Sgt. Percy Killingbeck Pte. Roy Killingbeck
93rd
Battalion/52nd Battalion 93rd
Battalion/52nd Battalion
Regt. Number
195744 Regt. Number 195743
Pte. Walter Killingbeck
Canadian Army Medical Corps.
Regt. Number 195259
Very
few Dummer families could boast of offering three sons for overseas service, but
parents Jacob and Mary (Davey) Killingbeck could. The second-generation Canadian family lived and
farmed in Centre Dummer for a number of years, which was where the three boys
were born: Percy (1895), Roy (1897) and
Walter (1901). It is difficult to
determine if Jacob moved his family into the nearby town of Norwood (Asphodel
Township) in the early 1900s, as the boys often recorded varying birthplaces in that town on various documents.
When
Peterborough received the go-ahead in late 1915 to enlist the 93rd
Overseas Battalion, a full battalion of 1000 men, the Killingbeck brothers were
quick to join up. The boys likely
enlisted in the nearby village of Norwood, where the 93rd Battalion
had a satellite recruiting office. Oldest brother Percy was the first to enlist
on November 15th 1915. He was
nearly 21 years old, and a painter by trade.
He was 5 feet, 8 inches tall, had a dark complexion, hazel eyes and
medium brown hair. Like all the Killingbeck
brothers, he was single and had no military experience.
Roy
was slightly over 18 when he enlisted a month later on December 27th. He was living in Norwood and working as a
labourer at the time. Roy was 5’7,
sported a fresh complexion, blue eyes and light brown hair. Around this time, Jacob Killingbeck, the
boy’s 53 year old father also attempted to enlist with the 93rd. Though he was signed on initially, he
immediately fell ill and did not pass the required medical. He was reluctantly
sent home.
The
last to enlist in the 93rd was Walter, who did so on January 7th,
1916. He gave the recruiters a birthdate
of May 7th 1899, which put his age at 16 years, 8 months old. This may seem shockingly young, but even this
young age might have been inflated so that Walter could join the 93rd
with his brothers. He might have actually
been as young as 14 when he joined. He
was working as a farmer, most likely on his father’s farm near Norwood. He was small, only 5 feet 2 inches, and
weighed 125 pounds. He had a dark
complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair.
If
the Killingbecks enlisted in the Norwood platoon of the 93rd, they
would have initially trained in that village.
Percy must have stood out in his soldiering ability and by February 14th
he was promoted up two ranks to Corporal, which meant he was leading a section
of ten men. On May 4th the
Norwood platoon, set off on a march to Peterborough to join the rest of the
battalion in that city.
 |
| A photo of the Norwood Platoon, captioned "When men are Boys" The Killingbecks are quite possibly somewhere in this photo. |
After
another month of training in Peterborough, the battalion, which had by then recruited
up to strength, left by train for Barriefield Camp, Kingston on May 30th. Here the 93rd continued their
training. By July 12th 1916 the
men of the 93rd entrained in Kingston and began a three-day journey by
rail across Ontario and the Maritimes to Halifax harbour, where they boarded
the ship the Empress of Britain.
Only
two of the Killingbeck brothers, Percy and Roy sailed with the 93rd to
England on that day, young Walter, who had only just turned 17(as far as
military officials knew), remained in Kingston.
Several days before the 93rd departed for Halifax, Walter had
been transferred into the Queen’s Field Ambulance Corps. This medical unit had recently recruited
other members from the Peterborough area and continued to train at Barriefield
until October. At this time the
Canadian military was taking harsh criticism for its lax recruiting procedures
which had enlisted boys under 18 and resulted in many of them dying in France over
the last two years. By the time that
Walter was to travel overseas with his brothers, the Canadian military
authorities were pulling soldiers found to be under 18 years of age, out of the
fighting and putting them in a “Boy’s Battalions” in England until they became
of age. Perhaps re-assigning Walter to
the Queen’s Field Ambulance was a move that delayed his arrival overseas a few
months and got him closer to an acceptable age for service at the front.
While
Walter continued his training at Barriefield, his two older brothers made a
relatively uneventful ten-day trip over the Atlantic and arrived safely in
Liverpool on July 25th 1916.
Along with the entire 93rd Battalion, they were transported
to the Canadian camp at Otterpool, England where they continued training. Shortly
after arriving in England, the 93rd Battalion, like the majority of
Canadian battalions arriving after 1915, were broken up and their ranks
dispersed as reinforcements into other Canadian units already fighting at the
front.
After
three months in England, both Percy and Roy were among a draft of 93rd men who
went to France to join the 52nd “New Ontario” Battalion, which had
originated in Port Arthur, (now Thunder Bay) Ontario. The two brothers joined the 52nd
on the Somme front on October 21st, 1916 as that battle was winding
down. Percy and Roy remained in this
dangerous sector with their battalion for the next three months moving in and
out of the recently captured front line.
