BUSH, PTE J. attestation #1087138
James Arthur Bush enlisted under the name James Rose Bush. He was the brother of the previously discussed Henry Bush whose father was variously known as Charles Bush and Charles Rosebush.)
In his Attestation papers, signed on February 5, 1917 in Lindsay, James identified his next of kin as his wife, Mrs. Selina Bush of Toronto. (In other papers, he identified his latest address as Byng Inlet and that his occupation was that of a lumberman.)
James had married Celina Boucher on July 4, 1907 at Byng Inlet.
Here we note that Byng Inlet was the location of the large Grave and Bigwood Mill. If James and his brothers were involved in the harvest of wood on the Magnetawan system to feed the mill, this could explain their connection to the Magnetawan area.
In his discharge papers, James was identified as enlisting in the 252nd Battalion, but as having served in the 2nd Canadian Labour Battalion.
James arrived in England on June 9, 1917 on the S.S. Olympic. He was initially taken with the 6th Reserve Batallion and then transferred to the C.O.R.D. (Central Ontario Regimental Depot - facility in England used to assemble men and to store and administer equipment and materials) and then transferred to the 2nd Labour Battalion which became the 12th Railway Troop.
He returned to Canada, in March 1919.
Specifically he sailed on the HMT Scotian which departed Liverpool on March 25, 1919 and arrived in St. John on April 4th.
James appears to have developed a hearing impairment as a result of his service.
James was discharged April 6, 1919.
