Pte. Regimental number:   514556, 47th Batt., RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box: 515-32, ITEM: 29545, PDF: BO515-SO32. Date of Birth: 25/07/1895 (false should be: 25/07/1901). Born in Chatham, Kent Co., ON. The son of Occar Milton Baverstock of 298 Church St., Toronto, ON. Next of Kin: Marion Baverstock (sister)  of P/O Box: 68, Bothwell, ON.  

Occupation : Chauffeur. Attestation: 6/07/1917 at London ON.. Age based as incorrect at: 21 years 11 months.Height: 5’ 5 ¾ “, Girth 33”, Complexion: Dark, Eyes: Blue, Hair: Dark Brown. Eye 30/30 L / 30/30 R, Hearing: Normal. A linear scar 2” above Left Breast. Fif for Medical Board at Toronto, 12/07/17. To CASC.        

Arrived in England 4/03/1918 aboard the S.S. Cretic. TOS the 47^th O/S Batt. 11/11/18 attached to the 47^th Batt. in the Field. SOS 15/11/18. It was reported that Pte. C. R. Baverstock birth date was in fact 25/07/1900 “Declared as True”. He was posted to WOR – Depot.

Claude was stationed at Kinmel Park, North Wales to have his yeeth fixed 25/01/1919. He was scheduled to be returned o Canada but he became ill. 3/06/19.

Pte. Baverstock died of pneumonia caused from Influenza in hospital in England, Feb. 12, 1919.

Pte. Claude Raymond Baverstock died of Broulo Pneumnoue Influenza at Kimmel Park – Rhyll, UK. He had a temperature of 104  Date of Death:- Died at 7:00 PM. 12/02/1919,  age 17 years at Shorncliffe Military Hospital.  Buried at St. Asaph Church, Bodelwyddan Cemetery, Plot: 487, Denbighshire, Wales. Date of burial 25/07/1901 

His Will was received by his sister Marion was receivedat Bothwell, Kent Co., ON.    

Canadian war graves, Bodelwyddan

More than 80 Canadian service men and women are buried outside St Margaret’s Church, Bodelwyddan. They were among 17,400 who were held at the Kinmel Park Camp, a short distance west of the church, when the First World War came to an end and for months afterwards. Most (c.15,000) had served in France and were moved to Britain to await ships home.

The camp was divided into areas for each of the 11 military districts of Canada, e.g. Alberta, Montreal and Manitoba. The European influenza epidemic of 1918-19 killed many at the camp. The Canadians there became increasingly frustrated at being kept in Britain for so long after hostilities had ended. They were bored, their diet was monotonous and they had little or no money to buy things like cigarettes. Their officers, however, enjoyed evenings in Rhyl or visits to London.

In late February 1919, troops at the camp learned that large ships earmarked to take Canadians home had been re-assigned to troops from the USA who had seen relatively little service on the Continent. On 4 and 5 March 1919, disturbances broke out at the camp, and local residents feared the rebels would loot Rhyl. Five Canadian solders were killed (according to official accounts) and 28 wounded. Four of the five are buried at St Margaret’s including William Tarasevich, named by British authorities as the ringleader. At least one eyewitness said the number killed was higher. By the end of March, ships had been provided to take c.15,000 Canadians from Kinmel home.

When large numbers of angry young men returned to Britain from the fighting, the British Government feared that a Communist revolution, copying the 1917 Russian revolution, could begin in Liverpool. There’s a theory that Canadians were kept at Kinmel to quell such a rebellion. However, they may have simply been victims of a demobilization system which was overwhelmed at the war’s end. There were riots at other camps in Britain too.

Not all of the people buried in this area of the churchyard were Canadian. One was from Newport, South Wales. Some had emigrated to Canada from Britain or the USA.

Both women buried here were involved in medical care.

The memorial amid the graves is inscribed: “To the memory of Canadian soldiers who died at Kinmel Park Camp during the Great War. This memorial was erected by their comrades. Their name liveth for evermore.”

From: http://historypoints.org/index.php?page=canadian-war-graves-bodelwyddan

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ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Cenotaph	Chatham and Kent County Cenotaph - Chatham
Sources	Chatham Daily Planet (27-09-1919)
Supplemental Information	Father: Oscar Baverstock, Bothwell Mother: Mrs. Lilian Baverstock Sister: Marion Baverstock

Height	5' 5 3/4"
Eye Colour	Blue
Age	21 yrs. 11 mths.
Complexion	Dark
Hair	Dark Brown
Race	white
Birthplace	Bothwell, Ontario
Religion	Baptist
Last Place of Employment	Detroit, Michigan
Marital Status	single
When Enlisted	July 1917
Where Enlisted	Camp Borden, Ontario

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