The
52nd Battalion moved out of the Somme and up to the Vimy sector in
mid-February. Percy and Roy would have
trained there for the upcoming assault on Vimy Ridge that was to take place in two
months’ time. In March, the two brothers
would have started a fairly routine cycle of six days in the front line
trenches, six days in the support trenches, and six in the rest billets in the
rear. During this time Percy wrote home to a Mr. (Reverend) Irwin of Norwood:
“Just a note saying I have received
your ever welcome letter and always glad to hear from dear old Canada. As for
myself, I am enjoying the best of health just at present. But living in hopes
of returning home sometime in the near future. The weather is very good over
here just now we have no snow But very damp and cold at nights I have just
received a letter from home and very glad to hear that they are all living and
well. I also received a parcel a short time ago from the Methodist Church which
I have acknowledged of and was very pleased to get. Well as news is rather
scarce over her I will have to ring off. I remain
Sincerely
Percy H. Killingbeck”
Roy
also wrote home to Reverend Irwin thanking him for a package that he received
in the trenches:
France
March 25th/17
 |
| A page of Roy's Original Letter |
“Dear Rev.
Roy and Percy would have spent the next week
consolidating the newly won trenches, whilst avoiding the incoming artillery
from their previous occupants. After
five days in trenches, Roy was seriously wounded. On April 16th he was hit in the
back by a piece of enemy shrapnel which entered his lower back and lodged in
his abdomen. He was evacuated off the
line by the No.8 Canadian Field Ambulance to a Casualty Clearing station behind
the lines. As the first point of medical
care, apart from the stretcher bearers that would have carried him there, Roy
received an emergency laparotomy, a life-saving operation to remove shrapnel
and stop the bleeding in his abdomen.
This being done, Roy was still in serious condition and remained in care
until being evacuated to England on April 29th.
is buried in Peterborough.
Your very kind letter dated Feb. 19th
to hand. I was pleased to hear from you. Also that you visited my home and
found everyone enjoying good health. I am quite well and working hard every day
trying to bring this war to a speedy end. The prospects of an early ending are
very bright at present. I received a parcel of 18 pair of socks from I.O.D.E. I
divided them among the boys of the 93rd Batt. on behalf of the boys and myself
we will be very much obliged if you will tender our heartiest thanks to the
ladies of the I.O.D.E.
With best wishes from the boys and
myself
I remain yours
Sincerely Friend
Roy Killingbeck”
The
Killingbeck’s battalion did not take part in the opening attack on the Ridge on
April 9th, but was held in reserve to engage on a moment’s notice,
if needed. In their sector the attack
went as planned and the 52nd was not called up until April 11th,
when it was ordered to move into newly captured trenches on the front line.
 |
| A Norwood Register article with details about Roy Killingbecks wounding. It also mentions a previous wounding by bayonet. |
Upon
arriving in England, or “Blighty” as the soldiers called it, Roy entered the 2nd
London General Hospital, dangerously ill.
He underwent a second operation to remove damaged tissue in his
abdomen. He remained in critical
condition for weeks after the operation, but regained sufficient health after
three months in hospital to be transferred to the Canadian Convalescent
hospital in Bromley, Kent for another twelve days. Roy was discharged from the Convalescent
hospital on August 14th 1917.
Roy
wasn’t the only Killingbeck who was in England at this time. Walter who had been left in Canada with the
Queen’s Field Ambulance, had arrived aboard the S.S. Grampion on November 5th 1916. He had been stationed at the Canadian base at
Dibgate before being assigned to duty at two British hospitals during the
spring thru fall of 1917.
November 1917, brought
changes for the Killingbeck boys. Middle brother Roy, had recovered sufficient health
to be sent back to Canada on the 6th of that month. He had lingered
at the Canadian base in England recovering from abdominal surgery since
mid-August 1917. He had been declared
unfit for further service as he still suffered from pain in his
right hip and weakness in his abdomen for which he had to wear a support
belt. He had also contracted a hacking
cough and hoarse voice from gas poisoning at Vimy. Youngest brother Walter would head the
opposite direction: to the front. He had finally received orders on the 14th of November to proceed
to the Canadian Army Medical Corps Depot in France to begin work there. Lastly, Percy who had made it through the
battles of Vimy, and Lens in the previous year had recently recovered from a
week-long bout of Trench Fever in late October.
He rejoined the 52nd Battalion on November 11th
just in time for the horrendous battle of Passchendaele. He was wounded the next day by shrapnel to
the leg.
Percy was evacuated by
the 9th Field Ambulance to a casualty clearing station
where his
wound was dressed. A family story passed
down tells of Walter, who by that time had been driving ambulance for the 12th
Field Ambulance since two weeks previously, had passed his wounded brother on
the side of the road. As his ambulance
was already full of wounded, he could not stop.
Percy made it to the casualty clearing station that day and received
treatment for his leg wound before being evacuated to a Canadian hospital in Boulogne,
France on November 13th.
 |
| A WWI Field Ambulance, though many horse drawn wagons were used throughout the war as well. |
Percy spent a little
over a week in hospital before being released to the Convalescent Depot in
Boulogne on November 11th.
