COOMBES, PTE WILLIAM C. Reg, #657121
William Charles Coombes, an orphan, was born April 5, 1876 in London, England.
He immigrated to Canada in 1888. On April 22, 1903 Charles married Alice Snuggs in North Bay.
At the time of the 1911 census, William, age 34; Alice, age 25; and children: Frederick, age 6; Lucy, age 5; Mary, age 3; and Harry, age 1 were identified as living in Magnetawan.
The family remained in Chapman Twp. after the war. William was identified as a trapper. The family had grown to include 3 more children: John, Ruth and Arthur.
In his attestation paper signed October 15, 1916, William identified himself as a laborer.
William arrived in England on November 11, 1916 on the S.S.Caronia.
He was transferred to the 36th Reserve Battalion and subsequently to the 4th Battalion.
On September 17, 1917 he reported to the 1st C.O.R.D. (Central Ontario Regimental Depot - facility in England used to assemble men and to store and administer equipment and materials) for deployment to France. But, in November he returned to Canada
William was discharged April 24, 1918.
The 36th Battalion, CEF, was an infantry battalion of the Canadian Expeditionary Force. The battalion was authorized on 7 November 1914, and recruited in Hamilton, Ontario and the surrounding district. The 36th Battalion embarked for Britain on 19 June 1915, where it provided reinforcements to the Canadian Corps in the field until 4 January 1917, when its personnel were absorbed by the 3rd Reserve Battalion, CEF. The battalion was disbanded on 15 September 1917.
The 4th (Central Ontario) Battalion, CEF was an infantry battalion raised as part of the Canadian Expeditionary Force for service during the First World War. Raised in Canada in September 1914, the battalion sailed to the United Kingdom within weeks of its establishment. After a short period of training it was committed to the fighting on the Western Front, remaining in France and Belgium until the war ended. (Wikipedia)
