ENNIS, PTE. W.T. MM 348449
William Thomas Ennis was born March 4, 1895 in Orillia, the son of Thomas Ennis and Mary Jane Thomson.
At the time of the 1901 census, William and his family were identified as living in Chapman Twp.
It is not clear where the family lived in 1911, but in his Attestation papers signed September 25, 1915 in Toronto, William listed his next of kin as his mother who he identified lived in Toronto. William identified that he was single and that his occupation was that of a clerk.
William’s Discharge Certificate indicates that William joined the 9th Battery of the CFA (Canadian Field Artillery - organization responsible for using medium-calibre guns in direct or indirect support of infantry), but that he was transferred to the 45th Battery.
William was identified in Military files as a Bombardier. The 45th Battery of the Canadian Field Artillery
William arrived in England on the S.S. Metagami on February 14, 1916.
From June 2, 1917 until the end of the war he served in France.
On June 21, 1918 he was promoted to Bombardier
On March 16, 1919 he returned to Canada
The 45th Field Battery was part of the 9th Brigade, 3rd Division, Canadian Field Artillery. Between June 1917 and war’s end, the Division participated in the battles of:
1917: Affairs South of the Souchez River – 3–25 June; Capture of Avion – 26–29 June; Battle of Hill 70 – 15–25 August; Second Battle of Passchendaele 26 October – 10 November[3]
1918: Battle of Amiens – 8–11 August; Actions round Damery – 15–17 August; Battle of the Scarpe – 26–30 August (including the capture of Monchy-le-Preux); Battle of the Canal du Nord – 27 September – 1 October (including the capture of Bourlon Wood); Battle of Cambrai – 8–9 October (including the Capture of Cambrai); Battle of Valenciennes – 1–2 November; Pursuit to Mons – 11 November
