and Minnie (Robeson) Wason. 

Ralph enlisted in the 247^th Infantry Battalion in Peterborough, Ontario on February 17^th, 1917.  He lied to the recruiting officer and stated his age as being 18 years, 3 months old, which was just within the legal age of enlistment of 18.  He declared that he was single, listed farmer as his occupation and Methodist as his religion.  Ralph was small for military standards, only measuring 5 feet, three inches tall and weighing 110 pounds.  He had a dark complexion, brown hair and brown eyes.  He had no previous military experience.  Ralph’s older brother Cecil had enlisted a year before with the 93^rd Battalion, and at the time was in England.

Ralph trained with the 93^rd in the city of Peterborough for the remainder of February and most of March 1917, until it was discovered that he was only 16 years old and therefore two years under the age of legal military service.  He was paid the soldierly rate of $1.10 a day for his services and sent home on March 23rd.  It was noted in his discharge papers that his conduct and character while in service was very good.

Ralph went back to Dummer were he continued to work as a farmer.  In the 1921 census he appears as working on the farm of Cephas Payne in the township.  Ralph later married Dorothy Dunford of Douro in February of 1925.

Sources:

Archives of Ontario. Registrations of Births and Stillbirths – 1869-1913. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Series: MS929; Reel: 151.

Archives of Ontario; Toronto, Ontario, Canada; Registrations of Marriages, 1869-1928; Reel: 727.

Library and Archives Canada. Sixth Census of Canada, 1921. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Series RG 31; Folder Number: 81; Census Place: Dummer (Township), Peterborough East, Ontario; Page Number: 11

Library and Archives Canada. Census of Canada, 1901. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada:  Year: 1901; Census Place: Dummer, Peterborough (east/est), Ontario; Page: 10; Family No: 100.

 Library and Archives Canada. Census of Canada, 1911. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Library and Archives Canada, 2007.  Year: 1911; Census Place: 19 - Dummer Township, Warsaw Village, Peterborough East, Ontario; Page: 6; Family No: 67

Library and Archives Canada. "The Complete Military Service File of Ralph Wason (195869)." Record Group 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 10113-45. Item no. 299424.