| Service # | 189385 |
Reference: RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 2263 – 4 Date of Birth 27/05/1895 at Tilbury North Twsp. ON. Son of Emma Daigneault of Tilbury, ON. A single painter living in Tilbury. Attestation: 12/11/1915 at Tilbury, ON to 91st Bn. transferred to 186th Bn. Reported returning from O/S duty CDP 22/11/17, 21/12/18, 28/05/19.
Tilbury Times Thursday, 22/11/1917 reported:
“Tilburyite Reported Wounded.”
“Mrs. Emma Daigneau on Tuesday received a wire [telegram] from the War office that her son Private Phil Daigneau had been admitted to the Field Ambulance Depot on Nov. 22 from a concussion. He enlisted from Tilbury two years ago, while employed in the Times left with the 186th for England last spring. “
Note: The spelling of the Private’s name on his attestation record [enlistment] and the Nominal Roll for the 186th Battalion that boarded the S. S. Lapland on 28 March, 1917 for England was spelled DAIGNEAULT.
In that same paper was another article in the “Letters From the Front” from Phil to Mr. and Mrs. Shaw. Phil worked at the Times prior to his enlistment. The letter is as follows:
“Somewhere in France,
Monday 19 October, 1917.
Dear Mr. & Mrs. Shaw:
Having a few minutes to myself this evening, so I thought I would drop you a few lines. I am well and also the rest of the other boys who are in the 186th Battalion, and hope this finds you in the best of health. I have been in France for about two months and a half, but so far I don’t mind it, outside of a few times when the shells were bursting a little too close to be comfortable and especially in the wee hours of the morning when everything is nice and quiet, and all at 0nce one side or the other opens up, then for a few minutes thrill seems to run up and down a person’s back, that seems to be the worst thing for me I think.
The weather has been very wet, it has been raining about everyday for about a month except for the last couple of days, and the last time in the line it rained and rained all the time, the mud was between one and two feet thick, but they tell me it has got worse since we have come out on rest. I used to think that the mud on Queen Street was bad, but to compare this mud and Tilbury mud would seem like a pavement walk for when we go back and forward of the trenches there are so many shell holes and mud that we can hardly navigate as we step on the side of one of the shell holes and slip in another, and have an awful time to get out as things are so slippery. I met Charlie and Louis Reaume a month or so ago, they were both well and Sonny is still the same old Sonny as ever, full of fun and cheerfulness, we all had supper of bread, jam and cake, as they had received a box on that day which came in awful nice for a little celebrationof our own on our meeting day.
I must close for the present as I have to make my bed and hit the hay for the night, trusting that this finds you well.
Yours sincerely Phil.
Digbate Camp, Shornecliffe, England.”
TT 22/11/1917.
Phil was married to Gertrude [maiden name unkown]. JRH.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
| Sources | CDP (22/11/17, 21/12/18, 28/05/19) |
Notice something wrong with this record? Or, do you have something to add? Report it using our online form.
