Remembrance Day

At a recent Cub Scout meeting, we talked about a soldier who died in World War One and whose name is on the Rossland Cenotaph.

I received this information from the Rossland Museum which is trying to put together an historic record of everyone marked on the cenotaph. The museum provided me with a copy of his military records. 

I found the information very interesting so I thought I would share it with the greater community.

Tom Leask

2nd Rossland Scout Group

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The soldier's name was Hal Bowers (listed as H. Bowers on the Cenotaph)

He was 23yrs old when he joined the Canadian army in Feb 2016 in New Westminster

He was born in Oregon and his mom lived in Rossland

He was previously a gymnastics instructor and in excellent shape when he joined the army.

He left Halifax on Nov 1, 1916 and arrived in Liverpool on Nov 11, 1916.  This Remembrance Day will mark 101 years since he arrived in England.  

He died around May 4/5, 1917 shortly after the Battle of Vimy Ridge; 15 months after signing up and served 5 months at the front as part of the 47th Battalion, Canadian Expeditionary Force

His pay documents were part of the records provided. Apparently, he loved his mother as he sent 2/3 of his monthly pay to her ($20 out of a total pay of aprox $30)

The museum has set up a display in the museum highlighting some of the other names on the cenotaph.