William Canadine
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
He was the son of William Canadine who was born in 1869 at Stourbridge Worcestershire and employed as a leather warehouseman and later a tanner’s labourer. His mother Susannah was born in 1870 at Peterborough. He was the brother of Frederick (born 1895) and Aubrey (born 1904). Both were born in Nottingham. The family lived at 76 Sutton Street Meadow Lane Nottingham.
Canadine volunteered for service and attested at Nottingham on March 3, 1915 at the age of 19 years 5 months. His service reckoned from 8 March 1915 and he was to serve a total of 1 year 113 days. Following training he was drafted to France, embarking on 27/10/1915 and arriving the next day. He joined his battalion on 09/11/1915. Just prior to the battalion's move to Foncquevillers for the attack on the Somme, Canadine suffered a gunshot wound to the skull on 27/06/1916, and was moved to 3/46 Field Ambulance before being taken on to 20th Casualty Clearing Station with a compression fracture of the skull. He died the following day and was buried at Warlincourt Halte British Cemetery at Saulty.
Surname 'Cannadine' on Nottingham Corporation Tramways (City Transport) memorial. Nottingham Evening Post obituary (abridged), 24 July 1916: 'Canadine. Died of wounds June 28th 1916, Private W Canadine, Sherwood Foresters, age 18. Mother, father, brothers.' William's personal effects were returned by the Army to his mother at 76 Sutton Street in September 1916; his belongings comprised letters, photographs, prayer book and cigarette case. Jonathan Dames writes: ‘Frederick also served but sadly came back with TB and died of it shortly after his return. My Grandad was Aubrey and it brought a lump to my throat reading about his brother Billy's death at the age of 18 years. That all of this detail was recorded at the time, in the midst of all that turmoil, and that it has survived and been preserved here is absolutely brilliant.’
