VANKOUGHNETT, PTE SAMUEL ‘BRESLAU’- Regimental # 658091
Samuel Breslau Vankoughnett was born August 1, 1897 in Foley Twp., son of John William and Mary Jane (Cochran) Vankoughnett.
His attestation papers were signed January 25, 1916 in Parry Sound. At the time of his enlistment, October 28, 1916, at Niagara Camp, Breslau lived in Hagerman Twp.. His next of kin was identified as Mary Vankoughnett.
Samuel ‘Breslau’ Vankoughnett was part of the 162nd that headed to Camp Niagara-on-the-Lake from Sundridge on August 11, 1916.
At the Camp, the unit won medals in athletics and a route march resulting a strengthened camaraderie. As John Macfie noted in his book “Now and Then, Footnotes to Parry Sound History” “Camaraderie reached a point where, when one soldier, Breslau Vankoughnett, was belatedly judged to be medically unfit to fight and sent home, he refused to leave. He got work helping a couple of maiden ladies run their farm just outside the camp and when the Battalion left for overseas his Dunchurch cohorts outfitted him a uniform and kit salvaged from discards and smuggled him aboard the train and to England.”
As noted by John Macfie, Breslau enlisted October 28, 1916 in the 162nd. He Embarked in Halifax Nov. 1, 1916 with 162nd and arrived in Liverpool, Nov 11, 1916. He was transferred to the 35th Battery, Dec. 5, 1916 and later to the 4th Reserve Battalion.
Because of his persistence and the assistance of his comrades, Breslau did see service in France beginning April 13, 1917 following a bout with influenza in January 1917.
A more seasoned Breslau Vankoughnett
Breslau arrived CBD (Canadian Base Depot) April 14, 1917. On April 20th transferred to 1st Battalion. On May 3, 1917 Breslau received a shrapnel wound just below left eye. On retiring to the Dressing Station he fell into a shell hole. He fell onto his left arm which strained the scar under his arm. The injury to his face was minor. It was the fall which resulted in the damage that ultimately resulted in Breslau’s medical discharge.
The summary of injury and cause is shown below.
The note confirms that Breslau fell into a shell hole at Lens and that he had previously suffered exposure to wet and cold.
The fall resulted in the loss of function of his left upper arm and shoulder joint resulting in Chronic Articular Rheumatism.
The fall down the shell hole in France had resulted in damage to a scar tissue suffered as a result of a severe burn when he was three years old. The scar was torn open in the fall and infection set in. Together these resulted in limited mobility of his arm and shoulder.
Breslau was discharged July 30, 1918.
The medical notes associated with Breslau’s file identify the location at which his injury occurred as being Lens. The actual battle to take Lens occurred at a later date. On May 3, 1917 the Canadian 1st Brigade was involved in the battle of Fresnoy (3rd Battle of Scarpe).