After ten days doctors felt he was well enough to be discharged to the
rest camp at the Canadian base in Boulogne.
Percy’s release might have been premature because he re-entered the
convalescent depot in Etaples on the 20th of December with
complications of his old wounds. This
time around, Percy spent close to two months in convalescence before being
discharged on February 18th 1918 to base detail in Etaples. Percy’s
fighting days were over and he spent the rest of the war in the base camps in France. He returned to England on January 28th,
1919 and sailed to Canada on May 11th.
Walter continued his service with the 12th
Canadian Field Ambulance until the end of the war. He remained in France until May 9th
1918, at which time he returned to England to await demobilization. He boarded the transport ship Olympic on June
6th and made the voyage home to Canada. He was discharged ten days later in Kingston,
Ontario.
Amazingly, all three of the Killingbeck brothers made it
back to Canada.
Oldest brother Percy was formally discharged from the army
in Kingston, Ontario on May 22nd, 1919 with the rank of Sergeant. He returned to the Peterborough area where he
continued his work as a painter. He married
Annie Richmond in November. Percy passed
away in 1942 and is buried in Norwood, Ontario.
 |
| An article detailing the homecoming of Roy Killingbeck-Norwood Register |
Roy returned to Canada in mid-November of 1918. He reported to Kingston where he was
considered fit for duty and posted to the Special Service Company no.3. This was a unit that was predominantly responsible
for military policing and guard duties.
One wonders how Roy was physically able to perform such duties from
December to the time he was discharged as medically unfit on February 12th,
1919. It seemed that he attempted to
return to civilian life and work after leaving the army. A couple of months later Roy’s health
concerns became apparent when he was admitted to Queen’s Military Hospital in
Kingston on May 25th 1919, suffering from coughing, considerable
expectoration, headaches and general weakness, especially after coughing
spells. He had tried to return to work in
March and April, but his health was such as to make it impossible. He had lost 14
lbs in previous three months and had to wear an abdominal belt to support his weakened
stomach. Doctors noted that Roy had two hemorrhages of his abdomen since the
time he was admitted. He was later transferred
to the Mowat Sanatorium to recover for an unspecified amount of time. Roy returned to Norwood, where he married
Hazel Rusaw in 1920. He died on May 4th
1942 and
 |
| Walter's Grave Marker, Norwood |
Youngest brother Walter served the last year of the war
with the 12th Field
Ambulance.
After the war he returned to Canada and was formally discharged from military
service on June 16th 1919. He returned to the Peterborough area and
married Evalina Rusaw in 1926. Memories
of Walter include his ability to detect water underground, his musical ability
and his readiness to diagnose any ailment which earned him the nickname of “Dr.
Killingbeck”. He passed away in 1965 and
was buried in Norwood, Ontario.
Sources
Archives of Ontario. Registrations of
Births and Stillbirths – 1869-1913. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Series: 22; Reel:
MS933.
Archives of Ontario. Registrations of
Births and Stillbirths – 1869-1913. MS 929, Series: 78; Reel: MS929.
Library and Archives Canada. Census
of Canada, 1891. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada: Census Place: Dummer, Peterborough
East, Ontario; Roll: T-6363; Family No: 13.
Library and Archives Canada. Census
of Canada, 1911. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada:
Census Place: 1 - Alnwick, Northumberland West, Ontario; Page: 3; Family
No: 24.
Library and Archives Canada. Census
of Canada, 1901. Ottawa, Ontario, Canada:
Census Place: Dummer, Peterborough (east/est), Ontario; Page: 9; Family
No: 98.
Ontario, Canada, Select Marriages.
Archives of Ontario, Toronto: Registrations
of Marriages, 1869-1928; Reel: 547.
Canadian Expeditionary Force. “Complete
Military Service File of Percy Killingbeck”, 1914-1918. Accession 1992-93/166.
Record Group 150. Accession 1992-93/166, Box 5148 – 44. Item 496713.
Canadian Expeditionary Force.
“Complete Military Service File of Roy Killingbeck”, 1914-1918. Accession
1992-93/166. Record Group 150. Accession 1992-93/166, Box 5148 – 45. Item
496714.
Canadian Expeditionary Force.
“Complete Military Service File of Walter Killingbeck”, 1914-1918. Accession
1992-93/166. Record Group 150. Accession 1992-93/166, Box 5148 – 46. Item
496715.
Killingbeck, Roy. “Letter-March 25
1917” The Canadian Letters & Images Project. Vancouver Island Institute. [www.canadianletters.ca]. 2019.
Ibid. “Letter- March 12, 1919”.
Killingbeck, Percy. “Letter-March 23,
1917” The Canadian Letters & Images Project. Vancouver Island Institute. [www.canadianletters.ca]. 2019.
Ibid. “Letter- March 12, 1919”.
Vance Gail. Family Tree: “The Descendants of Jacob and
Mary Ellen Killingbeck” on Ancestry.ca. March 2019.
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